Outlander Book Club: Book 2, Chapter 13 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

We start the chapter at Louise’s. She’s pregnant and she feels the only option is to get rid of the baby. It’s not what she wants though.

This baby is hers. She wants it with all her heart, but the problem is the baby is Prince Charles’s and not her husband’s. If she wants to keep the baby, she’d need to find a way to make her husband believe that the child is his. That will make Charles angry, but as Claire points out, does he really get a say in this?

The chapter is important to remind us of the inequality between men and women. Pregnancy is a “woman’s thing” in those days. Louise is the one to “blame” for getting pregnant. She’s the one that needs to figure out what she’s going to do.

Claire offers the potion that will help to abort the baby if Louise really wants it. However, it’s not a guarantee and there are dangers to it. Claire thinks about some of the women she’s seen come into the hospital after taking the drink to abort their children. Women have died because of it.

After seeing Louise, Claire goes home to find Jamie pouring over letters. He’s trying to figure out the code within the letters, but Claire isn’t really focused on that right away. She does end up helping, though.

Fergus is there, stuffing his face with pies. We get this reminder that he’s an orphan who doesn’t get a lot to eat. When he can, he will eat until he’s full. Claire and Jamie don’t begrudge him for that, showing their maternal and paternal sides for this kid.

During the chapter, Jamie shares how he can trust just four people in his life: Claire, Jenny, Ian, and Murtagh. While it doesn’t seem like a lot, Jamie points out that it’s four more than King James can trust. It’s no wonder Prince Charles was always questioning things and struggled to decide who to turn to. There is always someone looking to gain or someone looking to betray.

Finally, the chapter ends with Claire and Jamie in bed together. Jamie asks if he’ll be able to suck the milk from Claire’s breasts after the child is born. Claire doesn’t question this and just accepts it for what it is.

While it shows understanding in their relationship, I don’t find Claire’s reaction all that realistic. I at least expected her to think about his request in her mind, wondering about it. Instead, it’s like he’s asked of this before and it’s just an everyday conversation for them.

I know that part of this is just my hatred for how sexualized breasts are when they’re a functional part for babies. This part of the book (and future parts with other men) continues this sexualization of them and none of the women speak out or even think about it.