The Fiery Cross: Discuss Part 9 here

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

I had plenty of time to read on the train and finish up the discussion.  A lot of interesting developments in the last Part. 

Part 9 – A Dangerous Business
Chapter 96 - End

1.  Why do you think Major MacDonald has been traveling all the way to the back country to visit Jamie?


2.  Were you surprised that Rawlings was at River Run? Did you think when you first read it that it had something to do with his disappearance?


3.  Do you think Jamie will see or hear from Ian again?



4.  If Rawlings didn't see Cameron leave the house, do you have any idea who it might have been? Have we seen any other Frenchmen besides Fergus?



5.  Roger finally bags a turkey and wants to show it off to Bree. Do you think she'll be proud of him despite the fact that he didn't shoot it?



6.  Frank told the doctor that Claire was a widow and he had adopted Bree as a baby. Why do you think he did that?



7.  Claire gives Roger the choice of having Jemmy's blood tested. Do you think he was tempted to do it? If they did and the results show he isn't Jemmy's biological father, do you think Roger would still accept him as his own?



8.  Jenny writes to Jamie about catching Laheer with a man and says that's what prompted her to finally write to him. Do you think there was really a man or did Jenny make up the story to give her an excuse to forgive him?



9.  Has Jenny truly forgiven Jamie for losing Ian, or has she just come to face the reality of the situation?



10.  Why do you think Jamie treated Claire as if she were Laheer when he was dreaming?



11.  Why do you think Jamie didn't react more strongly to the news that Laheer had sent Claire to Cranesmuir?



12.  When Roger runs into Duff, Duff notices how finely Roger and Jamie are dressed. Is Jamie actually prospering on Fraser's Ridge?



13.  Do you think Wylie is involved in smuggling with Bonnet?



14.  Do you think Roger is actually capable of killing Bonnet?



15.  What do you think about Roger wanting to be the one to kill Bonnet? Were you surprised that Jamie agreed?



16.  How did you feel about Roger killing Lilywhite?



17.  Did you guess that Lilywhite, Bonnet and Wolfe were working together?



18.  Why do you think neither Jamie nor Roger realized Bonnet would be suspicious of Jamie wanting to meet him?



19.  Do you think Bree would have shot Bonnet if he hadn't been threatening Jemmy? Do you think she got any satisfaction out of it?



20.  Do you think Jocasta or Ulysses murdered Lt. Wolfe?



21.  What did you expect would be found when Jocasta tried to prevent Jamie from opening the mausoleum?



22.  Were you surprised to find all of the French gold in the coffin? Did you think Hector Cameron would have entrusted the secret of the gold to his servants before he left Scotland?



23.  Did it seem out of character to you that Bree wasn't angry that Roger had read her dream diary?  Do you think this indicates a change in her feelings towards him?



24.  Why do you think Bree has changed her mind about having another child?



25.  Jamie went through many lonely years after Culloden as did Claire. Even though they are now together, does Claire still feel isolated because of her special knowledge?



26.  How do you feel about Roger trying to sing to Jemmy? Do you think he'll ever be able to sing again?



27.  Describe your feelings at Ian's return.



28.  What did you think of Otter Tooth's journal and his mission? Is his Raymond Claire's Maitre Raymond?



29.  Ian may not be able to grasp Greek and Latin, but he is a wise and observant young man. What did you think of his reaction to Claire, Roger and Bree being time travelers?



30.  When Roger asks Jemmy to show if he can curl his tongue, Jamie says that Roger has bigger balls than he has. Do you think he's acknowledging that Roger has a kind of courage that Jamie doesn't?



31.  What do you think is going to happen now that they know Jemmy can time travel?



32.  Ian and Jamie can't hear the stones. Do you think Ian would go to the future if he could?



33.  Did you think Roger would make the decision to stand by Jamie once he found out that Jemmy could travel?



“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' – ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”

 

[imallbs]

Reading along, reading along

IAN'S BACK 

Turn the page
Lizzy, what the.... 

Turn the page
This better be short! 

Turn the page

IAN'S BACK 

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

Reading along, reading along

IAN'S BACK 

Turn the page
Lizzy, what the.... 

Turn the page
This better be short! 

Turn the page

IAN'S BACK 

So glad you noticed the important event in this part.   

[imallbs]

So glad you noticed the important event in this part.   

Yeah, it was so subtle I almost missed it.

Since people have moved past this book, I'm not going to answer the questions but I did want to say that I'm beginning to like Bree.  She seems to be growing up a little bit.

