ABOSAA: Discuss Part Ten here

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

Wow!!!  Lot's of happenings in this Part.  Even though I read the book when it first came out and knew what happened, I definitely did some nail-biting.  There is a lot in this Part to discuss, so here goes.

Part Ten - Where’s Perry Mason When You Need Him?
Chapters 76 - 97

1.  Jamie has already enlisted the Cherokee on the side of the British.  Do you think they will follow his lead and side with the colonists.



2.  My dear John — it is too late.  Our continued correspondence cannot but prove a danger to you, but it is with the greatest regret that I sever this link between us. 

How do you think Jamie felt writing this letter to John?  Do you think John will forgive him for siding with the Whigs?



3.  Bree and Roger wake up and realize that the revolution has begun.  Roger says, “Bree, I would sell my soul to be there now.”  What do you think he meant by that?



4.  What did you think of the birth of the latest baby Beardsley?  What consequences do you foresee for this marriage(s)?



5.  What was your first thought when Malva accused Jamie of being the father of her baby?



6.  When Claire slapped Malva, what do you think her reason was?



7.  Why do you think Claire called Malva the daughter of the heart?



8.  Jamie confesses to Claire that he had been unfaithful to her with Mary McNab.  What did you think of his confession?



9.  Do you think Claire finally realized just how alone Jamie had been while she was gone?



10.  Do you think the fact that Frank cheated on Claire caused her to doubt Jamie, too?



11.  How did you feel about Ian possibly being the father of Malva’s child?



12.  Were you surprised that Bobby Higgins could also be the father?



13.  Why do you think Ian felt he dare not fall asleep with Malva?



14.  How did you feel when Claire found Malva dead?  Did you have a first thought as to who might have murdered her?



15.  Do you think there might be consequences to Claire trying to save the baby with an emergency C-section?



16.  Why do you think Jamie made the decision to kidnap Joseph Wemyss’ bride?



17.  What did you think when several men disappeared from the Ridge after Malva was murdered?



18.  Why do you think Claire refused to go with Richard Brown?



19.  Jamie and Claire believe that Brown intends to kill both of them.  Did you think that was the case?



20.  Why do you think more of Jamie’s Ardsmuir men didn’t come to their rescue?



21.  What did you think of Tom Christie’s offer to go with Jamie and Claire?



22.  What is the significance of the Circuit Court no longer meeting and the justice of the peace refusing to take responsibility for Jamie and Claire?



23.  Were you surprised that Neil Forbes would be help Brown get rid of Jamie and Claire?



24.  What do you think of the practice of putting Loyalists on board ships bound for England in order to get rid of them?



25.  Since Jamie was to be deported to England on Bonnet’s ship, do you think he would have arrived?



26.  Both Jamie and Ian would like to wait for Bonnet and kill him, but realize if anything happened to them, Claire would be alone and defenseless.  Once again, a chance is missed.  Do you think Jamie will ever kill him?



27.  Why do you think forgery is a capital crime and murder isn’t?



28.  Were you happy to see Fergus and Marsali again?  Do you think things are working out for them?



29.  What did you feel when Jamie found Claire on board the ship?  What did you think when he was forced to leave her there.



30.  “Very nice, Mr. Ohnat,” I muttered to Jamie under my breath.  “At least we’re already married.”  Why did Claire say that?



31.  When you first saw Tom Christie, why did you think he was on the ship?



32.  Does the story he told Claire explain his character to you as well as his relationship with Malva?



33.  Were you surprised that Malva tried to kill Claire and Tom by infecting them with viral meningitis?  Why do you think she did that?



34.  What did you think of Tom Christie’s assertion that maybe he should have been the one to kill Malva and his motives for sacrificing his life for Claire’s?

[millie34]

1.  Jamie has already enlisted the Cherokee on the side of the British.  Do you think they will follow his lead and side with the colonists.
   Maybe some will, but not all.  They may remember that the guns came from the King.



2.  My dear John — it is too late.  Our continued correspondence cannot but prove a danger to you, but it is with the greatest regret that I sever this link between us. 

How do you think Jamie felt writing this letter to John?  Do you think John will forgive him for siding with the Whigs?
   Jamie had to be torn between his friendship with John and his decision to do what he had to do for his family’s sake.  If it wasn’t for his foreknowledge, he would have stayed a Loyalist.  John will be disappointed, but he won’t stop caring for Jamie.



3.  Bree and Roger wake up and realize that the revolution has begun.  Roger says, “Bree, I would sell my soul to be there now.”  What do you think he meant by that?
   He’s so in awe at seeing history happen.  I can’t imagine that he’d want to participate in the fighting though.



4.  What did you think of the birth of the latest baby Beardsley?  What consequences do you foresee for this marriage(s)?
   She certainly gave birth easily for a first child.  I would think that eventually the twins will get jealous of one another.



5.  What was your first thought when Malva accused Jamie of being the father of her baby?
   I was totally shocked.  She’s really wicked.  How did she know Jamie’s scars as well as she did?



6.  When Claire slapped Malva, what do you think her reason was?
   I think she knew she was lying and was going to wreck havoc on their lives.  Claire saw a woman next to Jamie when she was close to death, it must have been Malva.



7.  Why do you think Claire called Malva the daughter of the heart?
   She took her under her wing and was so glad to be able to teach her.  I think she came to love her and thought Malva loved her too.



8.  Jamie confesses to Claire that he had been unfaithful to her with Mary McNab.  What did you think of his confession?
   By baring his soul to her about Mary, he gave her the complete honestly they pledged to each other.  If she had any doubt at all about Malva, she had none now.



