Claire and Jamie round up their crew and head to sea in pursuit of Young Ian. On board the Artmeis, they're shocked to find out that Fergus has married Marsali -- or rather the two are handfast, which isn't binding since they haven't had a chance to consummate the marriage. Jamie orders the two to separate, having Fergus berth with him and Marsalli to berth with Claire. Neither lady is pleased with the arrangement. Claire struggles to accept and go along with the superstitions of the crew, especially when said superstitions have the captain acquiescing to the call for a "Jonah." The crew has decided that one of Jamie's men failed to touch the horseshoe as the ship left port, bringing bad luck that spoiled most of the water and lost the winds. The man gets drunk and climbs a mast with the intention of throwing himself overboard, but Jamie follows him. Once he's down, the crew starts calling for his death again, but Mr Willoughby distracts them with the story of his life. He finishes his story by dramatically throwing some pages overboard -- just in time for the winds to come back. The crisis is averted, and Claire and Jamie find a moment to steal away together. But before the Artemis can get too far underway, it's overtaken by a British man o' war. Claire is taken aboard the other ship to treat an outbreak of typhoid fever, intending to only be gone from the Artemis for a few hours. But after the captain hears her assessment of the situation, he orders the ship to continue on it's course, conscripting Claire without her consent.