Part One: The Play for Jonathan Crouch, Chapter II. Blindfold Play

Chapter II. Blindfold Play

The scene shifts to Boghall Castle, where the residents are nervously awaiting Wharton's English troops moving north from Annan. This is the location from which Richard Crawford and Christian Stewart saw the fire at Midculter, a little more than half-way between Annan and Edinburgh.

As the stress-filled morning drags on, Christian's servant Sym finds a man in an English cloak lying unconscious in the bog. We do not know who he is or how he came to be injured and to lie in this place.

Christian continues to stand out as an unusual person, not because she is blind but because of her striking personality. How does she react to Sym finding what appears to be an enemy in the bog? She is calm and humorous and willing to go along with what sounds like Sym's pipe dream of securing a large ransom for this anonymous person behind the back of Hugh the Warden.

Why doesn't Christian, who has every reason not to help an Englishman, turn the man over to Hugh? As she sits by the bed waiting for the mystery man to wake, she considers that their prisoner might by Scottish. Why? All she knows at this point is the man is young and very well dressed. Does Christian suspect who he might be from her exploration of the man using "hypertactile fingers"? We know she felt the injury at his nape, and it would be highly unlikely she would not also have felt his face. That is one way she knows he is a young man (the skin is taut and smooth).

When he wakes and speaks, she notes the voice is cultured and hard to place by accent and inflection, although it would not be out of place north of the Tyne (northern England). No clear clue to his identity here.

At this point, we do not know for sure who the young man with the injured head is, but his way of speaking is a clue...literary and historical allusions flow from his tongue. Nonetheless, he claims he has no idea who he is. 

Gradually it is revealed that the injured man is Francis Crawford, but Dunnett gives us multiple clues before that. Lymond repeats Will Scott's poetry quotation--"This officer, but doubt, is callit Deid"--for example, and cannot remember the next day that he had said it.

Something to remember: Francis suffers a head injury serious enough to cause a prolonged blackout and memory loss. 

When I first read this chapter I did not believe Lymond had actually lost his memory but rather was engaging in yet another ruse. However, given how the story with Christian unfolds, I believe he did suffer a bout of amnesia. He seems genuinely injured and befuddled and, as a result, the person we meet in this chapter is very, very different from the Francis we have seen thus far. 

During his recovery at Boghall, Francis is vulnerable, polite, kind, generous, charming, even sweet. If he truly does not remember who he is, this is his genuine persona because you cannot pretend to be someone else if you don't know who you. 

His merciless lack of self pity is something else he shares with Christian, who in no way feels sorry for herself because of her blindness. They instantaneously recognize each other as kindred spirits. She notes how he treats her blindness as a fact and not a tragedy. He delights in her quick wit and verbal acuity. Christian is one of the few people who can keep up with Francis's silver tongue and throw "his own quotations back at him." 

With Christian, we first experience Francis's passion for and skill with music. He not only plays a variety of musical styles magnificently, he also sings beautifully and can discourse on music theory. So completely does he enter Christian's world of sound that she almost loses herself there until conscience reminds her she does not know this man and his intentions.

Christian catches Lymond unawares with the mention of Jonathan Crouch, and his honest reply supports the belief he really does not remember who he is, or he would have dissembled. I think hearing Crouch's name pushes the door to Francis's memory ajar, and the next song he sings fully opens the portal.

Francis's reaction as he sings the frog and mouse song is exactly what I would expect if he had used it as a spur to Richard's childhood memories. This silly song breaks the logjam of Lymond's memories and allows them to flood back, painfully, into his conscious mind: "What aspect of the bold, ill-fated frog had opened the gates" of memory? Dunnett doesn't say, but she does tell us what Francis finds at the bottom of that well of memory: the Truth about who he is and what he is doing. 

It is not surprising that Francis will not give Christian his name once he recovers it, but why does Christian not insist on knowing who she is saving? Is she afraid of being disillusioned? Is she afraid of becoming a co-conspirator in a criminal enterprise? If she learns who he is, she may feel compelled to turn him in to authorities. Or maybe she already suspects who her mystery man is. Her one condition for letting Lymond go is to know why he is interested in Crouch. 

