By the time Jamie comes into our room I'm already in bed.

"Do you think they'll ever speak to me again?" I ask.

"Aye. They will," Jamie tells me.

"Come to bed, Jamie," I tell him.

"I'm afraid we've a matter still to settle between us before we sleep tonight," Jamie states.

"What is it?" I question.

"If a man among us had put the rest in danger as ye did, he'd have likely had his ears cropped or been flogged, if not killed outright," Jamie informs me.

"I... I didn't know," I assure him.

Jamie turns to face me. "Well, I ken ye're not yet familiar with our ways, and that's some excuse. Still, I did tell ye to stay hid." He sits down on the edge of the bed. "If ye'd done so, none of this would have happened. Now the British will be looking high and low for us. As for Captain Randall, eh, that's something else again."

"He'll be looking for you, especially now that he knows you're here," I state.

"Aye. He... It's personal with him," Jamie says.

"I am so sorry, Jamie," I tell him.

Jamie grabs my hand. "Eh, if it were just me, ye'd hurt by it, I wouldna say more about it." He pulls my hand towards him and kisses it. "But your actions put all the men in jeopardy. Right. Best get on with it." Jamie stands up. "Ye've done considerable damage disobeying my orders," He takes off his belt. "And I'm gonna punish ye for it."

"What do you mean?" I question.

"Oh, you know fine well what I mean," Jamie tells me. "Now, get down by the bed and lift yer shift, lass."

"I will do no such thing," I protest.

"Now, Ava..." Jamie starts.

I don't let him finish, "I have said I'm sorry, and I am, and I will never do such a thing again."

"That's just the point. Ye might," Jamie argues. "Ye come from a place where things are easier, I think." I go to move off the bed, but Jamie corners me. "Where's it's... it's no a matter of life and death if ye... Ye disobey orders or take matters into yer own hands. But it's the hard truth in places and times like these that a... a light action can have very serious consequences."

I nod my head. "All right, you... You're right, of course. I will obey your orders even if I don't agree with them."

"Good," Jamie tells me. "Now, then, get off the bed and we'll get this over with."

I look at him in shock. "What? I... I said I would follow your orders."

Jamie steps closer to me. "There's a difference between understanding something in yer mind and really knowing it, deep down. I can tell ye from my own experience that a good hiding makes ye understand things in a more serious light. But as I said, if it was just me ye put in danger... But it wasn't." I try to run again but Jamie steps in my way. "Such a thing is justice, Ava. Ye've done wrong to all the men, and ye must suffer for it. I'm yer husband. It's my duty to attend to it."

I inch off the bed and run away from Jamie. "I will not let you beat me!"

"Ye won't?" Jamie questions.

I throw a mug at his head.

"I doubt ye'll have much to say about it," Jamie says.

I pick up a glass and throw it at him as well.

"Ye're my wife, like it or not," Jamie tells me.

"I'll scream," I threaten as I throw a book at him.

Jamie grabs hold of me. "Likely if not before, certainly during." I scream hoping someone will hear me. "I expect they'll hear ye in the next village." Jamie pulls me down onto the bed and lifts my shift. "Ye've got good lungs."

I shout as Jamie starts to hit me on the bottom with his belt.

"This'll go faster if ye just yield, woman," Jamie tells me.

"I'm gonna make you suffer!" I threaten as I hit Jamie in the leg.

He lets me go and I fall to the floor.

"Ye already are," Jamie tells me as he grabs my ankle.

I try to thrash out of his grip. "You're taking pleasure in this, you barbarian."

I kick Jamie in the nose, and he cries out in pain.

"I'll never forgive you," I warn.

"Well, if I can forgive ye for what you did, ye can forgive me, too, soon as ye can sit down again," Jamie taunts.

I scratch his cheek drawing blood.

"You sadist!" I shout.

"I dinna ken what's a sadist," Jamie says. He flips me over onto my stomach. "As for my pleasure, I said I was gonna punish you. I didna say I wasna gonna enjoy it."

