Francezka

Captain Babache has a sword ready for anyone who questions the greatness of his master, Maurice, Count of Saxe. His extravagant devotion gives Molly Elliot Seawell's historical novel a comic, outspoken narrator. Born the son of a Paris notary, Babache recounts how military service brought him close to death before the count spared his life. A grateful letter then revealed the skill that made him useful as his commander's writer and trusted companion.

Around this soldier's account grows the story of Francezka Capello, who lives in splendor at her château in Brabant. Gaston Cheverny and his brother Regnard pursue her while serving in different armies, and their rivalry connects the worlds of courtship and military ambition. Scenes in Paris and Brabant place personal loyalty beside pride, money and social rank. Readers can expect a historical romance shaped by a narrator whose fierce attachments and ready opinions give every acquaintance a distinctive coloring.