--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And, echoing Jerott, ‘So why in hell have…" description: "\"“And, echoing Jerott, ‘So why in hell have you come?’ Philippa’s gaze, bright and owlish and obstinate, held his to the end. ‘To look after the baby,’ ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/dorothy-dunnett-1876_quote_and-echoing-jerott-so-why-in-hell-have-y_1801252.jpg" --- # And, echoing Jerott, ‘So why in hell have you come?’… ![“And, echoing Jerott, ‘So why in hell have you come?’ Philippa’s gaze, bright and owlish and obstinate, held his to the end. ‘To look after the baby,’ she answered. And disconcertingly, after a second’s blank pause, Francis Crawford flung back his damp head and laughed.” quote by Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/dorothy-dunnett-1876_quote_and-echoing-jerott-so-why-in-hell-have-y_1801252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/dorothy-dunnett-1876_quote_and-echoing-jerott-so-why-in-hell-have-y_1801252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/682/dorothy-dunnett-1876_quote_and-echoing-jerott-so-why-in-hell-have-y_1801252.jpg) > ““And, echoing Jerott, ‘So why in hell have you come?’ Philippa’s gaze, bright and owlish and obstinate, held his to the end. ‘To look after the baby,’ she answered. And disconcertingly, after a second’s blank pause, Francis Crawford flung back his damp head and laughed.”” [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character’s fierce loyalty and humor reveal deep devotion despite absurd circumstances. **In simple terms:** Loyalty shown through absurdity. Key Takeaway Value steadfastness and humor. Themes loyalty humor devotion Mood reflective wry Type literary character-driven When to use this quote - war - family duty - friendship - absurdity Key Concepts literature character study Questions to Reflect On - Why does absurdity highlight devotion? - How does humor affect loyalty? A Different Perspective Humor can obscure seriousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come Philippa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-philippa-2033262/) [Crawford Flung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crawford-flung-2033264/) [Francis Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/francis-crawford-1027113/) [Head Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-laughed-387860/) [Philippa Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philippa-gaze-2033263/) ## Related quotes > [“My son ... my son,' said Francis Crawford before the blurred, failing candles, their light searching over his disordered, bent head and closed eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/my-son-my-son-said-francis-crawford-before-the-blurred-failing/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Arrested for the second, whether in admiration for Lord d’Aubigny’s inventiveness or in a kind of silent snort of hysteria at the prodigies expected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/arrested-for-the-second-whether-in-admiration-for-lord-d-aubigny-s/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“I wish to make my fortune with you.’ ‘Well, you can forget about that, for a start,’ said Francis Crawford. ‘And if your place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-wish-to-make-my-fortune-with-you-well-you-can-forget-about-that-for/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“If you were a dear, good little wife, Janet,’ had said Lymond, ‘you’d fall into a mortal decline that day, or at least hide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/if-you-were-a-dear-good-little-wife-janet-had-said-lymond-you-d-fall/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“I must apologize for these damned entrances,’ said Francis Crawford of Lymond. ‘I feel Tom here never knows if he should send for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-must-apologize-for-these-damned-entrances-said-francis-crawford-of/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“He was a second too late. Ducking, the felt-capped man, muscles hard, dragged himself out of that grasp and, flinging off to one side,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/he-was-a-second-too-late-ducking-the-felt-capped-man-muscles-hard/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“There he was: perfection. Tan skin, square jaw, twinkling blue eyes, and blond hair that curled slightly since it was still wet from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-hahn/there-he-was-perfection-tan-skin-square-jaw-twinkling-blue-eyes-and/) [Chanda Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-hahn/) > [“I know. I know. Just--hold on." He pulled out a thick headband. It was brown, with a plush fox head on the front. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-know-i-know-just-hold-on-he-pulled-out-a-thick-headband-it-was/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I grabbed her ankle and kissed it, and when I looked up I saw her chin and her eyelashes as she threw back her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/i-grabbed-her-ankle-and-kissed-it-and-when-i-looked-up-i-saw-her-chin/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“The F word turns me on, she whispered. The F word? Food He threw back his head and laughed. It rumbled up out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-brown/the-f-word-turns-me-on-she-whispered-the-f-word-food-he-threw-back/) [Sandra Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-brown/) > [“I felt him smile against my skin, but he didn’t raise his head and he didn’t attempt to move, his body laying half on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/i-felt-him-smile-against-my-skin-but-he-didn-t-raise-his-head-and-he/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [She