In honor of Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser’s birthday–October 20, 1918– here’s Claire’s first scene from WRITTEN IN MY HEART’S OWN BLOOD. (NO, I don’t have pub date for this book. I’m not done _writing_ it, for heaven’s sake. When it’s done, I’ll tell you, OK? (I’m hoping to have it finished by the end of 2012. Meanwhile, THE SCOTTISH PRISONER and Jamie will perhaps help tide you over–that one comes out next month–November 29th))
WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD
Copyright 2011 Diana Gabaldon
Mrs. Figg was smoothly spherical, gleamingly black, and inclined to glide silently up behind one like a menacing ball-bearing.
“What’s this?” she barked, manifesting herself suddenly behind Jenny.
“Holy Mother of God!” Jenny whirled, eyes round and hand pressed to her chest. “Who in God’s name are you?”
“This is Mrs. Figg,” I said, feeling a surreal urge to laugh, despite–or maybe because of–recent events. “Lord John Grey’s cook. And Mrs. Figg, this is Mrs. Murray. My, um…my…”
“Your good-sister,” Jenny said firmly. She raised one black eyebrow. “If ye’ll have me, still?” Her look was straight and open, and the urge to laugh changed abruptly into an equally strong urge to burst into tears. Of all the unlikely sources of succor I could have imagined… I took a deep breath and put out my hand.
“I’ll have you.”
Her small firm fingers wove through mine, and as simply as that, it was done. No need for apologies or spoken forgiveness. She’d never had to wear the mask that Jamie did. What she thought and felt was there in her eyes, those slanted blue cat-eyes she shared with her brother. She knew me, now, for what I was—and knew I loved—had always loved–her brother with all my heart and soul–despite the minor complications of being presently married to someone else. And that knowledge obliterated years of mistrust, suspicion, and injury.
She heaved a sigh, eyes closing for an instant, then opened them and smiled at me, mouth trembling only a little.
“Well, fine and dandy,” said Mrs. Figg, shortly. She narrowed her eyes and rotated smoothly on her axis, taking in the panorama of destruction. The railing at the top of the stair had been ripped off, and cracked banisters, dented walls, and bloody smudges marked the path of William’s descent. Shattered crystals from the chandelier littered the floor, glinting festively in the light that poured through the open front door, the door itself hanging drunkenly from one hinge.
“Merde on toast,” Mrs. Figg murmured. She turned abruptly to me, her small black-currant eyes still narrowed. “Where’s his lordship?”
“Ah,” I said. This was going to be rather sticky, I saw. While deeply disapproving of most people, Mrs. Figg was devoted to John. She wasn’t going to be at all pleased to hear that he’d been abducted by–
“For that matter, where’s my brother?” Jenny inquired, glancing round as though expecting Jamie to appear suddenly out from under the settee.
“Oh,” I said. “Hm. Well…” Possibly worse than sticky. Because…
“And where’s my Sweet William?” Mrs. Figg demanded, sniffing the air. “He’s been here; I smell that stinky cologne he puts on his linen.” She nudged a dislodged chunk of plaster disapprovingly with the toe of her shoe.
I took another long, deep breath, and a tight grip on what remained of my sanity.
Mrs. Figg,” I said, “perhaps you would be so kind as to make us all a cup of tea?”
[end section]
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful excerpt! It is wonderful to see Jenny and Claire interacting on a civil level. I for one miss their friendship.
Happy Birthday to our favorite heroine!
THANK YOU! I’m re-reading the series for the 3rd time, and just turned a good friend of mine on to them for the first! AND I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY ABOUT THE BOOKS! She calls me every few days to discuss what has happened. She says she doesn’t know what to do when she gets to the end of what’s been written so far. I reassure her — “You can do like I did the first time, START OVER!” Your books are such a blessing. All of them — I LOVE Lord John, too. Take care of yourself and don’t pull a Robert Jordan on me!
Jane Calton
Diana, Thank you for this delightful gift on Claire’s birthday.
