‘Outlander’ recap: Claire responds to Lord John’s proposal

The moment I knew Jamie (Sam Heughan) was probably alive was the moment Claire (Caitriona Balfe) actually married Lord John Grey (David Berry) in a patched-together ceremony in which Claire can barely utter the words, “Til death do us part.” 

In Outlander season 7, episode 11, “A Hundredweight of Stones,” William (Charles Vandervaart) admits to his guardian — after serving as a witness to the “blessed” event — that he is confused by Lord John’s hastiness to marry a rebel woman. Lord John reminds William that James Fraser was his best friend, and he owes it to him to protect the one thing he loved in this entire world. 

William is unsure if this union will result in a tarnished reputation. He warns Lord John to tread carefully. Lord John assures William that happiness is all he will ever need in this world and then hugs the young man fiercely. It’s clear that Lord John considers that William is all he has left of Jamie. 

Claire, on the other hand, has reached the anger level of her grief and considers harming herself using one of her scalpels. But then she hears an echo of Jamie’s voice and turns to another stage of grief known as inebriation. Lord John, who also copes by getting rip-roaring drunk, refuses to let Claire mourn Jamie alone. He bursts into her room, and they drunkenly scream at each other, hold each other, and eventually sleep together. Welcome to depression.

The next morning is hella awkward, but now that both parties have reached acceptance, neither Claire nor Lord John have any qualms about naked pillow talk. We learn that it’s been 15 years since Lord John was with a woman and are reminded that Jamie once offered Lord John his body. Lord John refused, of course, knowing that it would ruin their friendship — but he does regret it. 

We also learn that Lord John has enjoyed liaisons with a cook named Manoke on occasion, but it’s not a big deal. Since Claire has only experienced unconventional love (you think?), Lord John provides an analogy to help her understand. There’s a white deer he sees every once in a while. It’s a rare beauty, and then it’s gone. He does not own the deer, so he does not feel a sense of abandonment when it leaves. He’s a gift as long as the deer chooses to remain. 

Claire is bewildered. So, what if Manoke wants to be more than a white deer that comes and goes? Or is Lord John the deer? How does Manoke feel about it? 

Lord John is stumped. He’s never thought to ask. Additionally, he’s never had a conversation this long in bed with another human being in his life. Lord John is downright tickled by his new bride and bids her farewell. When Claire asks what will happen next, Lord John advises her to think of the deer. 

Cool. That’s helpful.

While Claire figures out how to be Lady John Grey, Young Ian (John Bell) says a prayer for his Uncle Jamie in the forest with Rachel (Izzy Meikle-Small). Ian hopes that Jamie is keeping his father company in heaven, which leads to Rachel inquiring if Ian’s father knew about her as more than a friend before he passed away.

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Ian quickly affirms his lady love and then feels compelled to tell Rachel that he was once married. And when he speaks of Emily in the present tense, Rachel blanches, assuming that this woman is dead. Ian divulges all the details, holding nothing back, including the fact that he is the father of Rachel’s child. And even though Emily chose him, he chose Rachel. They seal the truth with a passionate kiss. 

Meanwhile, in 1739 Scotland, Roger (Richard Rankin) and Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh) track down the tinker who lost a bet and was forced to part with Roger’s father’s WWI identification tags. Considering they haven’t heard or seen anything that would lead them to Jemmy, surely they came to this time so his father could help find his son. 

As luck would have it, they do find the tinker and are surprised to learn that Roger’s father sought the tinker. Apparently, Roger’s father had an eye for jewels. Roger deduces that his dad was looking for gemstones, and because this isn’t Roger’s first rodeo, he buys a gemstone from the man with the hope that he will be returning through the stones to his wife soon.

Later, Roger spies a military jacket hanging from a tree that he knows is part of his dad’s uniform. Regrettably, a man and his two bulky sons are unwilling to part with the article of clothing or any information on the man who gave them the jacket. 

Knowing that a military man would never give up his jacket without a fight, Buck figures that he probably sold it for money or traded it for food. Surely, the man is unharmed. Roger can’t help but think it’s all connected and that finding his father will help him find his boy. He must keep faith. 

This is a good word for Bri, who is slowly losing it in her timeline. Unfortunately, that proves to be a problem when freaking Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton) startles Bri in her kitchen! Guess who isn’t in the past with her son? That guy. 

