# Mr. Mackellar — The Master of Ballantrae character guide

> Mr. Mackellar in The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Mackellar, Ephraim Mackellar, the good Mackellar, dear Mr. Mackellar

**First appearance:** 0002-the-master-of-ballantrae

## Snapshot

The Durie family's plainspoken steward, whose careful journals and reluctant loyalty turn him into the conscience of a house tearing itself apart.

## Who they are

Ephraim Mackellar arrives at Durrisdeer as a sober, God-fearing man of business and becomes the keeper of its secrets, carrying hush-money to a disreputable woman on Henry's behalf and watching the family's slow unraveling. He is jealous of the dead Master for Henry's sake, and his judgments — sharp, partial, and honest — color everything we see. His narrative voice is the reader's steady guide through a story of divided loyalties and creeping ruin.

## In the story

### [Dedication](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/dedication)

Mentioned as part of the story's fabric, his homespun character and narrative role are contemplated by the author.

### [I: Summary of Events During the Master’s Wanderings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/i-summary-of-events-during-the-master-s-wanderings)

Narrator who introduces himself as intimately involved with the Durie family's last years, claiming unique knowledge of the Master's career and the events.

### [II: Summary of Events (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/ii-summary-of-events-continued)

Arrives at Durrisdeer as steward; becomes a loyal servant to Mr. Henry; carries out the delicate errand to Jessie Broun.

### [IV: Persecutions Endured by Mr. Henry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/iv-persecutions-endured-by-mr-henry)

Loyal steward who supports Mr. Henry, refuses the Master's request to drive away Jessie Broun, and observes the growing tension.

### [Account of All That Passed on the Night of February 27th, 1757](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/v-account-of-all-that-passed-on-the-night-of-february-27th-1757)

Takes charge after the duel, forces Mr. Henry to drink brandy, informs Mrs. Henry, confronts Lord Durrisdeer, and later discovers the Master's packed luggage and incriminating letters.

### [VI: Summary of Events During the Master’s Second Absence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/vi-summary-of-events-during-the-master-s-second-absence)

Prepares a 'budget' of documents to reveal the truth to Mrs. Henry; remains loyal to the family despite frustrations; later confronts Mr. Henry about his parenting of Alexander.

### [VII: Adventure of Chevalier Burke in India](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/vii-adventure-of-chevalier-burke-in-india)

Provides an editorial note at the end, speculating on the Master's motives for the cruel jest against Burke.

### [VIII: The Enemy in the House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/viii-the-enemy-in-the-house)

Narrates the chapter; discovers the Master's return, confronts him, and helps plan the family's escape.

### [Mr. Mackellar's Journey with the Master](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/ix-mr-mackellar-s-journey-with-the-master)

Narrates the journey, experiences dark premonitions, attempts to push the Master overboard but relents, and gives his word to cease such attempts.

### [X: Passages at New York](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/x-passages-at-new-york)

Arrives in New York ahead of the Master, warns Lord Durrisdeer, and later witnesses the public confrontation.

### [XI: The Journey in the Wilderness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/xi-the-journey-in-the-wilderness)

Narrates the chapter; remains in Albany, suspicious of Lord Durrisdeer's schemes but chooses inaction to protect his lord's reputation.

### [XII: The Journey in the Wilderness (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/xii-the-journey-in-the-wilderness-continued)

Present during the exhumation and Lord Durrisdeer's death; later arranges the double funeral and chisels the tombstone inscription.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/chapters/endnotes)

The annotator of the endnotes, providing corrections and clarifications.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/characters/mackellar
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_master_of_ballantrae_se/characters