Mandy throws a champagne bottle through a window in Outlander Book 7, Chapter 26
We head back to the 20th century when Roger is struggling as a stay-at-home dad. In Outlander Book 7, Chapter 26, it leads to Mandy throwing a champagne bottle through a window.
The champagne bottle isn’t of that much of a problem, but it does foreshadow trouble to come. The security of the house has been broken with the bottle going through the window, and I’ll certainly get to that in the foreshadowing section.
This particular chapter is focused on Roger and his thoughts on what he should do with his life. He’s struggling with the fact that Bree is the one working. Sure, he has a job now, but there are questions about that job. Roger can’t sing anymore. What good is he as an assistant choirmaster? There is another question of faith thrown in, which is a continuing thing for Roger’s development.
Roger also decides to look in the box of items Claire and Jamie kept for the family to read. Among the list of items are books written by Claire and Jamie. I love this connection to the past, but there are some bittersweet moments.
I do hope to see some of this chapter adapted for the series. We need it for Roger’s development, and I’ll get to my thoughts on that in the adaptation section.
Let’s dive into An Echo in the Bone Chapter 26.
Just the Outlander chapter
The chapter starts with Roger getting distracted while he has a champagne bottle. Bree is getting ready for work and walks into the room with a hard hat. Roger is immediately aroused. This wouldn’t be a problem except that he’s supposed to be watching the children. In his moment of distraction with Bree, Mandy throws the champagne bottle through the window.
This symbolizes a lot. The first is that the security of the house is broken. The second is that Roger tries to blame everyone but himself. He is struggling with the idea of being a stay-at-home dad so much that he can’t hold himself accountable for his mistakes. It does make me dislike Roger in this moment, but I have to remember the time period we’re in.
Roger is a man of the 1960s. I still find it odd that he didn’t mind his wife working in the 18th century, but I guess it’s because there was a village to raise the children. Bree’s work also didn’t take her away from the home, and she was still expected to do all the “woman’s jobs.” In the 20th century, he is going to be looked down on as a stay-at-home dad, and it’s not something he signed up for.
He does have a job as an assistant choirmaster, but he can’t sing. There is this suggestion that Roger losing his voice is from God. What is God teaching Roger by taking away his voice? Humility? It all certainly seems to connect together, but we continue this journey for Roger as he figures out who he is, what his purpose is, and what God wants from him.
Roger starts to think of music from the 18th century, which leads to thoughts of Claire and Jamie. He ends up going to the box of items Claire and Jamie sent them and finds books the two have written. I have to chuckle at Claire’s book being written by a “man.” It would have sold better in the past considering it was about health.
In the image of Jamie, he has his granddaughter on his knee. This is parallel to Roger staying home with the kids while Claire’s focus is on work, which is what Bree is doing.
Roger’s thoughts are interrupted by Jem being home. He should be in school, but why isn’t he? Jem takes food from the kitchen and heads out to the Dunbonnet cave, so Roger follows him. On the walk, Roger thinks about what he learned about the Dunbonnet and realizes that it was Fergus who brought food and ale for Jamie. Roger is also at the point where Fergus lost his hand.
Finally, Roger catches up with Jem and finds out what is going on. Jem was sent home from school after using some colorful language. Roger is able to sympathize with his son and decides not to beat him for it. One thing that Jem knows, though, is that the cave is his Granddad’s.
Foreshadowing in the Outlander chapter
We get to see more of Jem’s abilities and intuitiveness in this chapter. He shouldn’t know much about the cave if anything, and yet he does. He knows that this was where Jamie stayed for some time. There is more of this to come.
The chapter also foreshadows trouble coming to Lallybroch. That image of the broken glass in the window makes it clear that the children aren’t safe. The first time I read the book, I wondered if Jemmy was taking food to someone like Fergus did for Jamie. However, it’s clear that this cave is going to be important later and it’s all linked to the safety of the family being broken.
Roger sees two stags. I get a sense that this is foreshadowing something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Who do the stags represent?
Adapting An Echo in the Bone chapter
I want to see this chapter used in Outlander Season 7. Even if it’s not in full, I’d like to see some of it because it is important for Roger’s character development. We need to see him struggle in the 20th century.
For so long, Roger has wanted to go back to his own time. He thought it would be better for him and for his family. Sure, it’s safer, but it turns out that the 18th century was actually where he had some sort of purpose, even if he was questioning things. We need to see that Roger’s thoughts of a place in the 20th century weren’t all that correct, even though it was easy to understand why he thought it would be the best place for him.
What did you spot while reading An Echo in the Bone Chapter 26? Let us know in the comments below.
Like Claire and Jamie on Facebook for the latest from the Outlander Book Club and much more.