Jamie finds himself between a rock and a hard place when a redcoat deserter from his past resurfaces. Claire tends to a laboring Jenny while Jamie and Ian join The Watch, resulting in devastating consequences.
The Watch starts with Jamie being held at gunpoint by an unknown man. Jamie warns him if he hasn’t kept his powder dry and misfires; he’ll ram the pistol down his gullet. Jenny comes down the stairs and tells Taran to put his pistol away because the man he’s holding a pistol to is her cousin Jamie. Jamie introduces himself as Jamie MacTavish and Taran puts his pistol away apologizing and saying Jamie should understand as Taran doesn’t know him.
Jenny tells the story that Jamie just showed up and with a bride too. Claire tells them they surprised Jenny and Ian. Taran is surprised she is English and Jenny says she was surprised too but Claire is a good woman and they don’t mind her Englishness. Taran begs Claire’s pardon explaining that he thought Jamie was planning to rob the place but Jenny pipes in that they leave the robbing to him.
In comes into the room to greet Taran calling him by his family name of MacQuarrie. Ian says he they didn’t expect MacQuarrie until next month and Taran says he was pining for Jenny’s rabbit stew. Ian tells MacQuarrie he took the man’s sword to the Smithy and had the nicks ground out of the blade and then polished the sword himself. MacQuarrie takes a good look at the sword and declares it better than new. MacQuarrie asks Jenny to put supper on the fire and Jenny tells them they know their way to the dining room.
Jenny goes off to the kitchen to tell Mrs. Crook that MacQuarrie is there. Jamie is hot on her heels and upset they are welcoming the dreaded Watch into Lallybroch. Jenny isn’t impressed by Jamie’s high morals and tells him they had little choice in the matter. Ian tells Jamie MacQuarrie is a decent fellow. Jamie tells them they might as well their shoes as well. Ian goes on to tell Jamie that the Watch keeps the English and other clans away. Jamie is concerned about the price on his head, convinced the Watch would turn him over in a heartbeat if they knew. Jenny informs Jamie that they plan to feed and house the Watch and tells Jamie he will keep his wits about him until the Watch movies on, pointedly calling him cousin in the process.
Claire wonders how often the Watch comes around and Jenny says every few months. Jamie says he wouldn’t never have agreed to this arrangement but Jenny points out that Jamie wasn’t there calling him “MacTavish.” Claire chastises them both for being loud and asks if they want the Watch to hear them? Jenny and Jamie turn away from one another, going to their respective corners, and Ian steps between them telling Jamie this situation has taken its toll on Jenny and himself. He asks Jamie if he has a better idea but Jamie has nothing.
Jenny cries out and Jamie asks if it is the bairn. Jenny tells him it is that “it kicks like a mule on fire.” Jenny goes back to her work and Claire tells Jamie to listen to Jenny and tread lightly.
At dinner, a Watchman is complaining about the ale and MacQuarrie says that Jenny hides the good stuff away when they come by along with Ian’s fine tobacco. Jenny asks if they blame her and MacQuarrie laughs. MacQuarrie asks Jamie where he is from but doesn’t believe Jamie’s answer because he doesn’t sound like an islander. Claire says he was a soldier in France with Ian and that could have influenced his accent. MacQuarrie is interested and relates his own posting and wonders if they were in Spain together.
Ian says they were separated and had thought Jamie dead. Jamie says they spent the three weeks convalescing in a brothel and Ian corrects him and says they were in a hospital. MacQuarrie says he was there in 42 and then Ian, MacQuarrie and Jamie make a French toast “Never Be Taken Alive.” Jamie and MacQuarrie reminisce about the energy of battle and the feeling of charging in before the guns have a chance to reload. MacQuarrie realizes that Jamie truly is an ex-soldier but says that he’s traded many army tales with Ian and Ian never mentioned Jamie. Ian believes he must have but MacQuarrie knows he hasn’t. Jenny tells him they were so far into the drink they likely don’t remember, breaking the tension. MacQuarrie then toasts:
Here’s to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A stiff whiskey and another one.
One of the other Watch props his feet on the dining room table and Claire disgustedly asks how long they plan to stay. MacQuarrie notices and pushes the man’s feet off the table. MacQuarrie says a few more men will arrive tomorrow as they are planning something big. He’ll share the details with Jamie if they are so inclined. MacQuarrie then says he needs to see the Smithy as he has a lame horse. Jamie offers to take a look as he’s good with horses and wouldn’t want to impede the Watch’s travel. MacQuarrie says he’ll take Jamie up on the offer and excuses himself. Jenny tells them where they are to sleep.
The next day, Jamie takes a look at MacQuarrie’s horse noticing that one of the Watch helped themselves to Ian’s good tobacco. He tells the man it is too good for the likes of him and the man then turns and sets fire to a wagon of hay as Jamie takes the shoe off of their horse. The Watchman yells fire and Jamie and some other Lallybroch men set to putting out the fire.
