First off, let me apologize for the delay in getting this post done. It’s amazing how life gets away from you sometimes.
DO NOT CONTINUE ON IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
The episode starts with Jamie and Claire making love, but then it goes horribly wrong when Jamie thinks Claire is Black Jack Randall. Luckily for everyone it is a nightmare. Claire gently reminds Jamie that Jack Randall is dead. Jamie leaves the room and goes to the study to work on the books for the wine business. This particular scene isn’t in the book Dragonfly In Amber, but I like how they are showing Jamie’s struggles with dealing with what happened at Wentworth. I always felt that, in the book, he fell in to a sexual relationship with Claire too easily.
The next morning Claire departs Jared’s Paris Townhouse. She is discovering that running a household and doing as expected by the staff is frustrating. Claire’s lady’s maid, Suzette, informs Claire that she shouldn’t be folding laundry or making the bed with her social and physical status.
In this episode, we start seeing the amazing wardrobe that Terry Dresbach and her team created. The first dress of Claire’s we see is the one that was based on Christian Dior’s New Look collection. This collection has been remade for decades and Dior got his inspiration from the 18th and 19th Centuries. Many people have pointed out that Claire left in 1945 and the New Look collection wasn’t released until 1947. If you want more information about why Terry Dresbach decided to go this route, please read her blog post Dior.
Terry and Caitriona (Claire) worked together to figure out how to keep a sense of Claire and her own century in her costumes. Most of her dresses have pockets. They are very simple in design, as in they don’t have the embellishments that you will see on other 18th Century French Aristocrats, and they have a hint of the 1940s in them.
In this lovely gown, Claire is on her way to visit Master Raymond’s Apothecary. While this scene isn’t exactly like the book, that doesn’t bother me. The only thing about this scene that bothers me is the location of Master Raymond’s Apothecary. For a store owner who deals with people from the French court, his shop being in a small courtyard that services mostly middle class residents doesn’t make sense to me. He would want his Apothecary in an easily accessible location and one that fits his status. I will say that Dominique Pinon as Master Raymond is amazing. He is almost exactly like I pictured him. I love his coat and the intricate stitching and painting that Terry’s team did. She did a whole post about Master Raymond’s coat on her blog.
The scene changes to a French park where people are curiously watching two men fighting with swords. It pans over to Murtagh and Jamie practicing sword fighting. The French Aristocracy are watching with surprise and horror. When Jamie calls it quits, Murtagh sees the gawkers, walks over, and pretty much says “are you not entertained.” Not really, but that is what I always thing. He asks them if they have never seen two men practice the art of the sword before and then tells them to leave or he will rip their balls off. Jamie does inform Murtagh that dueling is outlawed in France and the gwakers probably haven’t ever seen sword fighting.
While resting, Murtagh tells Jamie that he misses Lard Bucket and Pig Head (Rupert and Angus). Murtagh does suggest that they just kill Prince Charles and be done with it. Jamie comments that killing the Prince might convince his father to push for the Rising even harder. Would they then go to Rome and murder the King? While not completely convinced, Murtagh concedes to Jamie’s current course. This season the character of Murtagh, played by Duncan Lacroix, has really blossomed as a character and I look forward to seeing more of his character growth. This scene never happened in the book. However it is mentioned multiple times that Jamie and Murtagh were practicing in the yard of the townhouse. Claire would hear the ringing of the swords. Since there isn’t a yard at Jared’s place in the series, going to a local park makes sense.
Jamie comes home from the sword practice to a letter from Jared with a summons from Prince Charles to meet him at Maison de Madame Elise, a brothel, “to discuss such matters as the current political situation among the Scottish Clans”. In the book, Jamie becomes a companion to Prince Charles and part of spending the evening with Charles and his other friends, included going to a brothel. I’m hoping that a couple of the fan favorite scenes and outcomes from Jamie’s visits to the Madame Elise’s won’t be cut.
Jamie and Murtagh go to Maison de Madame Elise’s to meet the Prince. The poor men are exposed to dildos, which are available for sale or rent (eww.). Madame Elise tells the patrons that they should buy them for their wives, who are home sad and lonely, because they are at the brothel. Prince Charles mentions that if he had a wife he would buy all three for variety. 