taught me to revel. She taught me to wonder. She taught me to laugh. My sense of humor had always measured up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/she-taught-me-to-revel-she-taught-me-to-wonder-she-taught-me-to-laugh/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [You love me?" He just looked at me for a moment. And then he reared back his head and laughed, a rich, mellow sound,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/you-love-me-he-just-looked-at-me-for-a-moment-and-then-he-reared-back/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [“The man dabbed briefly at his lip with his bloody sleeve end and then cocked back his head and laughed. The sound was sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-pearson/the-man-dabbed-briefly-at-his-lip-with-his-bloody-sleeve-end-and-then/) [T.R. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-pearson/) > [Enna leaned back her head and laughed at the sky. 'Of course he wasn't! Who could kill Razo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/enna-leaned-back-her-head-and-laughed-at-the-sky-of-course-he-wasn-t/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) ## More by Dorothy Dunnett > [“I echo like a mynah, that’s why.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-echo-like-a-mynah-that-s-why/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Haven't I been worth five years' excellent gossip to you? Are you not all waiting agog to see me seize my sister-in-law by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/haven-t-i-been-worth-five-years-excellent-gossip-to-you-are-you-not/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Where are the links of the chain ... joining us to the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/where-are-the-links-of-the-chain-joining-us-to-the-past/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Standing safely on the opposite bank with her dry maid, her dry escort, and a company of streaming horsemen, Philippa said scathingly, ‘That’s men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/standing-safely-on-the-opposite-bank-with-her-dry-maid-her-dry-escort/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“It wasna a man,’ said Andrew Kerr broadly. ‘T’was my aunty. I tellt ye. I’m no risking cauld steel in ma wame for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-wasna-a-man-said-andrew-kerr-broadly-t-was-my-aunty-i-tellt-ye-i-m/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“I don't like this war. I don't like the cold-blooded scheming at the beginning and the carnage at the end and the grumbling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/i-don-t-like-this-war-i-don-t-like-the-cold-blooded-scheming-at-the/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“It is not easy for Brehons to decide concerning bees that have taken up their lodging in the trees of a noble dignitary; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-is-not-easy-for-brehons-to-decide-concerning-bees-that-have-taken/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Go away and bleed to death,’ said his onetime saviour sharply. ‘On behalf of the female sex I feel I may cheer every lesion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/go-away-and-bleed-to-death-said-his-onetime-saviour-sharply-on-behalf/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [Lack of genius never held anyone back. Only time wasted on resentment and daydreaming can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/lack-of-genius-never-held-anyone-back-only-time-wasted-on-resentment/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“What do you hope for that you haven’t got? What can that child give you?’ There was a little silence. ‘A virgin audience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/what-do-you-hope-for-that-you-haven-t-got-what-can-that-child-give/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [Did I ever tell you,’ said Lymond pausing on the afterthought, on his way to the flap, ‘that that aunt of mine once hatched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/did-i-ever-tell-you-said-lymond-pausing-on-the-afterthought-on-his/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Which reminds me -' 'The new ladies have arrived,' said Adam grimly. 'Guaranteed of clean stock, and inured to Russian practices. Osep has announced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/which-reminds-me-the-new-ladies-have-arrived-said-adam-grimly/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“So: ‘Why did you laugh?’ demanded Philippa, and shook Jerott’s hand off her arm. ‘Oh, that?’ said Lymond. ‘But, my dear child, the picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/so-why-did-you-laugh-demanded-philippa-and-shook-jerott-s-hand-off/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [It seems to me,’ said Philippa prosaically, ‘that on the whole we run more risks with Mr Crawford’s protection than without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/it-seems-to-me-said-philippa-prosaically-that-on-the-whole-we-run/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) > [“Gabriel,’ said Jerott firmly, ‘is now at Birgu, Malta, engaged in a life-and-death struggle for the Grand Mastership of the Order of St John.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-dunnett/gabriel-said-jerott-firmly-is-now-at-birgu-malta-engaged-in-a-life/) [Dorothy Dunnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) [Explore all 201 Dorothy Dunnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-dunnett/) ## More Head Laughed quotes > [Enna leaned back her head and laughed at the sky. 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