Bonne anniversaire, Claire!
Just read your preview, thanks to the postings on Facebook … love it, just love it! Wouldn’t want to interrupt the writing … but do you have any appearances on your schedule for the Salt Lake City area?
Ahhh… my radar is working well, I see. I have logged in just in time to get SUCH a lovely teaser! makes me happy. Diana… could we convince you to give us small teasers, say…. once a month till your ready to publish? I know I must be dreaming, right? It’s a nice idea, anyway. and to all those who reread again and again, as I do… try the audio versions! they are truly spectacular, I cant get enough of Davina Porter’s voice. I agree with you Diana… her voice embodies Claire to a T. Happiest of Birthdays to Claire. going to check out the info on the musical!
Follow her on twitter (Writer_DG) and you’ll get almost daily teasers with dailylines – there great : )
This isn’t an excerpt, it’s bait! -and you have me firmly on the hook! I am eagerly awaiting WRITTEN IN MY HEART’S OWN BLOOD and THE SCOTTISH PRISONER. Thank you Diana, from the bottom of my heart, for all that you do to make your books so real.
Thank you for posting that tantalizing opening on the new book you’re writing. It’s like an appetizer, and I can’t wait for the main course. Meanwhile, I shall whet my appetite on Lord John Grey and The Scottish Prisoner.
I hope you will keep enchanting us with these wonderful tales until you’re at least one hundred and three.
Happy Birthday Claire!
“cracked banisters, dented walls, and bloody smudges..”
Uh Oh! What happened before this???
Thanks for the scene, Diana.
Melody
Dear Melody–
Ah, you haven’t yet read AN ECHO IN THE BONE, I see. {g}
–Diana
I flew through all the others like a mad woman. Then started reading AN ECHO IN THE BONE and realized I’d have to wait while for the next so I put it down and started a slow reread of the series.
But I haven’t made it back to Echo yet. After reading disussions elsewhere I sneaked a peek at a certain scene with LJ and Claire
I started with the paperbacks but have the Kindles and some of the Audios, too. Though I have read others books and series in between I think I might have an obsession with Outlander
I also cant wait to see the whole Roger Mac and his Dads part in this.
Dear Debbie–
You don’t have to wait for that. I told the story of Roger’s parents in a short story titled “A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows.” It’s in an anthology titled SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH, edited by George RR Martin and Gardner Dozois.
–Diana
I was FINALLY able to get the book from the library and started reading last night…I was so surprised to read that Frank made an appearance…you have such a way of weaving this epic story that I am always on the edge of my seat.
Yay!! I had no idea- ordered.
Martin and Dozois are pretty good, huh? I read Songs of Love and Death and really enjoyed it. I am about halfway through Down These Strange Streets, and it is equally good, I must admit I like the level of commitment found in the short story. When you know the book you’re waiting for is on the way, it’s nice to have something distracting but light to entertain yourself with! Any recommendation from those two?
I have been working my way through the methadone list, and I have found many of the books very different from Outlander, but interesting. I tend to follow authors, I did Stephen King, Frank Herbert, Robert Holdstock, and the like. This is the first large body by a woman that I have enjoyed enough to follow avidly. I have a casual relationship with Nora Roberts and Patricia Cornwell, but nothing as driven as my current focus, dg.
I like the gift of a model relationship where each member’s feelings are okay, honesty is expected, and passion is forthright. I know more what I deserve and should look for because of these novels.
My previous post is gone. Not sure why….
Unfortunately, I think we need to update her name to Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser Grey.
Can she really be a Grey? If Jamie never died, Claire was not legally wed and is therefore still a Fraser! No offense, Lord John, but Claire belongs with Jamie.
I agree wholeheartedly Kris! The marriage to Lord John has to be null and void since Jamie is not deceased! And Claire and Jamie were born to be together.