The question of Claire, Bree and Roger staying if Jamie died was brought up in another section.  I was wondering if Bree and Roger would stay if Claire died.  All of this assuming that Jemmy could go through the stones.  I think that they would all leave if Jamie died.  Bree and Roger never intended to stay and I if Claire didn't have Jamie she would want her daughter and grandson.  But if Claire died, I like to think Bree and Roger wouldn't leave Jamie alone.  What do you think?

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

The question of Claire, Bree and Roger staying if Jamie died was brought up in another section.  I was wondering if Bree and Roger would stay if Claire died.  All of this assuming that Jemmy could go through the stones.  I think that they would all leave if Jamie died.  Bree and Roger never intended to stay and I if Claire didn't have Jamie she would want her daughter and grandson.  But if Claire died, I like to think Bree and Roger wouldn't leave Jamie alone.  What do you think?

Interesting question.  I've come to think of Jamie as indestructible.  I also like to think that they will die together. 

But, if it happens that Claire dies first, yes, I think Roger and Bree will stay with Jamie.  He has Fergus and Marsali and their children, but that's not the same as Bree.  She's his only child with Claire.  Jamie is also the only family that Bree and Roger have, and I don't think they would take Jemmy away from him.  Jamie is the only grandparent Jemmy will ever have.   

Since there are only two more books, and one, if not both of them, will span the Revolutionary War, I have been thinking of how DG will end the series.  I think she said she's going to 1790.  Will she end it with their deaths?  Will she end it with them sitting contentedly in the big house on Fraser's Ridge surrounded by grandchildren and great-grandchildren?  Will they go back to Scotland?  Of course, we'll have to wait four more years to find out. 

[millie34]

   1.  Why do you think Major MacDonald has been traveling all the way to the back country to visit Jamie?
   Maybe he’s still looking for Jamie’s help in landing a military position with the Governor.


2.  Were you surprised that Rawlings was at River Run? Did you think when you first read it that it had something to do with his disappearance?
   Yes, I was, and surprised to learn that he had examined both Cameron and Jocasta.  I thought that might have had something to do with him leaving the area.


3.  Do you think Jamie will see or hear from Ian again?
   I hope so.  I don’t see why he couldn’t come to visit and then go back.



4.  If Rawlings didn't see Cameron leave the house, do you have any idea who it might have been? Have we seen any other Frenchmen besides Fergus?
   I don’t think it was Cameron.  Could it be that Jocasta was having an affair?  She probably never forgave him for what happened to her daughters.



5.  Roger finally bags a turkey and wants to show it off to Bree. Do you think she'll be proud of him despite the fact that he didn't shoot it?
   I think so.  It seems her love for him is growing.


6.  Frank told the doctor that Claire was a widow and he had adopted Bree as a baby. Why do you think he did that?
   He was a pretty decent person.  He was protecting her.



7.  Claire gives Roger the choice of having Jemmy's blood tested. Do you think he was tempted to do it? If they did and the results show he isn't Jemmy's biological father, do you think Roger would still accept him as his own?
   I guess he thought about it, but then decided he didn’t want to know.  He probably was afraid that if the test showed he wasn’t Jemmy’s father he wouldn’t feel the same and he didn’t want that to happen.


8.  Jenny writes to Jamie about catching Laheer with a man and says that's what prompted her to finally write to him. Do you think there was really a man or did Jenny make up the story to give her an excuse to forgive him?
   It never occurred to me that she might have made it up.  It’s possible.  Too bad she didn’t realize how it would distress Jamie.



9.  Has Jenny truly forgiven Jamie for losing Ian, or has she just come to face the reality of the situation?
   I think she has accepted the fact that Ian is a man and has made his own choices.  Interesting that she thinks about the losses of others in her village and that it was presumptuous to think she could keep all of her family close. 



10.  Why do you think Jamie treated Claire as if she were Laheer when he was dreaming?
   Was he reliving the feelings of inadequacy and rejection.  He may have felt that if he was a better lover she would have come around.


11.  Why do you think Jamie didn't react more strongly to the news that Laheer had sent Claire to Cranesmuir?
   He was surprised, and after all so much time had passed, and he was able to rescue her.



12.  When Roger runs into Duff, Duff notices how finely Roger and Jamie are dressed. Is Jamie actually prospering on Fraser's Ridge?
   Everything is relative.  I would suppose that he was doing well enough to have decent travel outfits.



13.  Do you think Wylie is involved in smuggling with Bonnet?
   Without a doubt.  I thought so when they walked in on Claire doing the autopsy.