Ultimately, Francis tells Christian that Crouch is an Englishman he knows little about but who, ironically, he'll find if it takes him "to Hell and back." Why is Lymond so determined to find Crouch? Neither Christian nor we know as of yet.

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Note on Shahrazad (Scheherazade): As a polyglot and someone who has traveled widely, Francis might well be familiar with this traditional Persian tale, but Christian almost certainly would not. It's a little anachronism. However, what does Lymond mean by calling Christian Shahrazad? Shahrazad used story telling to save not only her life but also the lives of many future wives of the murderous king. I think that is Francis's point: Christian has already been "telling stories" (lying and deceiving) to save Francis's life, and she is willing to continue to do so in order to protect and assist him.

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When Tom Erskine arrives he brings "miraculous" news on the English retreat across the border. Remember: Francis told Richard the English were heading north to Stirling just as he had earlier told Wharton and Lennox that the Protector wanted them to come north to meet him. Instead, they went back south into England. Richard gambled that what Francis had told him was a lie and, as it turned out, it was.

The closing scene of the chapter has Sym guiding Christian to the cave, where they find not only Francis but also another man, who turns out to be Johnnie Bullo. To Christian, he is perceived only by his "long, wiry fingers" (hands, again, as an identifier) and garlic on his breath. Christian does not merely offer to help her mystery man, she positively insists on doing so. 

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A note on the significance of the garlic on Johnnie's breath. Garlic was not generally used in English or Scottish cuisine in the 16th century. Bullo's garlic breath is a give-away that he is from a lower class, or possibly even that he is a gypsy because their cuisine is distinctive.

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Christian's behavior is extremely risky and, on the face of it, irrational. Her prisoner could be anyone with any number of nefarious motives. Just because he is cultured, witty, and intelligent does not mean he is not a scoundrel--or worse. After all, he has every reason to behave well when he is a prisoner in the castle. If he turns out to be a wanted man and Christian's role in hiding him and helping him escape is discovered, she is in serious trouble. Christian is a very sensible woman whose head would not be turned by a charming rogue, no matter how refined his sensibilities or glib his tongue. When she does find herself beguiled by his musical skill, her better angels land on her shoulder to break the spell.

All of which means that, as with Francis, we do not really know or understand Christian Stewart's motives.

Questions

1. Christian Stewart is a neighbor of the Crawford's (she was the one who smelled the smoke emanating from Midculter). Why wasn't she at the gathering at Midculter Hall? Wouldn't Sybilla have invited her?
2. How did Lymond end up unconscious in the bog? Who or what hit him on the head?
3. Why is Christian protecting and actively helping a man she presumably knows nothing about and who may well be an enemy?
4. What do you think Lymond would have done had Christian decided not to let him go?

Favorite Line

"With humble and rather touching delight, she entered into her own world; the world of sound, and was happy until Conscience put a hand on her shoulder."

Words that Describe Lymond in Blindfold Play

• vulnerable
• polite
• kind 
• generous
• charming
• sweet
• young
• amusing
• cautious
• manipulative

Part One: The Play for Jonathan Crouch. Chapter I: Taking en Passant

1. The English Opening

I wonder who Jonathan Crouch is...

He is listed among the characters as a former officer of the Royal Household and prisoner of war. That's all we know except Lymond wants to find him.

Translation into modern English of the last line of the epigram:
"...and if it be in time of war, they ought not open the gates by night to any man." ...even if he seems to be one of yours.

We meet Lymond's band of merry and not so merry men, in particular Turkey Mat and Johnnie Bullo. What I find interesting about this group, which is undoubtedly made up of rough men with rougher backgrounds, is that they are not ruffians. Turkey Mat is a former soldier, a veteran of some serious battles, including at least three against the Ottomans. Johnnie is a gypsy (we'll learn more about him as time goes on). 

During the conversation between Johnnie and Turkey Mat, Turkey says that Lymond's men met an English messenger carrying dispatches from "The Protector" to his commander in Annan. 

Edward Seymour, Lord Protector of England

The Protector refers to the Lord Protector of England, Edward, Duke of Somerset, King Edward's uncle. He is also called Somerset. He is waging war on Scotland, again.