Perhaps for both Jamie and Claire’s safety they are better off pretending that Jamie went down with the ship. Claire was about to be charged with treason and might have been hung as a spy were it not for Lord John coming to the rescue. Maybe the trio need to maintain the subterfuge until Diana can knit them out of their current troubles.
Can’t wait to read about Jamie’s response to Claire in the full knowledge that she has had carnal knowledge with Lord John.
I have to be very careful when reading these books, I don’t get any thing done. This series is dear to my heart and has been my favorite for many years. Thank you for sharing today,this glimpse into the new book; I know it’s Clair’s birthday but I feel like I just opened her present. Happy Birthday Claire and thank you Diana.
I just love Claire and her “let’s have a cup of tea” attitude when chaos is all around.
Although it may seem that “some of us should get a life”, women have always had rich fantasy lives. I think that’s what keeps us sane and strong. This series fulfills that need for fantasy, because, well, some of us are not married to a dashing, strong, violent, tender Highlander from the 18th century. Oh yeah, and he totally cherishes his Claire.
Let me join the Diana fan club and say that you (Diana) have gotten me through a very, very tough year and I thank you for it.
Oh and I have a request. If this series should ever end, PLEASE DON’T KILL the characters. Just let them ride off into the sunset or something…
Oh I totally agree! Please just let Jamie and Claire get old somewhere and spend their last couple of years in quiet so we can pretend they live forever!
Or how about a re-run where Claire intentionally travels back as her young self to before she meets Jamie, and tries to change the history they lived together; no torture at the hands of Black Jack, no 20 year separation.
Or perhaps Jamie dies, moves into the spectral realm becoming ‘the ghost’ and like the end of the classic film ‘The Ghost and Mrs. Muir’ waits for Claire’s heart to find him.
Or …….
I am certain that Diana is too kind (yes we know Black Jack Randall is in there as well) but Diana is too kind to wound us so cruelly at The End.
Happy Birthday Claire!!
I enjoyed this snippet quite a bit! I’m glad Jenny and Claire are friends again. Makes a birthday better to have a good-sister!! Well, my bf didn’t bring me a book from AZ, and I will have to make him bring me there someday. I would love to see the Brazillian Steakhouse, and The Poisoned Pen! Thank you, Diana, for all of your efforts. I am now reading the other stories in Down These Strange Streets, and they are almost as good as the Lord John story. Blessings!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR CLAIRE :o) my English is terrible, but i muss say, i love your person in the books and i love Diana, because she present me a wunderfull time, if i read her books. And i will hate the day, when the book series is end. I hope that never happend, hihih. As i said before is my english terrible and i hope diana understand, what i try too say :o))
i love your books, thank you for line by line :o)
Kerstin from Berlin
I have enjoyed this saga more than I can express, Here is a picture I did of how I imagine Jamie, I hope you like it!
http://tinyurl.com/3taoagj
Dear Barbara–
That’s lovely–thank you!
–Diana
I am glad you like it, Clair is more of a challenge…..I hope to get her right some day
Be well Diana
Barbara and Diana,
This is exactly the way that Gerard Butler looked when he played Attila in the TV movie — and that’s why I think he should play the older Jamie in Voyager!!!
I love the picture, Barbara, very near to how I picture Jamie.
Looks very much like a pic I have seen of Gerard Butler!
To Barbara, Elaine AND Diana. That is exactly how I pictured Jamie also. Wonderful rendition of Jamie as he is described in the books. Thank you.
This picture is perfect! Just as I see Jamie!!
Wow- truly lovely! You are very talented, and I definitely see Jamie in that, myself!
OMG!
WONDERFUL!
You are indeed talented– thank you!
I can’t download the picture. I am sad.
Rosalie
Oh my! That is lovely, thank you.
Ohhhh…. Barbara!!!
This is absolutely stunning! You have totally captured my minds vision of Jamie!!!!
This is truly a work of art…just wonderful.
Kindest Regards,
Linda
Now, go google Chris Hemsworth! Have his hair dyed with all shades of red…..there is MY Jamie! Perfect! You have captured this remarkable image in my head, now on canvas! You are a very talented artist! Thank you! Of course Diana is a VERRA talented author! Thank you both!
