Sèididh Ùine: Ch.11 “Mistress Beauchamp”
written by @julesbeauchamp & @curlsgetdemgurls
a/n: Hello everyone! We’re both so happy to be posting this again and want to thank you all for reading and enjoying this story!
Ch.1 / Ch.2 / Ch.3 / Ch.4 / Ch.5 / Ch.6 / Ch.7 / Ch.8 / Ch.9 / Ch.10
Claire almost fainted when her eyes met the ones of the healer’s. For the longest time, she had tried to imagine what her mother in the flesh would be like. She had known it, of course, but at only five when she last saw her, she had forgotten anything tangible about Julia Beauchamp. She had photographs but it wasn’t the same.
They looked almost identical. Same eyes, lips, and high cheekbones. Except Julia’s curls were tightly pinned down and her nose was slightly straighter than her daughter’s.
Claire felt Jamie’s hand grabbing hers as he too realized who had arrived and she squeezed it.
“Mistress Beauchamp,” Ellen smiled widely, “Thank ye for comin’!”
Claire’s breath hitched at the sound of the name -- a confirmation, for sure how many Beauchamp's were there in Scotland?
“I’m glad I made it before the bairn,” Julia smiled, trying to hide her state of shock as best as she could.
“Aye, dinna fash. I told ye last time Frasers take their wee time,” She chuckled, looking at her husband.
Nodding, Julia couldn’t take her eyes off Claire. Something that Ellen noticed immediately, “Och, where are my manners! ‘Tis Elizabeth and Alexander Malcolm, our guests for a while.”
Jamie stepped in, with a polite smile, “Ma’am.”
“Hello,” Julia replied, smiling in turn before looking at Claire again, “Hi…”
Claire blinked, feeling five years old all over again. She was fighting the urge to cry and to hold her mother tightly. The woman standing in front of her was a stranger and yet, there was something so familiar about her -- as if they had parted only minutes ago. Claire watched her with such gratitude and love and had the feeling returned in abundance without a need to even ask for it.
Before Claire had the time to answer, Ellen chimed in, “Mistress Malcolm is a healer too, Mistress Beauchamp!”
“She looks like a healer,” Julia smiled fondly, “And a good one, at that. I’m sure she will be very helpful for the birth.”
“Oh, aye!” Ellen smiled. Claire knew she had noticed the resemblance but didn’t comment on it, it was clear enough that there was some family connection between the two from their appearance alone but she thanked God any of the Frasers said a word about it.
“You should be resting, Mistress Fraser,” Julia touched her arm. “I know my way around here, I’ll manage and you call me if you need anything? I would like to talk with Mistress Malcolm, it’s not every day I meet a fellow healer.”
“Mistress Beauchamp is right,” Brian said, wrapping a protective arm around his wife, “Come, mo ghraidh, I’ll bring ye inside.”
“Aye, aye,” Ellen smiled, “See ye all later, then.”
Ellen and Brian went back into the house and once they had disappeared out of ear range, Julia turned to Claire. Jamie pressed his lips against Claire’s temple and sensing she needed a moment alone with her mother, Jamie left them and headed towards the small stable.
“It’s so lovely to meet you Mistress Beauc --”
“Is it you?” Julia interrupted her, placing her hand on Claire’s arm gently.
“It’s really you then, mama?” Claire smiled and the tears that she had been holding in spilled over her cheeks. A second later, Julia was embracing her and Claire stood there, feeling small and childlike in her mother’s arms.
They held onto each other for a time, as if every second was making up for each year they lost together. Julia pulled back first and her hands immediately cupped Claire’s cheeks, her thumbs wiping away the tears.
“You are so beautiful, Claire. I knew it was you the moment I saw you,” Julia smiled.
“I knew it was you too, I had the one picture of you and papa… I can’t believe you’re here, I -- I thought you to be dead.”
“You found us…”Julia whispered, holding Claire again. “I’m so sorry, my love. For all the pain you must have felt.” Julia then looked at Claire, a sorrowful look crossed her eyes, “Can you ever forgive us, Claire?”
“Forgive you?” Claire frowned. “There’s nothing to forgive, mama. You had no way of telling me you didn’t die but actually went through standing stones,” Claire laughed and wiped at her nose.
“You can tell me though…” Claire’s stomach clenched, “Did you choose to leave?”
Julia took both of her hands and looked her in the eyes, “Yes. Yes, we did. But we always planned to return to you, Claire bear.”
