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Playing with Fire: A Story of the Soudan War

James Grant

At the start of the tale, Roland Lindsay returns home to the tranquil setting of Merlwood after serving in Egypt, where he reflects on his past and his relationship with Hester, who harbors romantic feelings for him.

"Playing with Fire: A Story of the Soudan War" by James Grant is a historical fiction novel. At the start of the tale, Roland Lindsay returns home to the tranquil setting of Merlwood after serving in Egypt, where he reflects on his past and his relationship with Hester, who harbors romantic feelings for him.

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Read a passage

''Pon my word, cousin, I think I should actually fall in love with you, but that—that——'

'What?' asked the girl, with a curious smile.

'One so seldom falls in love with one they have known for a life long.'

The girl sighed softly, and said, still smiling sweetly:

'Looking upon her as almost a sister, you mean, Roland.'

'Or almost as a brother, as the case may be.'

'Then how about Paul and Virginia? They knew each other all their lives, and yet loved each other tenderly.'

'Or desperately, rather, Hester; but that was in an old story book greatly appreciated by our grandmothers.'

'Instead of talking nonsense here, I really think you should go home, Roland,' said the girl, with a tone of pain and pique at his nonchalant manner; 'home for a time, at least.'

'Tired of you, Roland?—oh, no,' replied the girl softly, while playing with the petals of a flower.

The speakers were Roland Lindsay, a young captain of the line, home on leave from Egypt, and his cousin, Hester Maule, a handsome girl in her eighteenth year; and the scene in which they figured was a shady, green and well-wooded grassy bank that sloped down to the Esk, in front of the pretty villa of Merlwood, where he swung lazily in a net hammock between two beautiful laburnum-trees, smoking a cigar, while she sat on the turf close by, with a fan of peacock feathers in her slim and pretty hand, dispersing the midges that were swarming under the trees in the hot sunshine of an August evening.

Contents

  1. 01Chapter I. Merlwood.
  2. 02Chapter II. Hester Maule.
  3. 03Chapter III. Kashgate—A Retrospect.
  4. 04Chapter IV. Playing with Fire.
  5. 05Chapter V. The Cousins.
  6. 06Chapter VI. Annot Drummond.
  7. 07Chapter VII. 'Is She Not Passing Fair?'
  8. 08Chapter VIII. 'It Was No Dream.'
  9. 09Chapter IX. The Old Love and the New.
  10. 10Chapter X. Roland's Home-Coming.
  11. 11Chapter XI. A Cold Reception.
  12. 12Chapter XII. Maude.
  13. 13Chapter XIII. Roland's Vexation.
  14. 14Chapter XIV. Maude's Secret.
  15. 15Chapter XV. Mr. Hawkey Sharpe Seeks Counsel.
  16. 16Chapter XVI. 'Fool's Paradise.'
  17. 17Chapter XVII. At Earlshaugh.
  18. 18Chapter XVIII. 'My Love She's but a Lassie Yet.'
  19. 19Chapter XIX. Hester Receives a Proposal.
  20. 20Chapter XX. Mr. Sharpe Makes a Mistake.
  21. 21Chapter XXI. Malcolm Skene.
  22. 22Chapter XXII. A Fatal Shot.
  23. 23Chapter XXIII. The City of the Caliphs—October in the Land of the Pharaohs.
  24. 24Chapter XXIV. Jack Elliot's Peril.
  25. 25Chapter XXV. The Will.
  26. 26Chapter XXVI. Moloch.
  27. 27Chapter XXVII. Annot's Misgivings.
  28. 28Chapter XXVIII. The First of October.
  29. 29Chapter XXIX. Alarm and Anxiety.
  30. 30Chapter XXX.
  31. 31The Kelpie's Cleugh.
  32. 32Chapter XXXI. 'All Over Now!'
  33. 33Chapter XXII. Pelion on Ossa.
  34. 34Chapter XXXIII. A Tangled Skein.
  35. 35Chapter XXXIV. The Presentiment.
  36. 36Chapter XXXV. Lost in the Desert.
  37. 37Chapter XXXVI. Alone!
  38. 38Chapter XXXVII. The First Quarrel.
  39. 39Chapter XXXVIII. The Crisis.
  40. 40Chapter XXXIX. Turning the Tables.
  41. 41Chapter XL. The New Position.
  42. 42Chapter XLI. The Captive.
  43. 43Chapter XLII. The Zereba of Sheikh Moussa.
  44. 44Chapter XLIII. A Marriage.
  45. 45Chapter XLIV. The Troopship.
  46. 46Chapter XLV. The Death Wrestle.
  47. 47Chapter XLVI. Maude's Visitor.
  48. 48Chapter XLVII. The Result.
  49. 49Chapter XLVIII. 'Infirm of Purpose!'
  50. 50Chapter XLIX. Christmas Day in Camp at Korti.
  51. 51Chapter L. The Start for Khartoum.
  52. 52Chapter LI. The March in the Desert.
  53. 53Chapter LII. The Presentiment Fulfilled.
  54. 54Chapter LIII a Homeward Glance.
  55. 55Chapter LIV. The Long-Suspended Sword.
  56. 56Chapter LV. With General EARLE's Column.
  57. 57Chapter LVI. The Battle of Kirbekan.
  58. 58Chapter LVII. The Sick Convoy.
  59. 59Chapter LVIII. In the Shoubrah Gardens.
  60. 60Chapter LIX. Conclusion.

About this edition

Author
James Grant
Language
English
Era
Modern (c. 1800–1945)
Reading level
Intermediate: some philosophy helps
Formats
EPUB, PDF
Length
445 pages
This edition
Modern Philosophers

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