His Bloody Project: A Historical Thriller

Roderick describes his cell in Inverness, which measures “five paces long and two wide” (37). He describes the gaoler (jailer), a silent figure who treats Roderick “with neither kindness nor contempt” (38). After the first days of his incarceration, during which he was visited by various officers of the law, he is mostly left to himself aside from visits from Sinclair. A notable exception from this routine is a visit from Dr. Munro, who asks him several questions about his state of mind and appears surprised at Roderick’s willingness to confess his crimes without seeking forgiveness.

Returning to the events leading up to his murders, Roderick recalls the evening Schoolmaster Gillies visited his house to persuade his father to allow Roderick to continue his studies. Although John is steadfast in his refusal, citing his need for Roderick’s assistance tending the croft, Roderick is grateful for Gillies’s visit. Soon after, Roderick finds work on Lord Middleton’s estate assisting the ghillie—a kind of hunt-master for the nobility. On his first day he meets Archibald Ross, a boy of roughly his age who is also employed assisting the ghillie, and Roderick immediately regards him as “the cleverest person [he] ever met” (45). Roderick is charged with carrying a large chest containing provisions for a picnic. As they set out to accompany Lord Middleton and a hunting party, Archibald regales Roderick with stories of young men who found their fortune in Canada. The noblemen get quite drunk, which clearly bothers the ghillie, who reprimands them to be quiet lest they scare off the animals they’re trying to hunt.

Eventually they come across a stag, and one of the noblemen takes out a rifle and begins lining up a shot. Roderick feels it “a terrible shame that it should die in order that this man might mount its head on the wall of his parlour” (47) and, without thought, he crows like a rooster and scares the deer, ruining the nobleman’s shot. Lord Middleton quickly instructs the ghillie to never allow Roderick employment on his estate again, and Roderick is sent home.

Shortly thereafter Roderick becomes aware of rumors that Lachlan Mackenzie has met with the factor (the functionary appointed to represent Lord Middleton’s interests over the parish of Applecross) and, although Roderick is unsure of this rumor’s veracity, it quickly becomes accepted as fact. This is bolstered by Finalyson’s report of his own meeting with the factor, who informed him that he was not pleased with his performance as constable and that he must raise a large sum of money. The villagers meet at Kenny Smoke’s house and resolve to all pitch in to make up the sum, allowing Finlayson to save face and to satisfy the factor.

Lachlan Mackenzie announces his decision to put himself forward for the position of constable, which is unheard of, given the unpopularity that often befalls people who accept the position. The citizens believe that Mackenzie is unfit to be constable and attempt to convince John to run against him, although he refuses. Mackenzie is elected unanimously and, shortly after being appointed constable, pays a visit to the Macrae house to inform them that the size of their croft will be reduced in light of Una’s death. Although Duncan Gregor, whose family receives the land, offers to share his profits with the Macraes, John flatly refuses.

Lachlan Mackenzie carries out his office with great enthusiasm, relishing his authority over his fellow villagers as he sets people to work on public improvement projects as well as his own croft, which he argues he is too busy to attend. During the gathering of the peat—a yearly project that Culduie residents have previously performed without incentive—Mackenzie sets up a rigid work schedule that’s ruthlessly monitored by his kinsmen. Roderick, realizing he has forgotten his lunch at home, sneaks away from work to return to his house. There, he looks through the window and observes Lachlan having sex with Jetta on the kitchen table. After Lachlan finishes, he tells Roderick in a threatening manner that “a man has to satisfy his needs somewhere. Especially now that your dear mother is no longer with us” (58). Jetta tells Roderick not to mention anything to their father, and he eats the food he came to retrieve before returning to work gathering peat.