Outlander: You Got Trouble

Last time on “Outlander:” Jamie and Claire return to Lallybroch and get a cool reception from his sister Jenny. Jenny’s husband Ian was a bit more welcoming. Jamie tries to be a laird like his father but keeps screwing things up. After a talk with Ian, Claire sets Jamie straight and this leads to him having a heart-to-heart with Jenny. All seems well…until Claire wakes up to find several guns pointed at Jamie. Uh oh.

So the dirty, wild men pointing guns at Jamie are the Watch. They are pretty much a protection racket, shaking down the Scots for protection against the British. And it’s time for Ian to pay up and play host for a few days. Yet they don’t know why Jamie is in the house and they are suspicious.

(Jamie's getting used to this view)

Jenny comes running out and assures the Watch that Jamie is her cousin. That he’s visiting with his wife. Jamie introduces himself as McTavish and the Watch backs off. They’re a bit suspicious of Claire but Jenny says they don’t mind the fact she’s English that much. She then invites everyone inside for food.

The Watch are looking forward to food and more importantly, the booze. Though they do know they don’t get the good stuff. And that Ian hides the good tobacco. But they do love Jenny’s cooking. So they’ll enjoy everything and make themselves quite at home at Lallybroch.

Everyone regroups in the kitchen. Jenny tells Jamie to play nice and not raise their suspicions. No one trusts the Watch not to turn Jamie in if they learn he has a price on his head. Jamie doesn’t understand why they have to tolerate them at all. Ian and Jenny try to explain it to him, but his Scottish is up. As Jenny suffers a painful kick, Claire pleads with Jamie to stay calm and do what Jenny says.

(So everyone objects)

So they have a very tense breakfast. The Watch asks more about Jamie and Claire volunteers that he fought in France. Ian and Jamie talk about their time fighting for the French and the Watch’s leader says he fought there too. He says he and Ian talk a lot about their soldiering days but he’s never mentioned Jamie. Jamie tries not to panic while Ian insists he must’ve. The other guy must’ve been too drunk to remember. He seems to accept that answer.

(He's suspicious)

The Watch leader mentions his horse has thrown a shoe but the blacksmith isn’t in town. No one seems to be around Lallybroch these days, huh? Jamie says he has experience with horses and offers to tend to the Watch Leader’s. No doubt anything to get the man out of his hair sooner.

Jamie and Robbie work on the horse and Jamie makes a comment about how poorly the Watch treats their horses. The men don’t take kindly to it. And then they set a wagon full of hay on fire. Jamie and the other men rush about, tossing buckets of water on the fire until it’s out. He then lays into the Watch about mistreating the people who are being nothing but hospitable to them. Their leader realizes he has a point.

(Fire!)

Jamie and the Leader walk back to the house as another visitor arrives at Lallybroch. As the man dismounts, Jamie realizes it’s the deserter he met with back in mid-season premiere. He and the Deserter share a look and the Leader catches on that they might know each other. He asks them if they do and the Deserter says he thought he recognized Jamie but he was wrong. All Scots look alike, you ken. Jamie breathes out in relief…for now.

Jamie does worry that the deserter will reveal that there’s a price on his head. The Watch does seem interested in only money and they may turn him in. He overhears them planning a raid using Fraser land and he runs off, nervous.

The next day, Claire helps Jenny with the laundry. She and Wee Jamie have some fun before Jenny sends the boy in for a nap. After that, Jenny gasps and grabs her stomach. She and Claire look down to see water on the ground—Jenny’s in labor.

Claire examines Jenny, who asks if she has any experience with childbirth. Claire says she’s seen it. She has a serious face as she feels around, finally revealing that Jenny’s baby is in the wrong position. Claire tries to coax the baby to turn into the right position but nothing works. Time to get the midwife. STAT!

(Uh oh)

Meanwhile, the Deserter starts blackmailing Jamie. He says he’ll forget about the price on Jamie’s head if he gives him money. Jamie has to have plenty as the Laird. Ian confides that there is money hidden away to be split between Jenny and Jamie. He encourages Jamie to take his half and pay the Deserter.

