Claire and Geillis are on trial for witchcraft. Jamie manages to rescue Claire, but not before she discovers a secret about Geillis’ past.
The Devil’s Mark opens with Claire and Geillis being tossed into the Thieves Hole (a large pit with doors covering it). Claire and Geillis discover the only other occupants of the Thieves Hole are rats. Geillis tells Claire she suspects her of bring the Warden to her door (getting caught up by accident) but Claire tells Geillis it was Laoghaire who forged the note which sent her to Geillis and Laoghaire knew prior the Warden would be coming for Geillis. Geillis tells Claire she should have “kept my secrets” and Claire tells her it was Jeanie who told Claire where Geillis was that night and maybe Geillis shouldn’t have made it “common knowledge” she was “dancing under the moon and burning effigies.”
Geillis is stunned thinking Claire believes her to be a witch (could you really blame Claire after the whole dancing under the moon and burning effigies thing). Claire doesn’t believe Geillis is a witch because she knows it wasn’t witchcraft which killed Arthur Duncan but instead poison. Geillis confesses to poisoning Arthur to which Claire comments, “And then you’d be free to marry Dougal.” Geillis tells Claire her baby is a boy and sits next to Claire, grabbing her hand to put it to her stomach telling Claire he’s kicking. Claire pulls away from Geillis as a man comes and drops bread into the Hole for their dinner saying, “Food for the witches.”
Claire calls out to the guard and tells him she’s married to the Laird’s nephew and that her name is Claire Fraser. The guard clearly doesn’t believe her telling her, “And I’m King Arthur.” Geillis tries to lighten the mood by says, “Surely King Arthur was more appealing than that slimy puddock.” Geillis then tries to assure Claire that Dougal will save them but then Claire tells Geillis about Colum banishing Dougal to his wife’s funeral and that Jamie went with him.
Geillis offers to share the bread with Claire and tells her they will keep them in the Hole until he trial, they are summoning the Examiners. Geillis wants Claire to lie near her to make it warmer but Claire lies down where she is leaving Geillis to herself.
In the morning, Geillis is standing under the locked bars to the Thieves Hole and tells Claire, “it is starting” as people outside chant, “They’re going to burn the witches.” Claire supposes, “it is better to be burned as a witch than to freeze to death.”
The guard comes and lowers a ladder into the Hole to bring Geillis and Claire up. Once above ground, Claire and Geillis’s hands are tied and they are led past a stake being set up to burn them to death. They are led into a court room where they are put in front of the Examiners.
Claire tells us there was no one in the audience that she knew and from history she knows those accused of witchcraft “rarely walked free.” Ned Gowan pushes his way through the crowd to defend the accused. He says the Witchcraft Act of 1563 was repealed in 1735 meaning the trial is illegal. The Examiners tell Ned the trial is part of the church. Ned happily says the court has dispensed with British Law but that the men would not wish to dispense with their “Proud Scottish Legal Tradition” asking the crowd if they are all still in Scotland. The Examiners look annoyed with him but Ned goes on to say those in Scotland are allowed a lawyer for their defenses and when the crowd seems upset with this Ned points out it is something you wouldn’t be offered in England. Ned looks to Claire who silently thanks him.
Jeanie Hume, Geillis kitchen maid, comes forth to tell the court that she worked for the accused for five years and that she saw many woman came to the door looking for charms, talismans and amulets. Geillis provided them. Jeanie then says that Claire was with her in the fields gathering herbs and making potions in the storeroom.
Claire tells us Jeanie detailed many accusations against them for an hour. We then hear Jeanie stated Geillis would sing incantations outside of where Arthur Duncan was sleeping. She says it would send cats running from the house because animals sense evil. Ned disputes that a cat is a good witness.
Ned says it is true that Jeanie was unhappy kitchen maid who went for work at the castle because she said she was underpaid and under admired and that Arthur was “a flatulent old scunner” and that Geillis was a “flibbertigibbit”. Ned says that Jeanie’s testimony is just that of a malcontent maid servant.