He then turns the topic of conversation to if the Scottish Clans are ready to hear the call of the Pipes. Jamie tells him that the clans aren’t ready to put aside their petty grievances to band together to fight the British. Prince Charles is surprised by this and states that he has been advised otherwise. The Prince questions if Jamie is only telling him this to prevent the Rising. Murtagh jumps in and asks what does Prince Charles offer that would make a cotter to leave his home and crops to face a cannon’s blast. Prince Charles goes on a diatribe that it’s God’s Will that he reclaims the throne. Murtagh tells Jamie that it isn’t too late to slit the Prince’s throat.
Jamie and Murtagh fill Claire in on what the Prince wants, which is for Jamie to be his advocate to King Louis to get funds for the rebellion. Murtagh isn’t impressed with the monarch. Claire suggests that if rebellions could be started in a brothel, than it could be stopped in the French Court. Now they just need an invitation to Versailles, to the court of the French King Louis XV.
Our next scene finds us in the boudoir of Louise de Rohan, while she is getting waxed. During this scene we meet Colette, Louise’s pet monkey, and we meet Miss Mary Hawkins. Mary is a shy miss with a stutter from England who is engaged to be married to a widowed French noble. Claire is convinced that she knows the name Mary Hawkins but can’t remember why. Mary is obviously not comfortable standing around in her dressing gown and night-dress, especially with a man in the room. Before going back to the man doing the waxing, Louise informs Claire that she will be joining Louise and Mary to Versailles. Claire suggests bringing Jamie and Louise says “if you must.” Louise also says that her dressmaker will make Claire a dress fit for a Queen. Louise then flops on to her settee and spreads her legs for more waxing.
That evening, Claire crawls in to bed with Jamie and proceeds take his hand under the covers. He moved his hand to where she directs it and exclaims “What have you done to yourself? Your honey pot is bare!” (ROFLMAO!) Then she takes his hand to her legs to which he says “the other was bad enough, but to rid yourself of a lovely forest.” Things seem to be going well, but then Jamie starts having flashbacks to Wentworth. Claire tells him that it is okay and they should get some sleep.
We fast forward to two weeks later. Jamie and Murtagh are finishing getting ready for their trip to Versailles, while they await Claire. She comes down the stairs and you see Jamie and Murtagh’s jaws hits the floor. Jamie is scandalized by the dress. He walks up the steps and tells her that he can see her naval. He then mutters “first your honey pot and now this.” Poor Jamie. Claire assures him that she has a fan. Jamie tells her that she needs a larger one.
Versailles is amazing. The set and costume production for this scene is beautiful. They really created the wealth and decadence of the French Court. Louise leads Claire, Jamie, and Mary Hawkins in to the gathering and says that she knows everyone in the court. Claire requests being introduced to the Minister of Finance, Lord Duverney. Louise wrinkles her nose but says if he is there she will introduce them. 
As they move through the room, a beautiful blonde throws herself at Jamie calling him “Mon petit sauvage!” (My little savage.) The blonde is Annalise, a young woman whom Jamie fought his first duel over. She actually married the other guy, who is now dead due to small pox. While Jamie is introducing her to Claire, Annalise can’t keep her hands off of Jamie. Claire doesn’t do anything but you know she is storing the information for later. Annalise turns out to be intimate friends with the Minister of the Royal Household. She is able to get Jamie in to witness the dressing of the King. Jamie obviously doesn’t want to go, but he doesn’t want to pass up the honor. After he walks away with Annalise, Claire asks Murtagh to accompany them. You can tell she isn’t comfortable with Jamie being a lone with the widow.
Here is a change from the book. In the book, attending the Dressing of the King takes place in the morning, not just before a ball. Jamie was invited by Lord Duverney and Murtagh did not go with Jamie. Also, in the book, Jamie introduces himself to Lord Duverney and challenges him to a game of chess at the board set up in the corner of the ballroom. There are also a few lay out changes compared to the book, but it would be hard to film Claire in an alcove.
Anyway, Jamie and Murtagh are allowed in the King’s chambers to see him on a privy chair that looks like a throne, trying to take a shit. I think part of his problem is his diet, as Jamie points out, but also having so many people watching you try to take a shit. As Murtagh says, “Only in France does a King need an audience to shite.” Poor Jamie is trying not to laugh. Jamie gallantly requests to be introduced to the King and recommends that the King eats parritch every morning.
