Sweethearts and Wives (The Regiment Family Saga Book 2) by CL Skelton

Sweethearts and Wives (The Regiment Family Saga Book 2) by CL Skelton

Author:CL Skelton [Skelton, CL]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: family secrets, nineteenth century, South Africa, family saga, Boer War, romance, Victorian, Scottish, historical romance
Publisher: Wyndham Books (Family Saga)
Published: 2017-09-18T16:00:00+00:00


BOOK TWO

THE GREAT BOER WARS

Chapter One

It was a glorious afternoon in the summer of 1899. Major General Willie Bruce was standing with Sir Andrew Maclaren looking out of the windows of the library at Culbrech House down on to the sunlit lawns. Outside, amidst the hum of the bumblebees and the scent of the newborn roses, Andrew’s grandchildren were playing. Emma, the eldest, was seven. Henry, named after his great-grandfather, was six. Albert was four, Phillipa three and wee James in his high perambulator, not yet a year old.

Victoria had gone out to spend an hour with her children and they were enthusiastically throwing a large woolly ball from one to the other.

It was two years since the old Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, during which Willie had been promoted major-general and had promptly retired. Upon his retirement, he had been given the singular honour of the appointment to colonel-in-chief to the Maclaren Highlanders. This event had stirred in Andrew a slight twinge of jealousy. After all, he was The Maclaren, even though Willie was a couple of years his senior and born of the same father. But the jealousy did not last long; these two were bound together too tightly by ties of blood and comradeship.

Ian and Victoria had moved permanently into Culbrech House where they had settled down as the Laird and his Lady. There had been a lot of changes in the past nine years, changes that had affected both of their families. Apart from his brief visit of a month timed to coincide with the Jubilee, Willie had not seen Donald since the day that Ian and Victoria had married. Donald had gone off that night on the train which was the first leg of his journey to South Africa and the diamond mines of Kimberley.

Naomi contacted them occasionally by letter, but seldom came up to the Highlands now. She seemed to be more contented with her life in London, where she moved in the highest circles of literature and the arts. In the context of the society in which she moved Naomi was one of the most sought-after hostesses in London. It was in the world populated by actors, artists, and writers that she had made her niche. ‘Polite society’ was barred to her. She was not acceptable within the doors of the establishment. She had not been presented at court. Never would she receive an invitation to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and matrons of the establishment would never countenance any sort of liaison between her and their sons. And Naomi did not give a damn. She wanted no part of the establishment cattle market. Her friends and acquaintances were interesting people whose company was never dull and if she occasionally went to bed with one of them, well, that was her business.

Ron Murray, that hard-working and truly professional soldier, had been transferred to the General Staff in London and was now, according to Willie, a Something-or-other in General Wolseley’s headquarters. The command had passed



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