The Fiery Cross: Discuss Part 5 here

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

I'm going to try something a little different.  Instead of assigning chapters, I'm just going to read the book, and as I finish a "part," post questions for that part.  That means I may be posting more than once a week.  I also think it will take the pressure off everyone for this book and the next one, which is also very lengthy.

When we get to Echo, as soon as I see how many parts there are, I'll start a thread for each part for open discussion. 

Let's see how it goes.

Here are the questions for Part 5.

Part 5
Tis Better to Marry Than Burn
Chapters 39-55

1.  What was your first impression of Major MacDonald?

2.  What was your reaction to the news of Duncan’s impotence?  Do you think Claire can cure him?  Do you think he will let her?

3.  Betty drank the cup with the laudanum in it.  For whom do you think it was intended?

4.  Why do you think Phillip Wylie has been pursuing Claire?  Shouldn’t he be afraid of Jamie?

5.  What did you think of Jamie’s reaction to Wylie’s pass at Claire?  Do you think today’s men should defend their wife’s honor (I don’t mean a duel)?

6.  What did you think of George Lyon questioning Jamie?  Should Jamie have spoken to him so freely?  Do you think someone sent Lyon to trap Jamie into supplying whiskey to smugglers?  If so, who?

7.  What did you think of Jamie asking Claire for her rings as card stakes?

8.  Who do you think snuck into Claire’s bed; Jamie or Wylie?

9.  What did you think of Claire performing an autopsy on Betty?

10.  Wylie shows up during the autopsy.  Do you think he followed Claire? 

11.  Why do you think Bonnet was with Wylie?  Were you surprised to see him?

12.  What did you think of Jocasta’s story of the French Gold?  Of the death of her daughters?  What is your impression of Hector Cameron?

13.  Who do you think the third man was? 

14.  Do you believe Wylie’s story about his relationship with Bonnet?

15.  Any ideas as to who murdered Betty?

16.  The War of Regulation took place from 1764 to 1771.  It looks like Jamie’s going to be involved in the end.  Do you think he will fight against the regulators? 

[millie34]

1.  What was your first impression of Major MacDonald?
He was fishing for information.  At first I thought he might be a spy for the Militia, but then I realized he was a soldier looking for work.  He thought to use Jamie’s connection to the Governor.

2.  What was your reaction to the news of Duncan’s impotence?  Do you think Claire can cure him?  Do you think he will let her?
Men didn’t go around talking about their lack of “manhood” in those days.  They are only lately getting a bit more comfortable in our times.  As for a cure, it would depend on the cause, but probably too much time has elapsed.

3.  Betty drank the cup with the laudanum in it.  For whom do you think it was intended?
I’m sure it was intended for Duncan.

4.  Why do you think Phillip Wylie has been pursuing Claire?  Shouldn’t he be afraid of Jamie?
He was attracted to her and he remembered their last conversation.  She was being cute, but he interpreted it as flirtatious.  Being such a fop, he convinced himself that she was attracted to him.  Going alone to the stable with him was not too bright.  He certainly should have considered what Jamie would do, but he never expected to get caught.

5.  What did you think of Jamie’s reaction to Wylie’s pass at Claire?  Do you think today’s men should defend their wife’s honor (I don’t mean a duel)?
Things did look very incriminating.  After all that’s passed between them, he’s not sure of her love??  Today, a man would get angry, confront the other man verbally and get angry with his wife for getting herself in that predicament.

6.  What did you think of George Lyon questioning Jamie?  Should Jamie have spoken to him so freely?  Do you think someone sent Lyon to trap Jamie into supplying whiskey to smugglers?  If so, who?
He could have been looking to use Jamie for the dangerous part of smuggling while enriching himself with no risk.  I’m not sure who could have put him up to it, but Jamie has made a few enemies.

7.  What did you think of Jamie asking Claire for her rings as card stakes?
It was the worst thing he’s ever done.  I guess he was reasonably sure he wouldn’t loose them but even so!

8.  Who do you think snuck into Claire’s bed; Jamie or Wylie?
Looks like it was Wylie.  Jamie never mentioned it, and Claire can’t very well ask him in case it wasn’t him.  Jamie will surely kill him if he finds out.


9.  What did you think of Claire performing an autopsy on Betty?
It was the only way to prove that Betty was murdered, but she had to know there would be terrible repercussions if she was discovered.

10.  Wylie shows up during the autopsy.  Do you think he followed Claire? 
I don’t think so, he would have seen that Jamie was with her.  I don’t think he saw them at all.  He had his own reasons for going in there.

11.  Why do you think Bonnet was with Wylie?  Were you surprised to see him?
Surprised?  Yes!!  Wylie is surely up to no good.


