Voyager - By Diana Gabaldon
CHAPTER 27 - VIRTUE'S GUARDIAN

Jamie, Claire, and Ian settle down to dinner and discussing who the man that is chasing Jamie could be. Jamie tries to allay Claire's fears of Sir Percival by explaining that most of the people in Edinburgh are smugglers and Sir Percival thinks that Jamie smuggles cloth. As bedtime approaches, Fergus returns with Jeanne and reports that the Brandy has been taken care of as well as the dead excise man in a cask of creme de menthe. As Fergus chooses a filles to spend the night with, Jamie starts to request a pallet for Ian to sleep in his room. After Ian's protests that Jamie should be alone, Fergus and Jeanne interrupt that they may have someone for Ian. Jamie tries to protest but Ian is determined and tells Jamie not to tell his mother if it bothers him so much.

When Claire tries to justify Jamie's actions, he asks her "Do I strike ye so--as the guardian o' virtue? And Fergus as the wicked serpent?" Me thinks he's feeling just a wee bit guilty here. Jamie admits that he was not quite honest with Ian that prayers alone would help him deal with his guilt over the man's death. He feels that if he is preoccupied with Mary, Ian will not be able to think about what has happened and fret over it for the night.

Claire agrees but asks Jamie what about him? Good old Claire..... "Yes. You haven't killed anyone, but do you want to ....mmmphm?" Then all resenblance to Michael, the guardian of virtue, vanished.

There seems to be a lot of virtue to guard in this chapter amongst these characters. Doesn't it strike you odd that Claire is taking all of this in stride. There's a murder of a man stalking Jamie, a murder of a man who accosted Claire now in a cask of creme de menthe, they're in a house of prostitution where everyone is pretty comfy, and a 14 year old virgin nephew is sent off to spend the night with a whore! Seems like no one is virtue's guardian in this chapter.

Was Jamie right or wrong to allow Ian to go off with Mary? Ian was left in his care by his father and unknowingly his mother. Did Jamie owe them anything knowing how Ian would feel about this? Does he give it more than a fleeting thought as Ian is walking out the room to which Ian just tells him not to tell his mother and that is that. Who's the adult here and who is the minor in his charge?

What struck me reading, was how matter-of-fact Fergus was about arranging a partner for Ian and how he brought his older brothers there at about the same age. Ah, Fergus. Such a different attitude toward brothels and what goes on there.

You're right, Claire did roll with a lot of stuff going on. But, I suppose Claire has done that before. And, having just come back to the past, she is probably too overwhelmed by events and by Jamie to really think it all through and make a stink about it. She's just met Ian and probably doesn't feel yet like she has the right (or the responsibility) to make decisions for him.

I'm pretty iffy about Jamie letting Ian go off with Mary, but I think he felt sort of steamrolled (though he wouldn't use that term which would be an anachronism ) by Fergus and Jeanne and Ian himself. And, he knew that that could help the boy deal with his emotions about the man in the print shop. Not to mention Claire's very recent return and wanting time with her. So, between all of that I think he sort of threw up his hands (figuratively) and went with it even if he didn't feel all that good about it. And, as he indicates, he's not exactly virtue's guardian, especially since he knows about the big secrets he is keeping from Claire (Laoghaire and Willie being the 2 biggies), so I think he just lets it go. It's been a pretty crazy day or so for Jamie, too.

I loved the ironic humor in this chapter between the title and its events. Ian's remark is the climax to the humor, especially after his horror at thinking that his father might frequent such an establishment. Besides, recall how romantic he found the reunion between Jamie and his new found Auntie Claire. He couldn't possibly spend the night in their room. (He might have been equally "educated"!)

As for Ian's initiation, I suggest that Fergus displays a more cosmopolitan attitude that DG is trying to provide as typical for this time. Ian is old enough! Notice that Fergus discloses that he has already guided Ian's older brothers through this process. Also notice the double standard of the time that men are expected to be knowledgeable while women are expected to be virgin on their wedding night.

Should Jamie and Claire be more concerned? I think that Jamie explains why he relented.

As for Claire, she has spent the last twenty years in the shelter of the 20th C. I think that she is in shock from the events that she has witnessed since her return to the 18th C. The "mmmph" which she suggests to Jamie may be as much therapy for her as she suggests for Jamie!

I love being in the middle of an audio re-kilt of Voyager at the same time we are doing it on the boards!

This chapter had some really funny moments. Fergus, Ian and Jeanne ganging up on Jamie was funny, they sort of wore him down. Given that Jamie was a virgin when he wed Claire, I was surprised that he did give in though. He seems to hold himself to a higher standard.

Since this is a re-kilt - I want to jump ahead and say that I was surprised that Fergus participated given in a few chapters, he handfasts with Marsala. He seems to easily distinguish between love and basic needs. Not sure Marsala would have agreed though!

Okay so now back to the chapter. Do you think there was any concern of a little blackmail here? I mean, they know the big secret Jamie is hiding - so sort of I won't tell if you won't thing going on. It wouldn't have been explicit but more implied? Just a thought.

As for Claire, I think she remembers that drama sort of follows Jamie around. She is aware that she doesn't know his life now and also, maybe it is fun having a little bit of excitement again. Not that her old life was boring per say but more a matter of it was different, more structured excitement. This is real, in your face, smack down, heart racing excitement!

Twilight, great points!

Maybe because of so much happening at once, we seem to forget the time compression here. Did DG mean to have J & C spend more time at Lallybroch, but Laoghaire's actions took her by surprise?

I agree with your point that not long after, Fergus is madly in love with Marsali. (Dare I say "and faithful for the rest of his life?)

Your point about blackmailing Jamie is also interesting. A lot of people are sharing his "secret". I guess that Providence (or DG) only develops the plot for the drama that the readers can handle! Ha ha!

I hadn't considered the blackmail angle. I don't really think those people would genuine threaten him, but it could have been a concern to Jamie just in case.

I didn't think about the blackmail angle but that could have been going through Jamie's mind. Don't you sort of think that Fergus and Yg. Ian had this planned beforehand (maybe not knowing about the fire). It will be later explained that Fergus had set this up for the Brothers Murray so maybe he and Ian had this planned for this trip anyway.

Pauline, that is a possibility. But, it really doesn't work with Young Ian's shock at hearing that his father knew Jamie's "woman".

However, I would not be surprised if Jenny knew from Jamie's address (where she sent his mail) that it was a "kittle hoosie". She might very well have been concerned about Ian's experiences with his uncle as what really upset her. She might have known what happened to Ian's older brothers. After all, mothers know everything!

I thought it was pretty clear that Ian Sr. didn't know it was a kittle hoosie, so I suspect Jenny didn't either. I think Jamie just gave them a street address and they had no way to know it wasn't just a room in a boarding house or something. Perhaps she knows what Fergus has introduced her sons to, but I feel reasonably confident that she didn't know what sort of establishment was at the address Jamie gave them for his mail.