Unforgettable Lines In a Romantic Novel

1

"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."

2

"For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is 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.' " 

3

"Ach lass, are ye widowed, then?" His voice was so full of sympathetic concern that I lost control entirely.

"No ... yes... I mean, I don't... yes, I suppose I am!" Overcome with emotion and tiredness, I collapsed against him, sobbing hysterically.

The lad had nice feelings. Instead of calling for help or retreating in confusion, he sat down, gathered me firmly onto his lap with his good arm and sat rocking me gently, muttering soft Gaelic in my ear and smoothing my hair with one hand. I wept bitterly, surrendering momentarily to my fear and heartbroken confusion, but slowly I began to quiet a bit, as Jamie stroked my neck and back, offering me the comfort of his broad, warm chest. My sobs lessened and I began to calm myself, leaning tiredly into the curve of his shoulder. No wonder he was so good with horses, I thought blearily, feeling his fingers rubbing gently behind my ears, listening to the soothing, incomprehensible speech. If I were a horse, I'd let him ride me anywhere.

4

By the time I got here, there was no going back :-):

"There are things that I canna tell you, at least not yet. And I'll ask nothing of ye that ye canna give me. But what I would ask of ye--when you do tell me something, let it be the truth. And I'll promise ye the same. We have nothing now between us, save--respect, perhaps. And I think that respect has maybe room for secrets, but not for lies. Do ye agree?"

5

"I prayed all the way up that hill yesterday," he said softly. "Not for you to stay; I didna think that would be right. I prayed I'd be strong enough to send ye away." He shook his head, still gazing up the hill, a faraway look in his eyes.

"I said 'Lord, if I've never had courage in my life before, let me have it now. Let me be brave enough not to fall on my knees and beg her to stay.' " He pulled his eyes away from the cottage and smiled briefly at me.

"Hardest thing I ever did, Sassenach."

6

"Does it ever stop? The wanting you? Even when I've just left ye. I want you so much my chest feels tight and my fingers ache with wanting to touch ye again." 

7

"I meant it, ye know," he said softly. "I will protect you. From him, or anyone else. To the last drop of my blood, mo duinne ."
"Mo duinne?" I asked, a little disturbed by the intensity of this speech. I didn't want to be responsible for any of his blood being spilt, last drop or first.
"It means 'my brown one'." He raised a lock of hair to his lips and smiled, with a look in his eyes that started all the drops of my own blood chasing each other through my veins. "Mo duinne," he repeated, softly. "I have been longing to say that to you."

8

"I can bear pain myself," he said softly, "but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have." 

9

"I was crying for joy, my Sassenach," he said softly. He reached out slowly and took my face between his hands. "And thanking God that I have two hands. That I have two hands to hold you with. To serve you with, to love you with. Thanking God that I am a whole man still, because of you." 

10

"While ye sleep in my arms, I can say things to ye that would be daft and silly waking, and your dreams will know the truth of them."