Jamie and Claire search for a place to call home. Meanwhile, in the 20th century, Brianna and Roger’s romance heats up and then fizzles during a road trip that winds up highlighting their differences.
The False Bride opens in 1970 Inverness where Roger is handing over the keys to the manse to Fiona and her fiancé Ernie. Roger gives them some housewarming gifts and wishes them well. Fiona sends Ernie off to direct the movers as to where to put the furniture while she talks to Roger about admitting his feeling for Brianna. She urges him to tell Brianna that he loves her.
Roger flies into Boston where he and Brianna set off on an adventure to North Carolina for the Scottish festival sharing Dairy Queen and a game of Minister’s Cat and a kiss that nearly runs them off the road.
At the festival, Brianna admires Roger in a kilt and convinces him to get a portrait of the two of them together. They then come across people doing a ceilidh dance. Brianna is game to try and the two spin around the dance floor.
In 1767, Jamie is saying goodbye to Jocasta who is disappointed Jamie won’t be her heir. Jocasta sends them off with horses, a rifle, pistols, money, provisions and his mother’s candlesticks.
Young Ian convinces Jamie to let him stay in the colonies claiming he’s been through so much that he’s now a man and should be allowed to make the decision to stay. Jamie finally agrees and Young Ian makes the decision to write the letter to his parents about his choice to stay.
Claire goes to say goodbye to Jocasta who acknowledges that Claire clearly loves Jamie but tells Claire she’s the reason he won’t stay and be her heir. Jocasta believes Claire is allowing him to squander his talents as a leader behind a printers counter in Wollums Creek.
Outside John Quincy Myers approaches their wagon. He was told by Jocasta about their trip and offers to guide them into the Blue Ridge.
Myers is telling them about the local natives and their customs much to Young Ian’s delight. That night in camp Myers tells them he’s going to have to part ways with them and Young Ian has made another decision to join Myers for a time.
Alone, Jamie wonders if Claire would rather be in a city but Claire tells him the Revolution will start in the cities specifically Boston. She would rather make a place that is just theirs.
The next day Jamie and Claire continue their journey and talk about Brianna and the choices in career opened to her in the 1970s. Claire tells Jamie Brianna had made any decisions before she left but she was previously interested in history mostly to please Frank who she spent more time with.
Jamie and Claire stop for Jamie to change a horseshoe. Claire notices Jamie’s love of horses and wonders if Jamie truly loved printing. Jamie admits he didn’t and Claire asks if it will be enough for him. Claire admits she doesn’t want Jamie to make his decision thinking it is what she wants. Claire tells her if it was only himself he’s be an outlaw but now he’s got a family to consider (Young Ian, Fergus, Marsali, and her).
Thunder crashes above them and Clarence the mule runs off and Claire pursues him. When Jamie finishes up horseshoeing, Clarence returns to the camp without Claire. Jamie searches fruitlessly for Claire.
In 1970, Roger is on stage playing with some other musicians and then he does a solo of the song I Once Loved a Lass.
Roger and Brianna walk to their cabins and Roger kisses her goodnight but Brianna stops him with gifts guaranteed to get him into her room (whisky).
In her cabin, Roger and Brianna drink and stare at the stag on the wall. Roger goes in for a closer look when Brianna shirt lands on the stag head. Brianna and Roger make out for a bit but Roger wants to do things right and gives her a bracelet with the inscription on it: Je t’aime . . . un peu . . . beaucoup . . . passionnément . . . pas du tout . . . Translation: I Love you … a little … a lot … passionately … not at all.
Roger tells Brianna he wants her and loves her and then proposes marriage. Brianna is shocked because she isn’t ready for marriage but Roger is outraged as she appeared ready for sex but not marriage and her a good Catholic girl. Roger is clearly upset but Brianna calls him on his old fashioned ideas but he’s trying to convey that he wants everything with her.
Later during the calling of the clans, Brianna appears wanting him to know she doubts marriage because of Frank and Claire’s marriage. Roger give the ultimatum that he wants all of her or nothing. The MacKenzie’s are called on and Roger goes out to answer the call. They all set the wood stag aflame and when Roger turns back Brianna is gone.
In 1767, Claire is still out looking for Clarence when a nearby tree is struck by lightning and her horse throws her and takes off.
Later, Claire wakes in the rain sore from being thrown from her horse. She takes shelter under a fallen tree where she removes her wet modern shoes. As she reaches back she finds a skull in her shelter and a stone. She can hear wolves in the distance. The skull has a large crack in it suggesting the person was killed. In the distance, Claire sees a torch. Believing it is Jamie she starts towards the figure who is not Jamie but a spirit of a native wearing the stone around his neck. Claire wonders what he wants but he turns and walks away.
The next morning, Claire wakes up to a sunny morning to find her boots missing. As she looks around she notices her boot prints leading away from her shelter and follows them to a creek where Jamie has also followed her prints too. They are reunited. Jamie tells her he followed her prints and found her boots and the creek but wondered why she went off in her stocking feet. She explains about the Indian and Jamie is just happy they were reunited.
Claire is down by the creek cleaning the skull of her guardian angel when she notices something off about the skull. She shows Jamie the skull has silver fillings which is not something that will be invented for another 100 years. Whoever her ghost was he was also a traveler.
Jamie and Claire come to a ridge where Claire finds strawberries the emblem of the Fraser clan. Jamie looks out over the land below and falls in love. Jamie wants the land but they’d have to take the Governor’s deal. They decide to settle this land and Jamie wants to call it Fraser’s Ridge.
