His Bloody Project: A Historical Thriller

“She begged him not to go to sea that day, but he laughed at her suggestion and, knowing that providence could not be bargained with, she said nothing more about it.” 

Roderick places Una Macrae’s story very close to the beginning of his written account, which suggests his understanding of it as an important moment in his family’s history. Roderick’s own relationship with supernatural belief is somewhat fraught, as he sometimes dismisses superstitions as silly while also holding them in certain reverence—at least when they come from Una or Jetta. At the very least, the notion that there are certain events and circumstances that cannot be changed deeply colors Roderick’s worldview. The appearance of this notion at the beginning of this narrative foreshadows its reappearance preceding Roderick’s killing of Lachlan.

“The Sheep turned in my direction, like a sick old woman too weak to raise her had from the pillow. I felt no pity for the beast, only a kind of loathing for its stupidity.” 

Roderick’s description of the sheep calls to mind Flora’s grandmother, a helpless old woman whom he encounters later in his narrative. Furthermore, this quote illustrates Roderick’s tendency to hold himself apart from and superior to others based on his intelligence. Although he ultimately kills this sheep, there are several instances in which Roderick encounters but opts to nurture or spare other weak creatures.

“The ghillie made a remark to the effect that the gentlemen would not be shooting many stags after quaffing so much wine and, although he said it in a jocular fashion, I understood that it was meant quite seriously and he did not approve of the gentlemen’s behavior.” 

Roderick’s observation of the ghillie’s disapproval comes just before he interrupts the hunt to spare the life of a stag. This entire episode illustrates Roderick’s sensitivity and intelligence while simultaneously highlighting his chronic difficulty in responding to situations appropriately.