Besieged – Diana Gabaldon (2018)

Besieged by Diana Gabaldon, published in 2018, is a novella set within the expansive Outlander universe, specifically part of the “Lord John” series, which focuses on Lord John Grey, a recurring and beloved secondary character from the main Outlander saga. This tale unfolds in the Caribbean and Cuba during the turbulent mid-18th century, a time of colonial conflict and imperial maneuvering. While the central Outlander series follows Claire and Jamie Fraser through time travel and Scottish history, Besieged stands as an offshoot, richly atmospheric and immersed in historical espionage, familial duty, and perilous loyalties.

Plot Summary

The sea stirred with a heat-wrinkled shimmer as Lord John Grey prepared to leave the sunbaked island of Jamaica. His tenure as military governor was drawing to a close, and thoughts of departure occupied his every move – until a battered carriage rumbled up the gravel path and deposited his stepfather, General Stanley, at his door. The general, limping and grey-faced, delivered unwelcome news: the British fleet, under the Duke of Albemarle, was en route to lay siege to Havana, and John’s mother, the indomitable Dowager Duchess of Pardloe, was presently residing there. Her presence, along with that of her pregnant niece Olivia and Olivia’s diplomat husband Malcolm Stubbs, placed them all in mortal danger.

Lord John’s plans to embark for Charles Town were abruptly cast aside. The general, having limped halfway across the Caribbean with a gout-ridden foot and fierce determination, implored John to act swiftly. Though reluctant to plunge into conflict, John understood his duty – not to King and country, but to blood and bond.

Within hours, a course was charted. With his ever-reliable valet Tom Byrd, and aided by Azeel Sanchez and her husband Rodrigo – two souls pulled from the wreckage of past violence – John commandeered passage on a naval cutter captained by the spirited young Lieutenant Rimes. The cutter, the Otter, sailed under British colors toward Havana’s harbor, its hold freighted not only with human cargo but with urgency.

Havana greeted them with suspicious eyes and humid air thick with tension. Spanish soldiers allowed the party ashore after Rodrigo, speaking in fluid Spanish, convinced them of a familial visit to a sick mother. At the Casa Hechevarria, nestled among bright plastered walls and shaded courtyards, Lord John found his mother unbothered, presiding over kitchens and servants as though her presence in a soon-to-be-besieged city were the most natural thing in the world.

He informed her with calm precision that they must leave immediately. The British fleet, when it came, would not discriminate between the enemy’s fortifications and the women and children caught in the crossfire. Benedicta Grey, however, was unmoved by urgency. Instead, she directed his attention to Olivia and the children, who had been spirited away to the countryside. Gathering them would require time and discretion – too much of both, given the gathering clouds.

Malcolm Stubbs, whose past was marbled with both honor and betrayal, had taken up residence in the fortress of La Punta. When John found him, the diplomat was weary and sore-footed, with dust on his coat and secrets in his heart. Upon hearing of the imminent siege, Malcolm revealed that he had no intention of leaving. His reasons were twofold: one, to remain for his duties as an embedded envoy, and two, more startlingly, because he had embroiled himself in a slave uprising, coaxing it toward strategic collaboration.

The revolt had been whispered into being by enslaved men from nearby plantations, hoping to kill their masters and flee into the countryside. Malcolm had intercepted their plans and persuaded them to wait. He promised them freedom, not through massacre, but through timing and coordination – helping the British by disabling Spanish defenses at a crucial moment in exchange for liberation. Their actions could cripple the harbor’s mighty boom chain or even compromise the vital stronghold of El Morro.

While John reeled at the recklessness of such entanglements, the arrival of a Spanish cutter changed everything. The ship bore official notification of the war’s declaration. Within moments, Havana’s orderly streets began to hum with frantic energy. Soldiers mobilized, and watchtowers scanned the sea. Malcolm, suddenly marked by nationality and affiliation, faced arrest or worse. Lord John, now a suspicious foreign presence, could not afford delay.

Together, they climbed to the battlements of La Punta, watching the harbor below. Warships rocked gently in their moorings, their threat concealed beneath canvas and calm. Malcolm outlined his plan to infiltrate El Morro again, to gather intelligence that might guide the British attack. He counted on John’s help to reach the governor, Don Juan de Prado, and use the audience as cover for exploration. There was risk in every step, but John saw it clearly – the same fire in Malcolm’s eyes that had once kept him alive on a blood-soaked battlefield in Quebec.

While strategies formed under Caribbean sun, efforts were made to retrieve Olivia and the children. Azeel and Rodrigo, bonded by quiet strength, accepted the task. They were shadows moving through uncertain terrain, carrying the future on tired feet. Olivia, due to give birth soon, remained unaware of the full danger, but her trust in her family drew her home.

Back in Havana, the sands of time dwindled. John moved like a chess piece on a board of shifting alliances. He donned full dress uniform, brandished his title like a shield, and walked into the halls of Spanish power with studied diplomacy. Meanwhile, Malcolm tracked the corridors of El Morro, noting the placements of cannons, the structure of gates, the number of guards – every detail he could glean without drawing suspicion.

In this tense dance of spies and soldiers, John weighed the value of every risk. His thoughts lingered on Rodrigo, who once emerged from a voodoo-induced half-death and now moved like a man reclaiming his soul. He thought of Azeel, a woman once enslaved and now blazing her own path across seas and secrets. He thought of Malcolm, whose sins were many, but whose vision might yet change the tide.