We go back to the main ballroom where the ladies are gossiping. As usually happens, the topic turns to the penis. One of the ladies points out a gentleman and says he is called L’Andouille (the sausage) because he is unable to keep it in his pants. Claire is then asked what do English ladies call a male member. Claire says she has heard it called Peter and Prick. The French ladies are horrified by the word prick, saying that it is “infelicitous to the ear.” One would think that discussing the male member in mixed company would be infelicitous. While the ladies then discuss how unmusical the English language is, Claire and Louise see Mary talking to a dashing young man. Louise says “That wicked little minx has found a lover before the exchange of wedding vows.” Given Mary’s shyness and her innocence that has been displayed so far, we all know that Mary hasn’t found a lover.
Claire excuses herself from the ladies saying she needed some air. As she leaves the ballroom, Louise sees Lord Duverney. She rushes over to tell him that her friend would like to meet him. Louise implies that Claire is interested in an affair. Lord Duverney is excited to meet Claire and tells Louise he would find her himself. We see Claire walking through the gardens and then she stops to rest on bench that is on a bridge over some water. While rubbing her neck, Duverney shows up saying her prayers have been answered. 
When Claire tries to stand and mentions Jamie, Duverney grabs her around the ribs and sets her back on the bench saying that they don’t need to discuss husbands and wives. He then proceeds to “worship” her feet. He is one of those with a foot fetish. While Claire is trying to figure out the polite way to turn away his affections, he stands and says “come to me my little mouse, let me hear you squeak.” He moves his lips to bosom and she manages to push him away. He backs in to Jamie who pushes the man over the wall of the bridge in to the water. When Claire explains that Jamie just pushed the Minister of Finance off the bridge, Jamie looks at her dress and says “I told ye that dress would bring us grief.”
We move back to the ballroom and Lord Duverney is trying to dry off his wig in the fireplace. 
He apologizes to Claire and Jamie about his behavior and asks how he can remedy the situation. Jamie tells him that his friendship is enough. Lord Duverney asks Jamie if he is at all familiar with the game of Chess. It is decided that they will play a game at some point. At that moment the King moving through the ballroom toward them with his entourage, including his paramour. I was very delighted (and so was my darling husband) to see that the paramour was dressed just like in the book. Her breasts were on display with gem encrusted Swan nipple rings. Claire, Jamie, and Murtagh are taken aback by this display. Murtagh can’t keep his eyes off of the swans. As the King is walking away, the paramour looks over her shoulder at Murtagh as if to entice his attention. Wisely, Murtagh stays with Jamie and Claire.
Murtagh looks over Jamie’s shoulder and sees someone he isn’t happy to see. After saying “Cheating coward of a villain” in Gaelic, Murtagh pushes past Jamie and storms across the ballroom. 
The camera pans from Murtagh to the Duke of Sandringham. Murtagh reaches for his sword but Jamie stops him saying that pulling a sword in the presence of the King was punishable by death. Attempting to use his charm he tries to explain away his betrayal by blaming Black Jack. Claire has Jamie take Murtagh to have a drink with the Lord Duverney, leaving Claire alone with the Duke. After a short exchange, the young man who Mary was talking to comes to the Duke to tell him it was almost time for fireworks. The Duke takes the moment to introduce the young man as Alexander Randall, the younger brother of Black Jack Randall. We also discover that Black Jack Randall isn’t dead. He was just injured in the line of duty. Now Claire needs to decide if she should tell Jamie and if she did, what would happen to him. And this is where the episode ends.
Here we have a departure from the book again, but I understand why they did it. In the book, the King asks Jamie and Claire to stay the night at Versailles because he has a British Noble coming to lunch the next day and thought it would be a good touch to have some British subjects at the lunch. So Claire and Jamie stay, while Murtagh gets them new clothes from the townhouse in Paris. The next day, the British Noble was late to lunch, which made the King mad, but he decides to eat without him. During the meal, Claire needs to escape. Between morning sickness and something on the table, her stomach was rebelling. While Jamie is attending her, the British Noble arrives. We discover that it is the Duke of Sandringham. We are also introduced to his secretary, Alexander Randall, younger brother of Black Jack Randell. In the book, Alexander Randall looks like Black Jack to the extent that both Jamie and Claire were convinced he was Black Jack. Jamie actually hits him until Claire stops him and they discover that it isn’t Black Jack.
As we will see during the season, there will be a lot of things that are condensed or removed, and characters combined. There is so much going on in the book, that it can’t all be told in the TV format. But so far, I am very happy with how they are handling things.
The “trailer” for the next episode actually seems to cover a few episodes. It really isn’t a sneak peek at Episode 3, but here it is for you.
Tales From The PonyTails Blog 