Jamie and Claire are surprised when Lord John Grey drops in on Fraser’s Ridge with an unexpected traveling companion. When Grey takes ill, Claire must reconcile her personal feelings with her duties as a doctor.
Blood of My Blood opens on Fraser’s Ridge where Jamie is cutting lumber for what looks like a fence when Lord John rides up and calls out to him. Lord John says Jamie’s letters painted his lands with such beauty he has to come see it. Plus he has business in Virginia which is quite a distance away and not a very good cover story.
John tells Jamie Willie is with him but he left him at the stream so he could have a word with Jamie beforehand.
Meanwhile, Claire and Murtagh are down by said stream getting water and Claire is joking about having all the help while Murtagh is there. She tries to persuade him to stay but he can’t leave his forge. Murtagh says some of his Regulator friends are presenting the Governor with a petition for fewer taxes.
Murtagh and Claire hear a cry for help and find a young boy with leeches on his legs. Claire tries to tell him they are just leeches and if can stand it they’ll fall off. The boy wants them off now and Claire obliges him but removing them and putting them into the water she and Murtagh just gathered.
Back in the cabin, John and Jamie are unsure if Willie will remember Jamie as Mac as Willie was barely six when Jamie left. Both John and Jamie hope he doesn’t remember and John tells Jamie that Willie insists on being called William. John then confesses Isobel died on the crossing from England.
Claire returns with William and is shocked to find Lord John in her home. Murtagh is equally shocked when the Governor of Ardsmuir is in Jamie’s home. John introduces Jamie and it does appear William doesn’t recognize Jamie. When Claire takes William outside to clean his wounds John tells Murtagh William knows nothing of Ardsmuir and he’d like to keep it that way. Murtagh takes it that John doesn’t want William to know he keeps dishonorable company. Jamie tells Murtagh John is a trusted fan that saved Murtagh’s life.
That night at dinner, Jamie wonders where they sailed into and John tells Jamie they took respite at the Governor’s new palace which clearly gets Murtagh annoyed. John and the Governor have known each other for years. Murtagh wonders where the funds for this palace are coming from and John thinks from the assembly though knows some in the backcountry aren’t keen on paying taxes. Murtagh informs John those taxes are becoming excessive and both Claire and Jamie wonder if it is not a bad time to be building palaces.
Murtagh makes it clear the Governor is wrong and John tells Murtagh a sheriff was beaten and tied to a horse and his broken body was marched through the street where woman and children were present. Murtagh says this is exaggeration and John tells him there were many witnesses. John asks if Murtagh has not prospered in the Colonies and Murtagh says he has more than rats to eat now eluding to his time in Ardsmuir.
Jamie and Claire both try to cover for Murtagh’s comment but Murtagh chooses to leave and John asks Jamie if he would like to play chess as John brought a chess set.
Jamie takes William outside to the privy and says something in Gaelic to the horses. William instantly recalls Mac and asks Jamie if his name is not MacKenzie. Jamie tells him it is one of his names and Willie asks if he’s a groom at this estate. Jamie tells him he owns Fraser’s Ridge though he tends the horses and everything else. William wonders if Jamie remembers him and Jamie says he does, fondly. William seems hurt and asks why he didn’t remind him of their acquaintanceship but Jamie doesn’t have a good answer. Jamie asks if William has the wooden snake he carved for him but William asserts he’s too old for toys.
Inside, Claire asks about Isobel’s estate which is in Lynchburg Virginia. Claire wonders if John is a spy for the Governor which John is stunned by. John asks if it is a burden for them to be there and Claire just wishes she’d been able to make better sleeping arrangements.
Outside, Claire and Jamie are building outdoor sleeping arrangements for them. Claire tells Jamie William is very handsome and Jamie reminisces about William as a small boy and his first encounter with a horse. Claire encourages Jamie to get to know William and then comforts him with kisses.
Jamie goes back inside to play chess with John but stops to say his goodbyes to Murtagh and warn him to be careful who he speaks freely with. Murtagh is suspicious of Lord John but Jamie defends him much to Murtagh’s confusion. Jamie tells Murtagh Willie need’s John saying the boy has lost two mothers. Murtagh wants to know why it is his responsibility and when Jamie doesn’t say Murtagh realizes the boy is Jamie’s. Jamie asks Murtagh not to say anything as the Ninth Earl of Ellesmere would lose everything. Murtagh tells Jamie he’ll keep his secret like all the others but wonders if Claire knows which Jamie confirms. Murtagh asks that Jamie find the time to tell him about the boy’s mother.
Inside Jamie and John play chess and John wins. Jamie brings out the whisky his brewed which needs more time to age. John wonders if Jamie is content and Jamie acknowledges his son is well cared for.
