Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 56 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Claire heading to Cross Creek, where she is running some errands. While there, she runs into Dr. Fentiman. He shares some details about a surgery. A man had been shot in the groin and the ball went through one of his testicles. Fentiman removed the testicle and the patient wanted to go home with it.

There is a mention of a beautiful horse. Claire manages to work out that the horse is one that Jamie won from Philip Wylie but it was stolen by Bonnet. Now Wylie seems to be reunited with his horse again, and Claire notes that Jamie will likely be somewhat happy to hear that even if the horse isn’t in Jamie’s possession.

This part of the chapter is more important because of the metal syringes that Claire sees. She’s been trying to have glass ones made, but the metal will be okay for her needs. At least metal won’t break. She can’t find out where Fentiman got them made, but it turns out he uses them to treat some sexually transmitted diseases in men.

Claire is able to get one of the syringes and leaves Fentiman. That’s when she heads through some of the other stores, realizing that Mr. Bogues’s apothecary shop is closing down. He and his family are moving back to England, and Claire notes that they’re loyalists. This is a good time to move and Bogues will have received a good price for his shop right now.

Claire thinks about what’s to come for the loyalists. If they don’t sell now, they’ll end up losing all their property through confiscation.

Her thoughts are cut off when Jezebel Morton turns up. She wants to know where Isaiah is. Claire does know but doesn’t tell the woman, but she knows that Jezebel is Isaiah’s first wife. This wife is angry about the situation, and she will get her revenge.

There is a riot happening in town, though. The Patriots are starting to rise up and they’re using tar and feathers still against some of the loyalists. Jamie is in the crowd to help protect some of the loyalists. There are some jokes that help to soothe some of the tensions enough for Jamie to get away eventually.

This is when Claire is able to get Jamie to take her to the brothel. She wants to be able to treat the girls there with penicillin. It’s not all that easy, though. Mrs. Sylvie doesn’t really want to even when she learns that Manfred has visited. Jamie suggests a card game and if he wins, she allows Claire to treat the girls. He does win, making sure that some of the girls can be somewhat safe.

At the end of the chapter, they see the printer’s shop up in flames. Jamie notes that Fergus will need to look at another occupation, and it’s clear that Jamie is trying to help Fergus figure out what he can do in the colonies. One thing is clear to both Claire and Jamie: the war is starting.