He hits me on the bottom again and again with his belt.

I head down for breakfast in the morning.

"I hope that Jamie wasn't too harsh on ye last night," Dougal says.

"A skelped arse never did anyone permanent damage," Murtagh states.

Dougal eyes Jamie as he walks down the stairs. "Looks like she gave as good as she got."

"Ah, it may no be permanent, but it hurts like hell," Rupert states. "She'll no make that mistake again."

"Indeed, yes," Ned agrees. He pats the bench beside him. "Come and have a seat here next to me, lassie."

"No, thank you. Think I'll stand," I tell him. Everyone laughs. "Over there."

Claire and I stand away from the others as they ready the horses.

"Are you alright?" Claire asks.

I shrug my shoulders. "I suppose as alright as I can be."

"I have half a mind to kill him," Claire tells me.

I wave her off. "It would do no good."

"It would make me feel better," she insists.

"If he dare lay a finger on me again, I may take you up on the offer," I tell her.

We finally arrive back at Castle Leoch. I shake my head at Jamie as we enter the hall.

"Hooray!" Mrs. Fitz shouts.

Everyone in the room begins to clap and cheer. Jamie grabs my arm as we start down the steps.

"Welcome home, my dears," Mrs. Fitz tells us.

People congratulate both Jamie and me. On another day I would have happily accepted but after what Jamie did to me, I can't help but wonder if this has all been a mistake.

Everyone quiets down as Colum and his wife step into the hall.

"Congratulations to ye both," Letitia tells us. "I look forward to hearing all about yer nuptials. It's been some time since we've had a wedding here."

Colum finally speaks, "My profound good wishes for a long and happy marriage, Lady Broch Tuarach."

I hid away in my room for most of the day. I do not want to answer questions from anyone. I do not wish to see anyone. When night falls Jamie comes to my room. He tells me all about what happened with Colum and Dougal. Apparently, Dougal is Hamish's father not Colum.

"I knew it that first time I saw Dougal and Hamish playing together in the courtyard," I state.

"Aye. Many have gossiped about it in whispers, and every one of us in the room already Kent it well, but that's the first time I've ever heard Dougal proclaim he's Hamish's father," Jamie tells me. "I thought Colum was gonna run him through right there."

"That would solve a few problems," I offer.

"Aye, if the storm canna be calmed between the brothers, I'll be the one to pay the price," Jamie states.

I sit down on the edge of the bed. "It's hardly the first time he and Dougal have been at odds, God knows. I'm sure it'll be fine in the morning."

Jamie nods. "Aye." He starts to take of his jacket.

I scoff. "What are you doing?"

"I thought..." Jamie starts.

"Think again," I tell him.

Jamie grabs his jacket and leaves. I will not share a bed with him. Not until he realises the way he treated me was horrible and unacceptable.

I sit with Claire in the surgery. She has fallen back into her practice as a healer since we returned.

"Jamie seemed rather downcast in the hall this morning at breakfast," Claire tells me.

I nod. "I should figure so."

"Did something happen?" Claire asks.

"I wouldn't allow him to sleep in the same bed as me last night," I tell her.

Claire nods in realisation. "Ah." She smiles slightly. "I'm glad you stood your ground."

I nod my head. "So am I. Jamie may be my husband, but he still needs to earn my respect."

"Do you love him?" Claire asks.

I look at her for a moment. "I don't know. I... I think I could love Jamie."

Without knocking Jamie comes barging into the room. I can see him in the mirror as I brush my hair.

"Colum and Dougal have mended fences," Jamie tells me. He takes off his jacket and neck cloth. "Our lives in the Highlands are steeped in tradition, custom, and ritual."

I nod. "So I've seen."

"And Colum chose to risk looking weak, publicly changing his position, because peace was more important than custom. I saw a rigid man bend," Jamie tells me. "It made me mindful."

"About what?" I question.

