Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 38 breakdown
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Claire, Marsali, Brianna, and Roger. Claire and Marsali are discussing baby Henri-Christian, while Roger makes another “Vroom” for the children. Felicite gets her own this time, and Roger only realizes what he’s made after he’s made it. It’s one of the trucks from his own time.
Marsali explains that Henri-Christian is viewed with disgust by some of the people. Dwarves are viewed as the devil’s spawn, and Marsali would have likely been killed along with the child had it not been for who Jamie is. Jamie has managed to keep the chatter to a minimum.
This is also an important chapter for Marsali and Brianna. Bree has made her a spinning wheel, and Marsali is mightily impressed with it. She quickly gets to work with it.
The conversation is stopped when Aiden MacCallum turns up. His mother needs a minister, and everyone knows that he wants Roger.
Roger isn’t a minister yet, but Mrs. MacCallum points out that he’s close enough. His father was one, and Roger knows the Bible well enough. It’s clear that people are starting to look at him as their minister.
In this particular need, it’s all about something in the cow’s milk. Adults of this time don’t drink milk, but the Frasers and MacKenzies are encouraging more people to drink it for the protein and calcium. However, Mrs. MacCallum says there is something in it.
Sure enough, there’s a bullfrog. Roger manages to deal with it, but now he has to comfort a distraught woman. She’s starving, struggling to feed her children after losing her husband. He died in an accident, and she doesn’t know what to do anymore. Young Aiden is out fishing, but it’s clear the entire family needs help.
Roger makes a mental note to talk to Jamie and Tom Christie. The two of them will be able to seek help from the local tenants. People are willing to share to those in need, but the people in need have to be able to ask for that help.
At the end of the chapter, we just get a moment to note where we are in the season. It’s Halloween, and it’s not too far away from that dreaded house fire. The section does point out that Brianna has made matches, though. Claire is more than happy to use them.