Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 87 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Claire thinking about how people aren’t coming to her surgery anymore. The gossip is spreading, and Claire is being accused of murder. It’s only gossip until it isn’t.

Richard Brown turns up with his men. He wants to bring Claire to “trial” for murder. This is his chance to get back at Jamie for the death of Lionel Brown. Mrs. Bug manages to get out of the house for help, but help doesn’t come soon enough.

Jamie and Claire have to hold down the fort. They hold off the men long enough, but it will soon be nightfall. Jamie knows that this is the time they will likely set fire to the house to get the Frasers out. If the Frasers die in the fire, so be it. That’s something Jamie would do if the tables were turned.

Claire wonders about the obituary. This can’t be when that housefire is, could it? Jamie points out that the prints don’t always run right away. It could be.

In the end, the fisherfolk turn up. Hiram Crombie tries to talk some sense into everyone, but he’s not like Roger and can’t keep the fisherfolk under control. There are people within the fisherfolk who still look at Claire with suspicion and want to see her dead. There’s even talk of Jamie having to go with Claire. If it wasn’t Claire, it was Jamie. By taking Jamie too, both of them can be tried and at least one of them will be hanged.

Tom is the one who suggests that he goes with them, too. He wants to make sure that Claire gets a fair trial. He suggests that they both get a night in their own beds, and then it’s off to Salisbury in the morning.