Grace in Thine Eyes

by Liz Curtis Higgs

  Reverend Benjamin Stewart is fictitious, but three generations of Stewarts ministered under the patronage of the Dukes of Hamilton for more than a century. James Stewart came to Kilbride in 1723; his son, Gershom, stepped into the pulpit thirty years later; then Gershom’s son, John, served Kilbride until 1825. Imagine one family holding sway over a parish for more than a hundred years.

  My research efforts on Arran were greatly aided by several exceptional women. Diana McMurray greeted me at the Brodick castle door and pointed me to Eileen McAllister, head guide at the castle, who patiently answered my many questions about the state of the castle in 1808, since in 1844 the tenth Duke of Hamilton greatly expanded and transformed the castle into a splendid year-round residence.

  Mrs. McAllister wisely directed me to the Arran Heritage Museum. Grace Small, a very knowledgeable volunteer in the genealogy section, and Jean Glen, her able assistant, slipped white gloves on my hands and presented me with a stack of rare books to peruse to my heart’s content. For their enthusiasm, endless photocopying, and assistance via e-mail, I am most grateful. And in Ayr, Elaine Docherty of the Carnegie Library was especially helpful in the local history section.

  Once again, antiquarian bookseller Benny Gillies served as my on-site editor and cartographer; you’ll find his handcrafted maps at the front of the novel. Benny is particularly keen on birding and has tramped across Arran’s hills on many an occasion. His thoughtful input on those subjects and others helped Grace in Thine Eyes ring as true as possible. If you enjoy Scottish books and maps, please visit his bookshop online at www.bennygillies.co.uk.

  Benny is one of many whose hands touched the manuscript long before it was typeset. My deepest thanks to my editorial team: Sara Fortenberry, Dudley Delffs, Carol Bartley, Danelle McCafferty, and Paul Hawley. I’m also grateful for proofreaders like Laura Barker, Leesa Gagel, Nancy Norris, and my own dear husband, Bill, who searched diligently for typos. Our son, Matt, offered his stargazing talents to plot the constellations for the Midsummer Eve sky, Verna McClellan made sure our Crosshill weaver used his loom correctly, Barbara Wiedenbeck of Sonsie Farm checked my shepherding references, and Ginia Hairston provided horseback-riding expertise.

  As you may have surmised, Grace in Thine Eyes is based on the story of Dinah from Genesis 34—a difficult chapter in the Bible and in history. Several questions may have come to mind while reading Davina’s story, particularly if you know the biblical account. Why, for example, is Davina mute? When I did my biblical research before plotting the novel—a detailed process involving fourteen translations and forty commentaries—I realized that Dinah has no spoken words recorded in Genesis, nor do we see or hear the story from her viewpoint. Davina’s literal silence through laryngeal trauma echoes the figurative silence of her biblical counterpart.

  A second concern for readers—and certainly for me as a writer—is the rather abrupt change in Somerled, from rapacious rake to besotted suitor. The Scriptures indicate that’s precisely what happened. “And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her” (Genesis 34:2). The stark succession of Hebrew verbs paints a clear picture of the tragic scene. Yet the very next verse reads, “And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel” (verse 3). Not a typical postrape scenario, to be sure. Furthermore, Shechem is described as “more honourable than all the house of his father” (verse 19). Hence we have the chameleon-like character of Somerled, who “both intrigued and repelled” my editor in chief, and rightly so.

  Finally, please know that the biblical parallel ends with chapter 71. The closing lines of that chapter are meant to approximate Jacob’s caustic comments to Simeon and Levi—“Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land” (verse 30)—to which his sons responded, much as Will did, “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?” (verse 31). In the biblical account, Dinah’s story is left unfinished; we are not told what happened to her after she was taken out of Shechem’s house by her vengeful brothers. Because Dinah’s ending is uncertain, Grace in Thine Eyes has a hopeful ending rather than the typical happy ending. I could not in good conscience stage a wedding when the Bible does not do so, but I certainly could give Davina hope for the future and a secure faith in God.

  If you care to explore further the biblical story of Dinah, please visit my Web site: www.LizCurtisHiggs.com. You’ll find a free Bible study guide examining Genesis 34, as well as additional historical notes, readers’ comments, a listing of my Scottish resource books, links to my favorite Scottish Web sites, a discography of Celtic music, some tempting Scottish recipes, and Davina’s sketchbook featuring scenes of Arran.

  I’m truly honored to hear from readers. If you would enjoy receiving my free newsletter, The Graceful Heart, printed and mailed just once a year, or would like free autographed bookplates for any of my novels, please contact me by post:

  Liz Curtis Higgs

  P.O. Box 43577

  Louisville, KY 40253-0577

  Or visit my Web site:

  www.LizCurtisHiggs.com

  If you’ve not read my Scottish trilogy that introduced Leana, Rose, and Jamie, I hope you’ll consider a return visit to Galloway with Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, and Whence Came a Prince. And if you’ve already read that series and wondered why Grace in Thine Eyes featured a pair of twins named William and Alexander—the same names used for another pair of twins in Whence Came a Prince—I’ve not lost my Scottish marbles, I promise! You will find the answer in this novel, hidden in chapter 8. (Don’t you love a treasure hunt?)

