Outlander Book Club: An Echo in the Bone Chapter 14 breakdown
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with John getting ready to met Lord George Germain. Every time I get to this, I initially think John is meeting Comte St. Germain, but these are two different people.
While waiting, John thinks about how it’s better now that he’s older. He’s no longer feeling like he’s backed into a corner when it comes to men’s advances, and I always think of how Jamie must have felt around the Duke of Sandringham. John then thinks about the clerk, who is more Germain’s type. John purposely ignores the clerk.
He also thinks about the voyage overseas. There was some stormy weather, and John didn’t like it one bit. At one point, he wished that the ship would just sink and get it over with, although he didn’t actually want that to happen. We see the impatience in him that isn’t often on show.
When Germain does show up, John describes what he sees. He goes into everything he’s already learned about this man, including that Germain drinks fine brandy before tea, which is something John finds strange.
All John wants to do is figure out why Beauchamp wants a meeting. What is the meaning behind everything that is going on right now? He doesn’t get any details just yet, though. By the end of the chapter, he realizes that he may need to go through some of the more unofficial channels to get the information he needs. We’re reminded he does have some sway in areas. His observations help him.
During the chapter, he reads a letter from William. William shares that he is in love with Dorothea, Hal’s daughter. John is shocked by that, and he’s worried that William has done something they will all regret. However, he’s also annoyed that he hasn’t seen anything between the two in the past. John needs to talk to Dottie without her parents realizing, which means he needs to trick his brother and sister-in-law.
This part of the chapter does show us that John really does think of William as a son. He is a parent to the boy, and he is always going to think that way. It’s just another layer to his character, and it’s why I appreciate that we got chapters from more POVs than Claire’s as the books went on.