Author Description

After his beloved wife dies, Doctor Fergus MacDonald makes a disastrous second marriage, leading to heartache and the abuse of his twelve-year old daughter, Allegra. To get away once he puts his affairs in order at home, he signs up to serve in the Peninsular War. The proud Scot is more enthused when he finds the 71st Foot of the Highland Light Infantry will be fighting. Allegra begs, cajoles, tricks, and finally reasons, to be taken along. Finally, he relents, and Allegra will accompany him as his son 'Alan', his assistant. What could go wrong? On the ship, she meets a most handsome man she will come to hate. On land, her father falls in love, and she becomes betrothed to a friend from the 71st when she is thirteen, too young to marry, so they must wait while the war grinds on with too many lives upended and forever changed.