  Meanwhile, I’m thrilled to be working on a new Scottish historical series for you. Please watch for Here Burns My Candle in spring 2008. Until we meet again, dear reader, you are a blissin!

  Grace in Thine Eyes

  READER’S GUIDE

  That is a good book which is opened with expectation and closed with profit.

  AMOS BRONSON ALCOTT

  1. Davina’s inability to speak does not hinder her ability to communicate. How would you describe her “voice,” her personality? In what ways does her muteness shape the story? Consider the crucial events in Grace in Thine Eyes: If Davina had been able to speak, how might that have changed things? What is your response to the explanation in the author notes for Davina’s silence?

  2. Are Will and Sandy justified in their overprotective attitude toward Davina? Are they to blame for what happened a decade earlier, or was it simply an accident? In the early chapters did you see the twins as misguided but well meaning, or did they appear cruel? As the novel unfolded, how did your opinion of the twins and their motives change?

  3. Jamie McKie has a hard time forgiving his sons. Is his reasoning valid? If you’ve faced a similar situation—being asked to forgive a person who deeply wronged someone you love—how did you handle it? Were there moments in the story when Jamie’s behavior angered you? Others when he earned your sympathy? How would you characterize Jamie as a husband? as a father?

  4. Unlike her spouse, Leana is patient and grace-giving. In what ways do you admire Leana as a wife? as a mother? How might you identify with her struggles in letting go of her grown children? When does Leana demonstrate her greatest weakness in Grace in Thine Eyes? And when is her greatest strength evident?

  5. Leana tells her daughter, “Have I ever seen a fairy? Only when I look at you, lass.” According to Eve Blantyre Simpson in Folk Lore in Lowland Scotland (1908), a learned Scotsman was asked if he believed in fairies. “The Highlander replied as gravely as if his confession of faith had been challenged, ‘Of course I do.’ ” How do you reconcile people with strong religious beliefs also embracing fairies, kelpies, brownies, and the like? Did you find the fairy lore in this novel fascinating or unsettling? How might such references to the wee folk serve the story and the characterization of Davina in particular?

  6. The epigraphs that
open each chapter are meant to prepare the reader for what’s to come. How might the words of Samuel Coleridge at the start of chapter 22 describe what follows with the twins? Select an epigraph that you particularly like. Why did it capture your fancy, and how does the quote suit the chapter it introduces?

  7. Somerled MacDonald shows his rakish side from the moment we meet him in chapter 28. Describe your initial impression of Somerled. In what ways did your assessment of his character change as the story progressed? Did he ever win your heart, as he does Davina’s? Why or why not?

  8. Is the tragedy on Midsummer Eve inevitable? Davina blames herself as well as Somerled. Is she right in doing so? Do you see her as naive, flirtatious, foolish, or the sad victim of a crime? Sir Harry claims, “In a plight such as this, society punishes the woman far more than the man.” That was so in 1808. Is it still true today? What emotions did those harrowing scenes evoke for you?

  9. The aftermath is painful to witness. What circumstances make those first hours especially difficult for our dear Davina? If you’d been there as her mother or her friend, how might you have counseled or consoled her? If you’d been Davina, given all the limitations of her situation, what might you have done the next morning?

  10. Grace—often defined as “unmerited favor”—is not only part of the title but also the theme of Grace in Thine Eyes. What do you make of Davina’s eventual willingness to extend grace to Somerled? Is her mercy commendable or appalling? Contrast Jamie’s stubborn attitude toward forgiveness with Davina’s generous one. Must a person be worthy of forgiveness before receiving it? How does accepting the gift of undeserved mercy change people?

  11. Chapter 65 shows us Will’s nature at its basest. Do his efforts at the last redeem him in your sight? Why or why not? What do you make of Sandy’s actions in the final, harrowing moments? Despite the clear foreshadowing, were you hoping for a better outcome on Goatfell? How did you feel when Somerled slipped from Will’s grasp?

  12. Jamie is furious with himself and with his sons, clenching his fists and shouting, “What am I to do with you?” Who is truly at fault for the Goatfell incident? When the family meets with Mr. Hunter, Jamie lies to protect them. As a parent, would you do the same in such a situation? When Will and Sandy return to Glentrool at Yuletide, what do you think should happen to them?

  13. Though Davina leaves Arran behind, she cannot escape the judgment of others. If you’ve ever been wrongly accused, as she was, how did you feel? What did you do? In what ways does gossip still have the power to wound and isolate us? Other than seeking the support of friends, how might one rise above such false accusations?

  14. Graham Webster has many heroic attributes, yet Davina is not initially attracted to him. Why might that be so? How does his personality compare to Somerled’s? What qualities does Graham have to recommend him? Can you imagine his making Davina happy? How long might it take for her heart to be truly whole?

