In the morning I find myself wishing to see Jamie. I head to the kitchen to find Mrs. Fitz. She tells me where I may be able to find him. The stables at the top of the meadow to the east.

Jamie is in a pen with a white horse. I accidentally knock a can from the fence spooking the horse. Jamie loses his footing and falls to his knees. He pulls himself back up quickly.

"I'm so sorry about that," I tell him.

"She's just a girl with spirit is all," Jamie tells me after ripping off his sling. "That's always a good thing. What can I do for you, Miss Beauchamp?"

"It's what I can do for you," I tell him. I hold up the basket I've brought. "Some fresh bandages and some lunch."

Jamie smiles. "Aye."

Jamie and I sit in the stable. I spread out the food I brought on a cloth on the hay. He has no trouble digging right in.

"Quite the appetite," I tell him. "I should think you'd eat grass if there was nothing else."

"I have," Jamie admits. "Doesna taste bad, but it's not very filling."

"You've actually eaten grass?" I ask in surprise.

"The winter. Year before last. I was living rough, you know, in the woods wi' a group of lads, raiding cattle. We'd had poor luck for a week and more and no food amongst us left," Jamie explains.

"One might ask why you were raiding cattle and living the life of a thief instead of tending to your own farm," I reason.

"There was a price on my head. 10 pounds sterling," Jamie tells me. "A farmer's whole year in these parts."

"Seems excessive for a single escaped prisoner," I state.

"No, not for escape. For murder," Jamie informs me. "But I didn't actually kill the man I'm wanted for."

"You're a very complicated man, Mr. MacTavish," I tell him.

"Nay," Jamie says with a smile. "Nay, it's a simple story, really. I told you what happened to me at Fort William. I could hardly move for a day or two after I'd been flogged the second time. And I had fever from the wounds. Once I could stand again, though, some friends made shift to get me out of the camp by means I'd best not go into. And there was some ruckus as we left, and a Redcoat was shot."

"Not by you," I state.

"To tell you the truth, I was too weak to do more than hang onto the horse," Jamie confesses. "Four years ago now. More like an old dream, but..." He stands up. "There it is."

"I take it your real name's not Mr. MacTavish," I reason.

Jamie shakes his head. "No. No, it's not."

"A nom de guerre, as it were," I state.

"Aye. If you like," Jamie tells me. "You know, it's valuable information, that. You know, I... I doubt there are informers in the castle itself, but, you know, there might be some about the countryside be glad enough to earn a few pennies by letting the English know where I was, did they know I as a wanted man."

"Does Colum know?" I question.

"That I'm an outlaw?" Jamie asks. I nod. "Aye, aye, Colum knows. And Dougal. But they're uncles on my mother's side."

"Now I know," I tell him. "Why did you tell me?"

"You asked," Jamie states.

"That's no answer," I insist. "You could have lied or told me it was none of my business."

"Well, I suppose I could have. Didn't think of that. Decided to trust ye instead," Jamie tells me.

Dougal arrives carrying a saddle. "Are you done stuffing your face while the horses run wild? And when will that colt be broken?"

"None the sooner for starving myself," Jamie tells him. Dougal says nothing as he walks off. "I best be returning to work. Thank you for the food and the, uh..."

"Just try not to get flogged or stabbed today. That'll be thanks enough," I tell him.

"No promises, Sassenach," Jamie says with a smile.

I start to walk back towards the castle. I realise that Rupert is following me.

"Are you following me?" I question. He doesn't say anything. "You are. Why? You could at least do me the courtesy of an answer. Did Colum tell you to follow me?"

"Nah," Rupert tells me.

"Dougal, then?" I ask.

"Ken, for a woman, you do ask a fair amount of questions," Rupert remarks.

"So I've been told," I tell him.

"Well, I have nae answers for ye. I am but Dougal's eyes, not his head," Rupert says. "But let me warn ye, miss; these eyes won't be turning their gaze from ye until the head orders me to."

I scoff before turning to walk off.

