Outlander 2.08: “The Fox’s Lair”

Can we get back to (Scottish) politics now?

Yo. (H/T Mochabean)

The title card is a fox, who is super cute until he glares at the camera, and it’s like, oh you are up to some shit.

WE ARE BACK IN SCOTLAND. It is green and glorious.

Claire voiceovers that they returned to heal in the highlands, and that Ian and Jenny had another baby while there were in Paris (HI JENNY I MISSED YOU). “Their welcome and daily routines of Lallybroch were a tonic on our battered souls.” Claire tells us that they hoped they’d done enough to stop the war, and they began to plan their future, but “as a prescient Scot once said, the best laid schemes of mice and men.” Rabbie digs up a potato plant, and there are some FREAKING HUGE potatoes. Rabbie, being a boy on the cusp of puberty wants to know if they can eat potatoes that night, and Claire’s like why not?

Inside, they’ve pulled a large basket of potatoes – the first potatoes from Frasier land. Jenny nods approvingly, saying that Claire was right to tell them to plant potatoes. Mrs. Crook frowns and says she isn’t sure how you’d grind them for parratch. Jamie doesn’t think you grind them, but when asked what you do do with them, he doesn’t have much of an answer.

Fergus does! “You boil them! Eat them with salt. Butter’s good too, if you have it.” They have lots of butter. Claire pipes up that you can roast them or mash them. “I dinna know you could cook, Sassenach.” She’s pretty sure she can at least boil a potato. They snuggle and are disgustingly cute.

There’s a disturbance at the door, and Jenny tells whoever just got there to take of their filthy boots. It’s Ian! Hi Ian. Ian ran into the mailman, and has a whole pile of mail for everyone. Jamie has a letter, Claire has one from Louise, Jenny has a bill for seed, and a letter from Auntie Jocasta, and (as Ian asks Jamie about getting the ploughshare fixed and Murtagh grumbles that he can’t believe he’s become a farmer – the minor chaos here just screams contented family and I love it) there’s also a package of three novels and a book of French poetry. “Which one shall we read tonight?”

Jamie interrupts this contentment with an explosion of Gaelic. The letter from Jared says that he’s “so pleased” and “cannot express my admiration” and another page has the Stuart crest on it. It’s a Letter of Association proclaiming the divine right of King James to throne and it’s signed by those chieftains that are loyal to the cause and Charles Stuart. Claire reads the list: MacKinnon, Oliphant, MacDonald of Glencoe….and James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser. Charles forged Jamie’s signature, and he’s landed in Scotland and is gathering an army. Jenny notes that this list was published and distributed – the names are traitors to the Crown. Jamie is in shock. Claire puts her hand on his arm, and he takes it, but doesn’t look at her.

Outside, Jamie is posing in his kilt and thinking. Claire joins him and frets that everything is happening like it happened – the Rising, Culloden, the Clearances. “The destruction of all of this.” Claire says that they could go to Ireland, or the Colonies. Jenny and Ian could come with. Jamie (rightly) points out that they would be abandoning their tenants to the butchery of the British. Claire (rightly) points out that he is now a traitor to the crown, and he will be hanged if he is caught.

Jamie: Ye know what’ll happen if we lose, so…what if we win? Claire: But…they don’t. We know that. Jamie: Have you given up trying to change the future? Claire: After Paris, how can you think that’s even a good idea anymore? “Paris was a bitter disappointment.” But Claire’s already changed the future – think of all the people who didn’t die because of Claire, and “Louise de Rohan will bear Charles bairn because of you.” Okay, Jamie, but under Stable Time Loop Theory all those things already happened because time is a flat circle or something.

Claire: You want to fight for Charles Stuart? Jamie: I want to fight for our family. And for Scotland, I guess. Claire: “They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” Jamie: I don’t know who “they” are (Friends of Bill, Jamie) but they probably haven’t time travelled. Fair enough, but also this is nuts.

Back at Lallybroch, Ian is listing off names and says that Jamie should have 30 able-bodied men to go with him. Jamie asks Murtagh to bring the men to a rendezvous point, and that he and Claire will meet all of them in two weeks, and they’ll march on together to meet the Prince at Creiff. Claire asks where they will be. Charles has asked Jamie to go see Lord Lovat and convince him to join up.

Jenny, with the greatest skeptical tone I’ve ever heard: “You’re going to see Lord Lovat? Ask him to do you a favor?” Jamie: I’mma ask him to support his country and the rightful king. He does have a history of supporting the Jacobites. Jenny: Yeah with one hand, while he supports the Kings George with the other, as long as it helps him hold his title of Chieftain of the Clan Fraser. Jamie: Well he’s entitled to it. Jenny: “You’re defending the old buzzard now? Father must be burlin’ in his grave.” (It’s right out back, you can go check.)

