Outlander Book Club: The Fiery Cross Chapter 26 breakdown
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Jamie explaining how he doesn’t have a lot of time to train the men. He needs to do drills to make sure they don’t run when it comes to a battle.
Roger is scared, especially since he still hasn’t been able to kill something while hunting. Claire points out that hunting and war are two different things, but Jamie doesn’t see it that way. We get a chance to see how the Frasers don’t always see eye to eye, but they are respectful of each other’s differing opinion. Well, they don’t have an argument in front of people about their different opinions.
However, Claire does try to settle Roger’s mind. He’s scared of the upcoming prospect of war. While none of them really knows what’s coming because they don’t remember it in the history books, they do know there’s a risk of something to come. And they also know of the Revolutionary War that’s still to happen.
Later that night, everyone is around the fire. It’s winter in the Colonies, and so it’s cold. Everyone is using the fire to stay warm, leading to some jokes and conversation between everyone. There are comments about how much hair Roger has to keep him warm, and Jamie makes a joke about Claire being the thing that will keep him warm. He’s laid claim to her, made a crude joke, and made it clear she’s not for anyone else all in one statement.
Jamie later senses eyes on them. He doesn’t find anyone, so thinks it could have been an animal. It’s later in the night that Claire is out alone and finds out there is a person there. After a bit of a commotion, the person is caught, and it turns out to be Josiah Beardsley.
Roger points out that he has a brand on his thumb, and that comment leads to Josiah rushing off. Jamie chases after him as Roger notes that the brand was a “T,” which notes that Josiah is a convicted thief. Is he on the run?
That’s going to cause some problems considering everything at the Gathering. Jamie promised Josiah his protection, and now Jamie has to offer that. Can he do that for a wanted thief?
We don’t get to find out the full story. Claire wakes up later to find Jamie removing the brand from Josiah’s thumb. She’s surprised to find someone exactly like Josiah curled up next to her. The two Beardsleys leave, and it introduces us to a much bigger story to come.