Not only did Lymond not capture or kill the messenger, he sent one of his men to make sure the messenger, who we later learn is named Bannister, gets to Annan with his message.  

More clues to Lymond's character: Johnnie Bullo notes Francis's appearance as he arrives at camp: "...the dairy-maid skin, the gilded hair, the long hands jewelled to display their beauty." Francis's appearance is in stark contrast both to that of his men and to the setting. He is like a butterfly flitting among horseflies. Also, DD's descriptions of characters' hands are revealing. Pay attention to how she describes Lymond's and certain other personage's hands. 

Enter Will Scott, who is the young man Janet Buccleuch and Sybilla are discussing at Midculter. What sets Will apart from Lymond's men is that he is of Francis Crawford's social class, with a classical education and formal training in the arts of weaponry and war. When he offers a Latin quotation, "flat incomprehension informed every face" except, of course, Lymond's. Will is something new: a potential rival to Lymond.

But Will has a long way to go to challenge Francis, whose own men describe him as "the devil" with a "tongue like a thorn tree." Lymond certainly demonstrates on Will his ability to humiliate, going so far as to call him "infant" and, hilariously, listing "wetting the bed at night" as one reason for Will wanting to join the band. 

Francis uses Will to punish one Oyster Charlie, who has been giving Lymond "a little trouble." Francis warns Oyster, whose "hearing is sensational," that an attack is coming, so Will proves his willingness to kill and Oyster gets a painful but less than fatal lesson. 

Lymond also quotes from Thomas More's A Merry Jest, how a Serjeant would learn to play the Friar, "When a hatter/will go smatter..."

This quotation is interesting on several levels. In the poem a sergeant disguises himself as a friar to get into the house of a thief who is pretending to be sick in bed. Unfortunately for the sergeant, even though the ruse works, he ends up getting the beating of his life. The point of the poem, written when More was a young man, is that people should stick to what they know and to their own profession. 

The moral of the story applies both to Will Scott, who wants to become an outlaw, and to Lymond himself, who is clearly operating outside his milieu and given to using ruses and disguises ("I propose to appear in one of my twenty-two incarnations"). Francis knows he is playing a dangerous game. It is unclear if Will also realizes the potential pitfalls and dangers of the life he proposes to lead.

The mortification of Will Scott is painful to read, so thorough is it, culminating in the disclosure that Francis knew all along who Will is. The humiliation is Will's hazing ritual, to test if he is serious about joining Lymond and if he can be trusted not to betray him. Maybe Francis really does think he can trust Will, or maybe he simply wants to use him to his advantage, which is immediately borne out by Lymond taking Will with him to Annan.

2. Pins and Counterpins

Lymond is going to Annan, this time playing the part of an English soldier, to look for the mysterious Jonathan Crouch. Thus far we do not know why he seeks Crouch. 

Nothing seems to go right at Annan. First, Lymond discovers Crouch has been taken prisoner on the battlefield, but by whom the English commander does not know. Next, the commander, who is not entirely without his suspicions about these two men who suddenly appear at the city gates, insists on taking Lymond to see Wharton, who has threatened to gut him publicly. Wharton may not recognize Lymond, but Lennox will. 

Just as Francis and Will seemingly have extricated themselves from this deadly danger, what does Lymond do but force Wharton's son to take him to his father, much to Will's shock and dismay. 

"The events which followed were always to have for Will Scott of Kincurd the curious narcotic quality of a bout of fever." Such a vivid and apt description! It rings true to anyone who has ever had the surreal experience of horror and fear tinged with the chilling thrill of walking on the knife edge of disaster.

The wordplay between Lennox and Lymond, which says so much and yet leaves so much unanswered, is a beautiful thing to behold. What we learn:

1. Lennox and Lymond have a history.
2. Lennox stole a shipload of gold from the Scottish Queen Dowager (Mary of Guise) and took off for England.
3. Lennox was responsible at some point for freeing Francis from "his stinking oars," which indicates Francis was trapped in a very bad situation, yet to be explained.
4. Francis hits Lennox below the belt with this curious comment, which alludes to Lennox's wife, Margaret: "I was brought up in bad company. From oar to oar, you might say."
5. Francis and Margaret Douglas, Lady Lennox, also have a history.