Claire: Who the fuck is this old fuck? Both Siblings Fraser: Our grandsire. Oh. Well. They’ve only seen him once, right after their mother died. Brian threw him out, because Lord Lovat (the titular Old Fox) tried to have Ellen Mackenzie Fraser kidnapped to prevent Brian from marrying her. “There’s some bad blood between the Frasers and the Mackenzies.” Claire: I bet Charles is unaware of this.

Jenny ain’t done: She thinks it’s degrading for Jamie to go crawling to the old fart for help, and it probably won’t work and will cost us. Jamie stands up and towers and says, JANET (true fact, I have a friend who’s name is Jenny and her full name is Janet and I will call her JANET just like that when I need an intensifier), that he going to do the best he can to save Lallybroch, Scotland, and everything we hold dear. So he and Claire are leaving in the morning.

At night, in their chamber, Jamie has a confession about his own father – he was a bastard. Acknowledged by Lord Lovat, but a bastard. From the kitchenmaid. Claire’s like, oh and? Jamie: I should have told you before we wed. Claire: But I don’t think it’s important? Jamie: You should. Why, though? Jamie carries her to bed, manly pecs being manly.

Later, Claire wakes up to hear Jamie muttering off in the distance, and gets up to look over the railing – Jamie is holding baby Kitty, talking to her while she watches him sleepily. Claire watches, clearly wondering if she’ll be able to watch him holding his own baby like that, when Jenny comes up. Jamie couldn’t sleep, and neither could Kitty, “He thought they could keep each other company while Ian and I slept. And he’s trying to get back on my good side.” Claire: Did it work? “It’s a start.”

Jenny: “You can talk to a wee one in a way you canna talk to anyone else. You can pour out yer heart to them without choosing your words or holding anything back at all. And that’s a comfort to the soul. It’s the way we talk to them before they’re born. You know.” Claire: Yes, I know. Jenny: “A man has to wait until the child’s born and then they hold their bairn, and feel all the things that might be and all the things that might never be and weep not knowing which ones will come to pass.”

In the morning, Claire hugs Ian, and tells him to take care of his Fraser, and he nods, knowing precisely what she means, being the only other member of the Spouses of a Fraser Club. “And you yours.” Jenny hangs a rosary around Jamie’s neck and tells him that it brought Ian back to her from France. Jamie: Hold up. You gave him a token when we went to France and not me? You weren’t even betrothed! Jenny: Don’t make me regret giving it to you. She can’t look at him, because then he’ll see all her feelings, but he sees them anyway and she hugs him fiercely. “If you don’t come back I’ll never forgive you.” “Never is a very long time.” “I know.” SHE KNOWS, JAMIE.

Murtagh looks up and snaps “Where do you think you’re going?” Fergus is on his fat donkey, and chirps, “With milord!” Ian tells him that he’s to stay and help Rabbie in the stables, and Fergus is like no way, my place is with milord. I belong with you. YOU SAID SO, MILADY. Jamie says that Fergus is right – his place is with Jamie, and Murtagh is to bring him along with the men. Murtagh: if I don’t kill him first. Jamie says that they’ll keep him well away from the battle, and that it’s up to Fergus if he stays – he needs to listen to his commanding officer (Murtagh), and his general (Jamie).

Jenny and Claire embrace, and Jenny watches them go. They ride off into green hills, past ruins and castles, while Claire informs us what Jamie told her about his grandfather: for the past 50 years he’d alternated his loyalty between James and the Kings George. He’d also been married three times, twice by “nefarious means.”

At Beaufort Castle, Jamie and Claire are shown into a large receiving room, and told that Lovat will be with them shortly. Claire wishes that they’d had a chance to freshen up a bit, and Jamie’s like you’re beautiful even if you do have some weeds in your hair. “Leave them. They suit her.” It’s Colum!

Claire is much less happy to see Colum than I am – but then I was not tried as a witch. He arrived that morning, and he’s there to discuss the current rebellion with Lord Lovat. “War. It makes for strange bedfellows.” Colum says that he’s pleased to see that Claire’s well, and she’s like bullshit. You remember the witch trial? Colum: You seem to think I had some involvement with that? You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Claire: Thanks to a note from your kitchenmaid, Laoghaire. Colum: I had her beaten for that, but Mrs. Fitz begged me not to throw her out on her ear.

