Outlander Book Club: Voyager Chapter 37 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter opens with Claire continuing to be Jamie’s doctor. She realizes that Jenny has told everyone that she’s back and that she’s staying for now. The question for her and many is how long she will be around.

First, she needs to get to the bottom of the marriage to Laoghaire. That’s when Jamie opens up about the marriage. He didn’t really want to marry again at first, but Jenny was ever so insistent. Jenny has always meddled, but I’ve always viewed it as from a good place. She wanted her brother happy, and with another woman was the only way she could see that possible.

Ned Gowan was the one to suggest Laoghaire, a woman who had been widowed twice. The second marriage produced two children, Marsali and Joanie.

Jenny had no way of knowing what had happened in the past. Jamie didn’t even know the full truth. Jamie would have known that Laoghaire was a childish, selfish little girl at Castle Leoch, but what about now? Marriage and children can change people, so I’ve never really blamed him for marrying her. By this point, he was ready to move forward with his life.

However, the marriage didn’t work. Someone in her past had hurt Laoghaire. She was fearful of Jamie’s touch, and he couldn’t have that. So, he left for Edinburgh, and that was it. While on paper they’re married and Jamie would send money, they didn’t lay as man and wife again.

The honesty brings Claire and Jamie closer together. At the end of the chapter, Jamie explains to Claire that he is free to say everything to Claire, and he’s never had that with anyone else. He doesn’t have a title around her and he doesn’t need to keep his guard up. There is hope, but they need to speak to Ned Gowan (who is still alive and is fighting for those who have lost land to the Crown) first.