"Previously..." "Alex is the younger brother of Captain Jonathan Randall, Esquire." "Your brother, he isn't dead?" "Luckily, my brother is blessed with a much stronger constitution than my own." "He'll get us all killed if we don't stop him." "All we have to do is see to it that his war chest remains empty." "You want to discourage Prince Charles from mounting your rebellion?" "Scotland and our people canna bear another failed rebellion." "You're friends with the Comte St. Germain?" "You may call us rivals." "A lady's maid knows what does and does not occur in her mistress' boudoir." "What I sell is bitter cascara." "Makes the enemy suffer visibly, but it doesn't kill them." "He's a pickpocket." "I hired him." "Fergus spent his time stealing letters from the prince." ""I can guarantee the amount of £40,000 will be made available to you."" "Sandringham." "If Jamie sits down with him and his secretary..." "He'll find out Black Jack Randall is still alive." "♪ 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 ♪" "_" "Have you thought about names for the petit bambin?" "Well, I thought if it was a boy, we could name him Lambert." "Lambert?" "Yes, after my uncle." "Now, not to disrespect your uncle, but it's a wee bit..." "English." "And now I take your rook." "How about Dalhousie?" "Dalhousie?" "Aye, after Dalhousie Castle." "It's a braw name." "Dalhousie?" "I mean, it sounds more like a sneeze." "Check." "_" "Uh... _" "_" "_" "_" "Madame." "He's right." "Congratulations." "Ah, consider this a draw." "You have been distracted, my friend." "I prefer a clean victory." "Perhaps I should find something else to do." "Let's make it the best of five instead." "His Majesty is intrigued by the idea of the wealthy English patriots who are pledging such a substantial amount to your cause." "That's encouraging news." "Yes, yes." "Claire?" "Claire!" "Ye all right?" "Claire!" "Claire." "Ye all right?" "I don't think it was poison." "What then?" "Thinking back," "I thought I detected an aftertaste." "Perhaps bitter cascara?" "Glad you're feeling better." "This marshmallow leaf tea should counteract the effects." "And the bairn?" "Baby should be fine." "Jamie, when I thought that I could possibly lose..." "Aye." "I ken, Sassenach." "You believe this was St. Germain's doing?" "He could have bribed one of the servants to put the cascara in my glass of wine." "The way he was staring at me..." "If it was St. Germain, I'll make him suffer." "I'd give good money to watch you do it, but we don't have proof." "And right now, a public scandal could cause the prince to distance himself from you." "Please, distract me." "Tell me about Duverney." "He, uh..." "He's spoken to the king about supporting Charles, and, uh... the promise of an alliance has the king intrigued." "The Franco-British alliance is a fantasy." "Charles knows that." "Aye." "Maybe." "But it's a tempting prize." "And if Charles secures the money from Sandringham, then the king will join him as well." "Now, I've been thinking..." "What if we host a dinner for the duke?" " A dinner here?" " Aye." "Aye, the duke and the prince have never met in person." "You know, the duke will want to... to take the measure of the prince and decide if he's a man worth staking his fortune and his life on." "Now, Charles can be convincing when he has a mind to be." "He certainly turned Duverney around." "We need to stage the occasion to undercut Charles, lead him to make a mistake in front of the duke and expose himself for the delusional popinjay that he is." "Think I'm mistaken?" "No, it's... it's a good plan." "I can tell by your face." "Ye disagree." "It's not that." "I need to tell you something." "Jack Randall is alive." "I met his brother Alex on our first visit to Versailles." "He works for the duke." "He said that Randall was injured in the line of duty," "but he's very much alive." "This is... wonderful news." "But why'd you wait so long to tell me?" "Because I..." "I certainly wasn't expecting this reaction." "Don't you see, Sassenach?" "This has plagued me for months, thinking Black Jack Randall died and I missed it, knowing I'd never look in his face and see the blood flow from his body, watch him breathe his last." "But