14.  Do you think Roger is actually capable of killing Bonnet?
   Some people have hidden strength.  With enough adrenaline he would be quite capable.



15.  What do you think about Roger wanting to be the one to kill Bonnet? Were you surprised that Jamie agreed?
   I certainly understand it.  Jamie said it was his right.



16.  How did you feel about Roger killing Lilywhite?
   Seeing him fighting with Jamie, he had to help.  I do think it shook him to the core.



17.  Did you guess that Lilywhite, Bonnet and Wolfe were working together?
   I thought that Bonnet, Wylie and Wolfe were all along.  I didn’t know about Lilywhite.



18.  Why do you think neither Jamie nor Roger realized Bonnet would be suspicious of Jamie wanting to meet him?
   They didn’t know about his plan to go to River Run to search for the gold.  He planned to get them out of the way so he would meet with little interference.  He had no interest in doing business with them.



19.  Do you think Bree would have shot Bonnet if he hadn't been threatening Jemmy? Do you think she got any satisfaction out of it?
   Maybe not but he was threatening Jemmy.  Mothers will do anything to protect their young.  He was also threatening her mother.



20.  Do you think Jocasta or Ulysses murdered Lt. Wolfe?
   I don’t see how Jocasta could have done it.  It had to be Ulysses.



21.  What did you expect would be found when Jocasta tried to prevent Jamie from opening the mausoleum?
   The gold.



22.  Were you surprised to find all of the French gold in the coffin? Did you think Hector Cameron would have entrusted the secret of the gold to his servants before he left Scotland?
   I had an idea it might be in the mausoleum, but I didn’t expect they would find all of it.  Under the circumstances that he left Scotland, I didn’t think he could have taken all the gold with him.  I suppose he couldn’t have trusted anyone with the location of that much gold.



23.  Did it seem out of character to you that Bree wasn't angry that Roger had read her dream diary?  Do you think this indicates a change in her feelings towards him?
   I already sensed that she not only loved him more.  She trusted him with her innermost thoughts.



24.  Why do you think Bree has changed her mind about having another child?
   She probably feels that they will stay in this time.  Also, she may want to give Roger a child that he’ll be sure is his, not that she feels he’ll love Jemmy any less.



25.  Jamie went through many lonely years after Culloden as did Claire. Even though they are now together, does Claire still feel isolated because of her special knowledge?
   Although the love between Claire and Jamie is rare, there are things that he couldn’t possibly understand.  Bree realizes this, and even though she’s not a doctor she can be a sounding board in much the same way her colleague in Boston was.

26.  How do you feel about Roger trying to sing to Jemmy? Do you think he'll ever be able to sing again?
   It was very touching.  He may be able to sing someday, but I would think his voice will be changed.



27.  Describe your feelings at Ian's return.
   You could feel Jamie’s joy.  I can’t believe Ian is home for good.



28.  What did you think of Otter Tooth's journal and his mission? Is his Raymond Claire's Maitre Raymond?
   He went back to try and change history for the American Indian.  If he got to the proper time, I wonder??  I think Otter’s Raymond was one and the same as Claire’s.  I think I remember that he may have been from the past though and not from the future.  It’s amazing that he made the journey from Europe to America.



29.  Ian may not be able to grasp Greek and Latin, but he is a wise and observant young man. What did you think of his reaction to Claire, Roger and Bree being time travelers?
   He took it very well.  Apparently he thought there was something strange about Claire.  Now he knows, and he seems relieved to know she's not a witch.



30.  When Roger asks Jemmy to show if he can curl his tongue, Jamie says that Roger has bigger balls than he has. Do you think he's acknowledging that Roger has a kind of courage that Jamie doesn't?
   Roger was willing to take the risk of finding out if Jemmy was truly his.  I guess Jamie wouldn’t have taken that chance.



31.  What do you think is going to happen now that they know Jemmy can time travel?
   With the revolution coming, I think they may seriously consider going back.




32.Ian and Jamie can't hear the stones. Do you think Ian would go to the future if he could?
   Definitely!  He’s an adventurous and curious young man.  If he was willing to be a Mohawk, he would certainly want to go to the future.



33.  Did you think Roger would make the decision to stand by Jamie once he found out that Jemmy could travel?
   Not at all.  I really expected them to go back.  He obviously feel a strong sense of family with Jamie and Claire.  He didn’t have any family in Scotland.



“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' – ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”
   What a love story!!

