Outlander Book Club: The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 5 breakdown

The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 5 is the first one with a lot going on. It’s still building up the story, though.

I like this chapter for the small moment of peace that Jamie gets. He has a chance to spend time with Willie. While Lord Dunsany and Willie have no idea that Jamie is Willie’s biological father, Jamie is still able to spend some quality time with the boy.

We also get more threats of the Jacobites still rising up. Jamie wants nothing to do with that.

Breaking down The Scottish Prisoner Chapter 5

The chapter starts with Jamie waking from a nightmare. It’s clear that he was screaming in his sleep. He’s having nightmares about Culloden, and that’s not surprising considering the Irishman who came around. There are signs of the Irishman still trying to get Jamie to join him in the cause, but Jamie refuses to do that.

When he sees Betty later and refuses to still join the cause, Betty threatens Jamie that she will “tell.” This does play on Jamie’s mind a little, and it comes up later in the chapter when a footman approaches him. Jamie and George initially get into a scuffle, but they try to work things out. This seems to be the end of Betty’s threats.

Jamie is told to take Isobel into town. She has paperwork to hand to a lawyer, and Jamie notices that the lawyer embraces Isobel. It’s not entirely clear what’s going on in this. It’s not like Jamie can ask since Jamie and Isobel don’t get along at this point.

The most important part is when Jamie gets to spend some time with Willie. At first, Lord Dunsany brings Willie to ride an old mare called Bella. Willie doesn’t really want to, and Jamie uses it as a chance to take Willie around the stables to show him the horses.

Later on, an undernanny brings Willie to the stables again. The rest of the household is ill, and Willie is being a very typical young boy. Jamie uses this chance to spend more time with his son, showing him the horses again. He also teaches Willie to say his Ns, so he can say the word no as “no” and not “mo.”

I love that we get to see Jamie be somewhat of a father to Willie in this chapter. There are teachable moments, but Jamie also gets a chance to just live in the boy’s moments. Willie is a very typical young boy, and Jamie would usually miss out on this fun.

There is the risk of Jamie being caught out as Willie’s dad, though. A visitor asks if Willie is Jamie’s “lad,” and this leads to Jamie shutting things down. He can’t let this get out.

Could this chapter be used in a TV adaptation

I would love to see The Scottish Prisoner be adapted. If it is, I could certainly see this chapter being used.

This chapter includes a little of the plot with the sprigs that turn up from the Irishman. However, it’s more about Jamie’s life at Helwater. We see the tasks that he is given to perform, and we see how he interacts with everyone around him. Most importantly, he gets time with Willie.

We got to see a little of Jamie’s time with Willie in the Outlander series. They are cherished moments by the fans, and there’s no way an adaptation could skip over one.