now..." "Jamie, you can't go back to Scotland." "No, I'm not foolish enough to give the hangman a second chance at me." "Nor do I intend to abandon our task here, but you've given me something to hold on to..." "Something to... to look forward to, and that is a gift." "Thank you, truly." " Morning." " Ah, Jamie's in a cheery mood." "Yes, I told him Black Jack Randall was still alive." "Don't know what you were so worried about." "Madonna." "How are you today?" "I was violently ill last night." "Someone tried to poison me." "I almost died, or could have lost my child." "Did you sell bitter cascara to St. Germain?" "I-I've sold the cascara to only one person in the last months, a servant I didn't recognize." "Could have been working for monsieur le Comte, but I swear, I didn't know it." " Maître." " Oui?" "_" "Ah." "Madonna, follow me." "And where are we going?" "To a safe place." "The gendarmes pass by with prying eyes." "The king is not enamored of the mystical art." "We must be wary not to invoke his ire." "Please." "A very old and rare species." "Such beasts are no more." "I'm fascinated by things not of this time." "Something else is on your mind." "Yes, it is." "I'm worried about an old friend." "Does he have a name?" "His name is Frank." "Is he in danger?" "Well, I believe his future... uh... is in doubt." "The bones will give us an answer." "Sheep knuckles." "There's nothing in here." "Look again, Madonna." "Well, how did you do that?" "A little sleight of hand." "I could not resist." "It's a trick I do to amuse the customers." "I know what this is." "I've seen it when I was traveling in Africa with my uncle." "Uh, but the Zulu, they use chicken bones." "Then you know how it works." "Bring your question to mind, and cast them upon the hide." "I cannot see his fate, but you have no need to worry." "You will see him again." "I will see him again?" "Oui." "That's what the bones say." "But for now, you are my concern." "For you, Madonna... for protection." "It will change color in the presence of poison." "This... magic stone will keep me safe?" "Some would call it nature;" "some would call it magic." "I certainly charge more for it when I do, but for you, Madonna, today, there's no charge." "What do you think of my newest toy?" "It's m-m-marvelous." "It's a lovely clock, Louise." "But I thought you said it was urgent." "Would you be a dear and feed Colette?" "There is fruit in the kitchen." "And do not put your fingers in the cage." "That monkey... _" "She bites everyone but me." "The reason I've summoned you here... the situation is quite... delicate." "I'm with child." "Well... then congratulations are in order." "I'm afraid not." "My husband and I haven't been intimate in months." "The baby is not his." "You know about these things." "Will you help me?" "Are you sure, Louise?" "It was not an easy decision, but I've made it." "How shall we go about it?" "Well, I can make a decoction of barberry leaves and black hellebore." "Black hellebore?" "The very name of it sounds evil." "It is bloody nasty stuff." "Poison, really." "It will rid you of the child, but it can also kill you." "But what other choice do I have?" "Do you want the baby?" "Of course I want it." "It's my lover's." "It's his, it's mine." "It..." "Could you leave Jules and marry him?" "He wants to marry me, but he's a dreamer." "It is one thing to enjoy an affaire de coeur, but if Jules learns of the baby, he will have our marriage annulled." "He could even have me arrested for adultery or, even worse, banish me to a convent." "Perhaps Jules can be... persuaded that the child is his?" "You mean sleep with my husband?" "But my lover would be furious." "Well, he's not the one that's pregnant, Louise." "But how will I raise a child with a man who is not the father?" "All that matters is that... the child is brought up with love." "Good evening, my beautiful wife." "And how was the rest of your day since last we met?" "Not bad." "I take it you had a good day." "Aye, as a matter of fact, I did." "Really?" "Are you going to tell me, or do I have to wait?" "Ah." "Oh, you won't have to wait long tonight, Sassenach." " Mmm." " Hmm." "What the hell is that?" "Are those bite marks?" "Aye, well, uh, she