The political background of the time is turbulent, with the majority of the fighting and political upheaval taking place on Scottish soil. The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 is the third such uprising as the Stuarts attempt to regain the throne of Scotland. The last time a Stuart held the throne was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England (1558 to 1603) when Mary, Queen of Scots, angered her cousin Elizabeth with her claims to the throne and was beheaded.

Unfortunately for Bonnie Prince Charlie, his ties to the French government are not strong enough for them to risk a war with the British Empire, at this time, still one of the strongest political and military forces in the world. Roberts captures the political issues swirling around Serena and Brigham in an evenhanded manner.

In the prologue, Roberts obliquely leads the reader to infer that Fiona MacGregor was...