As she sat there, observing the yard, a group of men appeared at the crest of a small hill, silhouetted by the evening light. After bidding each other farewell, only one of them descended the hill toward the house, while the rest headed toward a cluster of cottages in the distance. Claire noticed the pronounced limp of the lone man descending the hill. When he passed through the gate, she saw that his right leg was missing below the knee, replaced by a wooden peg. Despite the limp, he moved with youthful energy and stood tall, nearly as tall as Jamie but leaner.