An Echo in the Bone

In 1980, Bree reads another letter from her parents. Ian snuck onto the ship to Scotland disguised as a Mohawk associate of Simon Fraser’s. In a postscript, Jamie asks Bree to pray for him, as it is the Feast of All Saints, the day a soul might be released from purgatory.

Roger arrives with Buck; he is the “Nuckelavee” that Jem and Mandy have seen around Lallybroch. Buck found the ancient standing stones in Inverness and accidentally traveled to the future. He has been living in shelters and in the hills of Lallybroch, watching Roger and Bree, whom he recognized from the 18th century. Roger and Bree allow Buck to stay with them disguised as a visiting relative. Rob Cameron invites Jem on a sleepover with his nephew Bobby and Buck tells Bree that Rob is clearly attracted to her.

In 1777, William arrives in Philadelphia. He is supposed to return to England under the terms of Burgoyne’s surrender but hopes to receive a new commission and stay in America. John watches William and Dottie’s reunion and identifies no romantic tension between them. John is happy to see William but saddened by the disappearance of “the last traces of Willie’s innocence” (896). William suggests that Denny Hunter operate on Henry, and volunteers to find him at Valley Forge. Secretly, William relishes the opportunity to see Rachel.

In December 1777, Claire and Jamie complete errands in Edinburgh, Scotland, wondering if Ian is at a brothel. They go to Jamie’s old print shop to deliver letters to Mrs. Bell’s lost husband, Richard Bell. Jamie learns that Andy Bell, Richard’s kinsman and a famous engraver, has been using his printing press for profit, even though Jamie has paid him to store it for him. They find Andy Bell at a tavern, and he offers to print a book authored by Claire to make up for years of unpaid rent on the press. Later, Ian joins them at the hotel. Ian did not go to the brothel as he feels “betrothed” to Rachel Hunter. Percy Beauchamp visits Claire at the hotel and says that he thinks Fergus is the Comte St. Germain’s heir and that he never tried to abduct Fergus. The company “Hortalez et Cie” is a front for funneling French money to the American war effort. Percy wants Fergus to claim his inheritance to help fund the war.

At Simon Fraser’s funeral, Ian sings a death song for the general. Claire reflects on mortality, seeing an ancient stone cairn on the hillside. Claire wonders whose cairn it is, and who left “no more than an echo of their bones” under the stones (925).

Ian, Claire, and Jamie arrive at Lallybroch, where Jamie’s sister Jenny lives with her husband, also called Ian. The elder Ian is dying of consumption. Jamie, shaken by the elder Ian’s illness and the changes to his childhood home, sympathizes with Claire, who lost her entire world when she first traveled from the 1940s to the 1740s (the events of the first novel in the series). Claire reassures Jamie, “You’re the world I have” (936).

Ian and his father reconnect after Ian’s long absence; they take advantage of the remaining days before the elder Ian’s imminent death. They discuss war, mortality, and Ian tells his father about Rachel. Th elder Ian reassures his son that Murdina’s death was not his fault and that he would feel better if he knew Ian was happily married before he died.

Jamie visits Laoghaire (pronounced LEER-EE), his second wife and Marsali’s mother. Jamie married Laoghaire during his and Claire’s 20-year separation, when Claire returned to the 20th century to give birth to Brianna, believing Jamie would die at the battle of Culloden. Laoghaire hates Claire passionately and is bitter over the failure of her own relationship with Jamie. Laoghaire is now romantically involved with her goatherd, Joey. Jamie wants to apologize for their past misunderstandings, but the visit quickly devolves into a fight and Laoghaire lists every wrong she believes Jamie has done to her, including her dependence on Jamie’s alimony.

Claire works on her medical book, to be printed by Andy Bell. She knows Jamie needs her at Lallybroch for support, but she feels unwelcome as she and Jenny parted on bad terms years before. Jenny once summoned Laoghaire to Lallybroch to force Jamie to tell his two wives about one another; Laoghaire shot Jamie as a result.

Jamie takes Claire to see the cave where he hid as a fugitive after the battle of Culloden. Jamie’s other stepdaughter, Joan, appears. Joan wants to be a nun but feels she must stay home to prevent Laoghaire from having premarital sex with Joey. Laoghaire will not marry Joey, as doing so will forfeit her claim to alimony from Jamie. Jamie agrees to help.

Ian’s brother Michael comes home from France, where he works as a wine merchant. Michael was delayed by the death of his wife, and he struggles with the added grief of his father’s terminal illness. Knowing Michael is wealthy and likely to become even richer, Claire warns Michael of the French Revolution and subsequent Reign of Terror. She advises him to leave France before the Revolution. Jamie explains Claire’s knowledge of the future as a supernatural ability. Later, Jenny, who knows Claire is a time traveler, begs Claire to save her husband’s life. Claire explains that the elder Ian’s illness is beyond her help. Jenny accuses Claire of refusing to help as punishment for Jenny summoning Laoghaire years before.

Jamie and the elder Ian reminisce about their long friendship. Jamie tells the elder Ian he will pass through purgatory quickly, as he is a good man. Jamie gives the elder Ian his amputated finger and asks if he will have it buried with him. Though he finds this hilarious, the elder Ian promises to keep it safe until Jamie joins him in death. Jamie offers to “hasten” the elder Ian’s death when the suffering becomes too intense, and the elder Ian thanks him.

Later, Jenny tells Jamie she is furious with Claire for refusing to help her husband. Jamie reminds Jenny that Claire loves him and would cure him if she could. Jenny, overcome by grief, remains infuriated.

Laoghaire brings Claire a letter from Marsali, who is now in Philadelphia. Marsali’s son Henri-Christian has sleep apnea, exacerbated by his dwarfism. Though Claire would help Henri-Christian regardless, she makes a deal with Laoghaire: Claire will cure Henri-Christian if Laoghaire gives up her alimony, marries Joey, and allows Joan to become a nun. Claire must leave at once, while Jamie will remain at Lallybroch until the elder Ian’s death. Meanwhile, the lawyer Ned Gowan draws up the terms of the new annulment agreement.

Ian finds his mother counting sheep near the Lallybroch graveyard, unable to sleep. Jenny placed a gravestone for Young Ian’s stillborn daughter, which moves him deeply. Jenny calls Ian a man and tells him to go to Rachel rather than wait for his father’s death. Ian leaves with Claire for America.

When the elder Ian dies, Jamie remembers Claire’s parting words: “I love you. I’ll see you again” (1000). Jenny tells Jamie that her husband will be with her no matter where she goes, and that she wants to go to America with him. Jenny tells Jamie about the death of their father, which occurred while Jamie was in hiding as a young man, and the siblings make amends for past arguments. Jenny reminds Jamie that their father will always be with him. Jamie recalls the elder Ian’s last words, “On your right, man,” meaning that Ian would always be “Guarding [Jamie’s] weak side” (1003).