Written in My Own Heart's Blood

Roger and Buck find Mr. Cumberpatch, learning that the dog tags came from near Hadrian’s Wall. They plan to walk along the wall until they hear word of Roger’s father, and Roger obtains a large garnet from Mrs. Cumberpatch while purchasing supplies. That night, Roger reveals that Buck’s father and mother were Dougal MacKenzie and Geillis Abernathy.

Unsure if she should travel through the American stones to Claire and Jamie or the Scottish stones to Roger, Brianna travels to Boston to seek Joe Abernathy’s advice. While there, Jem reveals that even now he can hear and locate both Mandy and Roger. The next morning, Brianna commits fully to traveling to the past.

On the fourth day of traveling along Hadrian’s Wall, Roger and Buck see a man wearing Jerry MacKenzie’s flight jacket. The man refuses to talk to them, calling his dog on them instead. Instead of searching for Jerry, they decide to find the standing stones he would have traveled through and ask about strangely dressed men there.

Joe and Brianna discover Mandy and Jem can sense each other up to four miles. Deciding to travel through Craigh na Dun, Brianna refuses Joe and Gail Abernathy’s offer to accompany her to Scotland. She will avoid Inverness and Robbie Cameron until just before they go through the stones.

Roger and Buck recruit a young boy named Ridley to guide them to the standing stones. Ridley also guides them to a man who found a RAF flight harness. Noticing Ridley’s reaction to the harness, they discover that a local clan has beaten and robbed a stranger. Farmer Quarton is holding the stranger while deciding between killing him or cutting off his hand for stealing a pie.

Roger and Buck rescue Jerry MacKenzie from a locked cow byre (a cowshed) that night. Buck tells Jerry they come from a long way from now. Chased by the farmer and his dogs as they leave, they escape and take Jerry back to the standing stones. Roger gives his father the garnet, and warns Jerry to only think about his wife, not his son. Just before Jerry steps into the stones, Roger hugs him, telling him he loves him.

As Jerry goes through the stones, Roger and Buck lose consciousness. When they wake, they decide to travel to Cranesmuir so Buck can meet Geillis. Roger tells Buck a little about his mother but withholds information about Geillis’ sordid history.

In A Practical Guide to Time Travelers, Brianna writes that they will take the train to Inverness the next day, and Fiona will take them to Craigh na Dun. Brianna has warned Lional Menzies to keep an eye on Robbie.

Roger and Buck meet Geillis in her home but are surprised to find Dr. McEwan there as well; Roger can tell McEwan and Geillis recently had sex. Buck asks Geillis to look at Roger’s throat, then insinuates he has more delicate ailments for her to look at. Geillis takes Buck up to her attic, leaving Roger and McEwan behind.

Roger explains that Buck is Geillis’ son, and that she is a time traveler like themselves. McEwan admits that he and Geillis conceived a child, and she aborted the fetus with his approval. Roger leaves in disgust, walking around the square to cool off. Returning to the house, he comforts McEwan and allows him to heal his throat again. He advises McEwan to leave Geillis, but McEwan tells Roger that though he has tried, he cannot.

When Buck and Roger retire to an inn, Buck confesses that he did not have sex with his mother, though she offered herself to him. Roger will not confirm Buck’s belief that his mother is a “whore,” but Buck tells him that he will never make a good minister if he cannot tell the truth (822).

Leaving Crainsmuir, Buck apologizes to Roger for causing the hanging that robbed Roger of his voice. He offers to travel back in time to update Brianna, leaving Roger free to search for Jem. Roger is going to travel to Lallybroch and urges Buck to see Dougal MacKenzie before taking the trip through the stones.

Brianna, Jem, and Mandy are approaching Craigh na Dun when Lionel Menzies appears, warning her that Robbie and his friends are in pursuit. Brianna gives Jem and Mandy their gems, and Mandy, feeling her father’s presence, disappears into a stone. Jem retrieves her, reappearing immediately, but their gems have been destroyed. As Robbie’s gang charges up the hillside, Lionel breaks apart his Masonic ring on a stone, giving one diamond each to Jem and Mandy. Brianna grabs her children’s hands and steps through the stones.

In 1739, Brianna and the children walk to Lallybroch, taking refuge in the broch. Through the window, Jem sees a man climbing the hill and, believing it’s Roger, Brianna runs to meet him. However, it’s Brian Fraser, visiting the graves of his wife and his son. Brian mistakes Brianna for the ghost of Ellen and seeing Jem follow Brianna, thinks Jem is the ghost of his son. He passes out from shock. Jem excitedly tells Brianna that Mandy can hear Roger.

Roger wrestles with his conscience while riding to Lallybroch. He wants to alert Brianna to where he is, but fears Buck will have another heart attack traveling through the stones. Engrossed in his thoughts, he looks up and sees Jem in the road. They joyfully reunite and Jem tells his father that Brianna is beyond the hill, having hurt her ankle trying to catch Mandy. As Roger searches the hill for his daughter, Buck appears down the road with Mandy on his horse.

Roger, Brianna, Jem, and Mandy, spend the night in Dr. McEwan’s house. McEwan is staying with a friend, while Buck says he will stay in an inn. After the children fall asleep, Brianna tells Roger about Robbie Cameron, and Roger explains about Geillis and Buck, telling her that they cannot stay in Scotland because they know too much of what will happen to the people here.

Before falling asleep, Roger checks on the children and sees a light in Geillis Duncan’s attic. Below, a man watches. Roger turns away, but in his mind sees a vision of Buck in Geillis’ arms, slowly disappearing while Geillis watches in horror and a blue glow rises to her womb.