Claire stays with Jenny, watching her walk around. A maid comes in and explains the midwife was called away to tend to a sick relative. Claire thanks her and Jenny’s like “Welp, you’re going to have to deliver this kid now.” So Claire says she’ll have to turn the baby and Jenny asks for alcohol. When Claire points out that the alcohol will affect the baby, Jenny declares her child will come into the world a true Scot then.

(Definitely has some doubts about this whole pregnancy thing now)

The Watch is less-than-thrilled with Jenny’s labor and they’re pretty rude about it. It takes all of Ian and Jamie’s self-control not to slug them where they stand.

Jamie talks with Claire, telling her that he paid the Deserter and gave away the money for their children. He apologizes to her. Claire then says she doesn’t think she can have children. She explains she’s tried before and nothing has happened. Claire apologizes for not telling him sooner but she never thought she’d actually love him when she married him. Jamie says it’s probably for the best then and admits he doesn’t think he could imagine her in that pain. Claire then excuses herself to go back to Jenny.

(Aww)

Claire asks Jenny what it’s like to be pregnant. She tells her in a sweet scene…until we end with a line that always made me laugh when I read it. I know a lot of book readers love it, but I can’t. It’s just too weird—about taking your man back inside you and that’s what they want. To get back to the womb.

Calling Sigmund Freud!

The next day, Jamie meets with the Deserter. The money isn’t enough and the Deserter says he can spill any secret while drunk. Jamie will never be safe…until the sword pierces through the Deserter. Ian stands behind him, revealing he’s protected Jamie again. But he seems to be a fog as Jamie tries to bury the Deserter. Ian says he thought he killed his last man back in France. Jamie assures him it’s okay and they bury the Deserter. 

(True friend)

Back in the room, Jenny takes off her wedding ring and asks Claire to put it in her jewelry box. Claire agrees and finds a carved snake. Jenny reveals that her brother carved it for Jamie and that she meant to give it to him. Willie, their brother, died young and is buried out in the family graveyard along with their mother and the child she died in childbirth with. Jenny then grows somber and asks Claire to give the carving to Jamie for her. Claire tells her to give it to him herself but Jenny wants to make sure Claire understands her wishes should the worst happen.

Downstairs, the Watch Leader notes that he hasn’t seen the Deserter in a long time. Jamie and Ian try to make up a story about him getting drunk but the Watch isn’t buy it. After all, the Deserter’s horse is still outside. So finally, Jamie comes clean: He has a price on his head, the Deserter was blackmailing him and so he was killed. The Leader is like “Never liked him anyway, good job.” But then he reveals that the Deserter was supposed to help them with a job and now he needs Jamie to fill in instead. Jamie and Ian agree to go.

Claire makes Jamie promise to be safe and to come back. She tells him that if he doesn’t, she’ll find him and drag him back his curls. And he won’t like it. Jamie agrees but you get the feeling that he’d actually like it. They kiss and part.

(A kiss goodbye)

Jamie and Ian ride off with the Watch. They realize something is wrong and the British descend upon them.

Jenny is close to birth now. Claire steps up a little bed in front of the fireplace and has her get on all fours. She then reaches in to turn her future niece or nephew. Time for him or her to make his or her entrance in the world!

We don’t get to watch it, thankfully, instead cutting to Claire cuddling the baby as Jenny lays in front of the fire. Claire tells her that she has a beautiful, healthy baby girl. Jenny takes her daughter and the two start to bond.

A couple days pass and Jenny’s back on her feet. Claire is a doting aunt who adores her little niece, Katherine. Jenny has the baby put down for a nap before she has a little talk with Claire. She gives her beautiful bracelets that had once belonged to Ellen Fraser. Claire thanks her and kisses her head.

(Sisterly bonding)

They then hear people coming down the road and the Watch Leader helps a peg leg less Ian into the courtyard. Claire runs to the gate but no one follows them. The Leader explains that they walked into an ambush and most of his men were killed or captured. Claire demands to know where Jamie is and they tell her the British have him.

Uh oh.

I can’t believe we only have a few episodes left. It seems like we need to have a lot more just because I know we have a lot left in the book.

Hold on tight, folks.

Next week: Jenny and Claire to the rescue!

Screen caps from here.