At Jocasta’s home, she is planning a party. Brianna is the guest of honor and needs a new dress. Brianna is not interested, but Jocasta shares a story about Jamie’s mother and what she went through before she finally married the man she truly loved. She was also an artist like Brianna.
In Wilmington, Marsali awakens Murtagh in the middle of the night. Concerned about Fergus and his sense of self-worth, she solicits Murtagh’s help. She wants him to invite Fergus to join the regulators. Initially, Murtagh hesitates. If she wants to get rid of her husband, he’ll take him out back. But Marsali interrupts, and assures Murtagh if she wanted Fergus dead, she’d shoot him herself. What she wants is a whole man or none at all. (And she is speaking about his spirit.)
At River Run, Brianna makes an impressive entrance to the party in one of Jocasta’s resized gowns and sports a gift of earrings, also a gift from Jocasta.
Brianna’s suitors populate the room. Each man takes a turn attempting to wow her. Slowly, Brianna becomes as aware as the viewer that she is on display, with no options to refuse a marriage proposal.
Now, let me just say that when Lord John Grey enters a room, all candidates can kiss their chances of winning Brianna’s hand in marriage goodbye. The man does make an impressive entrance (and can I say, yum?).
In Wilmington, Marsali’s plan is in play. Murtagh invites Fergus to join the regulators. Marsali eavesdrops, as Fergus thanks Murtagh profusely for the offer. Then he refuses, adding that his place is with his wife and daughter. Marsali is thrilled with his response.
During dinner, Brianna entertains the dinner guests with a psychological game. She asks each of them to close their eyes and envision a walk in a forest with a companion and an animal. When she asks Lord John Grey who he saw, he says Jamie. Brianna wonders why and he explains, I am looking at his daughter.
When she stands to leave the dinner table, Brianna sways and faints. Escorted to her room, she and Lord John discuss her father briefly. He then learns she is pregnant. And then there’s our big mouth Lizzie. Sometimes I feel she is a plot device. Other times, I want to tape her mouth shut.
Later, Jocasta makes an impressive speech about the hardships Brianna and a bastard child will encounter. Bree, however, doesn’t want to give up on Roger — she hopes he’ll return, but she can’t count on that. Brianna also can’t take the risk that her child won’t be able to travel through the stones. That means Jocasta is correct — the child would be a bastard with no chance for a decent life in the 1700s.
At Wilmington, Murtagh is keeping his promise to Jamie and finds Stephen Bonnet and knocks him out cold.