Post subject: VOYAGER: Chapter 33 Buried Treasure
Location: England Voyager: Part Seven

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Chapter 33: Buried Treasure

© Diana Gabaldon 1994

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Claire tells Jamie he looks like a Baboon and then has to explain that a Baboon is a red-assed monkey. As Jamie rubs his sore bum, Claire asks if it was worth it. Jamie believes that it was since YIan has been beaten senseless in the past only to disobey again but this time, he'll think twice about it since he won't want to have to hurt Jamie again (and it is assumed that all disobedience leads back to Jamie). As they snuggle in Claire wonders if Jenny's anger towards YIan and Jamie will now pass and Jamie explains that Jenny isn't really angry but is at an impasse with YIan. Her other boys took after Ian and YIan takes after the Frasers (and we all know what THAT means).

Now they start settling in, exploring each other's bodies, and Claire looking for the stories to all the unknown scars. As she asks about why he may be hunted, he tells her the story of Duncan Kerr and his escape from prison to find BPC's French gold treasure. This story is bittersweet since he originally pursued the trail thinking it would lead to his own white witch, Claire. After realizing that it wasn't her and almost losing his life in the water leading to the island that he was sure the clues led him, he gives himself over to die and says a prayer. He swears that he hears his mother's voice and let's his body go which leads him to the island with Ellen's Tower named after his mother (who said that Jamie has no supernatural powers). After exploring the island, he finds a box containing ancient coins and a bag of gemstones. Afterwards, he puts them back, swam back to the mainland and turned himself into the English soldiers. Claire is flabbergasted that he would go back after finding all of that loot and being freed of the army but Jamie points out the reality that the soldiers would hunt for him hard knowing that he had the gold and no one in the area or his family would be safe again. He also explained that he needed to return to his men. Claire mistakenly thinks that they are from Lallybroch but he tells her that the men were remnants of many different clan and for want of anything better, he was their chief. There is real sadness when he explains that they were "his" and that's what kept him alive. But they also were taken from him and indentured in a foreign land. "You did your best for them. But it's over now." As they each sink into their own thoughts, Claire ponders that there is plenty of time now to hear his past stories. Jamie must be thinking about this also since he proceeds to make love to Claire again almost marking her as "Mine." (Sorry, that's a Black Dagger Brotherhood reference that I couldn't resist adding. )

Waking up at dawn, Claire goes to the fireplace to relight the peat and close the window. In the distance, she sees 3 women riders and presumes them to be Jenny's daughters and inlaws. Jamie wakes up and tells her that he dreamed of naked women and food. He pulls her down and in a fit of laughter thinks to combine his dream together.

Just then, the door flies open and a young woman walks in with an expression of horrified shock only equal to Jamie's horrified expression of shock as he is lying prone between her thighs.
And then we hear the shock that went round the OL world.....
"Daddy!" she said, in tones of total outrgage. "Who is that woman?"

When I reread this chapter yesterday, I was surprised to realize that the entire time they are alone in bed (until the last moment). Didn't realize they got a whole chapter like that. Kind of the calm before the storm, huh?

Earlier today, I read that Louisa May Alcott's father established a school where when a student misbehaved, the student had to punish the teacher because they felt such shame doing that that they didn't misbehave again. I hadn't realized that he had really done that, but wasn't surprised because in listening to Little Men (or maybe Jo's Boys, but I think Little Men), there was a scene when one of the boys misbehaved and had to do that and was horrified. It certainly made an impression and he didn't do anything like that again. If I hadn't just read this section, I don't think I would have made the connection, but I think having to whip his beloved uncle was likely to make more of an impression on Young Ian than being whipped since he's been punished several times before and it hasn't stopped him.

I felt a sense of impending doom as they talked about having time to catch up on everything knowing from having read it before that things were going to get complicated very soon.

I enjoyed Jamie's description of the seals and in particular the big male and Jamie saying something like "It's just me." Kind of like he's related to the seals because people thought Brian was a silkie. And, it was interesting that Jamie mentions he spoke to Duncan Kerr under the watchful eye of an English officer, but doesn't tell her that that officer was the young man from Carryarick. I know Lord John was not the focus of the story, but given the dramatic events at Carryarick, she was certainly likely to remember and I would have thought he might have mentioned it.

Perfect!

My first time through this book, that was the exact moment when I realized I'd be up all night reading!

Thanks for the great recap. I love the emotional intimacy in this chapter, how the connection between Claire and Jamie becomes stronger and stronger with each conversation. I thought the fact that, after 20 years, Claire still could identify all of Jamie's scars and recognize that he has new ones, was just a remarkable testament to how strongly she held onto him for all of those years apart.

ABL, thanks for the information on Louisa May Alcott's father. So interesting - what a great connection to have made!

ABL, thanks for the Alcott reference which does put part of this chapter and last in perspective. And Lisa the reading of the scars was indicative of her love for him over the years and her strong memory of him.

But, now that you mention it, ABL, it does strike me that Jamie wouldn't tell her about LJ and his role in his imprisonment. Surely he would know that she would remember him from the woods since it was such a dramatic event in their lives. Do you think that he didn't want to bring it up because it would lead into the full story of his relationship with LJ leading to Hellwater?

I assume Jamie didn't mention LJ because that wasn't the point of the story. But, I could see him saying that the English officer was actually the boy from Carryarick and then say that he could tell more about LJ later but wanted to talk about what he heard from Duncan right now. It seemed like an interesting tidbit as he told her the story, but I guess DG didn't think it was the right time or something. Not sure.

And, yes, remembering the scars and asking about the new ones did show her love and how well she knew him (and his body).

When I first read this chapter I remember feeling a sense of outrage at the Daddy who is that woman...moment..

I felt that the intimacy of the shared experience had been shattered as inevitably it WASN'T going to be all plain sailing between the reunited lovers...

Meeting someone again after 20 years, I guess, it was sort of naive of Claire to assume Jamie wouldn't have any skeletons in his closet - but maybe that's looking at it too much with 21st century perspective...

Either way I finished this chapter feeling quite despondent and didn't know which way the story would go....

Ain't that the truth!!!!

Well, that scene certainly has shock value. Plenty of time to talk about the past, indeed!

I was wondering why that young lady was allowed upstairs, to say nothing of into that bedroom. Imagine her shock at what she sees! Do we know for sure which daughter of Laoghaire's is in this scene? (The answer may be in a spoiler thread?)

As for the lack of reference to Lord John, I am coming to accept this as a typical DG trick to fail to communicate all the details which sets up a scene later.

Wasn't it Marsali?

Even though Jamie & Laoghaire were living apart, I'd imagine that she and her girls spent plenty of time at Lallybroch and were considered family, and thus had free range of the house. Plus, Jenny probably wouldn't have stopped them from going upstairs -- if she'd seen them -- since she (Jenny) apparently wanted there to be a confrontation. Although, the confrontation she had in mind probably didn't include quite so much X-rated content.

As for why Jamie wouldn't have mentioned LJ, I think Pauline's question is a good one. I believe Jamie would have avoided that part of the story in order to avoid telling the bigger truths about his relationship with LJ, what happened at Hellwater, and the fact that he has a son.

Oh, Jamie... 'fess up and face the music!

It was Marsali but repoman brings up another good point. This house wasn't a mansion. Surely, someone saw Marsali walking up those stairs and EVERY adult knew what she would see if she walked into Jamie's bedroom (maybe not so graphically). The minute those 3 rode into the house, they would have been greeted by Jenny who was expecting them since she sent for them. Were they that angry and mean spirited that they would subject both Marsali and Jamie to that type of humiliation?