"Previously..." "What if I were to tell you we were about to come into possession of £10,000 from Comte St. Germain?" "He wishes to buy a large shipment of Portuguese Madeira?" "We make it appear as though smallpox is present in St. Germain's crew." "Convince everyone the shipment's tainted and have it destroyed." "When Monsieur Forez serves as His Majesty's royal executioner." "It's a peculiar calling." "Follow me." "The king is not enamored of the mystical art." "We must be wary not to invoke his ire." "Jack Randall is alive." "What just happened?" "I challenged him to a duel and he accepted." "You can't kill Randall." "It would be as if you're killing Frank, too." "Now you have your choice." "Him or me." "One year." "After that, I swear," "I will help you bleed him myself." "A year." "Not one day more." "♪ Sing me a song ♪" "♪ Of a lass that is gone ♪" "♪ Say, could that lass ♪" "♪ Be I?" "♪" "♪ Merry of soul ♪" "♪ She sailed on a day ♪" "♪ Over the sea ♪" "♪ To Skye ♪" "♪ Billow and breeze ♪" "♪ Islands and seas ♪" "♪ Mountains of rain and sun ♪" "♪ All that was good ♪" "♪ All that was fair ♪" "♪ All that was me ♪" "♪ Is gone ♪" "♪ Over the sea ♪" "♪ To Skye ♪" "_" "Randall's been released from the Bastille." "I'll meet with his second this afternoon, set the terms for the duel." "Two days from now at dawn." "Hmm?" "Dinna fash, lad." "Magnus assures me that the... the woods west of the city are safe." "Gens d'armes dinna patrol there." "Lad?" "Aye." "You need to concentrate." "I'll fetch the broadswords." "We'll meet in the courtyard, hone your skills." "I can't." "Well, before supper then." "Rather not wait till tomorrow." "Ye need to work that bad hand." "I'm not dueling with Randall." "I've already sent word, withdrawing the challenge." "What?" "Why?" "Why?" "Well, uh, it's ower-complicated." "I ken I'm a simple man, but strive for an explanation." "I canna, Murtagh." "Ye canna?" "Yer mind changes like a woman in flux." "Trust I've a sound reason." " Good morning, master Murtagh." " Says you." "_" "Milady has instructed that you have a proper meal to start your day." "Where is Milady this morning?" "She has gone to L'Hôpital." " Of course she has." " Pardon?" "Nothing." "Merci, Magnus." "Madame Fraser," "I wonder if you would be so kind as to help me prepare this man for burial?" "Certainly." "You're going somewhere?" "I've been summoned by His Majesty to perform my usual duties." "Ah, your usual duties." "What crime is this man being executed for?" "It is said to be several persons." "Practitioners of the dark arts." "And all those who associate with them." "When is this to happen?" "Once they are gathered, I suppose." "I thought perhaps they should be hanged." "But the king's pleasure is to have them drawn and quartered, so I must be at the ready, hmm?" "Pleasure is not the word that comes to mind." "Make no mistake, Madame Fraser, to choke a man to death at the end of a rope, anyone can do this." "But to properly execute the sentence of drawing and quartering, that requires great skill indeed." "I imagine so." "First, the man or woman... must be hanged, but with judgment, so that the neck is not broken." "As death approaches, you must reach inside the cavity and grasp the heart, hmm." "The main difficulty lies in severing the large vessels above quickly, so that the organ may be pulled forth while still beating, hmm." "Hm." "You wish to please the crowd, hmm." "As for the rest, ah, mere butchery." "Once life is extinct, there is no further need for skill." "No, I suppose not." "I have made you pale with this tedious conversation." "Perhaps our friend Master Raymond would be better company." "Au revoir, Madame Fraser." "Can you spare, Madame?" "You need to leave the city at once." "The king is on a crusade to root out practitioners of the black arts from Paris." "Yes, yes." "This has happened before." "It is of no concern." "King Louis' great-grandfather, Louis XIV, did much the same decades ago." "Plucking heretics from the city as one might remove weeds from the garden." "'Twas a veiled manifestation of his piousness." "Soon afterwards they were all freed, a mere renunciation of Satan as penance." "I fear this time is different." "I think the king is out for actual blood rather than Hail Marys." "Monsieur Forez confided to me that he's preparing for multiple executions." "You're in danger, Master Raymond." "Well... if it is as you say, you shouldn't have come here." "You've