regshoe | Flight of the Heron read-along: Part I chapters 3-4

Well, this is a nicely dramatic couple of chapters!

I continue to love Keith's reactions to Highland things: pulling the blankets over his ears while Neil plays the bagpipes, but then admiring the kilt when he sees Ewen wearing it :D And, aww, even he thinks Loch na h-Iolaire 'not an ill piece of water'.

Keith, and Keith's interactions with Ewen, in chapter 3 are so interesting! I love Keith's insolent bravery during the encounter with Lachlan—talking back and making sarcastic jokes, even being deadpan in his own head while he's in grave danger. And after Ewen arrives and saves him, he feels 'angry and humiliated', and his manner towards Ewen is at first dry and still sarcastic. There's no question of actual fear in any of it. Meanwhile, Ewen, very honourable as always, is put in such an embarrassing position by the ardent Lachlan!

I think Keith's attitude of irritated sarcasm suits Broster's style of narration very well, actually—the little notes of dry humour in the omniscient narration, of a sort that's been there since the prologue, go perfectly with his attitude here. Both Keith and Ewen are so very much her characters, in different ways. I do like the way she writes, on the sentence level and in constructing and handling characters, a great deal.

The scene where Keith and Ewen walk down towards the loch together after the Lachlan disaster is just lovely. Again, Keith can turn in a short time from bitterness and sarcasm to good humour and generosity; and again, it's Ewen who brings out his better side. Aww, the bit where they smile at each other... ('His smile went up a little at the corner. A sparkle came into Ewen Cameron’s eyes.) :)

I rather like Alison's description of Prince Charles as 'the fairy prince' (now there's an AU—Charles as John Uskglass conquering Scotland and England with his fairy army...!). Actually, I like the little bit of Alison's reflections in general—after three chapters of Keith's POV, we return to the Jacobite perspective and get a reminder of the personal side of what all this means. Although, as Maggie Craig has detailed in her book Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45, Jacobite women did often do rather more for their cause than hope and pray...

Speaking of humour, I also love Aunt Margaret's appearance in chapter 4, and her combination of perceptiveness and a sharp, knowing sense of fun. She and Keith really do have a great deal in common, and, perhaps not surprisingly, it's she who recognises how 'deep' Keith's character is, compared to Ewen's (Ewen himself 'cannot quite make him out').

So, now, we get to hear a bit more about the significance of that heron...! It strikes me that Ewen must have strong sceptical instincts, to have lived alongside Angus all his life and been witness to multiple predictions which have 'fulfilled themselves in an extraordinary way' and still not believe in the second sight. But the entire section about the prophecy is very interesting indeed—and, of course, will only get more so as we continue through the book and those significant 'threads' work out their pattern. Actually, I've never been able to decide what exactly this: 'And as the threads are twisted at your first meeting, foster-son, so will they always shape themselves at all the rest—a thread of one colour, a thread of another.' means, though it's probably not the sort of thing that has a simple literal interpretation—something to keep in mind for the rest of the read-along, perhaps.

And some spoilery thoughts: Sbe nyy gur ybiryl sberfunqbjvat jr trg urer, gurer ner zhygvcyr guvatf va guvf puncgre juvpu V guvax jbhyq unir jbexrq ernyyl jryy vs gurl unq orra sberfunqbjvat, ohg juvpu nera'g. Nyvfba'f sberobqvatf ng gur ortvaavat; gur fvtavsvpnag cbvagvat bhg bs gur snpg gung Nathf arire 'fnj' ure nf n jvsr ng Neqebl... gur pbzzrag nobhg ivfvbaf bsgra vaibyivat n zna'f shgher jvsr, cerfragrq nyzbfg rkcyvpvgyl nf na nygreangvir gb gur vagrecergngvba gung Nathf'f ivfvba bs Xrvgu naq Rjra gbtrgure zrnaf gung bar bs gurz jvyy fbba qvr... V qvq trfgher ng guvf va n svp bapr, ohg V guvax gurer'f zber gb or qbar gurer jvgu fvtavsvpnag sberfunqbjvat. Uzz.

Ha, Keith is grouchy again in the beginning of chapter 3! I continue to love his back-and-forth interplay with Ewen in these chapters--outrage over being attacked at Slochd nan Eun, then this turns to generous forgiveness when he sees Ewen's reaction. And the kilt comment, heh! He keeps noticing that kilt, too.

But one of my favorite lines is when he resolves not to tease Ewen anymore, and the omniscient narrator notes "But he was not to keep this resolution." Great use of omniscient narrator! And indeed by the end of the chapter he's back to teasing Ewen...it seems he can't help it. *g*

I appreciate seeing more of Aunt Margaret's sense of humor, and her and Alison interacting. I do wonder what on earth that comment about Ewen keeping secrets from her is about? From a writing POV, maybe it's just to bring the conversation around so that Alison can say that line about how she might never be a wife at all? I can't think of any in-universe reason for it...