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

   1.  Why do you think Major MacDonald has been traveling all the way to the back country to visit Jamie?
   Maybe he’s still looking for Jamie’s help in landing a military position with the Governor.

Yes, I think the Major is an opportunist and he will use anyone he can to advance himself.

3.  Do you think Jamie will see or hear from Ian again?
   I hope so.  I don’t see why he couldn’t come to visit and then go back.

The Mohawk made it very clear to Ian that he would have to divorce himself completely from his family and not even speak English or Gaelic again.  

9.  Has Jenny truly forgiven Jamie for losing Ian, or has she just come to face the reality of the situation?
   I think she has accepted the fact that Ian is a man and has made his own choices.  Interesting that she thinks about the losses of others in her village and that it was presumptuous to think she could keep all of her family close.

I thought that was very insightful of Jenny.

16.  How did you feel about Roger killing Lilywhite?
   Seeing him fighting with Jamie, he had to help.  I do think it shook him to the core.

Living the way they do, Roger may have to kill again, but I don't think he will ever become hardened to it.  Jamie isn't really hardened to it either, but he can accept it as a way of life and that, I don't think Roger can ever do.  

21.  What did you expect would be found when Jocasta tried to prevent Jamie from opening the mausoleum?
   The gold.

I never guessed that or that Rawlings would be in the mausoleum.

23.  Did it seem out of character to you that Bree wasn't angry that Roger had read her dream diary?  Do you think this indicates a change in her feelings towards him?
   I already sensed that she not only loved him more.  She trusted him with her innermost thoughts.

I like the way you put that.  

32.Ian and Jamie can't hear the stones. Do you think Ian would go to the future if he could?
   Definitely!  He’s an adventurous and curious young man.  If he was willing to be a Mohawk, he would certainly want to go to the future.

Yes, I think he would, too.  One of the reasons I love Ian.  

“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' – ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”
   What a love story!!

That part always make me cry.  

[imallbs]

I had plenty of time to read on the train and finish up the discussion.  A lot of interesting developments in the last Part. 

Part 9 – A Dangerous Business
Chapter 96 - End

1.  Why do you think Major MacDonald has been traveling all the way to the back country to visit Jamie?
I think Major MacDonald and Jamie will find a way to use each other.

2.  Were you surprised that Rawlings was at River Run?
Very surprised but I don't know why.
Did you think when you first read it that it had something to do with his disappearance?  
I figured he disappeared there and Cameron and Jocasta had something to do with it.  I wonder if Jocasta knows that it is Rawlings med box Claire is using?

5.  Roger finally bags a turkey and wants to show it off to Bree. Do you think she'll be proud of him despite the fact that he didn't shoot it?
Yes I do.  I'm starting to like Bree.  She seems to be growing up.  But DG now has two other brats to write about: Jemmy and Germaine


6.  Frank told the doctor that Claire was a widow and he had adopted Bree as a baby. Why do you think he did that?
He had made his decision and it wasn't anybody else's business.  He did care about Claire and Bree but he also cared about his reputation so all of that would mean he would not tell anyone the truth.  Can you imagine the conversation if he did tell the truth?  Hello colleague.  Have you met my wife, Claire, and her daughter Brianna?  Claire thinks Brianna's father died 200 years ago.  I've come to accept it and am raising Brianna as my own.  Can I freshen your drink?

7.  Claire gives Roger the choice of having Jemmy's blood tested. Do you think he was tempted to do it?
Yes I think he was.
If they did and the results show he isn't Jemmy's biological father, do you think Roger would still accept him as his own?
I think he already has and it's his fear that he would feel different that stopped him.


8.  Jenny writes to Jamie about catching Laheer with a man and says that's what prompted her to finally write to him. Do you think there was really a man or did Jenny make up the story to give her an excuse to forgive him?
I think there was a man.  Jenny was looking for an excuse but as a proud woman she wouldn't want to be found making one up.


11.  Why do you think Jamie didn't react more strongly to the news that Laheer had sent Claire to Cranesmuir?
Hard to say.  Did he already know?  Does he think it's time to leave the past in the past?  Does he really know Laoghaire and nothing nasty she does suprises him?

13.  Do you think Wylie is involved in smuggling with Bonnet?
I think he's too stupid to be involved with Bonnet and live.

14.  Do you think Roger is actually capable of killing Bonnet?
In self defence, yes.  In cold blood, no.

17.  Did you guess that Lilywhite, Bonnet and Wolfe were working together?
I hadn't really thought about it but it wasn't surprising.  The Russians were surprising.

