Previously on Outlander: Young Ian was kidnapped by pirates. Fergus and Marsali showed up “married” on the Ian rescue voyage. Jamie was less than thrilled. An English ship plague ship kidnapped Claire so she could treat their sick.
Aboard the Artemis, Captain Raines reveals that he was informed that the Porpoise would be leaving with Claire, and making haste for Jamaica. He countermands Jamie’s order to chase them, and has him restrained belowdecks. Jamie is seasick again, in his cell, and crazy with worry over Claire. He tries to talk Fergus into stealing the keys, so he can take over the ship, and go after Claire. Fergus thinks mutiny is maybe not the best plan, but Jamie promises his blessing to marry Marsali, if Fergus will help him. When Fergus doesn’t bring him the keys, Jamie lectures Fergus. you know, the man who’s been by his and his family’s side for the last 20 years, about not knowing what love is.
Claire has the men of the Porpoise swabbing the decks, bathing their hands in booze, and trying in vain the decontaminate the ship. But Claire’s knowledge of germs doesn’t seem to be getting through to 18th century sensibilities. She requisitions some grog to be distilled into pure alcohol, and generally bosses everyone around, with the help of her teenage assistant, Elias Pound. The Porpoise’s cook really hates Claire and her useless water boiling and hand-washing, while men are still dying.
While snooping around, she discovers in Captain Leonard’s journal, that someone on the ship had informed him that Jamie is a wanted seditionist. She tracks down Harry Tompkins, the source of the information, who turns out to be the one-eyed man, who found Jamie’s treasonous pamphlets at the print shop when it burned down. He’s pretty pissed about losing out on his cushy job, and being pressed into service aboard a plague ship. He does inform her that Jamie is wanted for murder, due to the body found in a cask of créme de menthe. The plan is for Jamie to be captured and hanged, once they he comes to fetch her in Jamaica. She has Tomkins imprisoned, by claiming he’s a source of the disease.
When Claire goes to return Elias’ lucky rabbit foot, she finds the poor kid dying from the fever. She helps sew up his death shroud herself, before he’s buried at sea. The next day, the ship anchors at Grand Turk Island to collect water, and allow the milking goats to get some grass. Annekje, the goat mistress, tries to help Claire escape, but Capt. Leonard heads her off. And he’s sorry, but he’s duty-bound to report Jamie to the authorities. Little putz. Later, Annekje talks Claire into jumping off the ship in the middle of the night, convincing her that the current will carry her to land.
Marsali gets Capt. Raines to release Jamie, to help get the ship safely to Jamaica, and he’s at least appropriately grateful, and gives those crazy kids (Just kidding! Fergus is 30.) his blessing to get married.
Kilt Drops: 0
That was a close call with Marsali and Fergus. I mean, her (his?) stepfather is a 6’5″ Scottish criminal.
Wit and Wordplay
Claire: “I’m sorry, Mr. Pound. I did not mean to offend your tender ears.”
Elias Pound: “I’ve heard many such things before, ma’am, but not from a gentlewoman.”
Claire: “I’m not a gentlewoman, Mr. Pound.”
Sasse-WHAT?
- How could the Porpoise possibly still have enough flags to bury with their sailors, when they’ve already lost a couple hundred men?
- I have to admit, I’m pretty bummed that the show decided to leave out one of my favorite scenes from the book, when Claire meets the new Governor of Jamaica aboard the Porpoise.
- On a scale of 1 to ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME, how mad are you that we have to deal with Jamie and Claire being separated again?
Next week: Claire wakes up in a strange man’s house, on an island that is not Jamaica.
