Malva doesn’t want to talk about her family, and Claire is questioning her paternity. Is Tom really Malva’s dad in Outlander?
During Outlander Season 6, Claire questioned whether Tom could be Malva’s father or not. Jamie is the one to question the math in A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Both have the same thought process.
Malva is about 18 when she shows up. She could be a little older or even a little younger, but Claire thinks 18. In Outlander Season 6, we’re at around January 1774 when she thinks all this up. This is just based on the fact that she’s learned about the Boston Tea Party, which happened in December 1773. It would have taken a while for the news to reach North Carolina.
So, if Malva is about 18, that would mean she was born around 1756. This is definitely where questions about her paternity come up.
Tom may not be Malva’s father in Outlander
We could look at the books for the answer. That’s not what we’re going to do for the sake of this post. After all, there are a lot of show-first fans out there. (For those wondering, the book answer will be at the very end and I’ll make spoilers clear.)
We already know that Ardsmuir shut down in 1756. The prisoners except Jamie were transported to the Colonies to be indentured servants to finish out their prison term. In the show, it was stated to be 14 years but there’s a lot that doesn’t add up here considering Hayes and Lindsay are back with Jamie in 1766. The books state a seven-year term, and that was more likely.
It doesn’t really matter for figuring out if Tom is Malva’s child, though. She would have been born in 1756. Now depending on months, there is a very slim chance that Tom could have found his wife while he was an indentured servant and Malva could have been born. That’s highly unlikely, though.
Malva and Allan have the same mother. We know Tom is Allan’s father. That would mean Malva is unlikely to be Tom’s daughter. Did Malva’s mother have an affair? Considering she was executed as a witch, that’s certainly possible and it seems there was a lot more going on. Also, Jamie pointed out that Tom got word his wife had died, so Tom can’t be Malva’s dad.
A Breath of Snow and Ashes spoilers
Okay, now we’ll get into the book storyline. Skip if you don’t want to know!
In the books, we learn that Malva was actually born sometime around 1753. That would mean she can’t be Tom’s child. Eventually, we learn that Malva’s mom had an affair with Tom’s brother. Malva is actually Tom’s niece, but he raises her as his daughter.