I agree about Aunt Margaret taking care to fake the burning of Ardroy! Really all through these chapters, we have so many people being clever and brave and good -- the girl, Fosdyke, Jan, Aunt Margaret, Marsali... I love everyone in this bar.

And Lassie is such a good girl to find Ewen! I know Ewen wouldn't have hurt the dog, but I could still very much feel Fosdyke's distress that Lassie might get stabbed by the rebel she flushed. Why that fear should be so agonizing to me given everything else, I don't know, but it was very important to me that in all this desperation and heartbreak, this one happy creature should be allowed to keep her happiness.