Voyager: Part Seven

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Chapter 38: I meet a Lawyer

© Diana Gabaldon 1994


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Eighteenth century germs are no match for twentieth century antibiotics, and after four days Jamie is recovering nicely. Whilst the household have largely kept a watchful eye on Jamie’s progress, Jenny has been conspicuously absent, but no less aware of Jamie’s progress. Taking the opportunity to be presentable, Claire hears the sound of several visitors arriving, and on entering the parlour she finds herself introduced to other members of the Murray family - Jamie is surrounded by bairns, who delightedly call him, “Nunkie”.

Making her way to the kitchen, Claire is aware of Jenny’s absence, but is welcomed by the women of the family. Overwhelmed by the heat of the kitchen, Claire goes outside to finds a disgruntled Fergus who has just returned from his meeting with Gage, he tells Claire that his mission to outwit the excise men was successful, and goes on to confide in her his plans for the future, and his hopes for marriage. He becomes alarmed when Claire offers to speak to Jamie about Fergus’ wedding plans- “Oh, no Milady! Please, say nothing to him- he has a great many other things of more importance to think of just now!

When Claire goes back to the house she is surprised to find Jenny with Jamie, urging him to get on his horse, Donas, and leave Lallybroch “I told ye Jenny, I’m no afraid of Hobart Mackenzie, he said shortly “Damned if I’ll run from him!” - Jamie explains to Claire that Hobart is Laoghaire’s brother, and that he has been summoned to help rectify the marriage confusion between Jamie and Laoghaire.

When Jenny leaves the parlour to organise Jamie’s breakfast, Claire takes the opportunity to speak with her. and they make their way to the root cellar, which has long been the most private part of the house. Their long awaited private conversation opens with Claire asking her why she encouraged the marriage between Laoghaire and Jamie - Jenny explains that Jamie was lonely, and had been mourning Claire’s loss – and she, along with the others at Lallybroch, had assumed Claire was dead. When news of Claire’s recent return had reached Jenny, she admitted that she had been excited but also very afraid, and explained how she saw an image of Claire at Jamie’s and Laoghaire’s wedding “And I kent that ye would take him back “ – she also realised that Clare’s return would signal Jamie’s probable departure from Lallybroch.

Interrupted by the news of Hobart’s arrival, Jenny and Claire make haste back to the house, but Hobart is not what Claire expected – he is a quiet, timid sort of man, who is taken back when introduced to Claire. Following closely behind Hobart is the small, neat figure of the lawyer, Ned Gowan. Delighted to meet again with Claire, Ned Gowan is genuinely pleased to see her, but after initial pleasantries gets down to the business of the day.

Finding Jamie in the parlour, his hair festooned with coloured braids, and a small child firmly asleep in his lap, Claire takes her place close behind him, ready to leap to his defence, should it be necessary. Ned Gowan, ever the lawyer, lays out the legalities of Jamie’s two marriages. Eventually the legal wrangling is concluded with a financial settlement from Jamie to Laoghaire, which seems to satisfy both parties. Later, over a dinner of mutton and fine whisky, Claire notices Mary McNab’s subtle acknowledgment of Jamie as head of the household, when with a lingering glance she lays the mutton joint in front of him.

When, at last, Jamie, Claire, Jenny and Ian are alone, the discussion leads to how Jamie will find the twelve hundred pounds needed in order to pay off Laoghaire, and Ian states “Well, there’s only the one place, isn’t there?” – and when Jamie makes the suggestion that young Ian will be the one to use this time as he is a better swimmer, Claire expresses her bewilderment. Jamie goes on to explain the hidden treasure concealed on the seal’s rock, and how in previously hard times, the family have relied on one of the Murray boys swimming to the rock in order to liberate another of the coins or small jewels hidden there. Jared Fraser, in France, helped to change the treasure into much needed cash.

Presented with a fait accompli Jamie has no alternative but to announce to Jenny and Ian that due to the embarrassment with Laoghaire, and probable dangerous circumstances in Edinburgh, he must leave Lallybroch and Scotland for a time. His proposed destination is France, and when he offers to take young Ian with him, Jenny and Ian are resigned but cautious –

“I suppose it’s best we give him his freedom while he still thinks it’s ours to give” she said She looked at Jamie, then at me, straight and steady. “But you’ll take good care of him, aye?”


Share your thoughts on this interesting chapter.

Great summary, Sassenach!

I love seeing Ned Gowan again.

I loved the story of the greylag geese mating for life. (Did that come up elsewhere in the series also? Somehow I feel like this isn't the only place I've read it.)

I felt somewhat warmer toward Jenny by the end of this chapter, after she explained to Claire about wanting to keep Jamie close to home and being afraid she'd lose him if he went off with Claire. And, her recognition that they were better off letting Young Ian go now with their permission than having him run away on his own later (and likely sooner given his nature, actually).

I'd been wondering earlier where Fergus was. Did he have to go back to Edinburgh to find Gage and warn the others? He had gone to Lallybroch before Jamie, Claire and Ian to warn the residents of their impending arrival, so I hadn't thought about him then going back to Edinburgh before returning again. He's quite well-traveled. . . Sorry to see him so frustrated by his circumstances, though.

I'm trying to interpret Mary looking a little too long at Jamie. Was it just that everyone was sure he'd die and Claire saved him by what seems like witchcraft? I don't really believe that she has romantic feelings for him, despite the last night before he went to prison. How do others interpret that?

It is rather convenient that they have access to the treasure because despite Claire's warnings and instructions before Culloden, they or their friends were likely to have died without being able to access it on occasion (even if accessing it is not exactly convenient).

I laughed early in the chapter when Claire went to wash up. If someone had left me a nice bar of scented soap, I'd be grateful! Trust Claire to see the deeper meaning -- Jenny's subtle reminder that she's a guest, not family.

The treasure on the rocks has always confused me a bit. Surely at this point they no longer fear raids by English soldiers at Lallybroch? Seems like it would have been much safer (and convenient) to bury it somewhere on the property, rather than facing a risky swim every time they needed. Although, I suppose the difficulty of accessing it might have been the family's way of safeguarding themselves from temptation and ensuring that it really only was an emergency resource.

I agree; I doubt that Mary McNab had any lingering feelings for Jamie. In a way, it felt like a small reminder from DG that there are still pieces of Jamie's past that he hasn't shared with Claire.

Poor Fergus! He's just never had an easy time, has he?

I loved Ned Gowan in this chapter! What a twinkly old guy -- there's one lawyer who's hard to hate!

Ned Gowan was definitely the scene stealer here! I always wondered if Jenny saw more in her 'sight' of Claire than just her return. Perhaps there was a darkness that she saw also surrounding Claire's presence that she feared would be visited on her family?

It seemed to me that Mary McNab did have deeper feelings for Jamie even back when she gave him his 'last supper so to speak' but realized that Jamie only loved Claire. She may have just respected her place within the family and displayed her love through food.