[robin.goodfellow]

Chapter Six - Colum's Hall

1) Why do you think Jamie took the beating for Loaghaire? I'll be using the phonetic spelling of Laoghaire - Laheer. Did you think it was honorable or foolish? Probably honorable. Based on his behavior to her at the story-telling later, it's clear that he barely notices her (except for the whole alcove thing), he just sees her as a little girl. And he is well aware that no good comes from beating little girls in public. This seems to play to his previously established character.

2) Claire seems to have little difficulty "adapting" to castle life in the 18th century. Why do you think this is? What would you find most difficult about adapting? She does seem to have adapted quickly and rather well, doesn't she? I'm going to say it's b/c she worked in a field hospital during the war, and spent a great deal of time on site digs with her uncle. Personally, I would be lost without indoor plumbing.

Chapter Seven - Davie Beaton's Closet

1) Who do you think hit Jamie on the head with an axe? No idea, but I'm guessing Laoghaire's brother is a likely suspect. lol, or some other young lass's brother.

2) Why do you think it was so important to Claire to have a "useful" occupation? I think the purpose in giving her a job was two-fold: 1. to keep up with what she was doing all day, making sure she wasn't reporting back to someone on the activities in the castle, and 2. to be sure she was pulling her weight. I'm sure Colum didn't want to spend food and keep on an idle hand.

Chapter Eight - An Evening's Entertainment

1) Do you think the "folk-tales" that Gwyllyn tells are all based on actual time travel through the
stones? Probably. You know, Claire's a smart girl, she should have figured out within a couple of days of hearing these stories that if one set of stone portals worked that way, another might. So she doesn't have to spend all that time and effort working to get back to Craigh Na Dun. lol, of course, she could always make her situation worse, I guess, by dropping back to the 1500s. That wouldn't be an improvement to her situation.

2) Claire teases Jamie about kissing Loaghaire in the alcove. Do you think her teasing is based on her growing feelings for him, or is she actually as "disinterested" as she appears? She's probably disintersted from the perspective that she's married in another century, but she's no statue. She recognizes a nice-looking man when she sees one, and Jamie is less...idk... militant? than the other men she's been around so far. She probably feels familiar enough with him to joke around, where she wouldn't with, say, Dougal.

3) What impressions did you get about Jamie's parents and background based on what he told Claire? Why do you think he told her about his past? He apparently feels familiar enough with Claire to talk about things like that. And, he's apparently far from home, and in what amounts to a hostile environment. Maybe he just wanted someone who didn't know them to talk to them about.

Chapter Nine - The Gathering

1) Why do you think Geillie tells Claire that young Hamish is rumored to be Jamie's son? Who did you think was really Hamish's father? I think Geillie enjoys being the town gossip. Clearly she's pretty good at it. I think she's indulging the speculation that Jamie is Hamish's father b/c she loves a good scandal. And while there would indeed be a scandal if Dougal was the father, at least then it would be all in the family. Carrying on with Jamie would be beyond scandalous in their world. I think Dougal is the father.

2) What impressions did you get about Geillie's background? I like to think she was the daughter of social-climbing parents. I think her great granddaughter will be the fortune teller in Claire's time.

3) After Jamie and Claire "rescue" the tanner's lad from the pillory, Jamie calls Claire "Mistress Sassenach". How do you think Claire feels about the nickname? It's probably growing on her, but I think I recall that it bothered her to hear it applied to her in the tavern in her own time.

Chapter Ten - The Oath Taking

1) Why do you think Jamie decided not to give Colum his oath? What do you think Claire thought when he didn't? I think Jamie thought he who fights and runs away may live to fight another day. It was easier to go along with the process than to not. He's no fool. He knew everyone in the room was armed to the teeth as well as Claire did. I think Claire was relieved that he found a third door, so to speak, since he had clearly intended to miss the festivities entirely.

2) Why do you think Dougal kissed Claire? Heat of the moment. Too much to drink. In addition, depending on how many men were still in the corridor, that may have marked her in their eyes as his property, so they didn't seek her out later that night. And that really may be giving Dougal too much benefit.

3) When you read that Claire thought she could get back "home" from Ft. William, were you hoping she would succeed or fail? (your first impression, please!!) I was torn. Clearly, the century she's in with Jamie is more interesting, but the century she was in with Frank was more hygenic.

lol, I hope y'all are happy. I was only going to read one more chapter last night, and ended up reading til midnight. I feel like a zombie today.

~robin