did get a wee bit carried away." "She?" "She... are you referring to that brunette whore that Fergus is always talking about?" "No, no, it was a different girl entirely." "Oh, it was a different girl entirely." "What, that makes it better?" "And how exactly did this different girl entirely manage to bite your thighs?" "There is a simple explanation." "Well, I should hope so." "Well, I don't suppose a gently reared young lady such as yourself would be familiar with the term soixante-neuf?" "Oh, I know what sixty-nine is." "Ah, well, she was rather insistent about it, although I think she would've settled for the six." "The nine could go hang." "I suppose she was so insistent, you just had to accommodate her." "No, no, I did not." "Ye have to believe me, Claire, nothin' happened." "Oh, so I'm supposed to believe that you got those bites defending your virtue?" "Well, I didna say I wasna tempted." "I wanted to, badly." "Yeah, I was filled with lust, but, eh... yeah, I don't think I'm explaining this properly." "No, I don't think you are, because so far the only thing that you've explained is that while you've barely touched me in months, tonight you were driven mad with passion by some whore." "Yes!" "No!" "Well, that's the great thing, don't you see?" "I..." "I've tried f-for so long to find a way back to you, but to not see that bastard's face every time I take you in my arms." "But tonight I started ta..." "ta feel like a man again." "With another woman!" "Nothing happened." "And it was actually you that made me believe it was possible in the first place." "Me?" "Aye." "You told me Randall is alive, and now I can be the one to end his life." "You know, it lifted something from my heart." "I began to feel I should stir up those feelings inside myself so I could feel that way again with my wife." "So you had to stir yourself up with a whore before you could bring yourself to be with me?" "No, that's not what I was... you know I've been struggling for a long time." "Struggling?" "Do you know what I've been struggling with?" "Trying to be patient with you and understanding, and all the while, I've been..." "I've been dealing with carrying our child." "'Course I do." "We've barely even talked about it." "W-we-we hadn't even talked about babies' names until Duverney brought it up at your stupid chess game!" "I feel like I've been going through all of this all on my own." "I'm here." "I am with you, and we will have this child together." "But I don't think you understand what it's been like for me since... since what happened at Wentworth." "Well, then tell me, God damn it." "Talk to me!" "Make me understand!" "There was this place inside me I... a place I think everyone has that they keep to themselves." "A fortress..." "Where the most private part of you lives." "Maybe it's your soul, the bit that makes you yourself and not anyone else." "But after Wentworth, it was like... my... fortress had been blown apart." "The thing that once lived there was suddenly exposed, out in the open, without shelter, without..." "That's where I've been ever since, Claire." "Naked." "Alone." "Trying... to hide under a blade of grass." "Think it best I sleep elsewhere tonight." " Claire." " Shh." "Don't say a word." "Come find me, Jamie." "Come find me." "Find us." "Remember I told you I was lost?" "You were trying to hide under a blade of grass." "Well, I think... perhaps you've built me a lean-to... at the least." "Hmm." "And a roof... to keep out the rain." "What?" "Shh." "What is it?" "There's someone on the roof." "James!" "Forgive me." "I do not usually arrive so, without ceremony or at such an unsocial hour." "My house is at your service," "Your Highness." "May I present my wife?" "Claire Fraser..." "Lady Broch Tuarach." "Claire, this is His Royal Highness," "Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the future king of Britain." "I'd rather gathered that." "Good evening, Your Royal Highness." "A pleasure to meet you, madame." "Has Your Royal Highness been hurt?" "Your hand." "Indeed, I suffered a ghastly and painful injury." "You'll have a look at it, and I'll need a whisky too." "Ah." "I found myself in a rather embarrassing position at the house of a