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Chapter 11 "Conversations with a Lawyer"
1. What are your impressions of Colum? Dougal? Ned Gowan?
Colum and Dougal are both extremely savvy. They have a vision, they have a plan, and I think anyone who gets in their way might be considered "collateral damage". I liked Ned Gowan. You have to love a man who gives up a modest practice to become an adventurer, even though he lacks the skills for it by his own admission. However, I also see him as a change with the tide kind of character. He'll back you, as long as you're on the winning side.
2. How do you feel about how Dougal uses Jamie for the Stuart cause? Since I already know from another novel that Bonny Prince Charlie gets defeated (I'm only sort of kidding. I do know my history, but I read about it first in "Legend in Green Velvet" which I was far too young to read at the time. I've included a link at the bottom.), I think Dougal is wasting time and energy, and not making lifelong friends of Jamie and Claire. I suspect he'll come to understand that, in the fullness of time. But to me it seemed like an extremely common (low-life) form of mob-building. Clearly he's indifferent to the suffering of others, as long as his gains from it in the end.
"I suppose Dougal can always tap-dance instead." - Claire to Jamie
Chapter 12 "The Garrison Commander"
3. What is your perception of Claire and Jamie's changing relationship? (He sleeps outside her door for protection...) They are becoming more protective of each other, seeing a deeper friendship than either might have initially thought possible, and maybe hoping for more. But in the meantime, I think Jamie knows his traveling companions well enough to realize that nobody else is going to look after the lone woman, especially since she seems to be just a temporary burden.
4. How has Claire changed between her first and second encounter with Black Jack Randall (at Fort William)? I think she hoped to feel some sort of blood tie to Black Jack Randall, and then realized far too late what an exceptionally cruel and heartless
he is. I think she realizes that looks can not only be deceiving, but they can kill.
"Your wig is crooked." - Claire to Jack Randall after he punches her.
Chapter 13 "A Marriage Is Announced"
5. How did you feel when first learning Claire and Jamie were to be married? I first thought that Dougal was up to no good. Then I realized that was silly, and realized that it must be doing Dougal and Colum some sort of good, or they wouldn't bother about Claire at all.
6. What is the significance of the Pictish cross being mentioned again? Look. There it is again. I think this time it's a sign of how the countryside has changed between Claire's original time and now, since she didn't apparently recognize it. The same pictish stone in the same place should probably have rung a bell with her.
Dougal stops at the crossroads with the Pictish cross and asks Claire if she is a spy and if so for whom.)
7. How did the description of Jamie's flogging affect you? I keep hoping in this book that Bonny Prince Charlie succeeds to the throne after all. The British weren't doing themselves any favors.
Jamie was my patient, and to some extent, my friend as well.- Claire's thoughts at the crossroads.
Chapter 14 "A Marriage Takes Place"
8. What was the best aspect of Claire and Jamie's wedding? The most romantic? The most surprising? I thought it was extremely sweet that Jamie made Dougal go find her a nice dress to wear, especially knowing how much she didn't want to marry him. And I thought it was very trusting of him to give her his father's ring, especially since the prevailing opinion was that Claire was probably an English spy. (Did I imagine the ring part?)
"That bad, was it?" - Jamie to Claire after their wedding.
Chapter 15 "Revelations of the Bridal Chamber"
9. In what ways were both Jamie and Claire vulnerable on their wedding night? Jamie doesn't know what he's doing, and Claire is torn between possible eternal damnation, and possible eternal frustration. And she can't possibly tell him the truth. They'd think she'd gotten too far into the whiskey again.
10. How do you feel about the issue of honesty (and Claire's hesitancy)? I thought Jamie's policy of "don't tell everything all at once, but make sure what you do tell is true" is profound. I'm going to adopt it in my own relationships, assuming I ever have one again. I think Claire is impressed with the suggestion, but is also troubled by her conscience b/c she knows she intends to make a break for it at the first opportunity. But I think for the first time, she starts to realize just who all would be hurt by that.