“Why did you leave, there must have been a good reason…” Claire asked. Julia smiled sadly and then guided them over to sit on a nearby bench.
“Henry, your father,” Julia smiled brightly, “Well, I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the Jacobite Rising of 1745, but your father studied and wrote books about it. He was drawn to it. You see, despite our very French last name,” she laughed. “Our family history can be traced through Scottish roots, which only made him even more interested.”
“It’s all a bit complicated dear, but the gist of it is that we wanted to go back to 1744 and try and stop the rising from ever happening.” Claire listened intently, trying her best to recall any history lessons Lamb had taught her.
“The Scots lost at the Battle of Culloden and everything about the Highland culture was decimated. Your father and I had been aware the time travel was possible and we thought we could do our part in history.”
“But you didn’t go back to 1744 if you’re here… in 1716,” Claire noted.
“No,” Julia smiled. “We went too far, to the year 1714 and we tried to go back,” Julia gripped Claire’s hand tightly. “Back to you, but we’ve been stuck ever since.”
“But if you’ve been here for two years...how come twenty years went on for me back in the 20th century?” Claire was confused, all those maths giving her a headache.
“Time travel is a funny thing, obviously your father and I don’t have it all figured it out,” Julia smiled sadly. “All I know is that you’re here right now and you have no idea how happy I am to see you...I never thought I would again.”
“Well, neither did I,” Claire sighed and smiled.
“But how did you know we were here?”
“It’s quite a long story. Back in 1940, there had been a World War, the second one actually and I served as a nurse for five years. After that, I was alone and decided to go to Scotland to start anew, it felt as if the Highlands were the only place slightly spared of those atrocities. I bought a house,” Claire turned around looking at the estate, “It was this one.”
Julia watched her daughter, listening to her with rapt attention as she held her hand tightly.
Claire continued, “One afternoon the tall ginger Scot you saw earlier showed up at my door. He was hurt and disoriented, I quickly found out he was from the year 1743. I told him I would help him get back to his time once his shoulder injury would heal. One day, he told me about the healer in his village who looked exactly like me. When I showed him a picture of you and papa, he confirmed you both were back in the 18th century. I think something happened at the stones too because obviously, we ended up in the wrong time and now we’re here...where you are slightly younger than what Jamie or myself expected.”
“So we’re in 1743 too,” Julia frowned, “Maybe we do make it through the stones after all. Good God, I will never understand any of this. Your father might though, we’ll ask once we’ll get to him. We live in the village but he will be so happy to see you,” She cupped her cheek, smiling.
“I would like to properly meet this tall ginger Scot,” Julia smiled and they both rose to walk over to the stables.
“Ellen and Brian are his parents, but he just hasn’t been born yet. And they think his name is Alexander.”
“Good God, this is complicated,” Julia laughed.
“Oh… and mama?” Claire bit her lip nervously. “There’s something else you should know about me and Jamie.”
“What is it dear?”
“We’re married.”
Julia looked at her daughter, a little shocked. “Married. Well… that is certainly not what I was expecting you to say, but if it’s a happy marriage then I wholeheartedly approve my dear.”
“It is,” Claire smiled and they met Jamie who was standing next to a black horse, his hand slowly stroking its mane.
“I have to admit we did marry so I would be protected in this time but…” Claire bit her lower lip, “I’m very much in love with him.”
“He looks like a good lad and the Frasers are great people, I’m sure they raised him well.” Julia smiled, “And quite a bonny lad,” she winked.
“Sassenach,” Jamie smiled and greeted them both.
“I’ve told her everything, Jamie,” Claire slid into his embrace, leaning on him for comfort. This day had already been very emotionally draining.
“Then ye’ll ken Mrs. Beauchamp how confused we are as well to be here,” Jamie smiled.
“We’re here together, now though,” Julia touched Jamie’s arm lightly and then looked at her daughter. “That’s all that matters.”
She then coughed and took a step back, “I do know how odd this is… us being the same age, but I hope it isn’t too weird.”
“You look just as you did in the picture mama,” Claire smiled. “I don’t know you any other way.”
“Good then. I should be here for a few days until the bairn is born and then if you like, you can both accompany me to the village to see your father?” Julia said hopeful.
“Yes, that would be lovely,” Claire smiled hugging her mother.
Brian Fraser stormed out of the house in a hurry, his eyes wide, “Mistress Beauchamp! Mistress Malcolm! The bairn is comin’!”