Claire thinks about the fire still to come in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 19
When it comes to storylines still to come, there is one that is on Claire’s mind in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 19. She knows a fire is coming, and she’s still wondering how.
This fire has been written. Is it possible to change history? That’s something that she hopes for, but she is still worried about what was written in that obituary that Roger and Brianna found.
This chapter brings it up as MacDonald shares the story of another fire in the local area. This one is similar to some of the others, but it’s hard to say who started it. Is it possible that the Cherokee neighbors are responsible? Could Jamie be putting the family in danger as the Indian Agent?
We also get to see a little more of Bobby Higgins. He’s back, and it’s clear that he’s sweet on a certain maid at Fraser’s Ridge. At the same time, we see that Ute MacGillivray is up to something with Lizzie’s father.
There is a little bit of foreshadowing in this chapter. It brings the focus back onto the house fire that is still to come.
As for the use in the series, it hasn’t been used yet. I’m not sure it will be. We haven’t had MacDonald show up in the story yet, and I’m not sure if Bobby Higgins is going to show up at all. It might be easier just to bring Lord John Grey back to keep the cost of actors to a minimum. I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 19.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with MacDonald showing up at the Ridge while Claire and the women are haymaking. He comments on how he hasn’t done that since Scotland, and the conversation soon moves on to the new tenants. MacDonald points out that he was raised Presbyterian, so he doesn’t really think too much of the new tenants not being Catholic.
I do find it odd that religion is such a major thought for Claire. Would the rivalry between Catholics and Protestants have been so big in the 1940s and 1960s (outside of Northern Ireland)? Or is it just that she’s lived in the past for so long that the difference between the religions is still big? After all, she’s been around Jamie for long enough.
Anyway, Bobby turns up and MacDonald doesn’t like him all because of the branded M on his face. Claire refuses to just see the brand and makes it clear that Bobby is a friend. He notes how he hasn’t fainted in some time, meaning Claire has solved his medical issue. It’s also clear that he’s sweet on Lizzie.
Later that night, there is a gathering in the house. Lizzie and Bobby are spending some time together and Claire is suspicious. Ute hasn’t seen them, but that’s because Ute is clearly trying to set up Lizzie’s father with someone, which Claire is somewhat happy about considering how Lizzie’s father is so protective of Lizzie.
Jamie sees Bobby at work and is also clearly uncertain of intentions. He gets Young Ian to head over to Lizzie to get her to mend his hand. It’s enough to get her away from Bobby for a while.
Thoughts now move onto the fire. MacDonald notes that there has been another fire, although he can’t say when it was. News doesn’t travel all that fast in the backcountry. He would like Jamie to go see the Cherokee neighbors again. Claire realizes that the fire that is written in the obituary may not be the accident she thought it was. Could Jamie anger the Cherokee neighbors and it be an act of revenge and murder instead?
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
We do have a little foreshadowing for Lizzie in this chapter. She isn’t going to end up marrying into the MacGillivray family. That’s not because of her but because of her betrothed, but it doesn’t really matter. This isn’t something that will happen.
Instead, she will end up flirting with a couple of other boys. It’s not Bobby! This is all foreshadowing Lizzie’s storyline with the Beardsley twins. It’s only slight, but it’s clear she likes attention and she’ll struggle when the Beardsley twins don’t stop showing her attention.
We also get the focus back on the fire. It’s still to come, and it’s getting closer and closer. It’s clear that it may have something to do with the fires in the local area, but everyone is looking at the wrong people. That being said, a Native American is involved—just not the Native American everyone is looking at right now.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
I’m not sure we’ll see this chapter used in Outlander Season 6. Let’s just start with the fact that the house fires have already been discussed. We still need to see the Big House setting on fire, but that can be handled differently. We’ve had Donner’s involvement already so we don’t need the big buildup to it.
I don’t think we’ll see Jamie appointed Indian Agent in the series. I also don’t think we’ll get Bobby’s storyline or even the MacGillivray storyline. I do think we’ll see Lizzie and the Beardsley twins, but not her betrothal.
There isn’t a lot of time to fit in storylines, and there are a lot of big storylines in the second half of A Breath of Snow and Ashes. We also know the Christies are likely to take up most of Season 6 with some storylines pushed into Season 7. Due to time and cost, it makes sense to skip over some of these chapters and characters.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 19? Let us know in the comments below.
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