Lord John is taking his leave but is clearly not well. Claire checks John’s temperature and he’s burning up. John went through Cross Creek where the measles have been an epidemic. John says Willie must be kept away. Claire says she’ll care for him and takes Jamie aside. Jamie’s had the measles but William cannot be around him. Jamie’s going to take William on a tour of the Ridge to keep him away from John.
Outside Jamie is trying to get William to mount but the boy doesn’t want to leave his father and tries to go back inside. Jamie stops him and forcibly puts him on his horse. William again tries to rebel but Jamie tells him not to try it and the two set off for the wilderness.
In the woods, Jamie’s trying to make nice with an upset William. Jamie points out the treaty line which marks the Natives lands from the Kings land. Jamie shows him the view of Fraser’s Ridge which William thinks is glorious.
Back at the cabin, John is poorly and Claire is doing all she can to help. Claire wonders if Isobel was content to be like a sister to John. John confronts Claire about her feelings towards him saying she’s envious that he is raising Jamie’s son. Claire tells him about Brianna which shocks John. Claire wonders what will happen if Willie takes a good look at his own face and sees Jamie. What happens when Willie learns he’s been lied to his entire life? Claire wants to know why John would risk coming to Fraser’s Ridge and John says it was so Jamie could see William but Claire thinks it is so John could see Jamie. John is stunned at how devastatingly straightforward Claire is.
In the woods, Jamie and William are fishing but William is having no success. Jamie points out there aren’t many flies about this time of year and using a worm would mean more success. Jamie tells him the Indian’s don’t use line but a spear but as a lad he used to tickle a fish. Jamie catches a fish the Highland way and then says they’ll hunt deer.
William is lining up a shot on a buck but it is too far away. William says he could have wounded it but Jamie tells him it will suffer and it is better to shoot to kill. Another buck comes along and William shoots it.
Jamie and William go to the deer and Jamie begins dressing it but William turns to leave and Jamie tells him in the New World if you don’t do it you don’t eat. He teaches William the proper way to do it and William looks a bit sick but Jamie got the opportunity to teach his son something.
At dinner, William is clearly upset and it is likely over John and Isobel. Instead of asking after it Jamie pretends William has indigestion and says he’ll make him potion that will help. He offers Claire made it and that she’s a fine healer. William tells Jamie Claire gave her word that John would live. He demands to go back but Jamie tells him they have to wait until morning. William blames Jamie for John being sick and then goes to bed.
Jamie is visibly upset but realizes William is terrified. He covers William with his blanket and goes back to the fire.
Back at the cabin, John’s headache is terrible and Claire tries acupressure which seems to help. Claire baths John with cold compresses while John confesses he felt nothing when Isobel died. He came to the Ridge to see if he could still feel. Turns out he can. John tells her it is so hard to watch Jamie and Claire together and then tells her Jamie once offered himself to John but he refused.
The next morning, Jamie awakes cold. William is gone. Jamie tracks him down on the other side of the treaty line where William has speared a fish. Jamie is eager to get William and himself out of there but Cherokee arrive before they can. Jamie tries to give them back the fish but they toss it aside. They say the boy must pay in blood for stealing and Jamie asks that they take his instead saying he’s the boy’s father. William confesses Jamie isn’t his father and that he stole the fish. The Cherokee cut William’s hand and leave. William turns and hugs Jamie who says he thinks they showed mercy because of William’s courage.
Back at the cabin, John is much better and asks for forgiveness from Claire. John says she was wrong that he is jealous he cannot have Jamie. He says it is that he couldn’t give Isobel happiness. He wonders if Claire understands and she does and tells him in her time from Jamie she was married to another but she couldn’t love him as she did Jamie. Claire asks for his forgiveness as well because John had time with Jamie.
Claire asks John still has feelings for Jamie and John says he does, God help him. Claire comforts John by saying he does have something of Jamie in William.
As Jamie and William ride back to the cabin, William asks why Jamie didn’t look back and him that day he left Helwater. Jamie explains he didn’t want to give false hop because he wasn’t sure he’d ever see him again.
At the cabin, William starts for the door but Jamie stops him wanting to go in first. Claire opens the door and tells them John is well and not contagious. William hugs John and Jamie asks if William was well behaved.
Jamie says he was a brave traveling companion and that John is a good father.
As John is leaving he doesn’t know how to thank her but she tells him to get lots of rest and eat carrots, squash and liver all rich in vitamin a which measles can make you deficient in. Claire tells John not to lose hope than he deserves great love.
Jamie asks William if he remembers the way and William does. John gives Jamie his chess set and then bides them all farewell. As John and William ride away Claire and Jamie look on. Jamie waits and William does look back giving Jamie hope.
That night, Jamie helps Claire bathe and then gives her a gift Murtagh made at his request out of one of the candlesticks. It is a silver ring with Scottish thistles with an inscription inside. Claire is very appreciative and the two make love as the screen goes black.