Jamie asks if Dougal is there, and Colum says no, he is not. It’s best for the clan if he were not here. Claire: But Dougal would be the one leading the men into battle, though? Colum: “I’d forgotten what a curious mind you have, lass.” At that non-answer, a door slams, and Lord Simon Fraser of Lovat ambles in, wearing a dirty shirt and not much else, and he promptly insults Claire, and Jamie’s wife-choosing abilities. Jamie: Didn’t need to rape or trick my wife though. Lovat: You’re less serious than your father! Good! Then dismisses Claire because the men are going to talk now. Claire looks at Jamie incredulously, and Jamie nods slightly. She stalks from the room.

In the moonlight, Claire stands on an outside walkway, overlooking the Beaufort courtyard, and who should approach by Laoghaire. Claire backs up a few steps, and L is a bit dismayed that Colum didn’t mention that she came with him to do laundry and what not. L wanted to find Claire to beg forgiveness for the whole mess, on her knees. She is changed and sorry beyond measure for everything. Mrs. Fitz told her that she would not be right with god until she made amends, and L believes that God brought them together so they could do so. Claire: God? You speak of God? I’ve fantasized beating the shit out of you and then burning you at the pyre “…and then dancing on your ashes as you promised to dance on mine.” L backs up several steps as Claire advances on her. “I don’t hate you, Laoghaire, I pity you…as for getting right with God, you’ll have to find some other way, because I can’t help you.” Claire stalks off and L cries.

In their chamber, Claire is ruminating: maybe God did bring them together. Claire feels lighter, but Jamie still wouldn’t give “that brazen besom the time of day.” Claire asks if she will be allowed to join the men at dinner. Jamie: My grandfather is not opposed to decoration at the dinner table, so long as the decoration doesn’t speak. Claire says nothing with her mouth, but her eyes speak plenty. “Aye. Just like that.”

At dinner, the politics talk is fast and furious while L helps with the serving. Jamie makes a speech about how the British think all Highlanders are savage dogs, and that after three uprisings, the British army will put them down for good, so they really should band together and win this time. Colum is like, Jamie is Charles’ BFF, so that’s good, right, Lovat? Colum then asks the kicker: How much support has the French pledged? Jamie: Well, they’ve supported us by fighting the British in Flanders, so there are less troops here, and Charles is certain that the French will send men and arms. Totally certain. Lovat: So they’ve pledged a big ol’ pile of nothing. “Always an unreliable ally, the French.” Jamie: We don’t need no stinkin’ French. We have 1000 men! More joining every day!

Um, look, I’m no student of history – oh wait YES I AM – you kinda need the French.

Young Simon, Lovat’s son, jumps up and says that he’s heard that the British have offered 30,000 pounds for the capture of Prince Charles. That means they’re taking him seriously, right? Lovat points out that among the Camerons and the Campbells there are men who would sell their own grandmothers for half that, so. No. They are not taking him seriously, they just want the problem to go away quickly, and fairly cheaply. Jamie thinks furiously, while Young Simon admits he hadn’t considered that. Lovat tells him to sit down until he’s actually thought about what he’s going to say. Then he grabs Laoghaire, and tells her to bring more wine, and a glass of milk for the kid. “Enough war talk for tonight.”

Jamie and Claire leave, and Claire grumbles that it was pretty clear to her that Colum was trying to use Jamie to convince Lovat not to join up. Jamie says that the other rebellions have failed, and Colum won’t support another, and wants Lovat to stay neutral, but he won’t say so, because Lovat doesn’t trust Colum and Colum shouldn’t trust Lovat. Jamie needs to speak to Lovat on his own. “It’s a pity that young Simon is such a spineless creature.” If Simon wanted to go, maybe Lovat would let him. Claire expresses sympathy, and Jamie’s like “He’s just trying to toughen him up, make him a viable successor to lead Clan Fraser of Lovat.” Jamie muses that Lovat could have said no, which means he wants something.

The next morning, Claire is walking down a corridor when Lovat throws an older woman out of a room and yells at her for keeping something from him. He doesn’t see Claire, and when he shuts his door, Claire goes to help the other woman up. Her name is Maisri, and she’s Lovat’s seer. At that, she runs off.

Jamie’s gotten Lovat alone, and Lovat starts off by calling Jamie’s mother a whore, so this is going to go well. Lovat was willing to make Brian his successor, but Brian chose Ellen’s memory and Lallybroch over having to deal with that old fuck. Good choice. He then changes tone slightly, and asks if it’s true that Jamie hasn’t pledged fealty to Colum. Jamie: Oh so that’s what you want? Not the fealty so much. He wants Lallybroch. “I’m your grandsire and head of your clan. I demand my due.” Jamie: Wouldn’t swear fealty to Colum, what makes you so special? You might not even be my grandsire-  “You made free with your housemaids, what makes you think others didn’t do the same?” Lovat: Well that proves your my grandson, no one else would pull that with me.