friend." "I was forced to flee." "Unable to use the front door," "I departed out of the window and onto a roof." "I had a rare time, dodging chimneys, slipping on wet slates, until it occurred to me your house was down the row." "She swore she loved me countless times." "Then tonight, she spurns me without warning." "We were quarreling when her husband arrived home early." "God is forever testing me, placing obstacles in my path." "I've overcome every one of them." "I'll overcome this one too." "I won't be deterred." "Mark me," "I will win her back." "I don't believe it will require sutures." "It should heal quite quickly." "It appears to be a bite." "An epidemic around here." "Aye." "Her pet!" "It bites everyone apart from her." "Ill-tempered, flea-ridden beast." "By any chance, was this bite by a monkey?" "Charles and Louise?" "I never suspected either." "But now I think about it, they are both dreamers." "And both live in a... fantasy world." "Hmm." "They're perfect for each other." "Can't believe I'm thinking this, but..." "Believe I was thinkin' the very same thing." "We use their affair to our advantage." "Get Charles and Louise in the same room together." "Aye, we invite Louise to the dinner next week, along with her husband." "And if Charles hasn't heard about the baby by then..." "We make sure he does, right in front of the duke." "He'll come unhinged." "We use his broken heart to break his bank." "Oh, God." "Does this make us bad people?" "Way I see it, we're doing a bad thing, but for a good reason." "Isn't that what all bad people say?" "Where are you off to?" "The dinner's tonight." "I know." "I got word there's an explosion at the Royal Armory." "Several of the victims have gone to the hospital." "Besides, Madame Vionnet never lets me near the kitchen, and I'd rather be somewhere I'm needed." "I promise, I'll be home before sunset." "All right." "But take Murtagh with you." "Fergus too." "Have her home in time to dress for dinner, if you expect to eat yerself." "You have my word." "Yah, yah." "Madame Fraser asked that I let you know that it's going to be at least another hour." "No, but I-I promised Milord .." "She knows." "We'll hurry." "It's a shame Miss Hawkins is so sad." "Sad?" "That hen was smiling from ear to ear." "Did you really not see that she had been crying?" "I saw no crying." "That's why you will die with la veuve poignet." "Alone with your hand." "Give me that." "She's promised to wed the vicomte, yet she's in love with another." "In love?" "You just said she was sad." "I-I-I know, but t-there is... _" "Because... in spite of the crying, she's wearing... _" "And there is a... _" "A-a-a spring in her step, and her speech, which does not flow, now runs like a... a-a sparkling stream." "One, I dinna care." "Two, a man doesna concern himself with the affairs of women." "Suzette, the lady's maid... is she in love with anyone?" "Her?" "Oui, with any man who walks past her door." "Never mind, ye wee smout." "Aah... aah!" "That's incredible." "What did you do?" "There is a nerve there, and if you are fortunate enough to pierce it directly, it numbs the sensation in the lower extremity, hmm?" "We must work quickly." "Hold the foot steady." "Mm." "This ointment will ease the pain of the burns." "What is it?" "Hangman's grease." "Rendered fat from 'anged criminals." "Uh-huh." "Mary, why don't you step outside for some air?" "I need to wash my hands first." "Where would he get such a thing?" "When Monsieur Forez is not with us, he serves as His Majesty's royal executioner." "That's a peculiar calling." "We take what God sends us." "Still, the bulk of our physicians are better than nothing." "You, madame, are a great deal better than nothing." "Thank you." "The wheel's broken." "I sent Fergus ahead to tell Jamie we'll be late." "Oh, Christ, today of all days." "I promised Jamie I'd be home to greet our guests." "Now we'll never make it." "We'll have to walk." "Now." "His Grace, the Honorable Clarence Marylebone, the third duke of Sandringham." "Jamie, what a vision of elegance." "A man who always manages to look fashionable, whatever the setting." "Welcome, Your Grace." "Pleased to meet you, Lord Broch Tuarach." "Alex is my secretary." "Oh, of