Rabina Donaldson tells that her baby was born healthy but it turned sickly and they knew it was a Changeling. She then says her and her husband placed the baby in the tree so the Faery could come and take back their child and leave hers in return. Instead, she says they saw Claire come and took the child and whispered strange spells over it. She says when the sun rose they went back to find the changeling child dead and their own bairn was nowhere. She attacks Claire who tells her she did nothing to harm the child. Claire yells out that she was trying to save the child.
Ned tells Claire not to say anything so let him do his job. He then turns to Rabina and gives her his deepest sympathy. He then asks why Rabina hadn’t stopped Claire is she was there. Then Ned says Rabina let her fear prevent her from stopping Claire from contaminating the bairn so the faery couldn’t complete the switch. He then says what Jamie did before that Rabina’s child is forever happy and healthy with the Fae and that is some comfort.
Claire notices despite Ned’s ability to turn an argument on its head the people around them only wanted one outcome.
Allister Duffie charges Geillis Duncan with calling down a storm. He says she controlled the weather and then leapt into the sky and flew away. Claire cries out that this is preposterous and the court tells her to be quiet once again. The Examiners then dismiss the court until the following day.
Ned tells Claire there is danger afoot and he thinks they stand a chance after today’s proceedings. Claire asks if Colum sent him and he says now and Colum would be upset with him if he knew he was there. Claire wonders if Colum had something to do with her arrest but Ned doesn’t answer. Ned does give her a flask of whisky to keep her warm through the night.
Back in the Thieves Hole, Claire and Geillis are drinking. Geillis comments that Ned is an odd one and Claire says that Ned thinks their prospects are good. Geillis knows what is really happening an tells Claire the people mean to kill them and she should drink up now because tomorrow their ashes will be “scattered to the four winds.”
Claire wonders if Geillis wanted Dougal or money and position. Geillis says she had money, she knew where Arthur kept his notes and he wrote a fair hand making it easy to forge. She diverted 1000 pounds for the Jacobite cause. Claire realizes it was politics that brought Dougal and Geillis together. Claire points out that Dougal is not a faithful man which Geillis doesn’t care about. She says Colum fights for the MacKenzies but Dougal fights for all of the clans, all of Scotland. Claire realizes that Geillis loves Dougal but Geillis won’t admit it thought Geillis is hurt Dougal left when Colum ordered him to, leaving her to this fate. Claire tells her how sorry she is but Geillis doesn’t want to hear it. She knows that when the Rising happens she’ll have done her part.
Claire says, “I only regret I have but one life to lose for my country,” the reported last words of the famous Nathan Hale of the Continental Army during the American Revolution who was captured and hung by the British. Geillis watches Claire and then says, “nicely put.” Geillis then asks if Claire loves Jamie as his name is the one she cries out in her sleep. Claire doesn’t answer.
In the morning, Claire awakes and tests the bars telling Geillis if she is a witch it would be a perfect time to use her powers to which Geillis says, “same to you my friend.” Claire then sees a Starling which she says you always find them among common bird and that their plumage is iridescent. Claire then recounts going to Brighton as a child and witnessing the Starlings in the thousands swooping and twirling which protects them from falcons. Geillis says they are hardly a flock but according to witnesses she’s been known to take wing.
The guard comes and helps them out of the Hole again. Claire puts her hand to Geillis’s stomach who seems surprised. Geillis takes Claire’s hand and kisses it. The ladder is lowered and they are taken from the Hole to find the stake is further along than the day before.
In the Courtroom, Laoghaire comes to testify and tells that she went to Claire for a potion (knew that would bite her in the ass) to open Jamie’s heart to her. Laoghaire says that Claire took the potion instead and taking Jamie (who was meant to marry her) for herself. She then says she Hexed Jamie.