At this point it's almost like Alison is paying more attention to Keith, his character, and motivations than Ewen is. Of course, Ewen is very busy. I do like his comment about how he can't quite make Keith out. No wonder, with how confused Keith himself is by his reactions to Ewen!

In other news, you might enjoy this write-up I did of the '45 and its historical background for a bunch of 18th century history nerds.

First time read, so I don't know what's coming, but the bit where Ewen assumes Lachlan couldn't possibly have harmed the heron -- because Ewen said not to! -- thereby stubbornly disregarding the BLATANT fact that mere hours beforehand Lachlan had threatened Keith's life after being explicitly told not to...

I can't help but think that this is foreshadowing for some coming major betrayal from Lachlan. One almost certainly made to protect Ewen, if I were to guess, but one which Ewen would strenuously object to.

And like others, I laughed to see Keith admiring Ewen in a kilt -- and perhaps swooned a little at:

“Captain Windham, are you hurt? God forgive me, what have they been doing? Tied!” And in a moment he had snatched a little knife out of his stocking and was cutting Keith’s bonds. “Oh, why did I let you out of my sight! For God’s sake tell me that you are not injured!”

...because I will always be a sucker for a frantic "say you're not hurt!" Even when they've only known each other for less than a day.

Oh, I've thought of another thing: why does Ewen 'somewhat hastily' change the conversation and leave Keith to go back the rest of the way when Keith asks him about Angus being his foster-father? Is it just that he doesn't want to discuss something as personal as the history of his foster-family with Keith, or something else? (or he's just had enough of Keith's teasing, I suppose...)

“He was wearing the kilt to-day, and for the first time Keith Windham thought that there was something to be said for that article of attire— at least on a man of his proportions.” o.O SUBTLE.

The entire incident with Keith nearly being drowned made me very curious about… the cultural context for this thing of “I am keeping a prisoner in my house, family, please be nice to him.” Is this… a Done Thing? Why is Keith here? I’m assuming that killing him outright would have been too agressive for the stage of the war they were in…? But then, Keith’s regiment certainly didn’t seem to have any doubts that the Highlanders would kill them if they tried to cross the bridge, back when they thought there were enough of them to actually do so.

The tension between the prophecy aspect of the narrative and the resistance to it is very interesting!

My reaction to these couple of chapters has mostly consisted of continuing to love Keith's narration. The irritation, the snark, the genuinely-seeming-to-like-Ewen is just wonderful. I am also glad that Keith can appreciate a kilt when Ewen's wearing one, at least (not to have my slash brain kick into overdrive too much, but...)

That's a good point that Keith is so unbothered by any questions of personal safety! During the incident with the loch it was so completely unaddressed that I didn't actually even really note its absence. He obviously wouldn't want to show any fear to Lachlan & Co., but that being a genuine reflection of his internal state as well is impressive. It does track with what else we've seen. During his capture he was mostly annoyed with the general concept of supposed Highland savagery, rather than worried it might have consequences for his own safety. It also seems to apply to others to a certain extent -- unless I've forgotten it, he doesn't seem to have expressed much concern for the wellbeing of his fellow captured soldiers.

I like that Keith was less surprised by Ewen being exceedingly gentlemanly this time. They're getting to know each other. :D

(And wow, I am acquiring quite the reading list for nonfiction about the period now. Thanks for the historical notes!)

Late to the read, but I finally finished Ch 4 today :D Thank you

luzula for elucidating all the Jacobite history; that really made it make a lot more sense :D

I'm really enjoying it -- I liked Margaret a lot! (And of course the main two are lovely <3 )

One thing that sort of pinged me was when Ewen was all "Ha ha how funny that Angus never saw Alison as my bride!" Don't spoil me of course, but I feel like this is Ominous Foreshadowing... we shall see!

Okay I am getting serious soulmate/red string of fate vibes... The narrator keeps pointing out how connected they are, even through Alison and Aunt Margaret's reflections. I also feel like I got a little lost when the women were talking about the political implications and Prince Charles, which makes me want to do a bit of research.

I liked the whole bit about the buttons as a peace offering (and how the women were approached to be the ones to broach the subject) - It makes me think Ewen does not have perfect control over his merry band of misfits and maybe Aunt Margaret is going to do a bit more than just hope and pray. Interesting to contrast Ewen's reaction to the prophecy with Alison's total buy-in/worry over it.

Lachlan's most excitingly unstable moments yet! I think it's interesting how, for all Lachlan's ride-or-die feelings about Ewen, Ewen's values haven't really rubbed off on him? I assume there's a significant difference in education, but also: Lachlan you're a psycho.

Love Angus spacing out in the background, all, "Do I need to intervene here? Nah, Fate'll take care of it."

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