Oh wow! I agree with you Lisa, he has that young sexy look that is Jaime in all of the early novels. Being of the ‘older’ generation I can’t seem to keep up with all these wonderful new young actors, but he does definitely fit my idea of what Jaime looks like in my mind’s eye. Yum….might be old but my memory is as good as ever, great looking young man and now I will just have to see him act in his film THOR. Now how tall is he?…and could he carry the Scotish burr?
Barbara, what a great gift you have, I, like many others wish we could take pen to paper and bring out all of the characters of Diana’s books to life as you have done so well. I can’t wait to see your rendition of Claire, and maybe young Ian and Brianna, Roger, Fergus…etc, etc….you could make yourself a wonderful scrapbook to add to your own personal library and maybe with Diana’s permission continue to share them with us.
Keep up the great work.
:c) Fran
Hey Fran! Great minds think alike! Well from what I understand is that Chris Hemsworth is 6’3″ or 6’4″, so perfect there. If you have seen THOR then you know what his body is like! perfect there. He is an Aussie, so maybe a little work with a dialect coach and he would be good to go! He has those beautiful cat eyes too, the ones that squinch up when he smiles! He is playing the role of the Huntsman in the new Snow White movie…cant wait!
Lisa
Beautiful drawing / painting! Moves your heart to see it
Oh, I loved this, thanks for sharing. I do love it and can’t bear to wait! Oh, how I miss them. I keep listening to the audio books and intending on taking it slow… I’m on Echo now, :/ my plans thwarted by amazing writing. I was reading a thread on GoodReads where everyone was lamenting about living long enough or their children living long enough to read the entire series. Haha!
Happy Birthday, Claire!
Mercy me! I came late to the Outlander party and I still have to finish #6 and #7! Hopefully this will keep me going until the you can finish #8! Thanks for the tease!
Well, you have at least one male fan. Thanks for the tease. I too am in love with your Outlander series. Though I am not a fan in general of British historical fiction, science fiction, time travel and Scottish culture, imagine my surprise when I was sucked into Outlander (recommended by my best reading buddy) like a vortex.
I finished the entire series before reading anything else.
You are such a talented storyteller! Your characters all all memorable and delightfully painted, even the most evil ones! There is nothing more comforting on a cold winter day than sinking into my favorite easy chair by the fire with one of your volumes. After reading them all three times, I can pick up any one, open to any page and feel right at home.
Many times after reading a mediocre book or even a good book, I turn again to one of your great books in order to cleanse my pallet.
Again, thanks for the tease. It quickly brought to mind the exciting scene that preceded it as well as the other major cliff hangers with which you left us. Now stop reading all of these complements and get to writing and editing; your anxious public awaits!
Dear Ron–
Many thanks! I do in fact have quite a few male readers {g}, but a lot of them are service-men, and thus less inclined to surf the net and leave comments. Really glad you’ve enjoyed the books so far, and I hope you’ll enjoy the next ones!
–Diana
Dear Diana
I too, like Ron have read all your books 3 times. I think they are fabulous and that you are an amazing storyteller in whatever genre you choose.
Keep writing and I’ll keep buying. Mostly I borrow from the library, but not your books. I want to have them on my shelves with the likes of Chaim Potok and Dickens.
Glad I found your books. Rosalie
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE………..YOU AND JAMIE WILL LIVE ON IN MY HEART……DIANA YOU ARE A VERY TALENTED WOMAN …..THANK YOU FOR THE NEXT BOOK, I’M VERY SLOWLY FINISHING “ECHO IN THE BONE” JUST TO THINK THAT THIS SAGA WILL CONTINUE ……..I’M JUST BESIDE MYSELF……..YOUR TRUSTED SERVANT LOUISE
Love, love, love this scene!!
This is going to be so exciting with Jenny here with them.
Happy Birthday Claire! I think we got the present though.