18.  Why do you think neither Jamie nor Roger realized Bonnet would be suspicious of Jamie wanting to meet him?
That part made no sense!

19.  Do you think Bree would have shot Bonnet if he hadn't been threatening Jemmy? Do you think she got any satisfaction out of it?
I think she would have shot to protect somebody but she reacted faster because it was Jemmy.  She would not have let him hurt he mother.  I liked that the women took care of him and the men's reaction to it.


22.  Were you surprised to find all of the French gold in the coffin? Did you think Hector Cameron would have entrusted the secret of the gold to his servants before he left Scotland? 
I figured it was somewhere around there but can't figure out how they got it there.  Does the gold make up for the loss of 3 children?  Is it payment for the loss of three children?

23.  Did it seem out of character to you that Bree wasn't angry that Roger had read her dream diary?  Do you think this indicates a change in her feelings towards him
It was unexpected but I liked the change.

25.  Jamie went through many lonely years after Culloden as did Claire. Even though they are now together, does Claire still feel isolated because of her special knowledge?
I think she feels less isolated now that Roger and Bree are there.  It's hard when you have to keep explaining your smart a... comments.


26.  How do you feel about Roger trying to sing to Jemmy? Do you think he'll ever be able to sing again?
How about when Jemmy asked Daddy to sing?

28 Is his Raymond Claire's Maitre Raymond?
I think so.


29.  Ian may not be able to grasp Greek and Latin, but he is a wise and observant young man. What did you think of his reaction to Claire, Roger and Bree being time travelers?
Perfect understated Fraser reaction.  I'm glad Ian is back but I wonder how much his time away has changed him.



30.  When Roger asks Jemmy to show if he can curl his tongue, Jamie says that Roger has bigger balls than he has. Do you think he's acknowledging that Roger has a kind of courage that Jamie doesn't?  
And with it more respect for Roger

31.  What do you think is going to happen now that they know Jemmy can time travel?
They are going back, it is just a matter of when.


32.  Ian and Jamie can't hear the stones. Do you think Ian would go to the future if he could?
I didn't think people could travel to the future, just the past and back to where they would have been if they had not left.  But if Ian could, he would.  I=He is up for adventure.   But...he seems to have missed his family.  Would he really leave again not knowing  if he could come back?

“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' – ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”

 

What you said

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

8.  Jenny writes to Jamie about catching Laheer with a man and says that's what prompted her to finally write to him. Do you think there was really a man or did Jenny make up the story to give her an excuse to forgive him?
I think there was a man.  Jenny was looking for an excuse but as a proud woman she wouldn't want to be found making one up.

Would there be much danger of being found out?  Jamie may never come back to Scotland and who is to tell him otherwise.  It was also a way to even the score a bit.  She had to know Laheer responding to someone else would call his manhood into question.

On the other hand, that's not Jenny's style.  She'd gut Jamie before she would lie to him.

22.  Were you surprised to find all of the French gold in the coffin? Did you think Hector Cameron would have entrusted the secret of the gold to his servants before he left Scotland?
I figured it was somewhere around there but can't figure out how they got it there.  Does the gold make up for the loss of 3 children?  Is it payment for the loss of three children?

Says a lot about Hector Cameron.  Jocasta, too, I think.  She's a MacKenzie, after all and just as ruthless in her way as Dougal and Colum.  It's easy to put all the blame on Hector after 25 years, but she went along with stealing the gold and keeping the secret. 

29.  Ian may not be able to grasp Greek and Latin, but he is a wise and observant young man. What did you think of his reaction to Claire, Roger and Bree being time travelers?
Perfect understated Fraser reaction.  I'm glad Ian is back but I wonder how much his time away has changed him.

I wonder, too.  He's a lot like Jamie, but has some of the easy-going Murray ways.  I think his time with the Mohawk has probably developed more of his ruthless side. 

32.  Ian and Jamie can't hear the stones. Do you think Ian would go to the future if he could?
I didn't think people could travel to the future, just the past and back to where they would have been if they had not left.  But if Ian could, he would.  I=He is up for adventure.   But...he seems to have missed his family.  Would he really leave again not knowing  if he could come back?

Yes, they can travel back and forth.  Claire went back to the future.  Raymond seems to travel through all times.  As dangerous as it is, I think he's found the secret of steering and traveling safely.  I really wish she would write at least some of Raymond's story soon.  I hope she's still planning on it. 

“When the day shall come, that we do part,” he said softly, and turned to look at me, “if my last words are not 'I love you' – ye'll ken it was because I didna have time.”

What you said

That part always makes me cry.