Ned says that Laoghaire is just a jealous lass with a broken heart. Laoghaire says she does have a broken heart and when she confronted Claire she was struck by Claire. Claire admits to striking Laoghaire who she says put an ill wish under her bed and tried to seduce her husband. Claire goes on to say Laoghaire orchestrated this whole thing getting her taken up with Geillis by sending her to Geillis home all so she could get Claire out of the way so Laoghaire could try to seduce her husband.
The Examiners tell Claire to be quiet that she is an embarrassment to herself. They then call the next witness which is Father Bain. He tells them he knew that Claire was the Whore of Babylon and then she seduced them from the path of righteousness.
Ned asks if it is a trial of a sermon but the Examiners aren’t amused.
Bain then says he prayed to God that curse her malevolence and that God answered his prayers. But that God says to him you made a “prodigious mistake”. He then goes on to say that when Tammas was seize by Beelzebub he administered the last right and gave up hope. He says blinded by hubris and vanity he rebuked Claire’s help. He says that she determined that Tammas was poisoned by flora and Claire did what she could not which was save Tammas’s life. Bain then kneels and says he’s failed the people of the Parrish and beseeches them to let him go.
A man stands and says that it would take Satan himself to drive a man of God away. The crowd is in an uproar and Claire yells that she did nothing. The Examiners order him to stay and Bain looks to Claire and smiles before he takes a seat.
Ned begs a recess and gets a brief one. In a room Ned tells them the climate has changed and there is no coming back but they can save one of them. Ned tells Geillis she’s been thought a witch longer and she no longer has the protection of her husband to save her. He wants Claire to say that Geillis bewitched her and to renounce her. Claire won’t think of it. Ned gives them time to think about it and Geillis is horrified. Claire thinks there must be another way.
Geillis: “Why are you here?”
Claire: “What are you talking about? I was arrested-”
Geillis: “No. Why are you here in Scotland?”
Claire: “I was traveling from Oxfordshire-”
Geillis: “No. You’re lying. You’ve been lying all along. Dougal knew it. Colum knew it too. That’s why he hasn’t lifted a finger to help you.”
Claire: “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Geillis: “No more lies, Claire! If I’m going to die, if I’m going to burn as a witch, I need to know I’m dying for something. So tell me know and this time, I want the truth. Why are you here?”
Ned interrupts to tell them the crowd is growing impatient but Claire screams they need a moment. Claire then tells Claire that it was an accident. She didn’t come there for a reason. Geillis seems to believe her. Claire tells her that she just wants to go home but she doesn’t even know if it is possible.
Ned comes back and says he can’t delay the court any longer. He wants their decision. Geillis says it looks like she is “going to a fucking barbecue.”
In the courtroom, Ned tells the Examiners that Mrs. Fraser would like to address the court but Claire takes a good look around and says she doesn’t have anything to say. Geillis is stunned but looks shocked. She asks if Claire is mad. The Examiners pronounce Geillis and Claire witches and says to take them to the pyre.
Ned pulls a gun to protect Claire. Geillis tells Claire that she thinks it is possible and then says 1968. The crowd subdues Ned and grabs Claire who yells they are all murders and the will go to Hell. The Examiners have her stripped and skelped. Laoghaire tells Claire she will dance upon Claire’s ashes.
Two mean hold her arms while another rips her dress and whips her back. Geillis watches on horrified. Through the crowd Jamie bashes people to come to Claire’s aid. The Examiners tell him he has no right to interfere and he tells them he pledged and oath before God to protect Claire and if they are telling him their authority is higher than that, he’s not of the same opinion. Jamie stands with his swords drawn holding off the mob.
