Fair Is the Rose

by Liz Curtis Higgs

  12. Reverend Gordon undergoes a significant change of heart throughout Fair Is the Rose. Compare the man we first meet in chapter 4 with the man we see in chapter 59. How might you explain such a transformation? Can you pinpoint one or two places in the novel where his behavior shifts? What conclusions might you draw about the difference between a religion based on law and a religion founded on grace?

  13. Jamie’s uncle, Lachlan—like the biblical Laban after whom this character is patterned—depends on devious words and clever deception to accomplish his will. Can a person simply be bad, without explanation or justification? What do you make of Lachlan’s relationship with the Widow Douglas of Edingham Farm? How might life at Auchengray be affected if Lachlan McBride suddenly became a happily married man?

  14. The scene in which Rose asks Leana for the valerian Ian has pulled from the garden, then hurts Leana’s feelings and sends her fleeing into the gloaming in search of Jamie, parallels the account in Genesis 30:14-16, in which Rachel offers Leah a night with Jacob in exchange for a fertility plant pulled from the ground by Leah’s son. However, what was common practice circa 1900 B.C. is hardly acceptable in either A.D. 1790 or the present! I decided young Rose would never make such an offer, nor would Leana throw aside her band and all that preceded it for one night of passion with Jamie. Had the story followed the biblical account to the letter, how might that have altered the lives of Jamie, Leana, and Rose in the days that followed? How would their relationships with one another and with God have been affected? And how would it have changed your opinion of Rose? of Leana? of Jamie? What might this pivotal scene suggest about choices and consequences?

  15. Though our story comes to a meaningful close, clearly the tale is not yet finished. How do you hope things will conclude for Jamie, Leana, and Rose in Whence Came a Prince? All three of them long to love and to be loved, but that is not all they need. What do you think Jamie needs most? And what of Leana? Finally, what might Rose require above all things? What is your definition of a “happy ending,” in novels and in life?

  Scots Glossary

  a’—all

  aboot—about

  aften—often

  ain—own

  ane—one

  anither—another

  argle-bargle—argument

  athegither—altogether

  auld—old

  awa—away, distant

  bacheleer—bachelor

  bairn—child

  baith—both

  baloo—used to hush a child to sleep

  bauld—bold

  bethankit!—God be thanked!

