Chapter Text
1960
Broch Mordha, a small town, a couple hours driving from Inverness, was the type of place where change was slow. A rural town surrounded by farms and states, people lived from the land and lived simply while the outside World seemed to turn itself inside out outside the moors. Glenna Fitzgibbons, Mrs. Fitz, as she was known on the town, arrived at the old doctor's house where she had worked for almost 20 years as a housekeeper. Old Doctor MacDonald had recently retired from his job, moving out of town to live with his married daughter on Aberdeen and Mrs. Fitz was there in order to clean,tidy and fill up the pantry in time to receive its new occupant, one Doctor C.E. Beauchamp, who was soon coming to Broch Mordha all the way up from London. She crossed paths with Angus, one of the town's inhabitants, walking around with his rooster in his arms. Angus touched the brim of his cap before he kept walking down the road and stopping at the consult of Doctor Jamie Fraser, the town's vet.
'Mornin' lad.' Angus said as he came inside the office before leaving the rooster on the table.
'Maddain math, Angus, what can I help ye today with?' Jamie said.
'Aye, ye'll see.' Angus said. 'My cock here, he needs some help.' Angus said. 'He...escaped the other day and had a...scrap, with one of Nellie's hens and now he feels a wee itchy.'
'Angus...' Jamie rolled his eyes, knowing perfectly that he wasn't there because anything happened to the bird. 'Ye ken I am a veterinarian, an animal doctor.'
'Aye, I ken.' Angus said. 'And I'm here for my cock, no' for me.' He carried on. 'And well, even if 't was for me. We dinna have a new doctor yet, so, why no' ask someone who at least kens a bit about, ye ken, cocks.'
Jamie sighed and went for his prescription stack. 'I'll make a prescription for some antibiotics, for yer cock. And tell Nellie to be sure to keep an eye on her flock's health.' Jamie wrote in the paper while he kept talking. 'Any news about when Doctor MacDonald's place is goin' to be opened again?' Jamie passed the paper to Angus. 'I'm still a veterinarian I'm no' allowed to attend to...ye ken...featherless cocks and hens.'
'I've talked with Glenna.' Angus put the note in his pocket. 'She got a letter from the new doctor. He's a lad just out of the medical school in London.' Angus scoffed. 'I bet he's a Sassenach arsehole who thinks we're cavemen because we dinna have tellys on every house.'
'Well, I have seen yer house and ye live like a caveman, Angus.' Jamie joked, making Angus heartily laugh while he took his rooster back in his arms before leaving the place. 'I'll see ye soon, Jamie.'
'Aye, and I hope 'tis not for yer wee cock here, again.' Jamie closed the door behind him while Angus walked across the road towards the chemist managed by Jamie's sister and her husband.
Three days later, an unknown car zoomed around town. A red convertible, hood down. driven by a woman. Kids nudged their friends and siblings about it, as it wasn't the type of car you would see around the area, just in the Sunday's club cinema movies. The car parked by the Doctor's office, the woman taking out her sunglasses and taking down her headscarf before going for a couple of suitcases she kept in the boot. A few kids gathered across the road, still admiring the car while the woman rang the bell. 'Oh, good mornin'.' Mrs. Fitz said to the unknown woman. 'How may I help ye?'
'I'm Claire Beauchamp.' The woman shook Mrs. Fitz's hand. 'You're waiting for me.'
'Oh, of course.' Mrs. Fitz opened the door wider and Claire Beauchamp came into the house. 'Ye're earlier than I thought you'd be.' Claire left her jacket and suitcases on the door and followed Mrs. Fitz around the house. 'I didna ken Doctor Beauchamp was married. Ye should have told me I could arrange Mrs. MacDonald's old bedroom too.' Mrs. Fitz said, while showing her the bedroom. 'And, well, when is yer husband comin'? We're waitin' for him.'
'My...husband?' Claire asked.
'Aye, Doctor Beauchamp, when is he comin'?'
'I think there must have been some type of misunderstanding.' Claire smiled. 'I am Doctor Beauchamp. You've been waiting for me.' Claire took her ID out of her purse. See, Doctor C.E. Beauchamp. Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp.'
'A Dhia.' Mrs. Fitz said. 'Ye canna be our new doctor, ye're a wee lass.'
'I am, I'll show you my credentials.'
'Och, I believe ye.' Mrs. Fitz was still trying to swallow the news. ''Tis just...we have never had, ye ken, a lass as the doctor here. I dinna ken how the people is goin' to take it. We're verra old school here.'
'It's 1960, there's female doctors everywhere.' Claire said. 'It'll be fine.'
A knock on the door interrupted them. Claire followed Mrs. Fitz down the stairs to open the door to a very handsome man accompanied by a young boy. 'Oh, Jamie, good to see ye. What has brought ye here today?'
Jamie took a few seconds to answer, as he was mesmerised by the woman who was with Mrs. Fitz. He finally cleared his throat and spoke. 'Mornin' Mrs. Fitz.' Jamie said.'
'Rabbie and his friends want to get closer to the car.' Jamie said. 'Lads, ye ken. Ye dinna see a car like that around town that commonly.'
'Doc...miss Beauchamp. This is Jamie, our local veterinarian.' Mrs. Fitz introduce them.
'Your...son and his friends seem like nice boys.' Claire said. 'As long as they take care, I'm good with having them around.'
'He's my younger brother, no' my son.' Jamie said. 'And ye are?'
'Oh, I am Claire Beauchamp.' Claire extended her hand to shake Jamie's. 'I am the new town's Doctor.'
'Wait, what?' Jamie said, gasping.