Outlander Book Club: The Fiery Cross Chapter 16 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Roger and Brianna alone together. It’s time to consummate their official marriage. Roger thinks about how this night is different from the night they were handfasted, including smells and how they have made their vows in front of people. He also thinks about some of the similarities, in the sense that it’s still dark.

Brianna leaves the bed for a while to release some of the milk in her breasts. That leads to Roger singing for her, something she’d asked him to do. He sings Yesterday by the Beatles, which makes Brianna smile. Roger doesn’t really care if people outside hear. It’s not like they’ll really consider it a song from the future!

We then move onto after sex, and it’s now all from Brianna’s point of view. Roger is asleep and Brianna has just climaxed by herself. She thinks about how she couldn’t do it while with Roger. We get this insight into how she’s not able to let go just yet.

That’s not surprising. During the end of Drums of Autumn, Claire had explained to Roger that Brianna’s sexual experience involved losing her virginity (which hurts) and rape. One of those times led to Jemmy. That’s been it, so of course, she’s apprehensive.

However, there’s more than just fear of pain. Brianna makes it clear that she can’t let go. And she’s not really sure why that is the case with Roger.

In the end, she snuggles back into Roger’s body. Some of this reminds her of camping with Frank when she was a child, bringing some positive thoughts into her mind.