Lymond tells Wharton and Lennox the (purported) contents of the Protector's dispatch Bannister is carrying. Furthermore, Francis plays to the Englishmen's vanity and ambition, saying that the Protector wants to talk to Lennox at Stirling about putting him on the throne of Scotland and Wharton on the Privy Council. 

Continuing in his role as rogue, outlaw, and thief, Lymond liberates Wharton's gold, which will help Francis finance his activities, and, in what seems to be a wanton act of cruelty, drops a helmet that has been heating in the fire onto the head of Wharton's son Henry. However, it's important to remember a few things. 

1. Henry Wharton is 25 years old, hardly a child.
2. Henry is "already a leader of horse," meaning he is a military commander and thus involved in the sacking of Annan.
3. Annan has been burned and pillaged. Many innocent men, women, and children have died or lost everything in this English attack on their town.

Lymond's action of dropping the flaming helmet on Henry's head is symbolic payback for the cruelty inflicted on Annan, which suffered by fire. It also serves the important purpose of creating a distraction that allows Francis and Will to escape.

3. Capture of a King's Pawn

In the aftermath of the terrible defeat at Pinkie, Richard Crawford (Lord Culter) and Tom Erskine, with their beaten and tattered men, are going to try to stop the English from moving north to Stirling, where the Scottish Court and other noblewomen with their children have been sent for safety.

Into their arms walks Charlie Bannister, the English messenger bound for Annan. Bannister destroys the message he is carrying and refuses to give up the contents, which he has unwisely let the Scots know he has read. Faced with a terrible dilemma of whether to stay put or go north to try to protect Stirling, Richard decides to do just that. 

Richard sends his man to get Erskine so they can join forces and move towards Stirling when Lymond's men descend on Culter and his company. Lymond's aim is to free Bannister and send him on his way to deliver his message. Francis infuriates his brother and his brother's men with his outrageous behavior and language.

Recurring theme: "After all, I'm on the horse, like the frog in the story..."  

From "The Battle of the Frogs and Mice"

Frogs and mice are first alluded to in Opening Gambit when Francis says "and tonight the frogs and mice fight, eh, Mungo?" 

This may be an allusion to Batrachomyomachia or "The Battle of  Mice," a parody of the Iliad, something a person of Francis's education would know. Or it may refer to "The Ballad of the Frog and the Mouse," which is included in The Lymond Poetry, an anthology compiled by Dunnett herself. Most likely, Francis is thinking of both.

However, in the scene with Richard, Francis, sitting on his horse looking down at his brother, clearly alludes to the latter ballad.

"When upon his [the frog's] high horse sat
Humble-dum, humble-dum
His boots they shone as black as jet..."

This version is actually by Thomas Ravenscroft, originally titled "The Marriage of the Frogge and the Mouse," published in 1611. But there is an older Scottish version that first appeared in print in 1548, which means the ballad would have been part of popular culture for some time before appearing in print. The Scottish version is from The Complaynt of Scotland, written in reaction to England's "Rough Wooing" of Mary, Queen of Scots by Henry VIII.

Why would Francis evoke this children's song when talking to his brother? There are many possible explanations, but I think perhaps the primary reason is to remind Richard in a subtle way of their shared childhood experiences and familial ties. Think about the stories and songs you shared as a child with siblings and how they make a lifelong mark on you. It takes only a word or two for all the associated memories to come flooding back into your mind the way the smell of a madeleine evoked Proust's childhood for him.

Richard, as the elder brother, may have sung this to his little brother. Or perhaps, as was the case in my own family, it was a grandparent who sang the ballad to them both.

Lymond is rude, obnoxious, and vulgar in addressing Richard. He comments on Richard having put on weight, mentions the fire that could have killed his wife and mother ("encaramelled" them...what an image!), asks crudely if Marriota is pregnant ("am I superseded yet?"), and admits that he has taken money from Wharton ("Well, he's certainly paying me." Ha, ha). Francis also tells Richard that the Protector is to the north in or near Stirling, where the Court and the women were placed for protection, and Wharton will be heading that way as soon as Bannister delivers his message at Annan.

