Outlander Recap: “Useful Occupations and Deceptions”

Each move on the chessboard is a calculated one whether you’re actually playing the game on the board itself or playing an undercover game of chess like that of Jamie and Claire on last night’s latest episode of Outlander.

As the episode opened, Claire was awakened by Jamie who was, once again, coming home from a late night spent with the Bonnie Prince Charlie as he planned the rebellion the couple are working so very hard to stop before it can start.

Next, Claire is seen having lunch with “her ladies” (Louise de Rohan and Mary Hawkins), as they play a game of cards. Poor Mary is overwhelmed with the prospect of marrying a Frenchman (one who is much older than her and not much of a looker either if Claire’s previous description of his numerous facial moles are any example) because she learned from the French maids of what Frenchmen do to their women in bed. Louise obviously got quite a laugh out of that conversation while Claire was gentler with the young girl telling her they “needed to have a talk.”

But it was at that precise moment, specifically when Mary stated where she came from (in Sussex, England) that Claire recalled exactly where she knew Mary’s name from. She learned Mary’s name from Frank, as he shared a well-preserved book found in his grandmother’s home that recounted seven generations of his family, starting with Jonathan Wolverton (Black Jack) Randall and his wife…Mary Hawkins.

Needless to say, if Black Jack had actually died or were to die within the next year – at least in Claire’s current way of seeing things – her 1940’s husband Frank would not even exist. Such a horrible conundrum!

The next few scenes were somewhat comical and harsh all at once with Claire finding her lady’s maid delighting herself in bed with none other than Murtagh; Claire needing to confide in Murtagh the truth about Black Jack’s survival during the Wentworth Prison escape and Claire not only having an unexpected (albeit short) run-in with Le Comte St. Germain at Master Raymond’s apothecary but also learning that her skills as a healer could possibly be put to use at the local charity hospital.

Just like in the book on which the second season is based, Claire went to this hospital, putting her nursing expertise to its best use and met the one and only Mother Hildegarde and her ever faithful furry companion Bouton. Quickly enough, Claire proved herself to Mother Hildegarde, but when Jamie returned home to seek her help, he discovered that she was not there. Despite Claire’s belief that Jamie would be happy for her, he clearly was not. Just one more obstacle that fans don’t want to see come between this beloved couple.

Jamie learned that night that the Prince has acquired benefactors who are willing to help fund the Jacobite rebellion, but he still needs help from the French King – with a much needed assist from the Minister of Finance Joseph Duverney, who Jamie and Claire befriended in last week’s episode.

Arguments between Jamie and Claire aside, because this will not be the last one they have as anyone who has read the books knows all too well, Jamie devised a plan to discover any news for which the Bonnie Prince was keeping from him. And that plan involved a rather unlikely (albeit adorable) accomplice: Fergus, the young servant boy who worked at the brothel where Jamie and the Prince met on a regular basis.

Fergus was quickly put to work taking letters meant for the Prince so Jamie and Murtagh could copy them and have Fergus return them before they were missed. It was during one of these slight-of-hand moves and copying of letters that Jamie and Murtagh discussed sheets of music that were included in the letters. As it turned out, those sheets of music offered a major clue to the Prince’s plans with his English benefactors thanks to a massive assist from Mother Hildegarde (a former child musical prodigy), who helped (inadvertently without her knowledge) to figure out the code in the music.

After some deduction of the code, Jamie pieced together who the messages were being by; in fact, it was quite interesting to watch as Jamie and Claire ascertained at the same moment whose name belonged to the “S” signature on the musical missives: the Duke of Sandringham himself. (Can we all groan in unison – ARGH!!)

As the episode came to a close, Jamie was delighted they had finally found a major clue but the problem still remained for Claire (and Murtagh) – having to tell Jamie the truth about Black Jack Randall.

The next new episode of ‘Outlander’ will air on Starz on Saturday, April 30 at 9/8c.