Northumberland. There, he finds himself caught up in a vicious plot to bankrupt his father which has startling consequences. At the centre of the action are three very different figures ? Francis's treacherous cousin Rashleigh Osbaldistone, who ruthlessly tries to destroy all who interfere in his schemes, the beautiful yet enigmatic Diana Vernon, who adds a romantic element to the story, and Rob Roy, the irrepressible Highland outlaw, who is the ultimate hero of Sir Walter Scott's gripping novel.