As Erskine's men arrive, Richard takes his opportunity to lash out at his brother, accusing him of wanting to claim his baronetcy and his wife. In response, Francis backhandedly challenges Richard to a shooting contest (the Popinjay) in Stirling, betting his elder brother will not be able to resist such a goad.

Questions to Ponder

1. Francis's appearance is clearly important to him. Why does he play up his beauty, his wealth, his glamour? Does he have a motive or is he merely vain?
2. Why does Francis tell Wharton and Lennox the Protector wants them to go north to Stirling?
3. Why does Francis tell Richard the message orders the English troops north to Stirling?
4. Why does Francis want Richard to meet him at the Popinjay challenge at the Wapenshaw in Stirling?

Favorite Line

"Oyster is not dead; merely lightly boiled in the shell."

Words that Describe Lymond in Taking en Passant

• duplicitous
• hot-tempered
• treacherous
• daring
• cruel
• condescending
• rude
• clever
• vain
• funny (e.g., favorite line above)

Opening Gambit

Opening Moves

August 1547

I love the opening sentence. This is, to me, DD's three-word "Melville" opening ("Call me Ishmael.") She has a definite "Jane Austen opening" to a later book. 

Francis Crawford is "back," but from where and from what? We get some hints here in the first chapter that there is quite a back story for our man. We learn early on that he is  an outlaw and rebel facing a death warrant.

Even so, his own men are waiting for him inside a walled city "without concern," merely wondering among themselves how, not if, he'll get to them. When he does, he rapidly assimilates two months' news "in voracious detail." 

His first spoken word in the book is "I." Not surprising...Francis definitely has an Ego. He immediately speaks in literary allusions, invoking classical mythology. He comes across as more than a little precious. In fact, when we first meet him he reminds me of The Scarlet Pimpernel. DD said that she liked the writings of the Baroness Orczy, and I think FC owes more than a little to this character. 

What is important to remember about this brief introductory scene with Lymond is how little he says and what little he he does say is decorated with verbal rosettes around a core of plain, practical speech: "Tell me again, precisely, what you have just said about Mungo Tennant." Francis can be a verbal magician, distracting us with the linguistic equivalent of sleights of hand while he pulls not a rabbit but a scorpion out of his hat. He's created a persona to disguise who he is, and language is the most important part of that disguise.

Edinburgh Castle

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Erskine, Buccleuch, & Mungo

The discussion between Tom Erskine and Wat Scott of Buccleuch (pronounced Buck-Loo): Richard Crawford, Francis's older brother, is under suspicion by "the court" and every landowner in the area because of Francis. Francis has done something (maybe a lot of somethings) to bring discredit to his family. Richard will potentially suffer because of little brother's "rieving and ruttery and all manner of vice--And treason." Oh my. Robbery and fornication are bad enough, but the really worrisome accusation is treason. This is the crux of the matter.

Still, Richard thus far has refused to participate in hunting Francis down. 

Lymond's way of "introducing" himself to Mungo, Erskine, and Buccleuch is by way of "a sneeze outside the door." Was the sneeze intentional or accidental? I am confident it was part of Francis's plan because consider what happens after the sneeze: it draws the three men out of their chamber and two doors down to Mungo's bedroom. In short, he uses the sneeze to draw them to him where he confronts them on his terms, not theirs.

Notice the first thing Francis says to Mungo, Erskine, and Buccleuch. It's a quotation. Throughout GoK, much (maybe most?) of what comes out of Francis Crawford's mouth are someone else's words. He spouts quotations, he employs literary and mythological allusions, he does almost anything to avoid speaking in his own voice. It's all part of his deliberate dissembling, the reasons for which will only slowly be revealed.

I've read that some people cannot get past the pig incident. If it bothers you (which I really don't understand), consider this: Francis has a devilish sense of humor and is a notorious trickster. His devices for success and survival (often one and the same) are never the expected approaches. He thinks of stratagems no one else would imagine, drunk or sober, which helps account for his still being alive and a free man. The drunk pig incident is an insight into his off-beat sense of humor, his love of the theatrical, and his unique approach to problem-solving. 

