Fair Catharine Glover, daughter of a glovemaker in Perth, kisses Henry, the armourer, while he is sleeping, on Valentine's Day. Catharine has also caught the eye of the Duke of Rothesay, and on St Valentine's morning Henry encountered a party of his courtiers in the act of placing a ladder against her window. Having cut off the hand of one, and seized another, he was saluted by Catharine as her lover and drawn simultaneously into royal intrigue and highland feud.

Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet. He was the first modern English-language author to have a truly international career in his lifetime and many of his works remain classics of British literature. Famous titles include Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, The Lady of the Lake, Waverley, The Heart of Midlothian and The Bride of Lammermoor.