put yourself at grave risk." "But, um," "I'm touched by your concern for my welfare." "This is what friends do for one another." "Merci, amie," "I will heed your warning and flee the city at once." "Don't worry, no matter how often one removes weeds, they have a habit of reappearing." "We will meet again, Madonna... in this life or another." "I certainly hope so." "Please, be careful." "Mm, how did you know that's exactly what I needed right now?" "Hmm." "I remember how much Jenny said it helped when she was with child." "I've been thinking that... remember you said I owed you a life, because you saved mine?" "Well, I've saved yours as well, at least as often." "Seems to me we're even." ""Even"?" "Aye." "I dinna give you Randall's life in payment of a debt." "I owe Frank nothin'." "You had a free choice between us and you chose me." "The fact you did shouldna entitle him to any particular consideration." "But Frank's innocent in all of this." "What Randall did to me was worse than death." "What lies between him and me can only be settled when one of us is dead." "So why did you promise me that you'd let Randall live?" "Because of Charles Stuart." "The prince is a canny, slippery man." "Yet there's a light in his eye that can fool good men to believe he's God's chosen one, destined to make the dream of a Stuart restoration reality." "We have thwarted him all we can, Claire." "We may find ourselves staring into the abyss awaiting us at the bottom of Culloden Moor." "So if anything should happen to me..." "Don't talk like that." "I want there to be a place for you." "Someone to care for you." "For our bairn." "I want it to be a man that loves you." "So..." "Now it's my turn to ask you for a promise." "Promise me that if the time should come, you will go back through the stones." "Back to Frank." "I promise." "Why are we trying to fake smallpox?" "'Cause the financiers are waiting to see if the prince's wine venture is successful." "If it works, they'll be lining up to lend money to the Jacobite cause." "But if we can get the harbor master at Le Havre to destroy St. Germain's warehouse and inventory, like he did with the Patagonia..." "Charles will lose his wine and the investment." "And he'll go running back to Rome with his tail between his legs." "Or... we could slit the Italian fop's throat and be done with it." "Killing Charles Stuart will only make him a martyr throughout Scotland." "Essence of rosemary." "Bitter cascara." "Mash of nettles." "If you must." "Stop fooling around." "Pay attention." " I am." " Bu... but you're not." "But..." "I don't feel anything." "You will in a minute." "Rose madder." "With luck, the combination will cause severe stomach pains and vomiting." "You're in for a pleasant evening." "Do you think you can get St. Germain's men to drink it?" "Aye." "I will break the corks off a few bottles." "Canna sell damaged product." "St. Germain's men will no let it go to waste." "Trust me." "Well, once his men drink the spiked wine, they should flush with fever." "The nettle juice on their skin will cause blistering, and the rose madder should produce blood in the urine." "All telltale symptoms." "Et voilà," "I give you smallpox." "Masquerades and games." "What's next?" "A rousing game of charades?" "Yes." "Oh, you know, the ladies at Maison Elise's, they play charades without any clothes on for the clients." "Quiet, laddie." "But I was quiet." "Get." "Mm." "Murtagh's angry." "Do not blame him." "We need to tell him." "I was just thinking that exact same thing." "Aye." "Everything." "Everything." "Oh." "If you believe... yer wife to be a... a witch..." "Then who am I to contradict ye?" "Mm." "Mm." "But you shoulda trusted me with that knowledge from the beginning." "Be careful." " I will." " You always say that." "Mean it this time." "_" "Moi?" "Yes, you." "Oui, Milady." "I will watch over Milord as well." "You're in good hands." " See you in a few days." " Mm." "You lived through these years, then?" "Yes." "This is the year I was born." "And this is the year I became a nurse." "Healer." "During a world war." "Ye ken what happens to the Jacobites." "Yes." "I know when The Rising begins." "Then ye know how it ends, too." "And it doesn't end well." "No." "Unless we stop it from happening all together." "But ye ken all the dates." "When things will happen." "When people will die." "I don't know about you... or Jamie... about any of us." "Even knowing what Jamie