Geillis looks on and then announces that Claire is innocent but she is a witch. She confesses that she killed Arthur by witchcraft and took advantage of the ignorance of Claire Fraser bewitching her. Geillis goes on to say Claire doesn’t serve her master and pulls down her dress to show a scar that says she bears the mark of the Devil. Claire knows that it is, in fact, a vaccination scar and now she understands that Geillis was from 1968. Geillis tells Claire to run and then yells to the crowd she is the Mistress of Satan and that she carries his child. The crowd takes her up and carries off. The Examiners yell to cover her and they yell for the crowd to stop because she is with child.
Outside we see the crowd moving towards the pyre with Geillis above them. Jamie and Claire are between some buildings and Jamie tells her they must leave.
In the woods, we see Jamie tending to the wounds on Claire’s back. He tells her the cuts aren’t bad and he doesn’t think they’ll be permanent. He sits with her and says he knows there are things she doesn’t want to tell him but, “when you do tells me something let it be the truth and I promises her the same.” Jamie then asks if she is a witch. Jamie mentions her scar and what Geillis called it so he wants to know if she is a witch. She says she’s not but when he hears the truth he may think otherwise.
Claire tells him she’s never had Small Pox and can walk through a room of dying men and never catch it. She tells him that the mark is from a vaccine which no one “here” has ever heard of but it prevents her from getting the disease.
She says she knows about Jack Randall, the day he was born and the day of his death, because Frank told her. She knows of the Bonny Prince, the Jacobites and the doomed cause. She knows what will happen to the Scots. She tells him she knows it all because she’s from the future. She was born October 20, 1918.
Jamie looks stunned. She asks if he hears her and he says he does. She asks if he thinks she’s raving mad and he says he believes her. He says he doesn’t understand it but it trusts her. He tells her whatever she tells him, he will believe her. He sits down with her and asks if she can tell him more. Claire hasn’t realized she wanted to tells someone so badly but proceeds to tell Jamie everything.
Jamie realizes Claire was trying to get back to her husband when she left the glad. He is horrified to realize he beat her for trying to returned to her time and her husband. He apologizes to her. Claire tells him he couldn’t have known and he comforts her as she cries.
Claire asks him again if he believes her and he tells her, “Aye, I believe you, Sassenach.” Claire looks totally relieved and Jamie adds, “Although it would have been a good deal easier if you’d only been a witch.” Claire smirks through her tears and Jamie kisses her.
Claire tells us for the next several days they road hard while Jamie told her about Lallybroch and the life they could have. Claire tells us she tried to listen but she felt adrift.
We then see Jamie watching Claire sleep. He runs his fingers over her face and then down her body to under her skirts. Claire comes awake to Jamie pleasuring her. She tells him she wants him inside of her but he tells her he just wants to watch her. Claire grips his lapels as Jamie continues to pleasure her to release.
The next morning, Jamie comes upon Claire by a stream and asks if she is ready to go home. They kiss and Jamie tells her to take a look over the rise. Claire climbs to the top and looks out at the Standing Stones. Jamie tells her it is what she’s always wanted and Claire says yes though she doesn’t seem too happy about it.
Jamie takes her hand and leads her to the stones. Jamie touches the center stone. He asks what she did and she tells him nothing, she just touched the middle stone. As she approaches the middle stone and goes to touch it, Jamie grabs her back and pulls her against him. He then apologizes for stopping her because he wasn’t ready. She tells him she knows.
Jamie tells her it is time to go to her home, to everything she is used to, to Frank. Jamie says there is nothing on this side for her except violence and danger. Jamie tells her he’ll be at the camp below until nightfall to make sure she’s safe. Claire calls out to Jamie and tells him goodbye.
We see Claire sitting before the middle stone looking at the two rings on her hands. She is contemplating who she wants. She stands and moves towards the center stone, and the screen goes black.
Down at the camp, Jamie is asleep by the fire and we hear Claire says, “On your feet, soldier.” Claire is looking down at Jamie with a smile and tells Jamie to take her home to Lallybroch. Jamie is clearly overjoyed and pulls Claire into his arms for a passionate kiss.
