Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 49 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Jamie coming across Brianna digging alone. He helps her with it, which is certainly needed when it comes to a large boulder that they need to move together. We’re reminded of Bree’s size and strength in this moment as it is father and daughter working alone together with Germain and Jemmy just watching.

Brianna is making a path for water for her waterworks. Jamie is proud of her work and her knowledge.

The chapter moves on when Jemmy and Germain find some small items in the forest. There is something that has been burned. They’re bones, and Bree runs through the type of animal it could be. It wasn’t an animal. Jamie points out that the bones are that of human fingers.

He rules out the local Cherokee. The Indians wouldn’t do this. Who has, though? And why? All Jamie knows is that it has the sense of the Highlands about it.

At the stream, Jemmy jumps into the water. Brianna initially panics because he can’t swim, but Jamie encourages her to give him a minute to figure it out for himself. Germain is there and helps Jemmy figure out how to swim. They have fun in the water for a bit, and then get back out.

That’s when Germain and Jemmy discuss Jamie’s scars on his back. Jemmy is shocked to see them. Germain explains that Fergus told him Jamie is a silkie who has had his fur cut from him. That’s why there are scars there. Jamie goes along with the explanation and describes what a silkie is.

When walking back home, Bree sees a charm smudge. Jamie warns her not to touch it.

Brianna puts it all together. Later, she turns to Mrs. Bug to find out if there are any Scottish charms that involve bones of man. Mrs. Bug confirms it. When Roger comes home humming The Deasil Charm, Bree considers whether Amy McCallum was responsible for it all.