Jamie offers a pledge of service, and Lovat’s like no, kid, I want fucking Lallybroch. So how about this: You give me Lallybroch, I won’t fuck your wife. Oh well, much better. Jamie snorts. Go ahead and try. Lovat: Not me, but there are a lot of men here, and there’s only one thing a Sassenach wench is good for. You can’t guard her night and day. Jamie: Still unconcerned, because she is La Dame Blanche. Lovat: A witch? Jamie: “The man who takes her in her unholy embrace will have his privates blasted like a frostbitten apple. And his soul will burn forever in hell.” Jamie tosses a bottle of whiskey in the fire which explodes in flames to make his point. Lovat is totally buying this.

In their chamber, Jamie has told Claire about this exchange (she’s not amused) and Jamie’s like, it fine, the supernatural is the only thing he has respect for. But you should be careful if I’m not around. Claire: He wasn’t that frightened of his seer. Jamie: She’s just a seer, you’re, like, a doer. It’s fine. Claire: He’s a brute. Jamie: A brute who may own my ancestral home soon, because he does need to get men to the army. Claire: How about we persuade Young Simon? Jamie: We need more time to boost his confidence than we have. Claire: Depends on our methods.

Out in the courtyard, Laoghaire is doing laundry, and hangs up a shirt to dry… then smells it. Weirdo. Claire asks if it’s Jamie’s shirt, and L says that she’s not done anything to it. “I have changed, ye ken.” She’s repented and asked forgiveness, and clearly God brought you to test me, which, whatever, and last night it was like Jamie didn’t see me, so WHATEVER please leave me be. Claire: I might be inclined to forgiveness, but Jamie will never love you. (L starts in on a Hail Mary). But she might be able to earn his forgiveness. L: Why though. Claire: We need Lovat to send men, he might do that if Simon stands up for himself, and we need you to help because Young Simon is infatuated with you L: I AM NOT FUCKING HIM. Claire: Not asking that. And it’s for Jamie. A man likes to look heroic in his beloved’s eyes, so…you know, nudge. L: You’ll speak to Jamie on my behalf. Claire: Yes.

Jamie is working on Colum: he knows they NEED to win, and remaining neutral will be seen as treason by the winner. Colum: You sound like a madman. The other risings failed because of no outside support, and there’s no support now, so we will lose. Being neutral means we were left alone before, it’ll be the same now. “You were always headstrong, but you were never reckless for the lives of others…” He begs Jamie to not trade Lallybroch for a war that can’t be won. Jamie promises that he will hold on to what is most dear. Colum has been around the loch enough times before to know that Jamie’s words were carefully chosen.

Claire walks with Young Simon, cheerfully tells him it was nice of him to show her the chapel, and he’s like, um, you asked me? She asks if he’s thought about what he’ll do when he becomes laird. He has not, since a) Lovat doesn’t respect him much and 2) Lovat is probably immortal anyway. They pass L gathering mushrooms, and Claire drags Simon over to chat, then says that she wants private time in the chapel, would you mind waiting here? With Laoghaire? For an unspecified amount of time? L cheerfully says she’d welcome the company.

They awkwardly smile at eachother, and L tries really hard to hold up a conversation. He doesn’t like mushrooms, but he does like poetry. He declaims a poem, and she encourages him to sit down, and they awkward some more.

In the chapel, Claire finds Maisri lighting a candle. Most of Lovat’s tenants don’t like her in the house of God, but it’s the only place her mind goes quiet. “They say you are a White Lady.” “They do say that.” Maisri admits that Lovat is a difficult master – he beats her when her visions aren’t to his liking. Claire asks if what she sees always comes to pass, and Maisri says usually, but sometimes a small action can change things. She tells Claire about when she lived in the village, she saw a man wrapped in seaweed, and she told another man about it, and he went a drilled a hole in the seaweed man’s boat. When a storm came a few days later, the seaweed man was still repairing his boat, and three other men had drowned.

Claire asks what Maisri saw of Lovat. “He was standing there before the fire in his study, but it was daylight. A man stood behind him, still as a tree, his face covered in black, and across his lordship’s face, there fell a shadow of an ax.” Claire: You could have told him. Yes, or he might kill the messenger. L starts calling for Claire, and outside, Simon has run off “Like a feart wee mouse.” L did everything Claire said – flattery, told him how much she admired a man who made decisions and also gave him a “keek down the front of my dress…” “I told you it wasn’t about sex! No wonder he ran off.” “Other than reciting verse, he wasn’t doing much to hold up his end of the conversation!”

