A Royal Affair: Chapter 1.3 - “20th October”
notes: Here’s a new chapter at least and I hope it brightens your monday! As per usual, cheers to my love @whiskynottea for cleaning up my mess (and leaving the best comments while doing so), to @outlanderedandoverhere who whispered an idea I used in this chapter and to you guys for all the feedback on the previous chapters! I’m so excited about this story.
By October, the novelty of Jamie’s presence on campus still hadn’t died down, but there was not much he could do about it. Thankfully, he developed a tradition to bring Claire fresh pastries every Sunday morning and they would spend the day together, hiding in the privacy of her cottage, catching up on their week over breakfast and then reading books or watching movies. No matter how his week was going, knowing that his Sunday would be shared with Claire Beauchamp always managed to bring a smile to his face.
In only a few weeks, Claire had become his safe haven.
This week was no different, but it was a bit more special since their meeting would fall on Claire’s birthday. Of course, she didn’t directly tell him about it, quite the contrary actually, but he shared a class with Joe and overheard him talking about it with someone. Jamie knew he was very much in love with Claire from the first moment they met, but he had no idea about her feelings towards him other than being a good friend of hers. He noticed the other guys’ looks when she was walking down a corridor or in the library and he decided he had to at least try to court her properly.
Jamie would always remember the last conversation he had with his mother the night before her accident. For some reason, they had talked about his future and how the woman he would choose should be the person he trusted more than anyone, someone who would support him no matter what and who would be ready to face a life in the public eye. He was fourteen and worried he would never find someone like that, but Ellen Fraser promised him he would know the right woman the second he would see her… And like every mother, she had been right.
Jamie rang Claire’s doorbell and stood on the porch holding a bouquet of wildflowers behind his back and a bag with the pastries and her gift in his other hand. It was early but he could hear the record player inside and he smiled at the thought of Claire dancing around in her living room.
She opened the door, holding her cat, fatty Frank, and smiled warmly, “Morning, Jamie.”
“Happy Birthday, Sorcha.” Jamie grinned broadly, presenting her the bouquet. He knew she would be surprised but he was not likely to forget her expression anytime soon.
“How on earth did you know it was today?” She raised her eyebrows with a smile.
“Weel If ye let me in, I might tell ye.”
“I let you in every week, there’s no need for blackmail, your royal highness.” She grinned and went inside, putting Frank down on the floor.
Jamie followed her, chuckling as he closed the door. The smell of the fireplace enveloped the air mixed with warm coffee - by their third Sunday together, Jamie confessed he was not very fond of tea and Claire admitted she wasn’t either so now they would have coffee, instead.
“The flowers are beautiful, thank you!” Claire smiled, putting them in a vase.
“Aye, I dinna ken what kind of flowers ye like, but I thought wildflowers were a good reflection of yer spirit.” He admitted, avoiding her eyes as he kept busy removing his beanie and coat. His cheeks were not only flushed from the misty cold of late October outside, but also from his confession.
“Well, thank you.” She smiled, touched by his attention and words, her own cheeks taking a crimson colour.
“Aye, ye’re welcome, Claire. I hope ye are hungry because I dinna forget the pastries. I just got even more for the occasion”.
“Great, I’m famished,” Claire grinned. “I’ll get the coffee.” She added before disappearing into the kitchen.
“So, will you tell me how did you know about my birthday being today?” Claire leaned back in her leather sofa and took a bite of her scone, looking at him with an interrogating smile.
“If ye think about it, I can ask the secret services whatever I want to know, Sorcha.” Jamie said teasingly with grinned, taking a bite of his croissant.
Claire burst into a laugh. “That’s actually frightening if it’s true!”
“Nay, in reality, I overheard Joe talk about it to a ginger woman in class. Since you want to know everything.” He admitted with a smirk.
“Oh yes, that’s Geillis, his roommate. They’re quite the pair. Actually, they took me out for dinner and drinks last night to celebrate.”
“And ye aren’t hungover? Impressive.” Jamie raised his eyebrows. “Or maybe ye hide it verra well?’ He added with a sneaky grin.
“I told you I hold my liquor pretty well, Fraser” Claire grinned, sipping some coffee.
“Aye, I believe ye. Ye look as fresh as a daisy and it’s barely 9am. What’s yer secret?”
“That’s what happens when you’re taught life by Lambert Beauchamp, my dear. My uncle’s idea of curing a sore throat was with whisky so you can imagine.” She smirked.
“Aye, I can.” Jamie smiled and looked at her for a while before he asked, “Why didn’t ye tell me it was going to be yer birthday? Ye dinna celebrate it?” Jamie moved closer, his hand suspended between them for a moment before he raised it to stroke a stray curl behind her ear, his eyes finding hers.
Shaking her head, Claire smiled softly. “No, I actually forget about it most of the time if I’m completely honest.”
“Because ye have no one to celebrate with?” He asked softly, scared to offend her, his thumb slowly stroking her cheek.
“I guess there’s a little bit of that, yes.”
“I’m sorry if ye dinna want to celebrate it, I shouldn’t have assumed…” Jamie started, looking down.
“Jamie, it’s quite alright.” Claire touched his hand, interrupting him. “It makes me really happy to celebrate with you and the flowers are really gorgeous.” She smiled her fingers lightly on the back of his hand. “It’s the best birthday I’ve had in a while.”
“I have another gift for ye.” He smiled and looked into his tote bag before handing her the gift, wrapped delicately in a liberty paper. “Happy birthday again, Claire.”