Rupert chases after me. "It could be worse. I'll be sharing guard duty with Angus, and you'll not be finding him as charming as myself. He's in his cups more than out of them. A fornicator of women and a shagger of wee beasties when there's no women to be found. So, I suggest you enjoy me while you can, because you'll be yearning for me when you feel the foul breath of that mad bastard on the back of your neck."

"Lovely," I remark.

"Lucky for you, he prefers female creatures with the tang of the farmyard aboot them," Rupert tells me.

"Then I'll remember to bathe regularly," I assure him.

"Aye, he wouldna ken what to make of that," Rupert remarks.

I find Claire in her bedchamber. I'm sure no one can hear us in here.

"Does Dougal have men following you too?" I ask.

Claire nods. "Yes."

"I should go give him a piece of my mind," I tell her.

"It won't do anything," Claire tells me. "I already had this conversation with Dougal."

"And what did he say?" I ask.

"He says that he suspects we may be English spies," Claire explains.

"Spies?" I question. "Me and you?"

Claire nods. "He thinks we have not told the truth about who and what we are. And until he thinks he's figured it out he's going to have us watched day and night."

Mrs. Fitz has been having Claire and I help to harvest food for the kitchen. Mostly I've just been following Claire around the gardens. I watch as she pulls a mushroom from a tree.

"Those kind are poison."

Claire hits her head on a branch. I turn and see a girl in her twenties in the garden.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," the girl says.

"I imagine it was funny from over there," Claire says.

"It was quite funny from here as well I can assure," I tell her.

Claire gives me a look before turning back to the girl. "Thanks for the warning, though, but I do know those mushrooms are poisonous."

"Who is it you're planning to do away with?" the girl asks. "Your husband, perhaps? Tell me if it works, and I'll try it on mine."

"Actually now, while the caps of these mushrooms are poisonous, you can make a powder out of the dried fungi. It's very effective in stopping bleeding when applied topically," Claire explains.

"Fancy that. My name is Geillis. Geillis Duncan," the girl says.

"I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. My name is..."

  Claire starts.

"I know who you are, Claire." Geillis turns to me. "And Ava.  The village has been humming with talk of ye since you came to the castle."

"What is it they're saying about us?" I ask.

"That you're likely a Sassenach spies," Geillis tells us. She looks over at a patch of flowers. "You know, those will start bleeding to get rid of a child you don't want. Brings on your flux. But only if you use it early. Too late, and it can kill you as well as the child. The girls in the village come to me every now and again for such things. They say I'm a witch."

"Are you?" I ask.

"Hardly," Geillis tells me. "Although I am aware of how wood betony can transform toads into pigeons. You should come visit me sometime down in the village. I have a cabinet full of potions and medicinals I wager would tickle yer fancy. But I hope I'll see you tonight at the hall."

"The hall?" Claire questions.

I stand in the hall with Claire and Geillis. I watch as Colum and Dougal arrive. Claire and I have decided that Colum's condition is Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome. Named for its most famous sufferer who does not yet exist. It is a degenerative disease of bone and connective tissue. Lautrec died at age 38. And given the state of medicine in the 18th century, Colum MacKenzie was most certainly living on borrowed time.

"Masters William Talbot and Fingal Duncan, will ye stand forth?"

Two men step up in front of Colum and Dougal. They start to speak. Geillis translates for Claire and me.

"They're neighbors. Having a dispute over a cow."

"A cow?" Claire asks.

Colum says something and everyone laughs.

"He says well, let me see," Geillis says.

"It's all right. I have the feeling something would be lost in translation," Claire tells her.

"Kyle Ferguson, step forward and present yourself."

Two more men step forward.

"They're fighting over some property," Geillis explains.

On it goes until a man steps forward with his daughter.

"Her father accuses her of loose behavior. Her father wishes the MacKenzie to have her punished for disobedience," Geillis explains.

Colum hands down a decision. The girl struggles against her father's grip. Jamie steps forward to Colum.

"He's offering to take the girl's punishment," Geillis tells me.

"What?" I ask. "But he's still injured."

"They're arguing it now," Geillis tells me. The conversation continues. "He allows it. He chooses fists."

"Fists?" I ask.

