Jamie holds some blame for leading Laoghaire on during Outlander
This is going to be an unpopular opinion among Sassenachs, but I’m going to say it anyway. Jamie’s actions definitely did not help the Laoghaire situation on Outlander.
Before you attack, let’s start with the fact that Laoghaire was a 16-year-old girl during the first season. We all know what it’s like being a 16-year-old girl. And while she was at an age where marriage would definitely have been considered, she was still only 16. Think of the hormones that surge at this point in a teen’s life.
She was infatuated with Jamie, sure that he was hers. In fact, in Outlander Season 1, Episode 4, she knows that she’s potentially losing him so turns to Claire for help to keep him. She’s that in love with him. Claire clearly views this as something innocent and gives her a bit of dried horse dung to use as a “potion.”
Jamie’s actions led to the infatuation getting stronger
Laoghaire said to Jamie that she remembered him from when he was at the castle the first time. He was 16 and she would have been seven or eight. At that young age, a teenage boy can certainly make an impression, but it would likely have gone away had Jamie not done a few things for Laoghaire.
At Hall, he took the beating for her. We know that he just didn’t want her to face the shame that would have come from the beating, but she wouldn’t have seen it that way. He was her knight in shining armor at that point.
Then he was making out with her in the alcoves. It was clear from the look Jamie gave Claire that it was to make her jealous as well as him just being a typical guy with some needs, but it clearly meant something different to Laoghaire. She likely thought it meant that he was interested in her.
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Jamie’s actions after the rent party continued the problems
In the series, Jamie continued to lead Laoghaire on. After his return from the rent party where he came back a married man, Laoghaire went to see him at the river. She was in a state of undress, wanting Jamie to take her.
It led to a conversation about how Jamie shouldn’t have married Claire because she’s an English woman. Laoghaire was hurt, believing that Jamie had chosen this marriage. Instead of stating that part of it was choice, he made it out like he didn’t have a choice at all. Sure, he didn’t, but he was already in love with Claire at this point.
Instead, to Laoghaire, it looked like the marriage was one of duty; that if something happened to Claire, there would be a chance for her.
While it doesn’t excuse Laoghaire’s later actions, it’s still easy to see why Laoghaire believed what she did; why that infatuation grew so much. However, this doesn’t make me dislike Jamie. He’s human; he has his flaws. I can respect that in a fictional character.