Bri figures that stupid Rob deliberately left Jemmy’s scarf on the ground by the stones so Roger would go looking for him. Once she learns that Jemmy is okay, she lunges for a knife, but Rob is too quick. Holding the knife to her throat, Rob tells Bri that all he wants is the Spaniard’s gold. The three of them will get on a plane to America, and once he secures his treasure, he will set her and Jemmy free. 

That’s a likely story. Bri wisely knocks Rob out with a frying pan and then stares at his unconscious body as I scream for her to run, forgetting that Bri has no idea where her son is located. I’m unsure how this is going to play out, but I applaud the woman for not backing down.

Speaking of not backing down, Claire is finally standing upright and doing her best to get back to normal life. Ian visits to tell her he is taking Rachel back to Valley Forge. He also wants to tell her goodbye, assuming his auntie will be traveling back to her own time now that Jamie is gone. Claire is touched and clarifies that she has no interest in going back. She wants to help create a new nation. 

Sorry, Bri! You’re on your own, kid!

Lord John and Claire check up on Henry (Harry Jarvis), who is doing very well, thanks to Mercy’s (Gloria Obianyo) duteous care. Lord John is thrilled and tells his nephew that he will write to his father immediately to share the news of his son’s return.

Hold up. Henry wants to remain in America with Mercy. And Lord John is not having it one bit. No, he will not write to his brother on Henry’s behalf, and he will not allow a secret marriage between races. Henry will return to his duty and his title. End of story. 

On the ride home, Claire scoffs at Lord John, swearing that she never would have taken him for a bigot. Mercy is a free, smart, honorable woman who just so happens to keep Henry alive. Surely it’s not Mercy’s skin tone that troubles him. Claire informs Lord John that it’s people like Henry who usher in change by sacrificing everything for love. Does he want his nephew to be alone for the rest of his life? 

Lord John passionately reminds Claire, with glassy eyes, that the union would be illegal. And by the way, if anyone knows what it’s like for love to be a crime, it’s him. He will not allow his nephew to risk imprisonment. Or worse. Claire concedes. 

Her new husband tries to win her affection back with a lovely ball gown, to which Claire turns up her nose. No, she will not be joining Lord John for a dinner party and dancing, thankyouverymuch. Lord John advises Claire to reconsider. She must accompany him in order to survive the ruse. They must lean on each other. Together, they will keep Jamie’s memory alive. 

That felt a little excessive, but I’ll allow it. 

Claire eventually shows up to the party and chooses to hang around William, chastising him for not dancing with a sweet young lady who was totally flirting with him. Claire tells him that dancing is a lovely distraction, especially since William is pseudo-moping now that Rachel has left.

When Captain Richardson (Ben Lambert) asks Claire to dance, William tosses out the same distraction advice and smiles as the man saunters away with Claire in tow. Claire has no poker face whatsoever and is very wary, knowing this is the man who alerted Lord John to her pending arrest just days before.

Shockingly, Captain Richardson lays his cards on the table, declaring under his breath that he, too, is a rebel. He’s an American agent under the guise of a captain in His Majesty’s army. And since the war will be won through intelligence and politics, he needs Claire to spy on her husband. Sound good?

Claire is a resounding, “Hell no.” She may be on the same side as this man, but she does not agree with his methods. Claire will keep Captain Richardson’s secret and that’s where the relationship ends. 

The next day, Claire is exhausted by Lord John’s insistence that she attend a number of social engagements. Then they hear a scuffle in the hallway, and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser bursts through the door and sucks all the air out of the room. 

Lord John is happy, shocked. Claire’s mouth is on Jamie’s mouth. When she pulls away, she settles into her skin, whispering, “Blood of my blood.” I die. 

Jamie quickly explains that a number of soldiers are looking for him. He’s not dead. His bags were on the ship, but he was not. And just when Claire and Jamie are about to take things to another, intimate level, Lord John nods to Jamie, announcing, “Your son is due here shortly.”

And that’s when William overhears the news that Jamie is his biological father. 

William is livid. He hastily thrusts Jamie’s rosary beads back into his hands, berates Lord John for lying to him all these years, and stands there as soldiers scramble up the stairs to seize Jamie. 

Jamie holds a gun to Lord John’s head, threatening to kill him. Lord John all but rolls his eyes. William does nothing to stop any of the chaos. And Claire looks alive for the first time in days, thrilled that her “other” husband is back and up to his old shenanigans with her current husband. All is well.