Only an Ensign: A Tale of the Retreat from Cabul, Volume 3 (of 3)

In the waning days of the 19th‑century Afghan campaign, a group of British officers and their families find themselves caught between the grandeur of imperial ambition and the harsh realities of a retreating army. The story opens in a richly described drawing‑room, where the polished décor of a noble estate clashes with the looming specter of disaster beyond the frontier.

At the centre of the tangled web are Downie Trevelyan, a flamboyant aristocrat whose sarcasm masks deeper anxieties, and the modest solicitor W. S. Sharkley, thrust into the role of reluctant confidant. Their uneasy dialogue, witnessed by the enigmatic Lady Lamorna and her aloof companion, sets the tone for a narrative steeped in pride, rivalry, and the fragile veneer of civilization.

As the retreat from Cabul looms, alliances shift and secrets surface, revealing how personal ambition collides with the brutal march of history. The novel blends vivid period detail with sharp character study, inviting listeners to experience the tension of a world on the brink of collapse.