Outlander Book Club: Drums of Autumn Chapter 13 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The Drums of Autumn chapter picks up off the back of the previous one, with Claire going to meet Jamie outside. It turns out Jocasta wants to make Jamie her hair, and she was going to announce that at dinner. By doing that, Jamie wouldn’t have been able to turn it down, really.

However, Jamie can’t do it. He doesn’t want to own slaves, but he also knows that Claire likely wouldn’t want to stay. There’s no way she would want to own a slave considering everything that happened in Jamaica. And it’s not like Claire could just release slaves into the wilderness as she manages with Temeraire.

Releasing slaves in North Carolina is much harder. There’s a whole process, and there’s no way all the slaves could be released. They’d also have to leave the colony immediately so they’re not taken and resold.

So, Jamie knows that the best option is to leave River Run.

Jamie has another secret to share. Byrnes is dead. He died of tetanus, and Jamie knew about it for days. Understandably, Claire is initially angry, but it was all for Claire’s good. Jamie explains that Claire is the talk of the area. People think she killed Rufus to save him, and they would have talked more if she was there when Byrnes died.

Jamie knew there was nothing to do for Byrnes, so he decided not to send for Claire. She has to admit that it was the right call. However, Claire notes that Jamie used to be a merciful man, but he’s changed a lot in the last 20 years. I do think it is an important thought.

We only got to see a little of what Jamie had gone through and don’t get much from his point of view. However, the things he went through would have changed him a little.

While they talk, they are on the way to the mill. When they get there, they smell blood. After walking around, they find a woman who is bleeding profusely after having her baby aborted. The woman dies.

Campbell takes their statements, although the two lie a little. Well, the omit a few truths by claiming that the woman likely tried to abort her own baby. They’re not sure, though.

And it turns out a slave, Pollyanne, has run away. The Frasers need to find her before others do. Pollyanne will be blamed for the murder even if she had nothing to do with it.

While Campbell has taken the statements, Claire and Jamie head to the local town with the woman’s body. They need to find out if she had any family, which is when they run into a sergeant Jamie used to know at Ardsmuir. Of course, it’s not a happy reunion, and it’s not surprising that the sergeant takes control of the body (he recognizes her) and later declares it a murder.

Now it’s more important than ever to find and get Pollyanne to safety. Duncan and Young Ian have found Pollyanne. Myers will help to get her to safety with the local Native American tribe.

Jamie, Young Ian, and Claire are all going to head out with Myers and Pollyanne. Before they leave, Claire makes her own bra, and she’s already had Phaedre make her some trousers. Jamie is shocked that Claire would wear them, but Claire points out women do in the future. It’s time for him to get used to it, because she’s not wearing a skirt the whole way.