Outlander Book Club: Book 1, Chapter 37 breakdown
Just the Outlander chapter
We pick up with Claire and Jamie still at the MacRannoch house. They are safe there for now, but they know that the Redcoats will start searching soon. The snow that was falling overnight has stopped, although there are threats of more flurries throughout the day. They can’t wait much longer.
MacRannoch gives them money and a letter, which should be enough to get them across the coast. He also offers Claire and Murtagh two of his own men. They refuse the men since MacRannoch had also given Claire a way to remain safe. While Jamie would be taken back to Wentworth and likely Murtagh, too, Claire can’t go there. MacRannoch says that she needs to say the men kidnapped her and she’s a guest of the MacRannochs.
I love how the man who was initially against helping has become such a friend in their time of need. He’s willing to put his men in danger to get them away from the Wentworth soldiers, although Claire and Murtagh won’t let him be implicated further. I think it shows what Ellen really meant to the man.
While on the road, the trio does run into some soldiers who are looking for prisoners. It turns out that more than Jamie escaped on the show.
Claire realizes that Jamie recognizes them, so they must know him. They need to get him away from them, but it’s not going to happen. The soldiers realize who he is. Murtagh manages to take care of most of the soldiers but Claire has to race off against another.
She realizes the soldier that ran off is about 16. That doesn’t stop her from doing what is necessary and kills him.
The ending to the chapter sees the trio on board a ship to France. This is when we find out that Jamie suffers from seasickness, and Claire worries that it could kill him. Usually, seasickness wouldn’t kill a person and she’s certainly never heard of it doing so, but she also knows how weak Jamie already is. So, she and Murtagh drug him to help him sleep it off.
As someone who suffers from seasickness, I can empathize with Jamie. It’s horrible not having control, but sleep certainly is one of the best things for it.