Proper pride : A novel. Volume 1 (of 3)

In the sun‑kissed streets of 1880s Malta, a bustling mix of soldiers, merchants and locals creates a vivid backdrop for a story of expectation and restraint. Young Alice Saville, the beautiful and wealthy orphan of a distant General, arrives under the watchful eye of her guardian, a respectable but enigmatic English gentleman. As the island’s heat swells and the social scene buzzes with gossip, Alice’s poised exterior masks the pressures of inheritance, propriety, and the subtle power games of the expatriate community.

When a pair of British officers, weary of their idle posting, begin to speculate about Alice’s future, their banter hints at hidden motives and looming decisions that could upend her carefully arranged life. The narrative balances witty dialogue with atmospheric description, drawing listeners into a world where pride, love, and duty intersect on the windswept promenade of Valletta. The first act sets the stage for a delicate dance of ambition and affection that promises to test the limits of honor and desire.