Claire meets Percy Wainwright in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 18
While Claire starts the chapter literally pulling teeth, she gets to meet Percy Wainwright in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 18. This is a chance for her to learn that there are other Beauchamps around.
It’s a big chapter for foreshadowing I think. Or maybe it’s more of a side plot development. This plot takes so long to develop that it does feel more like foreshadowing than anything else. Claire learns that a man named Beauchamp wants Fergus, but Claire doesn’t think about that. She’s focused on the name.
She knew her father’s family had been in France. In the 18th century, the family moved to England, and that’s how the name changed to the English way of pronouncing it. She wants to find out if this Beauchamp mentioned is related to her in some sort of way.
However, Jamie is concerned. What does someone want with Fergus? And the best part for me is Fergus realizing that he is the son of a great man.
I would like to see this storyline play out in the series. The problem is, I just don’t think there’s going to be enough time. I’ll get to my thoughts on the matter in the adaptation section of the post.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 18.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Claire pulling teeth. That’s when she meets Percy, who shares what he is doing there. It’s the same story we’d already heard via Lord John Grey’s chapters. Percy is also offering passage to Scotland on his ship.
Claire goes to see Jamie. She wants to figure out if this Beauchamp is connected to her in some sort of way. Jamie can understand why Claire wants to figure this out. Claire has spent so long without family. This is a chance to find more familial connections. They may not trust her, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s just about finding connections at this point.
However, Jamie doesn’t trust Percy. He doesn’t want to put Fergus in any danger, and he doesn’t really want to get information about Beauchamp at the risk of Fergus’s safety.
That’s where we leave that as the Bells arrive. They haven’t heard the best of things about Jamie—and I love Percy’s previous comments about all the things he’s heard about Jamie. It doesn’t help that the Bells heard some of the information from Forbes, who we know doesn’t like the Frasers at all.
The Bells want Jamie’s help. Their father was taken by the rebels and they want Jamie to find him. I am intrigued at why Jamie, and why now?
The rest of the chapter is focused on the way Fergus’s family works in the print shop. We see that each of them have a place, although Germain is being instructed in another part of the family business—pickpocketing. Jamie is shocked that Fergus would teach the boy this, but I got a sense on the first read that it’s going to come up in the future.
Finally, we move on to Fergus. All orphans would love the fairy tale of being connected to some sort of great man, and Fergus has realized he is the son of a great man after all. He’s the son of Jamie. I adore this part of the chapter. Fergus has never once forgotten everything Jamie has done for him, and Jamie will never knowingly let something bad happen to Fergus.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
The foreshadowing in this chapter is certainly linked to Percy and the Beauchamp storyline. It’s clear with this and Lord John Grey’s chapters that Fergus is going to get a bigger role moving forward. He is wanted for something, and we need to get to the bottom of that.
There is an element of foreshadowing in the dream of orphans being linked to “great” people. In that sense, it’s being linked to people with money, and it’s a potential hint that Fergus is the son of a certain Comte. I did always feel like the name Germain was interesting for Fergus’s first son.
I think Claire’s mention that Beauchamp could be a relative of some sort is also foreshadowing. It will eventually be time to delve into Claire’s family, and it is possible that Claire and Fergus are related.
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I really would like to see the mystery of the Beauchamps covered in the TV show. It would be great to give Fergus this storyline, and to learn of a potential connection between Claire and Fergus. I just don’t know if there’s going to be enough time.
There are so many other big storylines to cover throughout Outlander Season 7. With just 12 episodes for the An Echo in the Bone storylines, I’m not sure there will be enough time, especially with the risk that Season 7 is the last.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 18? Let us know in the comments below.
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