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"I loved you then, I love you still, and I shall always love you."

*sniff*

Both of the main characters in this book have issues from their past, and despite those issues being disclosed in the first chapters (and the jacket blurbs), I'm not going to discuss them in this review, as those issues have huge ramifications as the story unfolds.

Chorus girl Leila Duncan had a rough childhood with no family and passed off to one charity or another. After being unfairly dismissed from her job as lady's maid, she's down and out until she lucks out with a job in the chorus line of a popular London show. Leila is not one of those career minded, use anything or any man at hand to further her career for the power and glory, she is very chaste and not one to join her admirers after the show for dinner and lavish gifts like the other girls in the show do. Bad news: entertaining those gentlemen after the show is part of the job she's told, so she accepts an offer for dinner from Vivian Veasey-Hunt, a Captain in the 49th Lancers.

Vivian has quite the reputation with the ladies, and he's used to women falling at his feet - especially when he comes bearing gifts. Oh well, he's not one to let a rebuff (or two or three) from Leila stop him, and things are looking up for these two making a go of it until issues from Leila's past force her into an untenable position, even when she believes she has to do the honorable thing which results in breaking (view spoiler).

*sob*

Much angst ensues, which leaves Vivian at the mercy of the oh-so-nasty Julia. Never have I wanted a character to suffer a horrible, painful death as I wanted Julia to suffer. Never.

"He had surrendered his soul to a woman who would not rest until she controlled him utterly."

Events happen and both Vivian and Leila find themselves in Kimberley (South Africa) right before the Boers lay siege to the city; and long sieges are not pretty when the food is running low and bomb shells are flying day and night. Even though Leila is very chaste, there are some narrow-minded residents of the community who assume that since she's an actress and is seen in the company of men, she must be a "whore" and well...not going to tell you, but that was some pretty nasty stuff there, and I'm sure glad Vivian was nearby to pick up the pieces.

*sniff*

I loved this book and I loved the two main characters. Leila was just perfect, not some scheming hussy worming her way to the top, nor a limp dishrag; but she had a quiet, independent strength and need to stand on her own that I just loved. And Vivian? Such a hunk and what a charmer as he courted Leila (oooh, his horse!) and what a gentle man at heart despite the issues from his past and family. Loved the finish with the epilogue.

"He yearned for a day when the sun had shone gently onto a rich green meadow, and he had handed to a pretty girl a black lamb and his undying love.

*sniff*

I loved every minute of their story and could pick this right back up again and read all over, and still thinking about Viv and Leila a day after finishing the book. This book has earned itself a home on my keepers shelf.

I read and reread many of Emma Drummond's novels with joy, particularly the Knightshill trilogy and The Gathering Wolves (the latter under her pen name of Elizabeth Darrell). However, the main characters of this novel just don't appeal to me, and the plot is too complicated and unlikely. I wouldn't bother with it.