In A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Malva accuses Jamie of being the father of her unborn child. The accusation has weight thanks to her knowledge of his scars. Is it ever explained how she knows about the scars in the Outlander books?
In the TV series, we get to see how Malva knows all about Jamie’s scars. She spies on Claire and Jamie when they’re in the barn, which is going to lead to all of his scars on show. The TV show gave us this scene so that it would clear up questions later on.
After all, without figuring out how she knew the truth, it does look like Malva is telling the truth about the affair. It looks like Jamie did turn to her in a moment of weakness because in the books, it’s never made clear just how Malva knows the truth about something so intimate, especially that scar on his buttocks.
Did Malva spy on Claire and Jamie in the Outlander books?
There is a lot in the books that tends to be inferred. Diana Gabaldon is communicative about some things online, and this has been something that’s come up in the past. Fans want to know how Malva could know about the scars.
The ones on his back won’t be that secretive. Even in A Breath of Snow and Ashes, Jamie notes that people on the Ridge know about the scars. The one on his leg from Culloden is also likely visible at times. But what about that one on his buttocks?
This has to come from Malva spying at some point. Gabaldon makes a note that Claire has watched Jamie naked in the river before. Why wouldn’t Malva possibly do this, too? It is possible that she’s spied on him in other ways, too, similar to the way we’re shown in the TV series.
What we do know is that Jamie didn’t have an affair. He isn’t the father of Malva’s child in the Outlander books.