Outlander Book Club: Drums of Autumn Chapter 60 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts inside the hut with the Mohawk coming for Alexandre. Alexandre strips and stands for the Sachem, showing the man the respect he commands among the village people. It’s that sense that Alexandre respects their traditions even if he doesn’t fully believe in them, and I think everyone can learn a lesson from this.

Roger describes how Alexandre is painted black, and that tells us he’s going to die. Remember that this is what happened to Otter-Tooth when he was marked for death.

Alexandre asks Roger to pray for him, and now he’s figured out what he would like Roger to pray for. Alexandre wants to be able to go through the ordeal without screaming out so that he doesn’t embarrass the woman he loves.

There are drums and howls. At first, it’s all connected to the execution, but eventually, those shouts change. The women scream.

Roger manages to break off part of the bed and runs out into a fight. He doesn’t last long and is hit over the head.

When Roger is taken back to the hut, Jamie is there covered in blood. He’s alive though. When Jamie wakes, the two are able to have a conversation, with Roger now realizing that Brianna never told Jamie anything. The situation that Roger is in had nothing to do with Brianna, and he can die knowing that she loves him still.

Jamie tells Roger about what happened outside. The priest died without screams, but a girl walked into the fire to be with him. The two died together.

Eventually, Jamie insults Roger by saying he doesn’t know Brianna as well as he thinks he does. However, Roger points out that they were handfasted. Why would Bree not tell Jamie that? Possibly because she thinks Jamie wouldn’t accept that. However, it’s clear that Roger views Brianna as his wife, and right now, he wants to get back to her.

That doesn’t mean Jamie is happy. He clearly still doesn’t like Roger despite admitting that he was wrong in his attack.