The Fiery Cross: Discuss Part 7 here

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

I'm liking this new format I've started.  It's a lot easier for me and I hope it works for all of you too.

Here's the discussion for Part 7 ... moving right along.  

Part 7 - Alarms or Struggle and Flight
Chapters 73-88

1.  Roger doesn’t seem to have the will to live.  Do you think if he had adjusted better or been treated better he might have had the confidence to get through this?

2.  Jamie has been through several life threatening situations.  How has Claire’s care of Jamie (forgetting she’s a doctor) differed from Bree’s care of Roger?

3.  Do you have any ideas as to who the mysterious MacQuiston might be?  

4.  What did you think of Tryon granting 5,000 acres to Roger?  (Note: For the times, an estate needs a minimum acreage of 4000 to be self-sustaining)

5.  Buck McKenzie appears to have left the colony.  Do you think he might be trying to join Hamish or trying to get back to Scotland?

6.  What do you think of Lizzie marrying Manfred McGillivray?  What do you think of Jamie setting up shop for him?

7.  Do you think Roger is considering going back through the stones?

8.  What do you think Claire meant by saying Jamie was “a man?”

9.  What did you think of Jamie’s handling of Obadiah Henderson and Bree’s reaction to it?

10.  Bree says Henderson isn’t Roger’s problem and that’s why she didn’t tell him.  What do you think about that?

11.  Jamie seems to be trying to find things for Roger to do, like surveying.  Do you think this indicates a softening of his attitude toward Roger?  How much of this do you think is guilt or just Jamie’s way of caring for someone of his household?

12.  Why would Jamie want Bree to have friends among the Cherokee in case she was left alone with Jemmy?  Wouldn’t she have all the settlers on the Ridge to take care of her?  What about Marsali and Fergus or Jocasta?

13.  What did you think of the ghost bear and Josiah’s confession?

14.  When you learned there might be a settlement of escaped slaves, was there anyone you thought might reappear?

15.  Was there any significance to the flight of the passenger pigeons?

16.  Roger gets caught in the fire and is once again taken captive.  Did you think this might be the end for him or does the man have nine lives?  Does everything Jamie sets him to do end in near death?

17.  What did you think of Roger asking Jamie to teach him how to fight with swords?  Will Roger go after Bonnet, or does he just want to be prepared if Bonnet shows up again?

18.  What did you think of Roger’s swordfight with Dr. Fentiman?

19.  Roger tells Jamie the sword will do.  Jamie responds, “Good ... so will you.”  Do you think he has finally accepted Roger?

[millie34]

1.  Roger doesn’t seem to have the will to live.  Do you think if he had adjusted better or been treated better he might have had the confidence to get through this?
   Probably.  He doesn’t feel truly accepted by Jamie, he feels totally inadequate and probably feels Bree isn’t totally happy with him.

2.  Jamie has been through several life threatening situations.  How has Claire’s care of Jamie (forgetting she’s a doctor) differed from Bree’s care of Roger?
   She seemed to have been more loving.  Bree is doing all the things she needs to, but the loving feeling just isn’t there.

3.  Do you have any ideas as to who the mysterious MacQuiston might be? 
   I thought it was Buck MacKenzie.

4.  What did you think of Tryon granting 5,000 acres to Roger?  (Note: For the times, an estate needs a minimum acreage of 4000 to be self-sustaining)
   I don’t think there is anything Tryon could do to atone for what was done to Roger

5.  Buck McKenzie appears to have left the colony.  Do you think he might be trying to join Hamish or trying to get back to Scotland?
   From Roger’s conversation with Morag, it seemed as though they lost their home.  Maybe they migrated to another colony.

6.  What do you think of Lizzie marrying Manfred McGillivray?  What do you think of Jamie setting up shop for him?
   It surely doesn’t seem as though they are in love.  Sounds like he has more to gain than a wife.

7.  Do you think Roger is considering going back through the stones?
   Poor guy is depressed.  If he was a misfit before, now he seems really useless.  At least in his own time, he could be productive.  I don't know if he'd leave Bree and Jemmey though.

8.  What do you think Claire meant by saying Jamie was “a man?”
   Jamie is strong and sure of himself.  He’s a take-charge person whom she and others can lean on.  It did seem a bit insensitive for her to say that to Bree.  I was surprised at Claire.

9.  What did you think of Jamie’s handling of Obadiah Henderson and Bree’s reaction to it?
   I agree with Bree, the knife was a bit over the top.  But, he did say that he aimed for the wall and Obadiah moved.  Is Bree afraid to admit that she needs help from anyone.  We sometimes need to depend on others even now, how much more so then.

10.  Bree says Henderson isn’t Roger’s problem and that’s why she didn’t tell him.  What do you think about that?
   How could it not be Roger’s problem if someone is leering at his wife.  She may not feel that Roger is capable of defending her.

11.  Jamie seems to be trying to find things for Roger to do, like surveying.  Do you think this indicates a softening of his attitude toward Roger?  How much of this do you think is guilt or just Jamie’s way of caring for someone of his household?
   A little bit of both.  I guess he’s trying to help Roger adapt to life in their time.  I think he has come to care for him--”son of my house”

12.  Why would Jamie want Bree to have friends among the Cherokee in case she was left alone with Jemmy?  Wouldn’t she have all the settlers on the Ridge to take care of her?  What about Marsali and Fergus or Jocasta?
   Maybe he feels she’d be safer with the Cherokees during the Revolutionary war.  I don't know why he wouldn't have the same concern for all the others.  I guess he feels Marsali has Fergus and Jocasta has Duncan.  If he, Claire and Roger are killed in war, Bree and Jemmey would be alone.

13.  What did you think of the ghost bear and Josiah’s confession?
   I didn’t know what to make of a white bear.  The only white bears I know of are polar bears and they don’t live that far south.  As for Josiah’s confession, this all happened when he ran away from the Beardsley’s.  He survived as best he could.

14.  When you learned there might be a settlement of escaped slaves, was there anyone you thought might reappear?
   Maybe the black man Claire bought and the other slave he took with him.  I can’t remember their names.

15.  Was there any significance to the flight of the passenger pigeons?
   None that I can think of.

16.  Roger gets caught in the fire and is once again taken captive.  Did you think this might be the end for him or does the man have nine lives?  Does everything Jamie sets him to do end in near death?
   It seems that way, doesn't it.  If he didn’t have bad luck, would he have any at all?

17.  What did you think of Roger asking Jamie to teach him how to fight with swords?  Will Roger go after Bonnet, or does he just want to be prepared if Bonnet shows up again?
   I guess he figures if he’s going to live in these times, he’s going to have to adapt.  He will definitely be ready if Bonnet appears.  I don’t think he’ll go looking for him.

18.  What did you think of Roger’s swordfight with Dr. Fentiman?
   I was impressed and I think Jamie was too.  I have to tell you, when Moore shouted, “what am I a frigging target?”  I laughed so hard I cried.  I think that was the funniest line in the books so far.

19.  Roger tells Jamie the sword will do.  Jamie responds, “Good ... so will you.”  Do you think he has finally accepted Roger?
   I think Roger has finally earned Jamie’s respect.