Lord John Grey meets with Lord Germain in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 14
We head back to Lord John’s perspective in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 14. He’s looking for information on why Beauchamp wants to speak with him, and that means going through a few channels.
I love that we get to see this side of John. If you haven’t read the Lord John Grey books, you’ll only know him as a friend of Jamie. He doesn’t get that much character development until this point of the book. It’s certainly worth reading the novellas to get to know him better, as it explains a lot in what could seem like a change of character in this part of the main books.
We get to see John as an upper-class gentleman who has experience in spy work. He knows not to trust everyone, and he makes a lot of observations throughout this chapter. It’s easy to see where William gets it from when you start to get to know John.
There is also some foreshadowing in this chapter, especially when it comes to Jamie’s voyage across the seas. I’ll get to that in the foreshadowing section.
I don’t think we’re going to see this adapted. I would like to considering the Beauchamp part of the story, but I just don’t think there will be enough time.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 14.
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.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The foreshadowing in this chapter is certainly in the ship. I’m constantly reminded of Jamie traveling back from Scotland with Jenny. Their ship sinks. At least, that’s what everyone thinks. It just so happens that they didn’t get on that ship, but everyone assumes the worst.
The rest of the chapter is more about plot development. We have the storyline involving Beauchamp and the bit about William. It’s clear that John is going to get more time in this book.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
Considering the Beauchamp connection, I really want to see this chapter used in Outlander Season 7. I really want to see the Beauchamp storyline play out considering how many theories there are about it. Is the Comte St. Germain Fergus’s father? Are they Claire’s ancestors? Nothing is done for no reason in Diana Gabaldon’s books.
However, I’m not sure there’s going to be enough time for it all. There are more important storylines to follow through with. If Outlander Season 7 is going to end up being the last, then there really isn’t time to do the Beauchamp storyline justice, so there’s no need to keep this part in.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 14? Let us know in the comments below.
Like Claire and Jamie on Facebook for the latest from the Outlander Book Club and much more.