Here, the problem he needs to solve is how to create such chaos in Mungo's house that he, Francis, can slip away with all of Mungo's booty (except the heavy barrels of wine). Also, Francis wants Buccleuch and Erskine to know that he is indeed back in Scotland, on the loose, and unreformed.

At this point, we know Lymond is definitely a thief because he stole Mungo's property, which, however, was contraband in the first place. Notice Francis held the men at sword point and the only person who got hurt was a servant who was knocked out. No one was killed or seriously injured. 

Pay attention to colors: you will see Francis's eyes described as "cornflower blue" many times. There will be others with the same color eyes. Important clue. So is the color and texture of his hair. Look, this man is gorgeous. Really gorgeous. People play the "casting" game trying to find a worthy FC, but I haven't seen one yet. A very young Peter O'Toole comes close, but still isn't quite the Lymond in my mind's eye. This is the closest image I've seen, but it really only hints at the man whose face we can't quite see...But the hair is definitely right!

In the encounter with Mariotta, Francis refers to the "family coloring." Richard doesn't have it. Richard's eyes are gray; his hair is brown; in fact, he is often associated with the color brown. Richard is stocky, solid, large. Think Russell Crowe. Francis (and Sybilla) are delicate, slender, rather small. Although Francis is not short, he is definitely not a tall man.

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The Reformers

Any novel set in Europe in the mid-16th century is inevitably going to deal to a greater or lesser degree with the Reformation. What was happening to the church and thus to the entire fabric of society was as significant as the Pope crowning Charlemagne Emperor more than 700 years earlier. This was upheaval of the first order. It changed everything. The importance of these religious figures will become more evident in later books. For now, it's worth paying attention to who they were and why the break with Roman Catholic church was so monumental. 

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Sybilla

Like Francis, she has the cornflower blue eyes, fair skin, and elegance of speech and demeanor. I think it's interesting that she "effaced herself as well as she could," which tells me she and her rascal of a younger son probably have a lot in common, including more than a slight tendency to show off. Sybilla is older and more experienced; she has learned more self-control than Francis (she has had longer to practice).

Sybilla is revealed to be much like Francis by other things in this section. Before he and his men invade the Hall, Sybilla is the middle of a long, grave story provoking much mirth (Francis is a great story teller). She remains completely unruffled during and after the attack on Midculter, something very few people could pull off. She verbally assaults Francis while he holds her and her guests at sword point (Francis is known for his viper's tongue).

And Lymond's mother keeps her own council. We do not know at this point what she thinks of her roguish younger son or even if she has had any communication with him since he returned to Scotland. Or before. Everything she says about Francis seems strangely detached, as if she were speaking about a specimen under a microscope instead of her son: "this criminal has cheated his way out of favour with every party in Europe." In short, he's burned every bridge, perhaps even the last one to his family. We just don't know.

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Mariotta

The scene on the wheel staircase with Mariotta--oh, so interesting. Mariotta has never seen Francis nor has he seen her. Both are known to each other by reputation only, and Lymond has quite the reputation as a rogue and a scoundrel. He is the classic "bad boy" and she is married to the classic "good man"--reliable and honorable but staid and a bit boring; handsome but certainly not gorgeous.

Mariotta is black-haired, young, and beautiful. Francis is golden-haired, young, and beautiful. Both are fully aware of their appeal. There is a lot of sexual tension between these two from the moment they meet. He even asks if she believes in having two husbands at once (polyandry). 

So what the heck is Francis up to flirting shamelessly with his brother's bride? He comes off as a offensive, narcissistic ass. She comes off as more than a little juvenile (she almost simpers). Lymond is using his excessive charm to attract Mariotta to him while at the same time harassing her. He is behaving very, very badly. The question is why?

One more note on Mariotta: why on earth did Richard Crawford, the third Baron Culter, scion of an old, noble Scottish family and a strong Scottish nationalist marry an Irishwoman? There will be a bit more about the circumstances of the marriage in later books, but there is no answer to this question as far as I can tell. I read somewhere that the original draft of GoK included Sybilla traveling to Ireland with Richard, possibly with the express purpose of finding him a bride, but why, I have no idea. Why wouldn't Sybilla, with her passionate love of country, want Richard to marry a Scot? I've never read any answer to this question.

