The Colonel of the Red Huzzars

A restless American Army engineer longs to exchange Pittsburgh's bridges and river works for active service. At his club, a friend's wager and a printed portrait of Princess Dehra turn the conversation toward the kingdom of Valeria. When a telegram offers an overseas military posting, his interest in foreign affairs becomes entangled with an old attraction to the princess. John Reed Scott tells the adventure through the officer's own voice, mixing professional ambition with teasing conversations among friends.

Courtly manners and private doubts carry the romance forward. In the later excerpt, Armand Dalberg and Dehra face a woman's claim that she is already his wife, supported by a disputed certificate. Dehra's confidence contrasts with his anxious search for a response, while a governorship and official duties add public responsibilities to the personal crisis. Readers drawn to military adventure and royal court romances will find formal dinners, political connections and questions of trust shaping the action.