You didn't know that Jamie was married? He blinked, but not in time to keep me from seeing a small grimace of pain, as though someone had struck him suddenly across the face.
In the passage from Diana Gabaldon's "Voyager," the character expresses surprise upon learning about Jamie's marriage, displaying a lack of awareness about his personal life. This revelation catches him off guard and hints at a deeper emotional struggle beneath the surface.
Jamie's reaction, characterized by a brief grimace, suggests that this news has impacted him significantly, evoking a sense of pain akin to a physical blow. It indicates unresolved feelings or complexities related to his marriage, highlighting the intricate emotional dynamics at play in the story.