says ye do..." "I wouldn't want to bear that burden." "Now, place these bottles where the men are sure to find them." "Brush this on the insides of their coats." "Careful not to get it on your hands." "Well... success?" "I dinna linger to find out." "We'll ken soon enough, though." "It must work." "Charles can't get his hands on that money." "Mm." "Dinna fash, mo nighean donn, if anyone can deliver pestilence and disease..." "It's us." "Come here." "Mm." "James." "Your Royal Highness." "Finally you're here." "I have been anxiously waiting." "Well, I-I came as soon as I received your message." "_" "As I said, I came straightaway." "_" "How may I be of service?" "There has been a catastrophe in Le Havre." "At the comte's warehouse." "_" "A mysterious illness, which no one has been able to diagnose as yet." "This illness, is it contagious?" "_" "One should not openly speculate as to the contagion of this malady." "_" "How about the harbor master, has he been paid off?" "Is that not how you normally handle these things?" "_" "This is why I sent for you, James." "We require you to transport the wine at once." "Hmm." "Well, this endeavor could jeopardize my, uh, cousin Jared's business." "_" "James knows this is no time for negotiation." "_" "_" "James, you know this is not merely for financial gain." "Mark me." "The profits from this endeavor will be the seed to expel the Hanoverian usurpers to my father's throne." "This is to regain your soil and to restore your blessed king." "Of course, Your Royal Highness." "I've yet to secure buyers, but I'll leave for Le Havre and arrange transfer to my warehouse straightaway." "You are a loyal and true patriot, James." "Godspeed." "_" "_" "_" "The road to Le Havre is a lonely one." "Your conversation will provide a pleasant diversion." " These hinder my movements." " Ye'll get used to it." "I don't want to get used to it." "Playing the jessie's bad enough." "Doin' it in this outfit is unbearable." "We'll make a proper French courtier out of you yet." " Indeed." " Another bleat like that and I'll see to the other side of yer jaw." "Perhaps we can think of an alternative?" "Do you even trust these men that you've found?" "Money'll buy anything if ye ken where to look." "Fine, but do these highwaymen even have the proper attire to look the part?" "Let's just say it'll be a risky affair for a nobleman strolling along the Rue Saint-Honoré tonight." "We don't have time for an alternative, Claire." "And what if you get caught?" "Have either of you thought of that contingency?" "Aye." "Don't get caught." "This whole thing's dangerous." "'Tis." "Every now and then it is okay for you to lie to me, you know?" "Just to put my mind at ease." "I'll remember that next time." "I don't feel good about this." "This feels..." "Needlessly risky, like we haven't thought it through enough." "What about St. Germain?" "We do have a plan for him." "I have thought it through, and it'll serve, Sassenach." "But I am not the one ye should be concerned about." "I'm simply a merchant transporting his goods." "And if you feel obliged, say your prayers for Murtagh Fitzgibbons." "He'll be the one in the line of fire." "If I do happen to get caught, would you be so kind as to kill me?" "I refuse to be hanged in this rig out." "Then let me get you undressed, right away." "I'm sorry about earlier." "It's just... bad things tend to happen when we're apart." "We find a way back to each other, no?" " Hm." " Hm." "Was that..." "Did he?" "Yes, she did." "She's been doing it a lot more recently." "Can he hear me?" "A daughter." "Wee un..." "It's your father." "Cannae wait to meet ye." "Can we?" "With the bairn?" "It's fine." "You won't hurt us." "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "Hup, hup." "All right." " _ - _" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "Doesn't it distress any of you?" "How this city treats its poor and underprivileged?" "I mean, surely you must see the staggering numbers of them as you travel through the city." "Just yesterday, I-I saw a woman and her child dead in the middle of the road." "It was absolutely horrible." "Surely we must do something to change the situation." "Madame Fraser... _" "_" "_" "_" "_" "The gen d'armes should remove them to the less desirable parts of the city." "Is it time?" "No, it's not the baby." "It's just that..." "Sorry, Louise." "Forgive me." "_" "_" "Claire, you must sit." "Come rest." "Mother, yes, I