The story in one page
Harry Hardinge spends his final pre-war days at Craigaderyn Court, navigating the treacherous social waters of Welsh gentry and the icy indifference of Lady Estelle. When his regiment is finally summoned to the East, the drawing-room drama is traded for the frozen trenches of the Crimea. Amidst the chaos of Sebastopol and the terrors of Inkermann, Harry must survive both Russian steel and the reappearance of his rival, Guilfoyle, who has joined the Land Transport Corps to escape his debts. Ultimately, Harry finds that the lady he pined for in the parlor is not the one who saves his heart in the aftermath of battle.
Who's who
- Harry Hardinge
A subaltern who returns from the Crimean War missing an arm after a grapeshot strike inside the Redan.
- Sir Madoc Lloyd
An hospitable Welsh baronet and master of Craigaderyn Court.
- Winifred Lloyd
The steadfast Welsh daughter who eventually marries the hero.
- Lady Estelle
A beautiful noblewoman who bewitches Harry before the war.
- Henry Hawkesby Guilfoyle
A social climber who obtains a commission to avoid creditors.
What it's really about
- Martial Honor
- The transition from domestic courtship to the brutal realities of war.
- Social Friction
- Class hierarchies affecting romantic prospects in both Wales and London.
Why it's memorable
- A perilous descent down a cliff face while a thunderstorm gathers over the sea.
- Queen Victoria pinning the Victoria Cross onto Harry’s empty braided sleeve.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After surviving the Redan, Harry returns home to Wales with an empty sleeve, marries Winifred Lloyd, and is awarded the Victoria Cross by the Queen at a grand ceremony in London.
For your book club
- The contrast between the idyllic Welsh countryside and the 'angel of horror' in Crimean camps.
- Guilfoyle’s desperation to join the Land Transport Corps as a means of social escape.