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Richard & Christian

Now we meet the elder brother, who has to listen to Wat Scott harangue him about the feared coming war with the English and how Richard needs to dispel the doubts about his loyalty by turning on his brother. 

Thanks to Wat Scott, we learn that Lymond was accused of treason against Scotland five years ago and ever since has been living the life of a criminal across Europe. Buccleuch also gives us a good if biased overview of the current political scene. In short, the English want to control Scotland and they have co-opted (at least temporarily) a number of Scottish lairds with money and land. The fondest hope of the English is the marriage of the "baby" queen of Scots to the boy King Edward VI as a way of linking Scotland to England and severing once and for all the Scottish alliance with France. Scott also introduces the Douglases, who will be important throughout the books. "George Douglas's loyalty is to his own house and the devil." That's a pretty neat summary of the Douglases, I'd say.

Christian Stewart is introduced to us as a sensitive, intelligent, and highly intuitive woman. She listens to the opprobrium ladled on Lymond with "concern and understanding." After absorbing all that Buccleuch has to say to Richard, she descends the stairs "with debate in the unseeing eyes." She is not sure what to think. Her innate intelligence and keen judgment are important at critical points in the story. Much will turn on the choices she makes.

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Drama Enters

The scene where Lymond enters the Hall at Midculter is pivotal. Now we see him at his outrageous worst (or best, depending on your point of view). What happens in this scene:

• FC enters with drawn sword.
• He announces he and his men are here to rob the castle and the ladies and threatens them ("your lives or your jewels").
• Janet Buccleuch throws a pudding at one of FC's men and takes his dagger. Janet is Walter Scott of Buccleuch's wife.
• FC throws his own dagger across the room and hits Janet in the shoulder.
• FC's men set fire to the castle.

Throughout the robbery, Lymond keeps up a steady flow of commentary, primarily about himself. In fact, he reinforces his already frightful reputation as an outlaw and villain beyond redemption and above fear. He does everything he can to portray himself as fully deserving of censure and condemnation. Except for the injury to Janet, which only occurred because she grabbed a dagger, no one is injured.

We get an interesting insight into Mariotta as she rises to the occasion by trying to touch "some frail nerve" in Francis: "Long ago instinct told Mariotta he was fully aware of one thing": his mother, whom he will not look at. Sybilla remains remarkably cool for someone who supposedly has not seen her reprobate son for years and whose home has been invaded and guests robbed by sword-wielding (and probably inebriated) ruffians. 

Is she deceiving with the truth when she says, "What we see is acting, isn't it Francis?" Sybilla also claims, when Richard arrives to save Midculter, that Francis is "magnificently drunk," but is he or is that part of the deception?

What has happened as a result of Lymond's attacks, first on Mungo Tennant and then on his own home? Richard Crawford is now convinced to join the effort to hunt down his brother and bring him to justice, but only after the latest conflict with the English is past.

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Last Thoughts

By the end of Opening Gambit Francis Crawford comes across as arrogant, dangerous, self-centered, audacious, outrageous--and hilariously funny. The entire exchange with Mariotta is extremely comical: "Watch carefully. In forty formidable bosoms we are about to create a climacteric of emotion. In one short speech--or maybe two--I propose to steer your women through excitement, superiority, contempt, and anger." 

At this point in my first reading of GoK, I didn't know what to think of Francis, but given that the series is about him, I knew there must be more to him than the reckless reprobate we meet in the first chapter.

Questions to Ponder

1. How old do you think Francis Crawford is?
2. Why won't Francis look at his mother during the robbery?
3. Why does Francis tell his mother to call him Lymond?
4. Why does Francis rob the ladies at Midculter and set fire to the castle?

Favorite Line

"Lucent and delicate, Drama entered, mincing like a cat." Meow!

Words that Describe Lymond in Opening Gambit

• acerbic
• sarcastic
• charismatic
• willful
• audacious
• arrogant
• clever
• witty
• narcissistic
• erudite
• obnoxious
• devious
• gorgeous
• duplicitous