"Wives obey their husbands. Husbands discipline them when they don't. Now, that's how it was with my father and his father on and on and on, back," Jamie tells me. "But maybe for you and me it has to go a different way." Jamie grabs his knife and kneels in front of me. "I swear on the cross of my Lord Jesus, and by the holy iron which I hold, that I give you my fealty and pledge you, my loyalty." Jamie points the tip of his blade at his heart. "If ever my hand is raised in rebellion against you again, then I ask that this holy iron may pierce my heart." I look at him not saying anything. "Is that not enough, Ava? Do you not want me anymore?" He puts his knife away. "Do ye wish to live separately?"

"I feel that's what I should want," I tell him. I put my hand over his heart. "But I don't."

Jamie covers my hand with his. "The key to Lallybroch."

"What?" I question.

"Yer ring." He kisses my hand. "I had the blacksmith fashion yer ring from my key," Jamie explains.

"Why didn't you tell me that before, when you gave it to me?" I ask.

"I wanted to wait until I took ye back to Lallybroch, so ye'd know the place was as much yours as mine," Jamie tells me. "Now, I dinna ken when, if ever, we'll get back there."

"Jamie..." I start.

"That... That thought doesna pain me as much as it once might have," Jamie says. "You are my home now."

Jamie rests his forehead on mine. I put my hand on his cheek before leaning in to kiss him.

"I want ye, Ava. I want ye so much, I can scarcely breathe," Jamie tells me. "Will ye have me?"

"Yes. Yes, I'll have you," I tell him.

I can hear Jamie's belt hit the floor. He pushes my shift off of my shoulders before taking off his vest. I tug on his shirt before he pulls it off over his head. Jamie moves us so he is lying on his back on the floor and I'm on top of him.

I take control for once. Not caring if Jamie is having a good time. I grab his knife from the floor and point it at his neck.

"Listen to me. If you ever raise a hand to me again, James Fraser, I will cut your heart out and have it for breakfast," I warn. "Do you understand me? Do you?"

"Aye, you have my word," Jamie tells me.

I throw the knife back onto the ground. Jamie sits up with me in his lap.

"You're mine, mo nighean Donn," Jamie tells me. "Mine, now and forever." He flips us over, so he is on top of me. "And I mean to make you call me master."

Jamie and I lay face to face spent. I put my hand on his cheek.

"I am your master, and you're mine," Jamie tells me. "Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own."

Jamie and I do not bother to move from our place on the floor in front of the fire.

"Sassenach?" Jamie says.

"Yes, master?" I ask.

"What does 'fucking' mean?" Jamie questions.

I turn to face him. "What?"

"Fucking," Jamie says. "After Fort William, ye called me 'fucking bastard.'"

"Um..." I laugh lightly. "Well, it means what we just did."

"Ah." Jamie nods. "What about 'sadist'? You called me that as well."

"Well, that means someone who takes sexual pleasure in hurting someone," I explain.

Jamie laughs. "Oh, well, ye dinna flatter me overmuch, but I canna fault your observations."

Jamie pulls me towards him and kisses me. After a moment I pull away.

"Oh. Was I too rough on you?" I tease.

"Well, if you bed a vixen, you have to expect to get bit." Jamie kisses me again. "Come here and bite me some more."

"I'm ravenous," I tell him.

"So am I." Jamie trails kisses down my neck. He pulls away to look at me. "You meant food."

I nod my head. "Mm-hmm."

"I'll go to the kitchen, fetch us something to eat," Jamie offers.

Jamie pulls his kilt out from under the bed. As the cover moves, I notice what looks like sticks. I pull out what looks like a cross made of sticks with an animal bone tied to it.

"What on Earth is this?" I question.

"Where'd you get that?" Jamie asks.

"It was just there," I tell him. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"It's an ill wish," Jamie tells me.

"Which is?" I question.

"It's meant to bring pain or harm or even death," Jamie explains.

"Well, who'd put such a thing under our bed?" I ask. Jamie looks slightly guilty. "Jamie?"

"Laoghaire," Jamie states.