Outlander Book Club: Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade Chapter 12 breakdown

We continue to see a side of Lord John Grey that we don’t often get to see in Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade Chapter 12. We also see the mystery continue to deepen.

John and Hal spend some time together in the chapter but it’s not for John to learn any family secrets. In fact, it’s because of the opposite. Hal is trying to keep his brother out of this business, but why?

The end of the chapter is interesting. Mrs. Tomlinson, who is the mistress of Bates, comes to see John and ask for a favor. The plot thickens.

Breaking down Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade Chapter 12

We start off the chapter with John and Percy spending more time together as Percy learns all about being an officer. There are a few things we learn. Percy has slept with one woman and he is a good shot. Other than that, Percy hasn’t really been trained to be an officer.

As Percy goes off to learn dancing, John looks for some reading material. This leads to a confrontation between John and Hal. John is fed up of Hal keeping him in the dark about something important, especially when it’s clearly to do with family. Hal doesn’t want to get his brother involved.

This is my first time reading this, so as I went through I, I tried to figure out if this is something Hal is trying to protect his brother from. That’s the only reason I could see Hal not telling John based on what we know of Hal and John now. However, even in Outlander, Hal has kept John in the dark. That’s the type of man he is.

The chapter ends with Mrs. Tomlinson coming to see John. She is Bates’s mistress, and she would like John to see Bates in Newport Gaol. John doesn’t even have a reason to go, but he agrees to it.

Could the chapter be used in a TV series?

The chapter brings a lot for the buildup of the mystery, so I could see this being used if the book was ever turned into a Lord John Grey series. It would need to be, especially the end part.

I also think the argument between Hal and John is also necessary. It’s clear that Hal knows more and isn’t sharing. It’s also clear that John should probably learn more. I think having the way this relationship grows throughout the book is essential, especially considering what we know of Hal and John in the Outlander books. It’s clear there is more to come of this brotherhood in future Lord John books.