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Inverness
October 5, 1968

Roger and Brianna are continuing their search for Jamie in the past and report to Claire that they have located the deed of sasine for Lallybroch that Jamie, Claire, and Murtagh signed back in 1746. They also show Claire an article published in 1765 by a printer called Alexander Malcolm in Edinburgh. They compare the handwriting of both documents and Claire is nearly convinced that Jamie is in fact the printer in Edinburgh in 1765, almost 20 years after the time that she left him to return to the future. She is further convinced by the fact that he signed the article using Q.E.D.and also used the phrase, “Freedom and Whisky gang tegither,” which Claire said to him in the period just before the rising. Bree encourages Claire to return to find Jamie, given this new evidence of his survival 20 years past Culloden.

Later we see Claire shopping for historical dresses in a shop. She finally decides on a gold, brown and amber Jessica Gutenburg gown.


Very short chapter here, but exciting nonetheless as we find Claire one step closer to Jamie. What are your thoughts?

Claire getting closer and closer to finding Jamie, and Bree's encouragement to do it were so uplifting, the reunion is on it's way!

It was also good to see that Bree and Roger's relationship was developing on its own while Claire was in Boston, his support and help getting Claire to Jamie must have been a big help in getting Bree "on board" with Claire going. And he knew, first-hand along with her, the power of Craigh Na Dun.

The use of all the names was fun to read, good thing Jamie had so many - and that Claire knew them all so they could recognize his alias, and the clues he left in his writing. The name "Gutenberg" in the dress designer name was a cool nod to the way they found him - in a printing shop!

I hadn't thought about the name Gutenberg and its relationship to printing. Good catch NE Mom!

And, yes, Rochelle, it is always good to see Claire one step closer to returning to Jamie. I love the way they are finding different pieces of historical information and putting it together like a puzzle to find Jamie. And, it was nice that Bree was so supportive of Claire going back because in an earlier chapter there was some question about whether Bree realized the implications that Claire and Roger knew.

I hadn't originally thought about the zipper issue, but I thought it was a nice inclusion by DG because it would be a genuine concern.

Loved the growth of the relationship between Roger and Bree.

And, I had forgotten the subject of the article they found, but knowing what we later do about what Jamie was doing in the 1760s, writing about liquor exporting was appropriate, I suppose.

I enjoyed this chapter - the trying on of the Gutenberg Dress was a clever acknowledgement of the printing process although this small nuance escaped me the first time round, and when the penny dropped on future rekilt - I had to smile - DG is so clever at adding little extras !!

The deed of Sasine was proof positive that Claire had existed in a past life and brought a shiver to my spine to imagine their names on that document, and to remember the signing of it after the events at Culloden House in DIA....

I wonder whether inadvertently Jamie was leaving his own clues for Claire to follow in the future and his use of QED was quite enlightened....

quod erat demonstrandum is a Latin phrase used at the end of a philosophical argument....

"Then you can go back Mama" she said softly. "You can find him".

When I got in bed last night, it occurred to me that the chapter title Q.E.D. had double meaning - both its use by Jamie to sign the article and the fact that Claire, Roger and Brianna had been working their way, clue by clue, to finding Jamie 20 years after Claire left. And, once they found him, they'd reach the end where one might write Q.E.D. I planned to post about it today and wondered whether anyone else would mention that first. And, sure enough. . .

This hasn't been brought up yet but I thought it was interesting that with the Deed - they at last have proof positive that Claire was there, her story was true - every word! I don't think Roger really needed it but I don't think it was bad for Bree to see it. It seems like somewhere in the back of her mind, she had to still be wondering. This substantiated the whole thing! Also for Claire, she knew she wasn't crazy but here lived proof - Jamie was real, she was real, they had a real love. Proof Positive! They had existed and impacted history, even if not in the way they wanted.

Good point, TINK.

...Q.E.D indeed

I am not surprised that the deed of sasine survived. It was a very important document for the Murrays of Lallybroch. Claire's signature on the document is indeed an affirmation of Claire's story. Roger might not have noticed her signature without careful scrutiny. Imagine Brianna's reaction upon seeing the signature, even with a different last name, that she must have recognized immediately!

Since we know that the print shop will soon be burned out, was anyone else surprised that the draft and printed text of the QED article survived for Brianna's discovery? After all, why would Jamie want to keep evidence to incriminate himself? I could understand a printed copy of Forrester's surviving. I can't imagine the travels of the draft. Was it discovered as part of a case against Mr. Malcolm? Or, am I being too picky?

Interesting question, Great Grandpa Repoman. I briefly wondered how drafts had survived, but hadn't thought about the fact that the print shop burned. Obviously some things survived (didn't they bring stuff out during the fire?). Or could the draft have been elsewhere? Maybe someone else read the draft and had it at a different location?

Great Grandpa Repoman (that has a nice ring to it ), I always thought the document, even a draft, would have been at Lollybrach and maybe another more formal copy filed with the local church or area government. Then it may have been found at preserved from either location. Maybe that is just how I explained it away...