  15. This reader’s guide begins with a quote from Amos Bronson Alcott, a nineteenth-century American teacher and philosopher. Only readers can determine if a book is good or not. What expectation did you have when you began reading Grace in Thine Eyes? What surprised you? dismayed you? pleased you? What were your hopes for Davina at story’s end? Finally, how did you profit from reading this novel?

  Scottish Glossary

  Except where noted as Gaelic, all italicized words listed here are Scots.

  a’—all

  aboot—about

  aflocht—in a flutter, agitated

  aften—often

  aheid—ahead

  ahint—behind

  airt—art, skills

  amang—among

  ance—once

  ane—one

  anither—another

  ashet—oval serving plate

  auld—old

  awa—away, distant

  ayeways—always

  bairn—child

  baith—both

  baloo—used to hush a child to sleep

  ben—mountain

  bethankit!—God be thanked!

  birsie—hot-tempered

  bleeze—blaze

  blether—jabber, gossip

  bliss—bless

  blissin—blessing

  blithesome—cheerful

  bluid—blood

  bogle—ghost, specter

  bothy—small cottage

  bowie—bucket

  brae—hill, slope

  braisant—shameless

  braw—fine, handsome

  bree—soup, broth

  brither—brother

  buik—book

  Buik—the Bible

  burn—brook, stream

  byre—cowshed

  bystart—bastard

  cabbieclaw—dish of salt cod

  caisteal—castle (Gaelic)

  clack—gossip, idle chatter

  cladach—shore, beach (Gaelic)

  clootie—piece of cloth, rag

  cloots—clothes

  close—passageway, courtyard

  cnocan—hillock (Gaelic)

  coble—ferry boat

  compear—appear before congregation for rebuke

  couthie—agreeable, sociable

  cryin siller—coins required for the marriage banns to be read

  cutty stool—stool of repentance

  deasil—sunwise or clockwise

  denner—dinner

  dochter—daughter

  doocot—dovecote

  doon—down

  douce—amiable, sweet

  dreich—bleak, dismal

  droondit—drowned

  dry stane dyke—stone fence without mortar

  dummie—mute

  e’e—eye

  elf-shot—having a sickness thought to be caused by fairies

  ell—linear measure, just over a yard

  Embrough—Edinburgh

  Erse—Scottish Gaelic

  etin—giant

  evermair—evermore

  fa’—fall

  faither—father

  fallow—follow

  fash—troubled, vexed

  fee—engage, hire

  ferlie—superb, wonderful

  ferntickles—freckles

  firsten—first

  flindrikin—flirtatious

  flooer—flower

  fowk—folk

  fremmit—strange, foreign

  fu’ssss—full

  gaed—went

  gairden—garden

  gallus—rascally, bold, mischievous

  gane—gone

  gaoth—wind (Gaelic)

  gardyloo—warning call that waste water was about to be poured into the street from an upper story

  garitour—watchman on a tower

  gart—made

  gentrice—gentry

  gie—give

  glent—shine, gleam, sparkle

  glessie—toffee

  glib-gabbit—gossipy

  goun—gown

  gowan—daisy

  gracie—devout, virtuous

  green—young, youthful

  greet—cry, weep

  guid—good

  guidwife—farmer’s wife

  gustie—savory, tasty

  hae—have

  halie—holy

  hame—home

  hatesome—hateful

  haud—hold, keep

  hearken—eavesdrop, listen

  heartsome—merry

  hech!—expression of contempt

  heid—head

  heidie—headstrong, impetuous

  heirship—inheritance

  herd—shepherd

  het—hot

  Hieland—Highland

  hind—farmworker

  hizzie—hussy

  hochmagandy—fornication

  hoose—house

  hoot

  howp—hope

&
nbsp; ilka—each, every

  ill-deedie—wicked

  ill-fashioned—ill-mannered

  ill-faured—ugly, unattractive

  ill-kindit—cruel, inhuman

  ill-scrapit—rude, bitter

  inneal ciùil—instrument, musical (Gaelic)

  in trowth upon my word!

  ither—other

  jaicket—jacket

  jalouse—imagine, presume, deduce

  jillet—flighty girl, flirt

  jist—just

  ken—to know, recognize

  kenspeckle—conspicuous

  kintra—of the country, rustic

  kirktoun—village in which parish church is situated

  kist—chest, coffin

  lang—long

  Lawland—Lowland

  leddy—lady

  leebeertie—liberty

  leuk—look

  limmer—prostitute

  loosome—lovely

  losh

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

  luckenbooths—locked stalls

  ludgin—lodging

  mair—more

  mak—make

  maun—must

  meikle—great, much

  mem—madam

  mercat—market

  meschant—wicked, bad

  midnicht—midnight

  mirksome—dark, gloomy

  mither—mother

  mony—many

  morn’s morn—tomorrow morning

  morrow—tomorrow, future

  mort-cloth—pall covering a coffin

  mowdiewort—mole

  nem—name

  nicht—night

  nighean—young woman (Gaelic)

  niver—never

  noo—now

  nor—north

  och

  onie—any

  oniething—anything

  oniewise—in any way

  onless—unless

  oo aye (from the French

  oui)

  oor—our

  oot—out

  ower—over

  paintrie—paintings