James Grant
The Royal Regiment, and Other Novelettes
"The Royal Regiment, and Other Novelettes" by James Grant is a historical fiction work likely written in the late 19th century. The narrative centers around Roland Ruthven, a young officer in the Royal Scots, who returns home to Scotland after serving abroad to find his father gravely ill. As he navigates the complexities of family legacy, honor, and impending danger, Roland's story is intertwined with themes of love, duty, and the consequences of past choices that haunt his lineage. The opening of the novella establishes a sense of urgency as Roland races home, worried for his father's health and the family's fate. His arrival at Ardgowrie, their ancestral home, is marked by the somber atmosphere surrounding his father's illness and the burdens of family expectations. As Roland learns of a shadowy family secret connected to a concealed will, tensions rise, and the historical backdrop of military service amidst personal conflict begins to unfold. With rich descriptions and character introspection, the narrative hints at deeper familial fractures and the protagonist's struggle with the weight of honor, adding layers of emotional complexity to the otherwise turbulent events of his life.