Loyalty

Loyalty is an important theme in Dorothy Dunnett's novel. One could even say that loyalty is the driving factor in the main character's actions. Francis Crawford is loyal to everyone and everything he holds dear. He believes in the goodness of the country of Scotland. Even when the government turned its back on him Francis continued to fight covertly for it. Similarly, he loves his family. Francis' separation from his family was forced by his exile, not chosen willingly. His mother continued to try to recover his reputation during his exile and right up until the day his freedom was declared. Francis' brother, Richard, was also fiercely loyal. Unfortunately, Richard was not capable of flexibility, so he viewed things as always being definitive. Richard was unable to consider Francis as anything other than guilty of the crimes levied against him. As a loyal citizen of Scotland, he was...