Gentle He Would Be, Denied

D'ye Ken That The Only Time I Am Without Pain Is In Your Bed, Sassenach? When I Take Ye, When I Lie In Your Arms-my Wounds Are Healed, Then, My Scars Forgotten.

I Shook So That It Was Some Time Before I Realized That He Was Shaking Too, And For The Same Reason. I Don't Know How Long We Sat There On The Dusty Floor, Crying In Each Others Arms With The Longing Of Twenty Years Spilling Down Our Faces.

You Are Safe," He Said Firmly. "you Have My Name And My Family, My Clan, And If Necessary, The Protection Of My Body As Well. The Man Willna Lay Hands On Ye Again, While I Live.

I Will Find You," He Whispered In My Ear. "i Promise. If I Must Endure Two Hundred Years Of Purgatory, Two Hundred Years Without You - Then That Is My Punishment, Which I Have Earned For My Crimes. For I Have Lied, And Killed, And Stolen; Betrayed And Broken Trust. But There Is The One Thing That Shall Lie In The Balance. When I Shall Stand Before God, I Shall Have One Thing To Say, To Weigh Against The Rest." His Voice Dropped, Nearly To A Whisper, And His Arms Tightened Around Me. Lord, Ye Gave Me A Rare Woman, And God! I Loved Her Well.

I Meant It, Claire,' He Said Quietly. 'my Life Is Yours. And It's Yours To Decide What We Shall Do, Where We Go Next. To France, To Italy, Even Back To Scotland. My Heart Has Been Yours Since First I Saw Ye, And You've Held My Soul And Body Between Your Two Hands Here, And Kept Them Safe. We Shall Go As Ye Say.