Outlander Recap: The Watch (Season 1, Episode 13)

Saturday’s episode of Outlander opened where last week‘s left off, with Jamie (Sam Heughan) staring down the business end of pistol.

Claire (Caitriona Balfe) ran downstairs in an attempt to defuse the situation, but it was Jenny (Laura Donnelly) who saved Jamie’s life. “MacQuarrie, put your gun down,” she called to the man threatening her brother before putting everyone at ease with the promise of food.

Jamie, whom Jenny had introduced as her cousin, followed his sister into the kitchen to ask why she’d invited the Watch into her home. She explained that the renowned band of mercenaries watched out for them, but Jamie worried they would turn him over to the British (after all, he still has a price on his head). She insisted that by introducing him as her cousin, he’d be safe. “Tread lightly and don’t provoke them,” Claire cautioned. He, of course, did not obey.

Almost immediately, Jamie managed to get into a fight with a member of the Watch after he set fire to the family’s store of hay. “This family’s taken you in, given you food and shelter, you might want to show some gratitude,” he said before the two came to fisticuffs.

MacQuarrie (Douglas Henshall) interrupted the fight and offered his apologies for his man’s behavior. All that was forgotten, however, with the arrival of Horrocks (Lochann O’Mearain), a redcoat deserter who recognized Jamie. There was tense moment where they exchanged a look – and then he pretended not to know him. “These Scots all look the same,” Horrocks said.

But later, when he and Jamie were alone, Horrocks asked for money in exchange for keeping his mouth shut. Jamie was not happy. “I should never have come home,” he told Claire.

Meanwhile, Jenny went into labor – with the baby in breach position. Claire tried to turn the baby, but failed. “He’s a stubborn one. Definitely has Fraser in him,” she said. She insisted that the child could still be delivered feet first. To take Jenny’s mind of the pain, she had her tell her what it feels like to be pregnant.

Jamie revealed to Ian (Steven Cree) that Horrocks had recognized him and wanted money to keep quiet. Ian suggested Jamie use the money his father had left him, but Jamie refused, at least initially. “That money was meant for you, for our sons and daughters,” Jamie later told Claire. “I’ve let you down.”

“It’s me that’s let you down,” she countered before sharing a painful truth. “I don’t think I can have children. I tried before I met you,” she said. “I should’ve told you before we were married, but I never counted on loving you, much less having children with you.”

Jamie looked stricken, but being the man that he is, he quickly set Claire at ease. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you or for you to suffer,” he said, insisting that he didn’t need children to be happy.

While out walking in the woods, Jamie was confronted by Horrocks. Before anything could happen, however, Ian ran Horrocks through with a sword. “Thought I’d killed my last man in the war,” he said.

“I’m grateful. If you hadn’t done it, I’d have done it myself,” Jamie said. Ian could barely put his sword away he was so shaken, but he didn’t regret his actions saying that if Jamie was going to hell, he might as well too. “God knows you’ll never manage alone,” Ian said before they buried Horrocks’ body.

Of course, the outing didn’t escape MacQuarrie’s notice. “Three men go out, two men come in,” he observed when Jamie and Ian returned. “You two knew each other, and you hid it from me.”

Jamie decided to tell the truth, explaining that he’s a wanted man and declaring that he’d killed Horrocks to save his life. “Good,” answered MacQuarrie. “I never liked the Irish bastard. If ever a man needed killing, it was him.”

However, there was a catch: Jamie and Ian were forced to join the Watch on a mission so that the men would keep Jamie’s secret. “Watch your back,” Claire cautioned before giving him a tender kiss.

Famous last words: The entire company was ambushed in the woods by redcoats while Claire helped Jenny deliver a beautiful baby girl. Claire waited three days on the steps of Lallybroch for Jamie, but only Ian and one of MacQuarrie’s men came back. “The redcoats have him,” a heavily bleeding Ian told Claire before the episode faded to black.

Outlander airs Saturdays (9 p.m. ET) on Starz.