Brian (Jamie Roy) and Murtagh (Rory Alexander) accompany Dougal (Sam Retford) back to Castle Leoch as Starz’s Outlander: Blood of my Blood season two, episode seven opens. Colum (Seamus McLean Ross) doesn’t welcome his brother home with open arms.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode seven – “Heart of the Highlands” – and there are spoilers.)
Brian, Murtagh, Mrs. Fitz (Sally Messham), Jocasta (Sadhbh Malin), Maura (Bobby Rainsbury), and Letitia (Rebekah Lumsden) witness Colum and Dougal’s unhappy reunion. Colum blames Dougal for the women needing to sew shrouds and swears he’ll never forgive him. Dougal doesn’t respond when his brother calls him selfish but does say he survived only because of Angus, Brian, and Murtagh. Colum orders Dougal to leave, knowing they’ll be hunting for him since he escaped from Fort Williams. He suggests that Dougal should hide out in the old crofter’s cottage, and Dougal appears to agree.
Colum, Mrs. Fitz, and Jocasta thank Brian and Murtagh for saving Dougal, with Colum acknowledging that he owes them everything. Brian requests to see Ellen and Mrs. Fitz warns him to be prepared for her condition. Ellen (Harriet Slater) is sobbing in bed when Brian enters her room, and Ellen delivers the heartbreaking news that she lost their baby. She’s sure their baby was a girl and that she’d look like Brian. Ellen says she would have named her Janet, just like she promised her sister.
Brian promises they’ll have another, and Ellen’s forced to reveal that she’s cursed to be childless for the rest of her days. Brian’s shocked to learn his father poisoned the wine with something that destroys wombs. Ellen will understand if he wants to end their relationship, but Brian pledges to love her always before racing from the room.
Ellen asks Jocasta to help her get dressed to ride after Brian, but Jocasta knows nothing Ellen can do at this point will stop Brian from killing Lord Lovat.
A quick flashback shows Julia (Hermione Corfield) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine) in happier times, watching a movie in a packed theater. Their smiles fade when they run into Charlotte Seaton (Lily Travers) in the lobby. Charlotte can’t even pretend to be civil to Julia, calling her a dowdy little clerk and making fun of her wedding ring. Henry broke off their relationship when he met Julia, and Charlotte’s definitely not over it.
Henry’s still searching for gemstones to help them time travel as he and Julia exchange letters while apart. He recalls their evenings spent at the picture show and the power of their love and reveals he’ll be at their meeting spot at the wall in three days. Julia reads the letter and smiles.
Margaret Grant (Erin Shanager) is robbed of her pearl necklace while returning home. Redcoats stopped her carriage and demanded her name, as well as her necklace. They didn’t care that the Grants weren’t affiliated with the Jacobites. Malcolm is furious at Margaret for letting him take it and for making up a story about the soldier putting a pistol in her face.
Henry says they’re sorry for what she went through, as Margaret declares that if Malcolm wasn’t her brother, she’d never talk to him again. It’s the first army patrol Arch (Terence Rae) has heard of around here, and Henry believes there will be more. It’s only then that Margaret hands over a letter with a royal seal given to her by the soldier. It’s an invitation to Malcolm to visit the king.
Margaret and Malcolm keep up their argument, with Malcolm upset over her spending habits. Margaret insists she needs to spend money to impress the highborn of England. Malcolm and Margaret continue to toss insults at each other, and Malcolm finally admits he hopes they find someone to marry her off to at Sandringham.
Arch and Henry volunteer to go hunt for the soldier who stole Margaret’s necklace, and Malcolm agrees.
Another flashback shows Henry and Julia discussing Lottie, and Julia points out that her amethyst ring may be common, but it’s suffused with myth and meaning. “Charlotte might have been my first love, but you, Mrs. Julia Beauchamp, you are my last,” says Henry.
Before Henry and Arch leave, Arch confesses that he’s sure Margaret still has the necklace and lied about it being stolen. He reveals that Malcolm knows it too but just plays along. Henry’s happy to hear that because he’s going to use this opportunity to search for amethysts in the hillside. Arch’s wife, Murdina (Sorcha Groundsell), joins them and confirms there’s amethyst there. They’re difficult to find but Murdina instructs them to look for the two lovers petrified in stone by the fair folk. She explains that in a gorge there are two cliffs worn by time that look like faces. However, she adds that fairies and the lord take many who venture there.
