Yes—was Loudoun believing Ewen that easily just an act to try to get Ewen to trust him, or does he really respect him even though he clearly doesn't share Ewen's real sense of honour? In any case, I do like Broster's little apology in the front of the book for having Loudoun behave in a way she apparently didn't consider historically plausible. (No apologies for the weaknesses of the English Hanoverian high command in chapter 6...!).

Keith just knows what he has to do whenever Ewen is involved, it seems—perhaps Ewen just always brings out the best in him. :)