12.  What did you think of Jocasta’s story of the French Gold?  Of the death of her daughters?  What is your impression of Hector Cameron?
She certainly has had a lot of heartache.  Hector was a survivor, he wouldn’t take his step-daughters with him and wouldn’t let Jocasta say goodbye.  Then he accidently shoots his own daughter and won’t even let Jocasta hold her dying daughter’s body.  What an awful man!!

13.  Who do you think the third man was?
Maybe Bonnet or Wolff.

14.  Do you believe Wylie’s story about his relationship with Bonnet?
No.  I think they’re in cahoots to find the gold.

15.  Any ideas as to who murdered Betty?
I thought it might be either Bonnet or Lt. Wolff.  Whoever it was who drugged her couldn’t take the chance that she’d identify him when she came to.

16.  The War of Regulation took place from 1764 to 1771.  It looks like Jamie’s going to be involved in the end.  Do you think he will fight against the regulators? 
He’s probably going to stay with the regulators at first, but as he sees the injustice caused to the people, he will not have it in him to fight for their cause.  He can't always be on the wrong side of a war.

[imallbs]

I like the new format.  I'll probably not be caught up for a while.  Between company and work, I'll not have much time from reading.

Part 5
Tis Better to Marry Than Burn
Chapters 39-55

1.  What was your first impression of Major MacDonald? 
He seems upfront about what he wants.  Maybe he will be somebody Jamie and Claire can count on later.  They need somebody like that with all the enemies they are making

2.  What was your reaction to the news of Duncan’s impotence?  Do you think Claire can cure him?  Do you think he will let her?
He probably isn't impotent and doesn't need to be cured.  And he would never let Claire try

3.  Betty drank the cup with the laudanum in it.  For whom do you think it was intended?
Given that Jocasta was accosted in her room, I'm thinking it was for Duncan; to get him out of the way.

4.  Why do you think Phillip Wylie has been pursuing Claire?
He's not very bright.  This could be an example of Claire not fitting in because she thought nothing of the way she responded to Wylie.

5.  What did you think of Jamie’s reaction to Wylie’s pass at Claire? 
A little over the top.
Do you think today’s men should defend their wife’s honor (I don’t mean a duel)?  
Please save me from another person's sense of honor!  I'll take care of myself thank you.

6.  What did you think of George Lyon questioning Jamie?  Should Jamie have spoken to him so freely?  Do you think someone sent Lyon to trap Jamie into supplying whiskey to smugglers?  If so, who?  
This could be a connection to Bonnet with the whole illegal goods/smuggling angle.  If nothing else it shows how well known Jamie's whiskey operation is. 

7.  What did you think of Jamie asking Claire for her rings as card stakes?
Have these two people met?  The rings are important to Claire, Claire is important to Jamie.  Ergo Jamie shouldn't have asked for the rings and when he did Claire should have known she would get them back.

8.  Who do you think snuck into Claire’s bed; Jamie or Wylie? 
Good question

9.  What did you think of Claire performing an autopsy on Betty?
Seemed a reasonable thing for Claire to do. It showed a  lot about Jamie's trust in her that he went along with it.

10.  Wylie shows up during the autopsy.  Do you think he followed Claire?   
I don't think he followed Claire.  I think he was doing what he said he was doing.

11.  Why do you think Bonnet was with Wylie? 
I'll take Wylie at his word, for now, that he didn't know Bonnet.
Were you surprised to see him? 
Bonnet?  Yes,     Wylie? Yes

12.  What did you think of Jocasta’s story of the French Gold?  Of the death of her daughters?  What is your impression of Hector Cameron?
Ruthless man!  But so were Colum and Dugal.  It explained a lot about Jocasta and River Run.  I think Jocasta may have been a very different person in Scotland.

13.  Who do you think the third man was? 
I have no idea.  We've met so many people from Scotland (considering the subject matter, no great surprise).  I was trying to remember who they all were but I'll I could come up with were Jamie, Duncan, the men from Ardsmuir, Lieutenant Hayes, Major MacDonald and the Bugs.  I don't remember if Wylie or Lyon were from Scotland.  I've ruled out Jamie, Duncan and the rest of the men from Ardsmuir and Lt Hays.  Come to think of it, wasn't it mentioned that Bug worked for a Grant?  Jamie seemed to think the the Grants were the most likely Clan involved with the gold.  As it turns out, it seems it's not that I have no idea, it's that I have too many ideas.

14.  Do you believe Wylie’s story about his relationship with Bonnet? 
Not sure.  I've decided to believe him for now.

15.  Any ideas as to who murdered Betty? 
None at all.  For right now I'm going with Wolff as the bad guy.  He's probably working with Bonnet too.

16.  The War of Regulation took place from 1764 to 1771.  It looks like Jamie’s going to be involved in the end.  Do you think he will fight against the regulators? 
I think he has to.  If he doesn't he will lose everything again and so will the people he has brought with him.  But in the end he will end up on the right side of the war.  He has to pick his time to switch very carefully.