"Perhaps I am pretentious in saying so, but I would like to think that I am not many men,' and that I dinna necessarily place my behavior at the lowest common denominator." - Jamie to Claire on their wedding night
"Don't be afraid...There's the two of us now." - Jamie to Claire (who wonders why he has a knife with him on his wedding night)
1. What are your impressions of Colum? Dougal? Ned Gowan?
Colum and Dougal are both extremely savvy. They have a vision, they have a plan, and I think anyone who gets in their way might be considered "collateral damage". I liked Ned Gowan. You have to love a man who gives up a modest practice to become an adventurer, even though he lacks the skills for it by his own admission. However, I also see him as a change with the tide kind of character. He'll back you, as long as you're on the winning side.
2. How do you feel about how Dougal uses Jamie for the Stuart cause? Since I already know from another novel that Bonny Prince Charlie gets defeated (I'm only sort of kidding. I do know my history, but I read about it first in "Legend in Green Velvet" which I was far too young to read at the time. I've included a link at the bottom.), I think Dougal is wasting time and energy, and not making lifelong friends of Jamie and Claire. I suspect he'll come to understand that, in the fullness of time. But to me it seemed like an extremely common (low-life) form of mob-building. Clearly he's indifferent to the suffering of others, as long as his gains from it in the end.
"I suppose Dougal can always tap-dance instead." - Claire to Jamie
Chapter 12 "The Garrison Commander"
3. What is your perception of Claire and Jamie's changing relationship? (He sleeps outside her door for protection...) They are becoming more protective of each other, seeing a deeper friendship than either might have initially thought possible, and maybe hoping for more. But in the meantime, I think Jamie knows his traveling companions well enough to realize that nobody else is going to look after the lone woman, especially since she seems to be just a temporary burden.
4. How has Claire changed between her first and second encounter with Black Jack Randall (at Fort William)? I think she hoped to feel some sort of blood tie to Black Jack Randall, and then realized far too late what an exceptionally cruel and heartless
bastard
"Your wig is crooked." - Claire to Jack Randall after he punches her.
Chapter 13 "A Marriage Is Announced"
5. How did you feel when first learning Claire and Jamie were to be married? I first thought that Dougal was up to no good. Then I realized that was silly, and realized that it must be doing Dougal and Colum some sort of good, or they wouldn't bother about Claire at all.
6. What is the significance of the Pictish cross being mentioned again? Look. There it is again. I think this time it's a sign of how the countryside has changed between Claire's original time and now, since she didn't apparently recognize it. The same pictish stone in the same place should probably have rung a bell with her.
Dougal stops at the crossroads with the Pictish cross and asks Claire if she is a spy and if so for whom.)
7. How did the description of Jamie's flogging affect you? I keep hoping in this book that Bonny Prince Charlie succeeds to the throne after all. The British weren't doing themselves any favors.
Jamie was my patient, and to some extent, my friend as well.- Claire's thoughts at the crossroads.
Chapter 14 "A Marriage Takes Place"
8. What was the best aspect of Claire and Jamie's wedding? The most romantic? The most surprising? I thought it was extremely sweet that Jamie made Dougal go find her a nice dress to wear, especially knowing how much she didn't want to marry him. And I thought it was very trusting of him to give her his father's ring, especially since the prevailing opinion was that Claire was probably an English spy. (Did I imagine the ring part?)
"That bad, was it?" - Jamie to Claire after their wedding.
Chapter 15 "Revelations of the Bridal Chamber"
9. In what ways were both Jamie and Claire vulnerable on their wedding night? Jamie doesn't know what he's doing, and Claire is torn between possible eternal damnation, and possible eternal frustration. And she can't possibly tell him the truth. They'd think she'd gotten too far into the whiskey again.
10. How do you feel about the issue of honesty (and Claire's hesitancy)? I thought Jamie's policy of "don't tell everything all at once, but make sure what you do tell is true" is profound. I'm going to adopt it in my own relationships, assuming I ever have one again. I think Claire is impressed with the suggestion, but is also troubled by her conscience b/c she knows she intends to make a break for it at the first opportunity. But I think for the first time, she starts to realize just who all would be hurt by that.
"Perhaps I am pretentious in saying so, but I would like to think that I am not many men,' and that I dinna necessarily place my behavior at the lowest common denominator." - Jamie to Claire on their wedding night
"Don't be afraid...There's the two of us now." - Jamie to Claire (who wonders why he has a knife with him on his wedding night)
