Claire and Jamie stand guard over two bodies in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 4
Bodies weren’t left alone overnight. In Outlander Book 7, Chapter 4, we see Jamie and Claire sit guard over the bodies of Murdina Bug and Grannie McLeod.
This is a chance for the two of them to have a serious conversation. They can’t remain on the Ridge, at least not for now. They need to figure out what to do next after that fire, and sitting guard gives them that quiet time alone.
They also discuss what is to come for them. What happens after their deaths? Well, this is something Jamie can’t think about when it comes to Claire. I love that he just refuses to think about it. There is no life for him without Claire.
There is certainly foreshadowing in this chapter. It’s all in Jamie’s view that there is no life for him without Claire, and I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the foreshadowing chapter.
I would love to see this chapter used in the adaptation. However, I don’t quite think it will make it. I’ll share my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 4.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Claire and Jamie sitting guard over the bodies of Grannie McLeod and Murdina Bug. This is custom, and the two are more than happy to do it. After all, Ian was the reason for Murdina’s death, and Grannie McLeod did die on Claire’s watch—Claire suspects the woman was waiting for her to turn her back before dying, though!
We get an important part on what Jamie and Claire will do next. With the Big House burned down, everyone is staying in Amy and Bobby’s place. That’s not sustainable, so Jamie and Claire need to decide what they can do. They could build another house on the land, but there is a risk to them doing that. There are still plenty of loyalists in the backcountry.
Another option is to get to New Bern. That’s something Jamie has been considering. Fergus is there and runs a print shop. There is the option of going to Scotland for his old printing press and bringing it to Fergus and helping with the business.
This would mean taking Ian back to Scotland. Jamie thinks that it is time for Ian to return home, but will Ian think that’s wise? Does Ian even want to return home?
After this, the couple discuss their own deaths. Claire wants to know what Jamie would like her to do after his death. Would he like to be buried in Scotland? She can’t help but think of the grave marker that Frank had made. Even though it wasn’t a true grave marker, it still makes Claire feel uneasy.
Jamie doesn’t think that there will be a body to worry about. If there is, leave it for the crows. Jamie doesn’t ask about Claire, so she brings it up. He makes it clear that he can’t see a life without Claire so he doesn’t want to think about what to do with her body after death.
Finally, it’s time for the funeral. Aidan asks who will stand watch in the graveyard—it’s always the last person to die. Malva had been the ghost there for a while, especially with Allan’s body being buried away from the graveyard in an unmarked spot. While Claire knows that that would be Murdina, she tells everyone that Grannie McLeod died last because she’s scared of Arch overhearing her.
Arch does attend the funeral. Ian gives Arch the chance to kill him—a life for a life. However, Arch makes it clear that now is now the time. He’ll be back when Ian has something worth losing.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
This chapter is full of foreshadowing. The first part is Jamie’s death and the way to handle his body. We haven’t got to the end of the story yet, but I have a feeling that this is foreshadowing Claire and Jamie will die at the same time or close together.
The foreshadowing we know about is Arch’s view that life without Murdina isn’t anything worth living. It ties in with his threat to Ian. He will be back. This isn’t the last we’ve seen of him, but Ian needs something worth having first.
I get this sense the chapter tells us that while Claire and Jamie want to take Ian back to Lallybroch, that’s not going to happen. Ian will make it back to the Colonies.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I would like to see the chapter adapted. I love these quiet moments between Claire and Jamie. There isn’t always a lot of time to add them in, but some of them are necessary to show the closeness of the two characters.
The most important part, though, is Arch threatening Ian. It’s clear that Ian feels guilt for Murdina’s death. Arch is also grieving the loss of his wife, but he’s not one to take revenge right away. Up to this point, we’ve seen him willing to play a long game, and that’s going to be the case for Ian. It’s important to see all this play out, especially if the whole of the Bugs’ storyline is played out in the series.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 4? Let us know in the comments below.
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