
A restless former artillery officer wanders the bustling streets of London, his mind fixed on a single, urgent goal. With a small white terrier at his heels and a freshly repaired watch missing from his wrist, he darts from shop to shop, chasing the latest race results that could change his fortunes. The city’s clamor fades for a moment as he watches the paper, the headline confirming that the horse he backed has lost by a hair.
Behind his determined exterior lies a tangled past: a childhood marked by tragedy, a benefactor’s generous will, and a promise that hinges on a knighthood. As the war drums echo from far‑off Gaza, Lyveden clutches the letter that could secure his inheritance, while the simple pleasures of Hyde Park and the loyalty of his dog offer brief respite. The story unfolds as he balances duty, hope, and the pull of destiny in a world still reeling from conflict.
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (487K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2009-01-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1885–1960
Best known for brisk adventure stories and witty comic novels, this prolific British writer created the popular "Berry" books and the Richard Chandos adventures. Writing as Dornford Yates, he built a loyal readership with tales that mixed elegance, danger, and dry humor.
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