Malva Christie tells a lie in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 80
If only the upcoming Revolutionary War was the only thing to be worried about in A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Malva tells a dangerous lie in Outlander Book 6, Chapter 80.
Oh yes, we get to this part of the book. The Christies turn up at the Ridge, and it’s clear that something serious has happened. Malva Christie is pregnant, and she’ll only share who the father is with Jamie around.
It looks like she’s turning to Jamie for safety, but there’s a much bigger game at play. Malva accuses Jamie of being the father of her unborn child. Is it possible? Would Jamie have an affair? Malva certainly makes it seem like he did. There seems to be enough evidence, but don’t we know Jamie well enough to know he wouldn’t do this?
The chapter foreshadows trouble for everyone involved if you look carefully at some of the statements and descriptions made. However, this is mostly about plot development as we get close to the end of the book (there are around 40 chapters left).
The chapter was used in the TV series. It had to be. There was simply no way around dealing with this entire situation as it has knock-on effects elsewhere in the story.
Let’s dive into A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 80.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Malva and the Christie men turning up at the Ridge. After Tom says that she’s with child and will only share who the father is around Jamie, it’s soon clear why. Malva is accusing Jamie of sleeping with her.
Claire is shocked, but all she can do is slap Malva and walk away. Jamie is the one to stay and listen to the entire thing. Is it possible that he slept with Malva?
We know from his part of the chapter that he didn’t. Malva is lying, but she has some convincing stories. She knows all about the scars on his back, legs, and buttocks. It’s the one on the buttocks that is the most condemning.
She shares that it all happened when Claire was sick with the fever. Later, Claire thinks about that time. It’s certainly possible. She’s seen people cheat on spouses in a moment of weakness just looking for comfort. Claire could potentially forgive Jamie for that, but there’s nothing to forgive. One thing that Claire knows is that Jamie didn’t do it.
If Jamie was even potentially the father of Malva’s baby, he would claim it. He would do the right thing, knowing that he couldn’t leave a baby that’s possibly his out there with nothing. It wouldn’t matter how the baby came about. This is what tells Claire that he didn’t do it.
Yet, when Jamie first comes to find her, she worries. Jamie says he won’t apologize for something that he didn’t do, and then he apologizes. You see, he did have an affair, but it wasn’t with Malva. It was a very long time ago. He slepts with Mary MacNab before he turned himself into the British and ended up at Ardsmuir Prison.
Claire is shocked that he would admit to this now. He didn’t need to. Claire would have never found out, but it’s clear that it’s something that has played on his mind for some time. Now he’s had a chance to share the truth. She forgives him, of course she does, and she will stand by him knowing that Malva’s baby is not Jamie’s child.
One thing that is clear by the end of the chapter: everyone on the Ridge is going to know all about the lies.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
This certainly foreshadows a few things. Claire notes that Allan Christie is agitated. He’s not nervous or angry. He’s agitated. An agitated look could be one that’s similar to nerves, though. You see, we know eventually that Allan Christie is the father. He’ll want to make sure Malva does the one thing he expects: lie and say the baby is Jamie’s.
Most of the chapter is plot development, though. We need Malva to come out with the lies. She needs to have Claire slap her and for the talk to spread around the Ridge. When it does come to Malva’s murder, there needs to be a reason for Claire to be suspect #1.
Adapting A Breath of Snow and Ashes chapter
This chapter was extremely well done in the TV series. We got the tension within the room, giving Malva the chance to tell her lies. If you watch all the other characters, you’ll see very different expressions that tell us a lot about what those characters are thinking. Tom Christie is definitely one to watch.
We also saw the moment of Claire trying to figure out whether Jamie is telling the truth or not. We see her run through how Bree, Roger, and Jemmy shouldn’t be in the past. They are because of Claire’s selfish actions to find Jamie—because of her love for him. Was it all for nothing?
The scene between Claire and Jamie is a powerful one. It’s actually one of the best between the two in the entire series as Jamie just listens and then responds: he didn’t sleep with Malva, but he did sleep with Mary MacNab. And I adore Claire’s look of astonishment and understanding as she hears Jamie’s words.
As much as I’m not a fan of the Christie storyline in A Breath of Snow and Ashes, I am glad that the TV show adapted it. There was some outstanding acting from everyone involved in this chapter adaptation.
What did you spot while reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 80? Let us know in the comments below.
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