Night, again, raining. Claire finds Jamie in the stable. No luck with Colum, no luck with Simon, but she did find out about the vision. Jamie: Did she note who the executioner was employed by? No? Jamie says he’ll have to trade away Lallybroch, then. He can’t go to Charles a failure at getting soldiers, so unless Claire is willing to declare herself a time traveller and tell them all what’s up, what the other option. Claire ponders, then runs after him.

In the great hall, Lovat has prepared a neutrality pact between him and Colum. And also a Deed of Sasine for Lallybroch. If Jamie signs it, he gets men. If Jamie does not sign it, Lovat signs the neutrality pact. Colum isn’t amused by these theatrics. Jamie glances at Claire, and reaches for a quil. “I do this to ensure the future of my family and my people.”

Claire drops her tankard, and points at Lovat. “It’s another vision!” She puts her hand to her temple, and Jamie runs to her side. She sags in his arms, and Lovat demands to know what Claire sees. Colum: This is bullshit. Jamie: “You know she was tried as a witch by people who cannot understand the difference between black magic and the power of the old ones!” (Simon is SUPER intrigued by all of this.) Lovat demands again to know what Claire saw, and Claire tells him: “I saw you…Standing in bright sunlight…there was a man behind you…he was wearing a black hood…the shadow of an ax across your face!” Lovat: Whose executioner? Claire: I don’t remember…But the ground was covered in white roses. “THE SYMBOL OF THE JACOBITES!” Lovat pulls a knife and rushes towards Claire, saying he’ll cut out her tongue, and it’s Young Simon who stops him.

“How dare you thwart me, boy!” Simon glances at Laoghaire, and stiffens his spine: “You and Mackenzie are fearful old men. And you’re wrong. My cousin is right. It’s our duty to stand up for our country and our kinsmen. I’ll fight for King James. I’ll fight to change the White Lady’s vision, even if you will not.” Lovat stomps back to the table, and declares neutrality. Welp. “I wish you luck, my boy!”

In the morning, everyone is packing. Simon is going with Jamie. Claire nods for Jamie to go talk to Colum, who encourages Jamie to go home, and then asks Claire to convince him. Claire points out the Colum’s known Jamie longer than she has, so how well do you think that will work? “I think it’s a blessing that his mother didn’t live long enough to see what a reckless fool she spawned.”

Colum asks for Jamie’s hand up into his carriage, and Claire notice Laoghaire helping with the packing. Jamie bids Colum farewell, then Claire tells Jamie go say thank you to Laoghaire. Jamie: Hold up. The girl that tried to get you burned? Claire: Please? I’ll explain on the road. Jamie agrees, and awkwardly thanks her. “For what, I dinna ken, but…thank you.” “I hope one day I can also earn your forgiveness Jamie.” He leaves, and L says, softly, “…and your love.”

Claire, Jamie, and Simon ride, and then a host of men appear on the ridge above them – Lovat’s men. They’re going with Simon! Lovat rides and smirks at Claire. “What vision do you see for me now?” Claire is confused, and Jamie lays it out – he’s sending his men under Simon’s command, so if the Jacobites win, he can take credit, and if they lose, well, it was the kid’s idea, and Lovat signed a neutrality agreement, didn’t he? See, it all worked out. “You didn’t get Lallybroch.” “Not yet!” Lovat rides off, and Jamie grumbles. “Tell me I’m nothing like him, Sassenach.” “I’m afraid I have seen a similarly devious turn of mind.” “…I might have to rethink our agreement not to lie to one another.”

They ride off with men, and the prince’s favor, and in position to steer the rebellion, so maybe they can change the future. Maybe.

Elyse: Jenny! Murtagh! Fergus! I am so happy!

So grandpa Fraser is a giant shitbag. He needs to fall off a castle wall or something. Into a giant pile of manure.

Laoghaire is back and apparently found Jesus. Except she’s still sniffing Jamie’s shirts which is creepy. But she’s willing to set a honey trap so okay.

I think I kinda love Simon and all his super awkward poetry reading. He should push shitbag grandpa Fraser off the castle wall into the poo pile.

I was kind of meh on this episode overall, since it was a lot filler and old dudes yelling. It was also pure knitting pr0n however. Just on Claire, I saw two pairs of wrist warmers (brown and a beige garter stitch pair), plus her gorgeous tweed shawl. I think her beige scarf was fabric but it may have been a fine wool in waffle stitch. Fergus had on a chunky, loose-garter cowl that was adorbs.

Also did Jamie’s plaid change colors? Since when did it have red in it?