She brings him food every day and one day comes without the baby, so they are able to talk without interruptions, but they continue to dance around until Claire tells Roger that Bree is probably scared of him resuming his marital rights after losing her virginity to him and then being raped. She and Jamie arrange for them to have a bit of privacy at the cabin while they visit with Fergus and Marsali.
Roger comes to the cabin that night, and Brianna is startled to see him. She tells him to go back to bed, and he asks where, here or back up the ridge. He tells her that he couldn’t go back to the future without her or the baby. They agree not to blame each other for what happened. He tells her that Frank loved her knowing she was another man’s child, and Jamie loved her enough to give up her mother so that Brianna may live so why does she think any less of him for he loves her just as much.
Inside the cabin, Roger watches Brianna as she breastfeeds the baby. She’s embarrassed at first, but then encourages him to look. Wanting to be fair, he strips off his own clothing. She sees the marks on the back, and he tells her the Indians made them, but it doesn’t matter now. He tells her he knows she’s afraid, but he wants her, and she says she wants him too. When the baby falls asleep, she hands him to Roger, and he knows that he can love the boy for his own sake and hopes he was the father. They put the baby to bed in his cradle. She asks him what he holds holy, and he says her and the baby and them as a family.
In August, Duncan Innes comes to the Ridge with an invitation from Jocasta to the Gathering at Mount Helicon and says there will be a priest there and might baptize the baby. Duncan also asks Jamie’s permission to ie agrees they will go to the Gathering and witness their wedding. The entire family, including Fergus and Marsali and Lizzie, travel to the Gathering. Then Brianna suggests Jeremiah and Claire says she likes it and says if it sounds too formal, they can call him Jemmy.
Claire doesn’t know, but tells Brianna to be prepared to take the baby up to the hills
At the gathering, Roger borrows a guitar and Brianna, smugly proud, watches as he performs. Jamie asks Claire if Roger is any good and Claire answers he’s very good. One day, a Highland regiment rides into the Gathering and Brianna asks Claire if they’re friend or foe. Roger and then Jamie show up to protect their women as do the other Scots among the people. The men are led by Archie Hayes, who introduces himself to Jamie who knew his father, the man Jamie had buried in Charleston, one of Jamie’s men from Ardsmuir Prison.
Brianna discusses names with es to be John, but maybe not the first if it would confuse him with Uncle Ian or Young Ian
Brianna and Roger decide to remain together, and they prepare for a joint wedding with Jocasta and Duncan. Jocasta gives Brianna a new dress to be married in and Roger is so nervous he nearly cuts his throat shaving, and Jamie has to lend him a coat. Roger has to speak to the priest to ask he marry them since he’s not Catholic, and the priest agrees as long as Roger agrees to let the child be baptized https://maxloan.org/installment-loans-mi/ Catholic. Finally, they marry.