"Rather than the strap," Geillis tells me.

Jamie steps up to Murtagh. The two talk before Murtagh steps away. Rupert steps forward. He's going to be the one to give Jamie the punishment.

Rupert punches Jamie in the stomach. Jamie stands back up straight and smiles. Rupert punches him again in the stomach. Jamie stands up once more. Rupert hits him in his lower back.

"How long must this go on for?" I question.

"Only until blood's drawn," Geillis explains. "Usually when their nose is broken."

Rupert punches Jamie in the face. Jamie straightens up and spits out blood.

"This is barbarous," I protest.

Rupert hits Jamie one more time in his injured shoulder. Jamie cries out in pain. Rupert hits Jamie again, this time in the cheek. Jamie falls back landing on his arse.

I try to step forward, but Geillis stops me. "Ava, stay here."

Murtagh helps Jamie to his feet. He steps forward and bows in front of Colum. I move to step towards Jamie as he walks from the hall.

"This way is quicker, and you'll stir less gossip," Geillis tells me.

I find Jamie in the kitchen. I make him a tonic to drink. To help with the pain.

"Here." I hand him a mug. "Why did you do that? Take that girl's punishment? Do you know her?"

"Ken who she is," Jamie tells me. "Haven't really spoken to her, though."

I start to clean the cut above his eyebrow. "Then why?"

"It would have shamed the lass to have been beaten in the hall before everyone that knows her," Jamie reasons. "Taken a long time to get over it. It's easier for me. I'm sore, but I'm nae really damaged. I'll get over it in a couple days."

Mrs. Fitz walks into the room with a tray. "Oh, here ye are, lad. Rinse your mouth with this. It'll cleanse the cuts and ease the pain. Willow bark tea, with a bit of ground orris root. Ground up well."

"Top of life," Jamie tells her.

"What you did was kindly meant, lad. Laoghaire is my granddaughter, ye ken?" Mrs. Fitz says before leaving in a hurry, clearly upset.

"Take that bandage off your shoulder in the next two days," I instruct.

"Would it not be easier if you did that?" Jamie asks.

"Yes, but I'll be gone," I tell him. "Claire and I are leaving with Mr. Petrie tomorrow."

Jamie nods. "I see. Well... Then perhaps this is good-bye."

"Yes," I tell him. I see Laoghaire standing in the doorway. "I think someone would like to speak with you, alone."

"Aye," Jamie says.

"Well, good-bye to you, then, Jamie," I tell him.

"Safe journeys to ye, Ava," Jamie says.

Claire and I are finally leaving Castle Leoch today. Mrs. Fitz hands me a basket.

"The bannocks should last a day or two, and the cheese will keep for a week," Mrs. Fitz tells me.

"You've been too kind, Mrs. Fitzgibbons," Claire says. "I can't thank you enough."

"Think nothing o' it, lass," Mrs. Fitz insists. "Safe journey to ye."

Dougal steps towards us. "Colum wishes to see ye," he tells Claire.

"Why?" Claire asks.

"It doesna matter why," Dougal tells her.

"All right." Claire turns to me. "I'll be back in a minute."

When Claire doesn't come back. I head back inside the castle to find her. Instead, I come across Dougal first.

"Where has Claire gone?" I ask.

"I showed her the surgery in the cellar," Dougal tells me.

"And where is she now?" I question.

"I suppose she'll be staying for a while," Dougal tells me.

I shake my head. "No. We're leaving. Now."

Dougal steps closer to me. "It seems plans have changed."

"What is she your prisoner now?" I ask.

"She is a guest of the Laird," Dougal tells me.

"No." I shake my head. "No. She is a prisoner. She wants to leave yet you're not letting her." I scoff. "And you know that if Claire isn't going anywhere neither am I."

"I was planning on it," Dougal tells me.

"You still think we are spies for the British?" I question.

"I think that you and your sister have secrets. Secrets that may be a threat to me, to Leoch, or to clan MacKenzie," Dougal says. "So, until we know for sure you and your sister are staying."

"We're prisoners," I state.

"Only if you try to leave," Dougal tells me.