  bittie—small piece

  blaeberry—whortleberry

  bleeze—blaze

  blether—babble, gossip

  blissin—blessing

  bogle—ghost, specter

  bothy—small cottage

  brae—hill, slope

  braisant—shameless

  brak—broke

  braw—fine, handsome

  Buik—the Bible

  burn—brook, stream

  byre—cowshed

  bystart—bastard

  cantrip—charm, magic, trick

  clack—gossip, idle chatter

  cleck—conceive

  clootie—piece of cloth, rag

  close—passageway, courtyard

  compear—appear before congregation for rebuke

  cutty stool—stool of repentance

  deasil—sunwise or clockwise

  deid—dead

  de’il—devil

  dochter—daughter

  dominie—schoolmaster, teacher

  doocot—dovecote

  dook—to duck

  doon—down

  dootsome—vague, uncertain

  dout—doubt

  dreich—bleak, dismal

  dry stane dyke—stone fence without mortar

  durstna—dare not

  eldritch—mysterious, unearthly

  ell—a linear measure, just over a yard

  faither—father

  fash—worry, trouble, vex

  fauchie—sickly looking

  feeing—engaging as a servant

  ferlie—superb, wonderful

  flindrikin—flirtatious

  flit—move one’s household

  flooer—flower

  fowk—folk

  freshening—refreshing

  frichtsome—frightening

  fu’—full

  gairden—garden

  gie—give

  glaikit—thoughtless, daft

  glaumshach—greedy, grasping

  gley—avert the eyes, look away

  glib-gabbit—gossipy

  goud—gold

  gracie—devout, virtuous, well-behaved

  granbairn—grandchild

  granfaither—grandfather

  granmither—grandmother

  green—young, youthful

  greet—cry, weep

  grush—crush, squash

  guid—good

  gustie—savory, tasty

  halie—holy

  hame—home

  harn goun—coarse linen gown; sackcloth

  hatesome—hateful

  haud—hold, keep

  haud yer wheesht—hold your tongue

  hauflin—adolescent boy

  hearken—eavesdrop, listen

  heidie—headstrong, impetuous

  herd—shepherd

  het—hot

  hindberry—raspberry

  hizzie—hussy

  hochmagandy—fornication

  hoose—house

  hoot

  howff—public house, or pub

  howre—whore

  hurlie—trundle, move about on wheels

  ill-deedie—mischievous, wicked

  ill-kindit—cruel, inhuman

  ill-scrapit—rude, bitter

  ithers—others

  jalouse—imagine, presume, deduce

  jougs—iron collar used for punishment

  kell—headdress worn by a young, unmarried woman

  ken—to know, recognize

  kenspeckle—conspicuous, familiar

  kimmer—godmother

  kintra—of the country, rustic

  kintra-side—countryside

  kirkin—first appearance at kirk

  kittlie—itchy, sensitive

  kittlins—kittens

  knackie—funny

  lade—millrace

  lanelie—lonely

  lang—long

  lealtie—loyalty

  leuk—look

  limmer—prostitute

  loosome—lovely

  losh

  lowpin-on stane—leaping-on stone, used to mount a horse or a carriage

  luve—love

  mainnerlie—mannerly

  mair—more

  maun—must

  mebbe—maybe, perhaps

  meikle—great, much

  mem—madam

  michtie—scandalous, disgraceful

  misbehadden—improper, unbecoming

  mither—mother

  mony—many

  morn’s morn—tomorrow morning

  mutchkin—¼ pint Scots

  neeps—turnips

  nicht—night

  nits—nuts

  niver—never

  noony—late morning meal

  och

  oniething—anything

  oniewise—anyway

  oo aye (from the French oui)

  oot—out

  orraman—odd-jobs man

  parritch—porridge

  peerie-winkie—little finger or toe

  pensie—pompous, self-important

  pernickitie—cantankerous, touchy

  pittin’ the brain asteep—meditating

  pou—pull

  praisent—present, gift

  pui
r—poor

  richt—right, authentic

  roarie—noisy

  rummle-gumption—common sense

  run-line—psalm sung one line at a time

  sae—so

  saicret—secret

  sairlie—sorely

  sark—shirt

  scoonrel—scoundrel

  scuil—school

  shortsome—amusing, enjoyable

  sic—such

  sleekit—smooth-tongued, deceitful

  slippie—slippery

  slitterie—messy, sloppy

  sonsie—substantial, appealing

  speeritie—energetic, spirited, vivacious

  spleet-new—brand-new

  spurtle—porridge stick

  stane—stone

  stayed lass—an old maid

  stramash—clamor, disturbance, uproar

  suin—soon

  swick—to trick

  swickerie—trickery, deception

  syne—ago, thereafter, since

  tablet—a sweet made of butter and sugar

  tae—to

  tairt—tart

  tak—take

  tapsalteerie—topsy-turvy, upside down

  tassie—cup

  thegither—together, concerted

  thocht—thought, believed

  thrifite—moneybox

  tup—a ram

  twa—two

  ugsome—gruesome, horrible

  unchancie—unlucky, dangerous, risky

  unco—eccentric, odd, strange

  unheartsome—sad, melancholy

  vennel—alley

  verra—very

  wabbit—exhausted, weary

  waddin—wedding

  walcome—welcome

  wame—womb

  waukens—awakens

  weatherful—stormy

  weel—well

  wha—who

  whan—when

  whatsomever—whatever

  whaur—where

  wheesht

  wi’—with

  wickit—wicked

  widdershins—counterclockwise

  wi’oot—without

  wird—word

  wutch—witch

  yestermorn—yesterday morning

  yestreen—yesterday, last night