Man at War – Excerpt No. 250

“A beautiful name,” Marc said. “Very fitting considering those eyes.”

He bowed, literally, as though this were theatre and headed for the exit. Unknowingly he managed to stumble onto a hunter and wondered if this was the one Drusilla was looking for.

Since they tended to hunt in pairs, he guessed the other was nearby. Without a second thought he devised a plan to keep an eye on them. If Drusilla wanted to find a hunter, then Marc wanted to know what they were up to. It might be enough to get me to flush her out and give me a chance to settle an old score.

As he passed by the front desk, he noted the Captain gave him an intense stare. Thankfully he was not here for a thorough physical examination.

“Good evening,” Marc said before going through the door.

Highly detailed cinematic scene inside a dimly lit canvas ward tent at a British Casualty Clearing Station during the Great War in 1915. A distinguished British Colonel named Marc stands in the narrow aisle and performs a deep, theatrical bow toward the young Canadian Bluebird nurse Lieutenant Clara Grey, as though they were on a stage rather than in a war hospital. The Colonel has a charming, aristocratic smile on his face while bowing gracefully, one hand lightly placed over his heart. Clara Grey, a beautiful brunette with striking steel-grey eyes, stands close in front of him holding the stainless-steel pitcher, her expression a mix of surprise, fading mischief, and subtle wariness after their recent collision. Soft moody lamplight from hanging lanterns casts dramatic golden highlights and long shadows across the scene, emphasizing the elegant bow in the midst of the grim ward. In the background, rows of cots with wounded soldiers including the bandaged Private Lavoie, medical equipment, a front desk area where a Captain watches with an intense stare, and the canvas tent walls with the exit door visible. Historical accuracy for 1915 with subtle supernatural elegance and tension in the Colonel’s movement, realistic yet slightly stylized, strong emotional and compositional focus on Marc’s theatrical bow to Clara Grey in the wartime hospital ward.

Disclaimer: This novel is an work in progress and readers may encounter grammatical errors and inconsistencies. Please view this a draft and not a published work.