course, you know his brother," "Captain Randall." "Aye." "We're acquainted." "Hmm, run along now, Alex." "Go and assist the servants." "Uh, yes, Your Grace, and I shall dine with the butler." "Mr. Silas Hawkins..." "Welcome, sir." "You must be Mary's uncle?" "My wife is very fond of the lass." "My niece spends entirely too much time engaging in social activity." "May I present the Vicomte Marigny, her fiancé?" "Monsieur Jean Ribes et Madame Anne-Marie Ribes." "Monsieur et Madame Leclaire." "That's the last time I'm going to tell you how to do that." "Milord, there is a problem with the carriage." "There would be lateness involved." "His Royal Highness, Prince Charles Edward Stuart." "Your Royal Highness." "Welcome." "High hopes, James." "Mark me, tonight could be a turning point for us." "Aye, I believe it will be." "Your Royal Highness, may I present the Honorable Clarence Marylebone, third duke of Sandringham?" "Your Grace, may I present His Royal Highness," "Prince Charles Edward Stuart?" "Such a delight finally to meet you." "I've heard such grand praise." "The feeling is quite mutual, Your Grace." "Monsieur Christophe Bessette et Lady Bessette." "I've met someone I find most intriguing." "We've been corresponding in secret for weeks now." "Really?" "Do tell." "He's handsome, intelligent, and his letters are of such eloquence," "I couldn't help but fall in love with him." "Well, who is this gentleman?" "Oh, I shouldn't tell you this, but his name's Randall." "Randall?" "What?" "Well, how did you meet him?" "I dropped my handkerchief, and he picked it up." "It was so romantic." "Where was this?" "At Versailles." "Remember, when you wore the red dress." "You're speaking of Alex Randall." "Yes." "Is there another?" "Murtagh!" "_" "_" "_" "_" " No, please, no!" " Leave her alone!" "Le Comte et la Comtesse St. Germain." "_" "_" "I took the liberty of inviting my associate the comte." "It should be easy to place two more settings at table." "Delighted." "_" "_" "La Dame Blanche." "Ah!" "Huh?" "_" "_" "_" "Général D'Arbanville." "General, pleased you could come." "I've been looking forward to it." "Le Marquis de Rohan et Madame Louise de la Tour Marquise de Rohan." "You're most welcome." "Allow me to introduce to you His Royal Highness," "Prince Charles Edward Stuart." "A pleasure, Your Royal Highness." "Indeed." "A rare jewel you've brought." "Milord." "What happened?" "We were attacked on the street." " Four brigands." " I tried to fight them off." "Are you hurt, Sassenach?" "The bairn, is it..." "No, we're okay." "But Mary, she was assaulted and raped." " Good God, w-what..." " No, no, no, monsieur..." "It's all right." "It's all right." "She's hurt badly, and passed out from the shock, but she'll be all right." " Did you recognize them?" " No." " They wore masks." " Then we shall find them." "Aye, let's go." "No." "Not now." "Tonight is too important." "What we're going to do is we're going to look after this poor girl." "Take her up to the guest room where she'll be safe." "Fergus, go get my medical box." "Tout de suite, Milady." "Suzette, you can help me dress." "Are you daft, woman?" "Help me get her inside." "We'll take the back staircase." "No one will see us." "Can you stay with her?" "She needs some quiet and rest." "I won't leave her side." "If she wakes up, give her some water or tea, and this poppy syrup." "Not too much, as it can cause visions." "I've already given her a dose." "Dinner's not served." "We can still cancel, send everyone home." "No, I've told you, there's too much at stake." "We need to alert the authorities about Mary." "We can't." "Mary's uncle and fiancé are here." "If she's been violated, her reputation will be ruined." "It's hardly her fault she was raped." "I know it isna right, but if we let it be known she's a maiden no more, no man will ever take her." "She'll be a spinster till the end of her days." "That's ridiculous!" "She needs a doctor." "She has one." "You." "I'd lay odds that black-hearted bastard" "St. Germain was behind this." "I should go out there right now and cut his head off." "What do you mean?" "He's here?" "Aye." "In the parlor." "The duke invited him." "Christ!" "No one is getting their