A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Winter passes. In March 1774, Jamie tells Claire he will have to leave the next day to meet with the Cherokee. MacDonald is back with them. He’s told Jamie about the governor’s plan to arm the native people for fear of increasing colonial unrest.

Jamie helps Roger work on the kiln for future indoor plumbing, casually asking if Roger and Brianna plan to time travel back to their time. Roger says no, but both think about the impending Revolutionary War and the dangers therein. Jamie is considering selling one of the gemstones that they use to time travel. The loss of the whisky from the marauders is huge, and now MacDonald wants Jamie to buy 30 muskets on his own dime—to be paid back by the Crown later, allegedly—to arm the local natives. Jamie owes Lizzie’s dowry as well as some maintenance money for his former wife, Laoghaire. He intends to enlist Lord John’s help in selling one stone.

Jamie accompanies MacDonald partially home, stopping at the McGillivray’s on his way back. Robin McGillivray is working in his gun smithy, aided by sketches from Brianna on how to improve his guns. Jamie commissions Robin to create, and enlist other smithies to help create, 30 muskets for him in three months, paid for in cash.