VOYAGER
©Diana Gabaldon 1994
Chapter 44: Forces of Nature


Scene One:

What begins a lament on Jamie’s part – oh, why! did he separate himself from Claire to protect Marsali? – opens a discussion of Jamie’s time in prison and that he actively fought the arresting officers. The sexual tension builds between Jamie and Claire:

‘I have spent twenty years longing to have ye in my bed . . .’

‘There are moments, Sassenach, for one copper penny, I’d have ye
on the spot, back against the mast and your skirts about your waist,
and devil take the bloody crew!’

*fanning self* You go, Jamie Fraser!

Scene Two:

This section takes a few interesting turns, beginning with the crew goading Mr. Willoughby on deck while he’s writing poetry to the story of the binding of young Chinese girls’ feet. I read a piece Diana wrote eons ago about having included this piece of historical information after picking up a book on the history of feet on the bargain book table at a bookstore. I’ll do a search for the blog post as it was really quite interesting and gives one a big glimpse into Diana’s writing process.

The section continues with the nasty, rotting horsemeat in the casket (is this connected to something else within the book?), it being thrown into the sea and the subsequent shark fishing. Gotta love Murphy’s comic relief in the scene:

‘Shark steak with mustard!’ Murphy was bellowing, eyes mere slits in an ecstasy of
revenge. ‘Stewed liver wi’ piccalillli! I’ll make soup o’ yer fins, and jelly yer eyballs
in sherry wine, ye wicked barsted!’

The crew go for the shark; Mr. Willoughby dives after a pelican; Jamie dives in after Mr. Willoughby. But why the pelican?

Recognizing the commotion on deck has given them their much-desired chance of a nooky-escape, Jamie and Claire make for the cabin. This scene is absolutely hilarious with Claire trying to get Jamie’s ties undone with a letter opener and their subsequent fumbling.

‘Stop!’ I hissed in his ear. ‘Someone’s coming!’
‘Too late,’ he said with breathless certainty. ‘I must have ye or die.’

Busted post-act by Innes:

‘They do say ‘tis dangerous to get chilled after hard work aye? Ye dinna want to take
the ague.’ There was a faint twinkle in the mournful brown depths.

‘Aye, well, and if it should come to that, Innes, at least I shall die a happy man.’

Scene Three:

Claire discovers why Willoughby wanted the pelican as PingAn learns to fish. Later, Claire watches Willoughby at his work: he signs his name then releases the paper into the water:

Mr Willoughby didn’t stay to watch it, but turned away from the rail and went below,
the dream still stamped on his small, round face.

Reading your review, I am startled at the range of activity in this chapter! We have occasion to laugh or gasp or cry at a number of events in a short time. Your summary shows just how gifted DG is as a storyteller. I find it interesting that DG gathered these events together with the title: Forces of Nature.

I recall a time when I could easily sympathize with Jamie and Claire. The interchange between Jamie and Innes is hilarious! Nature indeed.

I thought the conversation on deck between Jamie and Claire in the first part of the chapter was quite touching. DG is doing an admirable job of showing us the slow process of Jamie sharing his nightmarish experiences with Claire. Their reunion has been eventful, to say the least, and this forced downtime on board ship has provided their first real respite from the demands of the outside world, giving them a chance to continue the process of getting to know one another all over again.

Even if Jamie had wanted to fill Claire in on everything that happened to him while they were apart, there's hardly been time! The first time I read Voyager, I had much less patience with Jamie for withholding the whole truth from Claire. I'm finding myself having greater understanding this time through, and this chapter is yet another example. Claire knew that Jamie had been in prison, but until something (unfulfilled lust!) happened to trigger the conversation, he hadn't opened up to her about what the prison experience was really like for him. This conversation was a good reminder for me that Jamie has been through so many painful experiences, and needs time to feel ready to share them with Claire.

Their hasty encounter on the desktop cracked me up, as well as her sitting demurely on the bunk afterward, every inch a proper lady...

Nice, too, to get more of a picture of the cultural differences, including the fact that Willoughby considers Jamie a barbarian!

It was the story of Willoughby that really stood out to me in this chapter. Up until now, he's this comic sidekick that Jamie picked up on the docks. Now we see that he was a man of position in his former life and how low he has fallen. You can also sense the resentment that is simmering under his facade. It makes me wonder if Jamie has sensed that kindred spirit with him at times and is the reason that he has attached himself to Willoughby.

Just managed to finish reading the chapter.

I was thinking about the title and what forces of nature are apparent in the chapter. The most prominent one, I think, is sex. But, there was also the shark feeding frenzy. And, the training of Ping An (and his natural instincts that relate to training).

Early on, Fergus was holding Marsali's arm and tickling her with a feather. I was trying to figure out the logistics. Did he have his hook around her arm and the feather in his hand? Or his hand on her arm and the feather speared by the hook? Just one of those random wonderings.

Love Murphy. Love Innes' comment to Jamie. Love that Claire gives Jamie a coin at the end of the first section "on account". It was nice to see a bit more about Mr. Willoughby and I like Ping An. But, Mr. W and then Jamie jumping into shark-infested water???

ABL, the bit with Fergus, Marsali and the feather stopped me in my tracks while I was reading it, trying to figure how it all worked! Glad I wasn't the only one.

Great insights, all! Thank you!

All of your observations are by far the more interesting...BUT, do we think the cask was inhabited by the exciseman Mr. W. killed in the brothel??? I had always wondered.

I thought that cask (with the body) shows up later, so this wasn't it (although the possibility popped to my mind too). But, I could be misremembering. It's certainly been a while and my memory is not what it once was.

Hmmmm... I can't remember, either!!!

No, for some reason we know that this cask contained a dead horse. Mr. W.'s victim was left to surprise someone else. Another example of a technique repeated.

Ha Ha! We are all posting at once!

Glad to get that straight! At least your memory is sailing at full speed! (Pardon the pun!)

But, is my memory arriving or departing?