will." "I just have to attend to a few more patients." "If you do not want to become one yourself, you'll do as I say." "Lie down." "You are bleeding, my dear." "It is nothing to be concerned with." "As you know, it is common to leak a bit at this stage." "Votre petit is taking a new position, I suspect." "The hour is late." "You will stay here tonight." " No, I can't." " That was not a suggestion." "Then I should send word home with Fergus." "My husband will worry." "I will see to that." "Sleep." "Now." "I will be persona non grata with the bankers of Paris." "An outcast at worst." "Surely there will always be those that honor the Stuart name." "The French honor money only." "_" "'Tis the most common road taken from Le Havre to Paris." "_" "_" "_" "Aye." "_" "_" "_" "_" "False accusations can lead to dire consequences," "Monsieur St. Germain." "_" "Comte, by your own account," "Lord Broch Tuarach saved you from injury or even death." "Why should he risk himself?" "This discord, it will not recover my wine." "Our king and God have been let down." "All the sacrifices I made these last months in France, lowering myself to a commoner, begging for money, have amounted to naught." "So where will the House of Stuart stand if our cause fails?" "I will be forced to return home to Rome, where even the pope's goodwill for my father begins to run dry." "Or worse..." "Mark me, I will take my own life if I am forced to live in God-forsaken Poland." "Hmm." "Good morning, Milord." "Where's Milady?" "Staying the night at the hospital." "No, no, no, no, no, no." "The hour was late, so the Mother thought it best if Milady remains, so not to travel the streets at night." "I allowed it." "Well, I was wise to leave my wife in your charge." "You hungry?" "Always." "Go on." "Ah." "When will Murtagh be home?" "Mm." "Aye, he's gone to Portugal to sell the wine." "Could be a month or two before he returns." "I will miss his happy face." "It's best he's not seen here for a time." "Milady says, "out of sight, out of mind."" "Never heard her say that." "Says it to me every day." "Pardon, Milord." "I don't mean to interrupt your meal." "It's fine." "Prince Charles has got himself into some trouble at the salon." "Seems he's run up a substantial debt and refuses to pay." "Madame Elise has threatened to call for the gens d'armes unless restitution is made i..." "immediately." "No peace for the wicked." "Merci." "Shall I go as proxy, Milord?" "So you... you can finish your meal and rest?" "No." "Best go myself." "We don't want the gens d'armes making inquiries into our business affairs... today, of all days." "Then I shall come with you." "To guard your right." "I'll be honored." "_" " Monsieur." " Monsieur." " Good afternoon, Magnus." " Milady." "Milady, forgive me." "I did not know you had arrived home." "That's all right." "Do you wish a bath?" "Perhaps something to eat?" "Where is Milord?" "Suzette..." "My husband's brace is there." "He's obviously back from Le Havre." "Where is he?" "Milord has gone to the Bois de Boulogne." "Now why would he go to the woods?" "Milord was called to Maison Elise." "Prince Charles needed his help." "Soon after he arrived," "Milord got into a fight with an English officer." "What English officer?" "What was his name?" "Suzette?" "I wasn't there, Milady." "Marie told me at the market earlier." "She overheard this master telling his wife everything..." "Just, Goddamnit, tell me what happened." "The English soldier came hurtling out of a doorway, smashing into the walls." "Then Milord appeared looking like the vengeance of God." "It is just as Marie conveyed it." "He must." "You promised." "Milady, are you unwell?" "Milady?" "Mm." "Magnus, the carriage." "I'm going to the Bois de Boulogne." "Milord wouldn't want you to." "Milady, you cannot go by yourself." "Then come along, but I am going now." "_" "God damn you." "You promised me." "You promised me." "_" "_" "This way, Milady." "Quickly." "Quickly." "I came through the fading light to find this, to stop them." "Having found them, I could not intervene for fear of causing fatal interruption." "Milady?" "All I could do is wait, to see which of my men would die," "Jamie or Frank." "Aah!" "How did she forgive you?" "Huh?" "Ja..." "Milady..." "Aah!" "Jamie!" "_" "_" "Claire?" "Milady?" "Milady?" "_" "Claire!" "_" " Claire!" " _" "I have to get you home, Milady." " Claire!" " L'Hôpital, Mother Hildegarde." "_" "Claire!" "Jamie." "Jamie."