Gerald Forbes

Gerald Forbes is a canny Edinburgh merchant who moves easily through the city's trade and smuggling circles. Sharp-tongued and practical, he deals with Jamie Fraser as a business associate, weighing risk and profit with equal care. He is a man who understands how the city really works, and who knows exactly what he can get away with.

Billy Boyd brings a dry, watchful energy to a character who could easily be background dressing, giving Forbes the air of someone always doing sums behind his eyes. The performance suggests a whole network of unseen dealings, making Edinburgh's underworld feel lived-in rather than merely staged for Jamie's benefit.