There were moments of quiet, rare and stolen – a shared drink in candlelight, a wordless glance between comrades, a gust of sea wind that tasted of salt and gunpowder. Yet the shadow of invasion stretched longer with each hour. The British fleet, when it arrived, would come hard and fast. Smoke would curl from ramparts, and cannonballs would crash through tiles and bone alike. There would be no mercy in the siege, only fire and resolution.

But before the first British sail could crest the horizon, Lord John Grey had done what he set out to do. His mother, Olivia, and the children were safely aboard a vessel bound northward. Rodrigo and Azeel remained by his side, loyal in their silence. Malcolm, despite the danger, stayed behind to see his plan through – a man redeemed not by virtue but by action.

As Havana’s harbor pulsed with growing unease, Lord John stood once more on the dock. The sky swelled with gray promise, and the air smelled of iron and fate. Behind him lay a city poised on the brink of history. Before him, the sea stretched out like a loaded cannon, and somewhere beyond the blue, the fleet advanced.

Main Characters

• Lord John Grey: An English aristocrat, soldier, and occasional spy, Lord John is intelligent, honorable, and pragmatic, yet often burdened by the emotional contradictions of duty and desire. In Besieged, he is confronted with a deeply personal mission: to extract his mother and extended family from Havana before a British invasion begins. He is witty and composed but reveals inner turmoil and tenderness, especially in matters involving family, loyalty, and past wounds.
• Tom Byrd: Lord John’s stalwart valet, Tom is both servant and confidant. Young, quick-witted, and unflinchingly loyal, he adds sharp humor and grounded perspective to the narrative. His practical observations often contrast with John’s high-society sensibilities, and his courage subtly anchors many of the novella’s tenser moments.
• General Stanley: Lord John’s stepfather and a retired general, Stanley arrives with alarming news and a wounded foot. His sudden reappearance sets the story’s events in motion. Though initially weakened, he is sharp, determined, and fueled by deep concern for Lord John’s mother, Benedicta.
• Benedicta, Dowager Duchess of Pardloe: Lord John’s formidable mother is a vibrant and headstrong woman, residing in Havana to assist her pregnant niece. Despite her age and station, she remains independent, witty, and quietly commanding – a force to be reckoned with and a catalyst for John’s emotional decisions.
• Malcolm Stubbs: John’s cousin by marriage, Malcolm is a complex figure – once saved by John on a battlefield, now a diplomat hiding secrets of his own. He is politically astute, morally ambiguous, and entangled in revolutionary intrigue that challenges both his safety and John’s trust.
• Azeel Sanchez and Rodrigo: Azeel is John’s former housekeeper, now his freed employee, and wife to Rodrigo, a man recovering from being turned into a zombie by voodoo practices. Their relationship is tender and symbolic, embodying themes of restoration and humanity. Both provide crucial assistance during John’s covert mission.

Theme

• Duty and Loyalty: Central to the novella is the tension between personal loyalty and civic/military duty. Lord John must balance his sense of honor to the Crown with the desperate need to protect his family, revealing the costs of obedience in a world where politics and war demand personal sacrifices.
• Colonialism and War: Set amid British colonial expansion, the story navigates the brutal reality of imperial power. Through detailed depictions of Havana, Jamaica, and military strategy, Gabaldon critiques colonial exploitation and the looming violence of conquest, particularly in the lives of enslaved people and native populations.
• Identity and Secrecy: From Lord John’s concealed sexuality to Malcolm Stubbs’ hidden alliances, identity is often obscured in service of survival. Secrets permeate the text, with espionage and double lives reflecting the dangers of revealing one’s true self in politically charged environments.
• Rebellion and Freedom: The subplot involving a slave revolt and its complex implications explores the theme of liberation. Gabaldon confronts the paradox of fighting for one’s freedom while serving an empire built on subjugation, challenging readers to consider the moral ambiguity of historical justice.
• Family and Redemption: John’s quest is ultimately driven by family – not just blood ties, but chosen bonds. Relationships with his mother, Rodrigo and Azeel, and even Malcolm, invite questions about forgiveness, belonging, and what it means to protect those we love, even at great personal risk.

Writing Style and Tone

Diana Gabaldon’s prose in Besieged is richly textured, character-driven, and steeped in historical detail. She employs a third-person limited perspective, primarily through Lord John’s eyes, allowing readers intimate access to his thoughts, dry wit, and emotional nuances. Gabaldon’s language oscillates between erudite and colloquial, often embedding military jargon, Caribbean dialects, and Spanish phrases, which lend authenticity and flavor to the setting. Her attention to period-appropriate diction and cultural nuance demonstrates meticulous research and immersion in 18th-century life.

The tone throughout is simultaneously adventurous and introspective. Gabaldon balances moments of levity – often through Lord John and Tom Byrd’s banter – with tension-laden sequences involving politics, battles, and moral dilemmas. Though the story unfolds with urgency due to the impending invasion, there’s also a contemplative layer, as characters reflect on past traumas, lost loves, and uncertain futures. The novella reads like a tapestry – a narrative woven with historical threads, intimate character studies, and sharp, evocative prose.