Arch doesn’t want to go but Murdina convinces him that if he brings back amethysts, the fair folk might grant them a baby. Henry promises to go down the gorge and let Arch stay above as his anchor.
Grace (Ruby Fubara) is relieved to see that Murtagh has returned unharmed. She plays it cool until Murtagh reveals that he kept the rose she made him and would touch it during the battle. It would remind him that he’d left something unfinished.
Grace lays out all the reasons why a relationship between them won’t work. She’s still got six and a half years to serve Jocasta and can’t make decisions about her life on her own. Murtagh says he just wants to steal whatever time they can get together.
Grace reveals she’s heading to Cameron House tomorrow but takes morning walks unattended. Murtagh smiles as she walks away, happy that some alone time is possible.
Dougal and Maura share deep, passionate kisses after very unsatisfying (and short) sex. The kisses lead to much more romantic and meaningful lovemaking.
Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) also received an invitation that has him worried he doesn’t have the proper clothing to wear. Julia wonders why he’s so worked up about clothes and is stunned that the invitation is to men of importance to meet with the king. Julia believes she’s invited too, but Lord Lovat reminds her she can’t hold her tongue and might offend the king.
Brian arrives at Castle Leathers and pushes Balloch’s face into his plate. He demands Lord Lovat’s attention and declares he’ll never leave Ellen. Lord Lovat reminds him that for Simon to be king, he has to be the last of his line. So, he had to make sure that Ellen is barren.
Brian lifts Lord Lovat by his throat and holds him at knifepoint. He’s about to slice Lord Lovat’s throat when Julia runs in and begs him not to. She and Davina (Sara Vickers) warn Brian that if he kills Lord Lovat, he’ll hang and Ellen will lose him forever. Brian chooses to let him live but demands the house at Broch Morda and the surrounding land. Lord Lovat gives it to him and agrees to never set foot there.
“Come near Ellen again…father or not…I will kill you,” Brian snarls.
Because Julia stood up for him, Lord Lovat changes his mind and invites her to join him when he meets the king.
Henry and Arch arrive at the spot Murdina described. Arch stays by the tree and works the rope, but suddenly it breaks. Henry yells that he’s alright and starts his search for the amethyst. Arch works on securing more rope to make sure Henry’s able to come back up.
Henry spots the faces and doesn’t even need to really search to find the amethyst. It’s clearly visible in the rocks.
Grace is back at Cameron House and heads to the barn, happy to find Murtagh there waiting. They kiss and Murtagh says he wants Grace but is worried about her virtue. She confirms it’s already been taken from her, and now she wants to give herself freely.
They finally manage to remove their many layers of clothing and make love, naked in the hay.
Brian returns to the bridge that brought him and Ellen together and takes a brick. He returns to Castle Leoch and assures Ellen he didn’t kill Lord Lovat because he couldn’t bear the thought of not having a life with her. Ellen reminds him she can’t have children, but Brian doesn’t care. He hands her a blanket and inside is the brick. She smiles as Brian explains it will be the hearthstone of the home he’ll build for them – Lallybroch!
Colum and Ned (Conor MacNeill) relax with a drink and discuss Brian’s decision not to kill Lord Lovat. Ned is certain that Ellen’s claim that he poisoned her can’t be proven. They can at least be thankful that she’s still alive. Ned believes they have no choice but to let Lord Lovat live.
Henry shows Julia the amethysts he’s retrieved. They can leave that very night since Arch is nearby waiting to take them. But Julia’s worried they’ll be discovered and decides they need to wait until they have a real plan in place. Since they’re both going to the investiture and the Grants and Lord Lovat will be busy with the king, that might be the perfect time to escape.
They have a quick goodbye kiss before Julia returns to Castle Leathers with the amethysts. Her mood quickly darkens when she sees Maisri (Katharine O’Donnelly) in the kitchen. Maisri claims Lord Lovat sent for her and that she was only doing her job when she poisoned the wine. Julia informs Maisri that she doesn’t believe her and that the prophecy is wrong; her son will never be king. Maisri touches her arm and sees that Claire is safe in a faraway place. Julia asks if she’ll see her again and Maisri delivers heartbreaking news: her baby can pass through the veil, but Julia herself can’t. She was only able to do that before because she was pregnant. Even a gemstone can’t help her.
Maisri believes Julia when she says she’s a traveler because she can only see one year of Julia’s life.
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This post was last modified on October 29, 2026 11:11 pm