‘Outlander: Blood Of My Blood’ Episode 4 Recap: “A Soldier’s Heart”

In the world of Outlander, Claire and Jamie often engage in a little fibbing (or a whole lot of fibbing) if they think their cause is righteous. And in the fourth episode of the prequel series Blood of My Blood, Claire and Jamie’s moms prove they’re not above doing some lying if it will protect them and the ones they love.

“A Soldier’s Heart” begins with Julia pissing off the faeries with her milk spillage and she must got back an offering to them. She feels her unborn baby and muses in a letter to Henry how the people in this time believe both in God and mysticism. And after being transported back in time, Julia is starting to get on board with this folklore, too.

In a flash-forward to the 20th century, Julia and Henry are in domestic bliss as they plan for the arrival of their firstborn. And whether it’s a boy or a girl, Henry will be happy: “Mrs. Beauchamp, all I care about is that you and the baby are safe and well. A little girl would make me the happiest father alive.” Right answer, my dude.

Back in the past, Henry’s at the brothel. But before you rescind his good husband card, he’s only there because Madame Una Hay has claimed to have found Julia. Of course, she hasn’t, and Seema, the brown-haired sex worker with kind eyes, does her best to keep Henry’s business. He rejects her offer of sex, but he does confide in her about his fears of finding Julia working in a place like this.

At Castle Leathers, Brian delivers a letter from the Grants to his dad. Simon is upset that the letter was written by Henry, but it could be a good thing for Claire’s parents that a letter written in Henry’s handwriting is so close to Julia. (Even if Simon threatens to use the letter to wipe his ass.) The Grants aren’t interested in ending the engagement of Ellen MacKenzie to Malcolm Grant, but this only makes Lord Lovat more convinced that Ellen is “tarnished goods.” He’s particularly suspicious about why her brothers assumed she had run off with Malcolm during the Gathering, which, of course, concerns Brian, as he is the man Ellen had run off with.

Julia shows up and, after last episode’s tryst, she wants to avoid Simon at all costs (who could blame her?). She uses nettles she gathered to feign a rash, which doubly does the trick — not only is Simon skeeved to touch her, but it allows her to take a journey to get the “cure” from the apothecary. While Simon wants her chaperoned by Balloch, Brian steps in yet again to save the day and accompany her on her journey.

At Castle Loech, Ellen battles with Colum and Dougal over her engagement to Malcolm Grant. She was only playing nice last episode to help her brothers secure the lairdship, and now, she wants out. But Colum demands that she accompany Malcolm to Inverness for Beltane in two months as his betrothed. He warns that the last person to break off an engagement with a Grant, Graham Finley, was disappeared into the heather. And to make matters worse, Clan MacKenzie’s coffers are empty thanks to Red Jacob’s reckless spending. But even with the threat of being poor and getting murdered, Ellen isn’t budging.

Also being threatened by the Grants is Henry Beauchamp. Isaac Grant tasks him with collecting the rent from his tenants on quarter day. With the unwanted assistance of Arch Bug, Henry must collect a schilling more… and if he doesn’t come back with the extra money, he can expect his head on a pike like the last bladier.

Henry gets punched by a tenant who is pissed at the rent hike, and turns out, this Sassenach can throw down. In a PTSD-triggered rage, Henry launches into fight mode, taking on a few Highlanders as he’s transported to the trenches of WWI. It takes his St. Anthony necklace (which was given to him by Julia after a previous PTSD episode) to snap out of it. Later that evening, he experiences another flashback, and stroking Julia’s necklace and singing “Take Me Back to Dear Old Blighty” like Julia used to do is the only thing that can comfort him.

The memories of Julia do spark an idea for Henry. He decides to give the Grant tenants a little hope by introducing a lottery where any extra money they pay now will get them a ticket to live the next year rent-free. Mr. Bug continues to undermine Henry (man, Mr. Bug really does suck), but the tenants are inspired by the plan.

Meanwhile, Julia and Brian have been on their road trip together. Brian knows Julia was lying about her rash and has brought her to Castle Leoch to deliver a message to Lady Ellen. Julia admits she is pregnant and could just enter Castle Leoch and never return. But Brian offers her something valuable: protection and a friend. She agrees to do his favor if he’ll help her escape Castle Leathers for good.

After a little trickery with Mrs. Fitz, Julia sneaks to Ellen’s room. Ellen pretends she doesn’t know who Brian Fraser is, but once Julia tells her she’s acting as “the bridge” (where these two Scottish lovebirds met in secret at the Gathering), she immediately earns Ellen’s trust. 

Though Ellen loves Brian, she’s promised to Malcolm and will be “locked in a dance with him for 100 years if the faeries have their way” at Beltane. This sparks Julia’s interest, and rightly so. Beltane is a very important day in the world of Outlander — a mystical day where the veil between the living and dead is thinner and time travel is made easier. And Ellen confirms that they’ll be celebrating Beltane at the standing stones in Inverness that transported Julia and Henry back in time.

Julia convinces Ellen to meet Brian outside, and Brian and Ellen reunite. Commence the handholding! They confirm their never-ending love for one another (haven’t they only interacted two times? these two move fast) and promise to meet again at Beltane. Brian and Julia flee before Dougal discovers them. And now with her secret plan to run away with Brian, Ellen presents a guest list to Colum for her wedding to Malcolm to convince him she’s 100% on board. Oh, you’re a sneaky one, Ellen.

Jamie’s da and Claire’s mom’s alliance is further cemented when Julia tells him Ellen is attending Beltane with Malcom. She offers to be the liaison to distract Malcolm as long as Brian brings her to Inverness with him, where she can search for Henry. Brian agrees.

Though Henry’s lottery scheme was a success, Issac Grant isn’t thrilled that his bladier didn’t follow his instructions. Henry is allowed to serve another day, but Mr. Bug offers to kill him. “Not yet … but watch him more closely,” Isaac replies. Ominous.

In a happier time in the 20th century, Henry and Julia agree on a name for their unborn baby if it’s a girl — Claire — since Julia and their baby will be his guiding light. Aw, baby Claire. But while Julia and Henry are hopeful that their future is clear and bright, it’s much more grim now that they’re living in the past. Henry returns to the brothel because it’s the only place he can go for a moment’s peace. Henry and Seema don’t engage in any sexual activity, but it’s a wee bit troubling for those who are rooting for Henry and Julia to reunite. And it doesn’t help that over at Castle Leathers, Julia claims to Simon that she’s carrying his baby (which begs the question: what does happen to Claire’s sibling?!). Mistress Porter doesn’t blow up her lie immediately, but Julia is rightfully a bit concerned that she will.

Although there’s the exciting prospect of both Blood of My Blood couples reuniting next episode at Beltane, as the lies keep piling up, there’s also reason to be concerned that Henry and Julia might not get their bright future.

Caitlin Gallagher is a New Jersey-raised, NYC-based entertainment writer. When not writing about or watching TV, she can be found planning her next Halloween costume, crying over rescue animals, or praising Season 2 of The Leftovers.