Jamie scolds the man, telling him this family has taken them in, sheltered and feed them and should show some gratitude. The man pulls a pistol on Jamie. Jamie backs up until he reaches the tools he’s been working with and takes the man down. Other men of the Watch come to their comrade’s aid but Jamie fights them off until he has one of them at gunpoint. MacQuarrie approaches and sends his men off apologizing to Jamie for his men’s behavior. He says he’s trying to school them like they were in the army. Jamie wishes him luck and MacQuarrie tells Jamie he could use a warrior like Jamie. Jamie looks like he thinks about it and tells MacQuarrie he’s done enough fighting in his life and he’s settled now.
Jamie and MacQuarrie walk around to the dooryard and MacQuarrie welcomes Horrocks much to Jamie’s dismay. Horrocks and Jamie look upon each other for a time and MacQuarrie asks if they know each other. Horrocks finally says he thought so but the Scots all look the same to him.
Inside Jamie has clearly told Claire and Claire is worried. Jamie says Horrocks will not stay quiet for long and Claire wonders why he’s stay quiet at all. Jamie thought Lallybroch would be safe but now thinks they should never have come. Claire doesn’t want him to think like that they will handle whatever comes.
In the Hall, Horrocks is telling the plan to ambush the Chisholm’s rent party and steal their money.
Outside, Claire and Jenny are doing laundry and Claire tells Jenny she’s better and sowing wounds than cloths but she’ll try. Young Jamie splashes Claire and gets a scolding from his mother who sends him inside with Mrs. Crook.
Jenny regales Claire on motherhood saying she barely can go to the privy by herself but soon Wee Jamie will have a brother as she’s hardly been sick, is craving salty foods and is carrying low. She’s sure it is a boy as that is how her pregnancy with Wee Jamie was.
Jenny tells Claire that Ian and Jamie are like brothers and Old John (Ian’s father) used to tell Ian he needed to protect Jamie’s weaker side. Jenny says Ian did and when the two stood side by side no one could take them down. Jenny gasps and Claire comes to her aid. Jenny’s water has broken. She’s in labor.
Inside, Claire examines Jenny and realizes the baby is breach (or a footling). Claire palpates Jenny’s belly trying to turn the child but it is no use. Jenny gives Claire a recipe for a tea to help with getting pregnant. Both Jenny and Claire realize this pregnancy is a danger to Jenny. Claire wants to tell Ian but Jenny tells him there is no point as there is nothing Ian can do.
Downstairs, Jamie finds Horrocks snooping around and approaches him. Horrocks tells Jamie he wondered when he was going to seek him out. Horrocks goes on about how Lallybroch is all Jamie’s, saying he saw the name Fraser carved into the lintel and wonders who Jenny is to him. He says Jenny and Claire are bonny and tells Jamie he’s a lucky man. Horrocks tells Jamie he wants to go to Boston and needs some money to help him out. Horrocks asks for money promising to disappear should Jamie pay.
Upstairs, Jenny tells Claire the baby has dropped. Claire tries to distract Jenny but asking what it is like to be pregnant. Jenny says early on it is like gas but later you feel the child move and it is like a fish on a line, quick but not sure you felt it. Jenny says the babies sleep for hours at a time and you worry they’ve died. You wake them and then you promise God anything to keep them safe. She says in the end of the pregnancy when the child moves a lot it is like when you man is inside of you and that throbbing begins. Jenny’s of the mind that men just want to go back inside. Claire seems wistful.
Mrs. Crook appears telling them that the midwife is not coming. Jenny and Claire have this wordless discussion about what they will do now and Claire tells Jenny she could do it and she’ll just have to reach up and guide the baby out. Jenny says if that is so she’ll be fetching her a dram and Claire tells Jenny the baby will be born drunk then. Jenny thinks this means he’ll be born a true Scot.
Outside, Jamie and Ian are cleaning up the burned wagon which was full of hay they needed for winter. Jamie tells Ian he would have him turn the other cheek and Ian tells him that is why he has two. Jamie says Jenny hates the Watch and doesn’t understand why Ian doesn’t.
Ian tells Jamie that the Watch can take more than they do and MacQuarrie doesn’t pity Ian because of his leg. Ian then tells Jamie that MacQuarrie reminds him of Jamie and MacQuarrie protects them from the English. Ian says he’s not proud he pays them but what happened with Randall and Jenny here will never happen again.
Ian asks Jamie what is wrong and Jamie tells him about Horrocks and his demands. Ian asks what he’ll do and Ian recalls a small sum in the broch that Jamie and Jenny’s father left to them. Jamie says he won’t use the money and Ian tells Jamie if Jenny knew she’s want him to. Jamie tells Ian he doesn’t want Jenny to know and he won’t take the money. Ian tells him he will.
Inside, Jamie is telling Claire the money is meant for Claire for their children. He wants to fill the house with their children. He tells her he’s let her down and Claire distances herself from Jamie before telling him she let him down. Claire tells Jamie she believes she can’t have children, Frank and she tried with no success. Claire breaks down and says she should have told him before they were married but she never counted on loving him or having children with him.
Jamie tells her it is for the best as he can bare pain but he doesn’t think he could bare hers. He also knows there is a risk to having children and he wants nothing to happen to her. Jamie reassures her and sends her back to Jenny but Jamie is clearly upset.
