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Under the Red Dragon

by James Grant · 1872

Romance · Historical Fiction · Classics

In the restless months before the Crimean War, a young officer of the Welsh Fusileers—recovering from illness and eager for adventure—finds himself drawn into a world of regimental friendships, flirtations, and the pull of a Welsh country invitation that promises romance as much as respite. Amid barrack-room banter and the looming shadow of war in the East, loyalties and affections among brother officers and the women they admire begin to take shape, setting the stage for a tale of love, honor, and soldiering in Victorian Britain and beyond.

29 chapters

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Transcriber's Notes: 1. Page scan source: Google Books https://books.google.com/books?id=bZ4xAQAAMAAJ (Cornell University Library)

"And she is to be there--nay, is there already; so one more chance is given me to meet her. But for what?--to part again silently, and more helplessly bewitched than ever, perhaps. Ah, never will she learn to love me as I love her!" thought I, as I turned over my old friend's letter, not venturing, however, to give utterance to this aloud, as the quizzical eyes of Phil Caradoc were upon me.

"A penny for your thoughts, friend Harry?" said he, laughing; "try another cigar, and rouse yourself. What the deuce is in this letter, that it affects you so? Have you put a pot of money on the wrong horse?"

"Been jilted, had a bill returned, or what?" suggested Gwynne.

"Neither, fortunately," said I; "it is simply an invitation from Sir Madoc Lloyd, which rather perplexes me."

At this time our regiment was then in the East, awaiting with the rest of the army some movement to be made from Varna, either towards Bessarabia or the Crimea--men's minds were undecided as to which, while her Majesty's Ministers seemed to have no thought on the subject.

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