Outlander Book Club: Drums of Autumn Chapter 62 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Lord John Grey telling Brianna that Stephen Bonnet has been captured. She wants to see him, but not see him hanged for his crimes. She simply wants to see him.

That’s even more the case after John gives her a letter from Jamie. This letter focuses on the need to forgive attackers. Brianna needs to release the anger she feels toward Bonnet, not for his sake but for her own.

Lord John Grey agrees to accompany her to Wilmington, where Bonnet is being kept. He’ll be in chains, so John agrees to allowing Brianna to head in to see him alone. While there, they run into Sergeant Murchinson and Private Hodgepile, who are both keeping an eye on Bonnet.

Brianna has a chance to tell Bonnet that her child is his. Maybe it will give him some comfort when he dies. Bonnet’s words about gems he stole from Jamie and Claire being taken give Brianna the news she needs: Roger did make it and did take the gems from him.

This is where things turn sour. Bonnet was never chained up after all. Murchinson has knocked out Hodgepile and John Grey. He’s set the place to blow, helping Bonnet to escape. Brianna is about to be attacked, but she manages to overpower Murchinson and aims the rifle now in her hands at the men, threatening to blow Bonnet’s knees out.

After checking on John and realizing he is still alive, she gets Bonnet to carry John out. Bonnet kills Murchinson, though, sharing how the two of them were in the smuggling business together. Brianna also realizes that the place won’t go up like a bomb. It’s more like fireworks, and there is an exit in the basement of the warehouse, where they are.

Bonnet carries Lord John Grey out and then runs off, giving Bree a gem for the baby’s maintenance before he leaves. Brianna considers shooting him but decides against it in the end. His life isn’t hers to take.