Jamie goes in search of Horrocks and finds him on an embankment. Jamie pays the man but Horrocks thinks he’ll need more to set himself up in Boston. Jamie tells him it is everything he has and Horrocks tells him to raise the rents or sell land. Jamie reaches back to his pistol as Horrocks says when he drinks there is no telling what will come out of his mouth putting Jamie’s family in danger. Jamie clearly wants to fight Horrocks but he’s in the weaker position. Suddenly a blade pops through Horrocks’ chest and the man falls dead. Ian appears shaken with a bloody sword in his hand.
Jamie is relieved that Horrocks is dead but Ian is upset thinking he’d not have to kill again. Jamie wants to bury Horrocks and Ian tries to sheath his sword but is too shaken. Jamie tells Ian to clean the blood off first and then recounts when they were in the war and would debate whether killing or fornicating was a worse sin. Jamie reaches out of the sword and says they wondered if they were going to hell. Ian tells Jamie if he’s going to hell then he might as well join him as Jamie can’t manage on his own.
Back at Lallybroch, Jenny is holding onto the bed as she goes through a contraction. Claire lays out some blankets by the fire. Jenny gives Claire her ring as her fingers are swelling up. Claire pulls the jewelry box out of the drawer where Jenny hides it and finds a craved snake inside. Jenny says their bother Willie carved it for Jamie. Claire sees the name Sawney carved into it and Jenny says it is a pet name for Alexander and what Willie used to call Jamie. Jenny says she found it and meant to give it to Jamie. Jenny tells us Willie is buried out in the graveyard with their mother who died in childbirth. Jenny gives it to Claire but Claire tells her to give it to Jamie herself.
Downstairs, the mean sit around and a Watchman yells for Jenny to be quite. MacQuarrie sets out money for the destruction of the hay but instead of picking up the money Jamie drinks with MacQuarrie. MacQuarrie points out Horrocks is missing and says he better show up.
The next morning, MacQuarrie is in the dining room when Jamie and Ian enter. MacQuarrie says that Horrocks is still missing and yet his horse is outside. Then he proceeds to tell Jamie and Ian he knows they went out with Horrocks but didn’t come back with him. He wants to know why they killed Horrocks. Ian goes to explain but Jamie tells MacQuarrie he’s wanted and there is a price on his head. Jamie says Horrocks threatened him and his family so he ran his through. MacQuarrie is happy Horrocks is dead. The rest of the Watch join the meal but MacQuarrie tells Jamie he’s a man short and he could use tall strong Scotsman, unless he’s willing to dig seven graves including his own. Jamie agrees to ride with him just the once. Ian wants to come but Jamie protests. MacQuarrie tells Jamie to let Ian come as he can shoot.
Upstairs, Jamie and Ian have come to tell the woman where they are going and Claire tries to tell them to stay for Jenny but Jenny tells them they can go but she needs her brother to come back. Jenny then tells Ian to hurry back as he’s new son will be waiting to meet him.
Jamie and Claire go into the hall and Claire gives Jamie the snake. Jamie remembers it and Willie’s pet name for him. Claire tells Jamie to hurry back or else. Jamie asks or else what? Claire tells him she’ll come after him and she’ll drag him back by his thick red curls. They kiss and Jamie goes off.
On the road, MacQuarrie and Jamie talk about traveling and going abroad. MacQuarrie says he got sick of fighting for the rich. MacQuarrie shows him a skull watch. MacQuarrie says he doesn’t mind death as long as it comes under an opened sky as does Jamie. MacQuarrie wants to go on the road with Jamie but Jamie says he won’t now that he has Claire. MacQuarrie says he’ll talk to him later and Jamie asks if he’ll turn him in but MacQuarrie says he has been to jail and wouldn’t wish that on a dog. He’s shoot him first.
At Lallybroch, Jenny is cursing Claire and then gets in position as the baby comes.
On the road, the men stop in a gully which is a great place for an ambush. Jamie looks around and realizes it is a perfect place to be ambushed. It dawns on Jamie they are being set up and he warns the men but the English start firing down upon them.
At Lallybroch, Claire is cleaning the baby as Jenny rests and then hands Jenny her little girl. Jenny seems to wordlessly be thanking Claire.
Three days pass and Claire is watching the road from the steps as she holds the baby. Jenny comes out and tells us the babies name is Margaret Ellen Murray (Margaret after their grandmother, Ellen after their mother). Jamie says Margaret favors the Frasers. Jenny hands the baby off to Mrs. Crook and then reassures Claire she’ll hold a baby of her own.
Jenny tells Claire Jamie will come home and then reaches in to her pocket and pulls out some boar tusk bracelets and tells Claire they were a gift to her mother from and admirer. Claire kisses Jenny’s cheek startling Jenny.
The dogs bark at the road and two men come into sight. A watchmen helping Ian home but there is no sign of Jamie. Claire asks where Jamie is and Ian tells them they were ambushed and that Jamie was taken because Jamie wouldn’t leave a wounded MacQuarrie behind.
Claire looks to the road and the screen fades to black….