Claire smiled and opened it carefully, not wanting to shred the wrapping paper too much, revealing an original first edition copy of one of her favourite collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire.
Looking up, Claire was speechless. “Jamie… I can’t possibly accept this.”
“Of course ye can, ye mentioned the other day how much ye love that book,” he smiled “And it’s a pleasure getting it for ye. I asked my sister to send it from London and I thought ye’d like it.”
Claire looked at him amused and grinned. “I don’t even remember mentioning it”
“Weel maybe it’s the secret service for real this time?” He grinned cheekily.
“Do I have to be worried you’re stalking me?” She asked, making him laugh.
“If I say yes, are ye going to throw me out?”
“I guess ye’re really getting old because ye dinna remember I saw ye at the library last week and ye said ye’ve read this book countless times.” He recalled, crossing his arms.
“I talk a lot, I can’t remember everything I say.”
“Aye, but luckily I do.” He grinned. “Can I have a kiss for that? I’m gonna be sad otherwise.” He pointed to his cheek.
“Oh, so you bribe me now? And on my birthday nonetheless.”
She chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for the book and the flowers.”
Jamie looked at her lovingly. “Ye’re welcome, but I have one more surprise Ye will need to wait a little bit more for this one though.”
“Another one? Jamie!” Claire smiled, trying to hide her delight as his attention.
“Dinna act like ye dinna like it.” He grinned, making her laugh at the truth of his words.
“I truly don’t know why you need to hide my eyes for this.” Claire walked slowly, holding Jamie’s hand as her eyes were blindfolded. “Is it a car? Because I’m a terrible driver and this wouldn’t be the best idea.”
“Nay, it’s no’ a car. Ye wouldn’t use it anyway, I ken how much ye like yer wee bike.”
“I do but trust me, it’s much better like that, for public safety and such. Okay, can you untie that thing from around my eyes now? I’m really scared you’re either going to let me fall or push me into a river.”
“Is that what ye think of me? I’m truly offended, Claire.” He stopped walking and reluctantly let go of her hand to remove her blindfold.
Claire’s eyes adjusted to the light and she looked around at the familiar surroundings of the Pitt Rivers Museum. She looked at him, eyebrow raised in question.
“Private museum tour for ye. I thought opening up the museum in the evening would be a good idea and give us more privacy to explore.”
Claire blinked and looked at him speechless.
“Ye dinna like it?” He looked at her, his stomach twisting a little bit.
Claire’s mouth curled up into the loveliest smile. “You couldn’t have chosen a more perfect place.” For a date - None of them pronounced the word but they both knew this was that this tour was.
Jamie took her hand and brought it to his lips to place a soft kiss on it. “Let’s start the visit, Lady Beauchamp.” He noticed her blushing and that little achievement made him smile even more. “I ken ye probably came to this place more than once but I thought you’d like to see it with no one else around.”
They started walking as Claire nodded and smiled. “Yes, I come here often. I love this place and my uncle brought me here for the first time when I was eight. It then became a little tradition, to come once a year, even if we spend our time travelling around. Uncle Lamb had such a love for archaeology, I had no other choice than to fall in love with it too.”
“Can I have the grand tour then? I never came here before.” Jamie admitted.
“Well, the museum’s collection is arranged typologically, according to how the objects were used, rather than according to their age or origin. This layout owes a lot to the theories of Pitt Rivers himself, who intended for his collection to show progression in design and evolution in human culture from the simple to the complex. Whilst this evolutionary approach to material culture is no longer fashionable in archaeology and anthropology, the museum has retained the original organisation of the displays.” She explained as they walked and Jamie was amazed by her intelligence.“And as you can see, there are so many interesting artefacts to see around here.”
“I dinna see anything more interesting than ye here, Claire.”
“Are you flirting with me?” Claire didn’t look at him but smiled.
“Would ye be mad if I was?” He ran his fingers through his copper hair with a smile.
“No,” she smiled, casting him a glance as she continued walking. “But I think those Skulls taken from Yungya Village in Nagaland are far more interesting than I am.” She pointed at a display behind him with a grin.
Jamie grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. “I disagree, I dinna care about skulls, Claire. At least not if they dinna have a mass of wild brown curls on them.”
“I always found brown to be a rather dull colour,” Claire admitted with a smile.
“No, not dull at all” He started, smiling. “It’s like the water in a burn, the way it ruffles down the rocks. Dark in the wavy spots with wee bits of auburn when the sun touches it.” He stroked a curl softly, as Claire smiled shyly. “Would ye like to dance with me, Claire Beauchamp?”
“Dance?” Claire repeated, amused. “In the middle of Pitt Rivers Museum, with no music?”Claire had no time to add anything else before some music started and Jamie looked at her with a grin.
“Aye, dance in the middle of Pitt Rivers Museum, mo nighean donn. Wi’ me.”
“You planned everything, didn’t you?” Wrapping her arms around his neck, Claire smiled.
“Aye, I wanted ye to have a good day.” His thumb slowly traced the soft skin of her cheek.
“Today was perfect, Jamie.” Claire rested her head on his shoulder as they started to dance slowly.
“Yer birthday is still not over for a couple of hours,” Jamie held her close, smiling at the sight of Claire finally in his arms.
They danced slowly for a while, in the emptiness of the museum. It was oddly romantic, Claire thought, and she looked up at Jamie, her eyes beaming with happiness. He returned a smile and stroked her cheek. She wanted to thank him for the wonderful day, but no words could do justice to her emotions, so she simply took hold of his face and sealed their lips.
At that moment, words were not necessary.
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