9.  Do you think Claire finally realized just how alone Jamie had been while she was gone?
   To think that he went 20 years alone, except for one night of tenderness with Mary.  She at least had Frank, even though she didn’t love him anymore.



10.  Do you think the fact that Frank cheated on Claire caused her to doubt Jamie, too?
   Frank cheated because there was no love in their marriage.  I don’t know if she truly doubted Jamie’s faithfulness, but she had to know he never expected to see her again.



11.  How did you feel about Ian possibly being the father of Malva’s child?
   He didn’t love her, but she made herself available and Ian was kinda hungry.



12.  Were you surprised that Bobby Higgins could also be the father?
   Talk about being a whore!!  Her father will surely kill her.



13.  Why do you think Ian felt he dare not fall asleep with Malva?
   He obviously didn’t trust her.



14.  How did you feel when Claire found Malva dead?  Did you have a first thought as to who might have murdered her?
   Problem solved?  No, just kidding, it was terrible.  I thought it may have been her brother.  Ian could have done it too.  He knew she was lying.



15.  Do you think there might be consequences to Claire trying to save the baby with an emergency C-section?
   People may think she murdered her.  I don’t think they did c-sections in those days.



16.  Why do you think Jamie made the decision to kidnap Joseph Wemyss’ bride?
   He was tired of all the tragic occurrences on the Ridge, which he was helpless to do anything about.  This was something good that he had control over.



17.  What did you think when several men disappeared from the Ridge after Malva was murdered?
   Could be a sign of guilt, but they couldn’t all be guilty.



18.  Why do you think Claire refused to go with Richard Brown?
   She knew he would kill her.



19.  Jamie and Claire believe that Brown intends to kill both of them.  Did you think that was the case?
   Yep!



20.  Why do you think more of Jamie’s Ardsmuir men didn’t come to their rescue?
   They may have believed the rumors about Jamie’s part in Malva’s pregnancy and also that Claire killed her.  Some of them still thought Claire might be a witch.


21.  What did you think of Tom Christie’s offer to go with Jamie and Claire?
   He may have felt that they couldn’t have murdered Malva.



22.  What is the significance of the Circuit Court no longer meeting and the justice of the peace refusing to take responsibility for Jamie and Claire?
   Brown is now strapped with two prisoners that he really wanted to kill, but can’t because there’s a witness.  He now has to find a law officer who will take responsibility for them.



23.  Were you surprised that Neil Forbes would be help Brown get rid of Jamie and Claire?
   He was delighted to get revenge for Jamie’s part in preventing the tarring of Simms.



24.  What do you think of the practice of putting Loyalists on board ships bound for England in order to get rid of them?
   I guess it was a way to get rid of them.  It was easier than jailing or killing them all.



25.  Since Jamie was to be deported to England on Bonnet’s ship, do you think he would have arrived?
   One of them would be dead before the ship got to England.



26.  Both Jamie and Ian would like to wait for Bonnet and kill him, but realize if anything happened to them, Claire would be alone and defenseless.  Once again, a chance is missed.  Do you think Jamie will ever kill him?
   Sooner or later.



27.  Why do you think forgery is a capital crime and murder isn’t?
   That’s weird.  Perhaps because forgery is considered a crime against the government and murder is a crime against one person?



28.  Were you happy to see Fergus and Marsali again?  Do you think things are working out for them?
   It was good to see them again, they seem to be doing very well and Fergus seems happy.



29.  What did you feel when Jamie found Claire on board the ship?  What did you think when he was forced to leave her there.
   Jamie to the rescue again.  He couldn’t have been to happy to leave her, but he’ll find a way to get her free.



30.  “Very nice, Mr. Ohnat,” I muttered to Jamie under my breath.  “At least we’re already married.”  Why did Claire say that?
   That went right over my head.  Can anyone explain?



31.  When you first saw Tom Christie, why did you think he was on the ship?
   I thought maybe he was going to try and clear Claire.



32.  Does the story he told Claire explain his character to you as well as his relationship with Malva?
   WOW!  Can I exhale now?



33.  Were you surprised that Malva tried to kill Claire and Tom by infecting them with viral meningitis?  Why do you think she did that?
   She may not have been a witch, but she was evil.  She wanted to be rid of Tom because he knew what she was and she wanted Claire out of the way so she might have Jamie, or if not him, his land.



34.  What did you think of Tom Christie’s assertion that maybe he should have been the one to kill Malva and his motives for sacrificing his life for Claire’s?
   I still think it was his son who killed Malva and Tom is sacrificing himself to protect him.

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

16.  Why do you think Jamie made the decision to kidnap Joseph Wemyss’ bride?
   He was tired of all the tragic occurrences on the Ridge, which he was helpless to do anything about.  This was something good that he had control over.

Yes, I think he needed to establish control over something.  He was so used to taking care of everyone and finding solutions for everything, and now things were spiraling totally out of control. 

17.  What did you think when several men disappeared from the Ridge after Malva was murdered?
   Could be a sign of guilt, but they couldn’t all be guilty.

I think they were all guilty of sleeping with Malva. 

22.  What is the significance of the Circuit Court no longer meeting and the justice of the peace refusing to take responsibility for Jamie and Claire?
   Brown is now strapped with two prisoners that he really wanted to kill, but can’t because there’s a witness.  He now has to find a law officer who will take responsibility for them.

And that's what happens when war is imminent ... the breakdown of the justice system and law & order. 

30.  “Very nice, Mr. Ohnat,” I muttered to Jamie under my breath.  “At least we’re already married.”  Why did Claire say that?
   That went right over my head.  Can anyone explain?

It's a reference to The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.  If you haven't seen the movie, I won't say any more. 

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

I finished the book today as planned, but I'll have to post the final discussion tomorrow.