head cut off tonight." "You should go." "I'll let the guests know you're here." "I'll be right there." "Oh... deep breath." "Okay?" "Let's go." "Mesdames et messieurs, Your Grace, Your Royal Highness, allow me to present my wife, Claire Fraser," "Lady Broch Tuarach." "So wonderful to see you all." "My sincerest apologies for my delay." "You must be famished." "_" "So good to see you." "How's everything at home?" "I've told him." "I convinced him it happened on a drunken night... the baby is his." "He was mad with joy." "Shh." "Sleep now, I'm here." "You're safe now." "I love you, Mary." "I'll take good care of you." "Lovely." "We're fortunate to have His Royal Highness with us from Italy." "What a resplendent country." "I had occasion to visit it last year." "My one disappointment was my trip to the Vatican." "His Grace was just telling me he wished to meet Pope Benedict." "Yes, but he was too busy to receive me." "And what do popes do anyway?" "Does anyone know?" "I imagine being leader of the Catholic Church keeps him rather occupied." "Yes." "Have you met him?" "Indeed." "He's been exceedingly generous to my family." "As have the past four popes." "I just wanted to ascertain whether the Pope is as witty as they say." "The man's celebrated across Rome for his bon mots." "You've been known to tell a joke or two, Your Grace." "Perhaps you'd favor us?" "Oh, no, I really don't..." "Uh, well... pffft..." "Well, I mean..." "Just the one." "Uh..." "What did the dwarf say when asked for 5 shillings?" ""Apologies, I'm a trifle short."" "Still reeling from the attack," "I couldn't help staring at St. Germain and wondering whether he could have orchestrated such violence and then sat calmly across the table from me two hours later, sipping his soup." "Your Royal Highness, perhaps we should enlighten His Grace as to some of your plans." "God's plans?" "Mark me," "His are the only plans that matter." "It is His plan that I, as His emissary, unite the clans and restore a Catholic to the throne." "Must we talk politics?" "It's so dreary." "What about the opera?" "Ah!" "Has anyone attended Lully's "Acis and Galatée"?" "Of course, we all have!" "My husband and I found it breathtaking." "Are you married, sir?" "It's a wonderment, but I have not yet found a woman who would put up with me." "Well, they are fickle creatures, indeed." "Well, Jamie managed to find himself a worthy one." "I must say," "I think combination of their respective beauties will result in a child of unfathomable pulchritude." "Merci." "I understand congratulations are in order for Madame and the Marquis as well." "Why, yes, um... we are looking forward to the arrival of a little one." "I apologize, I thought..." "We haven't formally announced it yet, uh, but... an heir!" "It's the most incredible news, is it not?" "Well, then..." "I am to congratulate you." "I wish you and the Marquis all the happiness in the world." "Thank you, Your Royal Highness." " Santé." " Santé." " Santé." "Of course, the world is not always a happy place." "It's quite unpredictable, really." "One day you're happy, and the next... porca miseria." "Your pardon, sir, but I'm a little in the dark as to your meaning." "Yes." "I believe you are a man "in the dark," indeed." "It's all right." "I'm here." "Mary..." "No, no, no, get away from me!" "Everything's all right." "Here, I'll get your medicine." "That is a beautiful stone you wear around your neck, Madame." "Oh, it's just a bauble." "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "Mary, wait, it's all right!" " Mary, Mary!" " No!" "Get off me!" "I'm not trying to hurt you!" "No!" "_" "No!" "No, get off me!" "_" "Mary!" "It's all right." "_" " Gentlemen, be reasonable." " Mary!" "What on earth are you doing here?" "Ruined!" "You ruined my niece!" "She is my fiancé!" "Mary, come with me." "I was so looking forward to dessert..." "But I suppose it is getting rather late." "Stop it, everyone, at once!" "Haaah!" "There is no reason to be uncivil!" "Yes, and Your Highness should not be subjected to such intemperance." "Let us depart." "I regret leaving my friend James with these... ruffians." "Ooh!" "Don't trouble yourself." "I will take care of it." "Merci." "_" "Ah!" "Ah!"