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A Captive Freedom
A Captive Freedom sweeps us into a tale of the impossible love tween an aristocratic soldier and a showgirl at the turn of the century. Vivian Veasey-Hunt, Captain of Lancers, returns to London after the brutal war in Ashanti in which his controversial action has earned him enemies within the regiment. Seeking consolation, he is drawn to a beautiful brunette from the chorus of the "Lindley Girls," who have taken London by storm.
Leila Duncan in a strange creature created by the impresario Lester Gilbert. Trapped between her lowly origins and her sudden elevation into the circles in which Vivian moves, Leila fiercely defied society's views on the virtues of actresses - views Vivian naturally shares. Both, though, are hiding guilty secrets, and their stormy relationship seems doomed when a soldier from Leila's past come back into her life.
But they are to meet again under very different circumstances, far from the glitter of London's theatre world. Thrown together at the bloody siege of Kimberly, City of Diamonds, both have to fight their own bitter private battles while struggling for their very survival on the war-town South African veld.
Leila Duncan in a strange creature created by the impresario Lester Gilbert. Trapped between her lowly origins and her sudden elevation into the circles in which Vivian moves, Leila fiercely defied society's views on the virtues of actresses - views Vivian naturally shares. Both, though, are hiding guilty secrets, and their stormy relationship seems doomed when a soldier from Leila's past come back into her life.
But they are to meet again under very different circumstances, far from the glitter of London's theatre world. Thrown together at the bloody siege of Kimberly, City of Diamonds, both have to fight their own bitter private battles while struggling for their very survival on the war-town South African veld.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1987
53 people want to read
About the author
Emma Drummond
24 books15 followersA pseudonym used by Edna Dawes.
Drummond was born in a Military Hospital, as her father was a member of the British Army. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong, where her father was stationed. She eventually married a senior British Civil Servant. She worked for a time as a WRAC (Womens Royal Army Corps). She also writes as Elizabeth Darrell, Eve Dane, Edna Dawes, and Eleanor Drew.
Drummond was born in a Military Hospital, as her father was a member of the British Army. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong, where her father was stationed. She eventually married a senior British Civil Servant. She worked for a time as a WRAC (Womens Royal Army Corps). She also writes as Elizabeth Darrell, Eve Dane, Edna Dawes, and Eleanor Drew.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 27, 2015
"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 difficult 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 .
*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; 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.
*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 difficult 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 .
*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; 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.
June 5, 2015
It's late Victorian England, and lady's maid turned chorus girl Leila is on stage performing the Lindley Stroll, a dance which involves wearing ostrich feathers and little else. She catches the roving eye of Captain Vivian Veasey-Hunter who is newly returned from fighting the Ashanti, but when he sends her flowers and a note inviting her to an after show dinner, a surprisingly modest Leila returns them with a definite no.
Not used to being rebuffed, Vivian becomes determined to win a date and orchestrates several meetings with her; under orders from the theatre boss that gentlemen admirers are to be humoured, Leila has no choice but to relent. She knows that Vivian is only after one thing and tries to keep him at arm's length, but as they're both carrying a lot of emotional baggage neither of them expect any real feelings to develop. When they finally admit what's happening between them, the emotional baggage rears it's ugly head and drives them apart.
They next meet several years later in Kimberley, South Africa. Both have undergone substantial changes in their lives, but the pain of their parting and the secrets they each hold means they prowl around each other unsure what to do next. But next is the siege by the Boers, and all inhabitants are held captive with food and water in short supply and shells exploding all around. Can our couple overcome the siege and the past? It's not as straightforward as you might think.
I really enjoyed this. Emma Drummond knows how to combine brooding heroes, heart-wringing angst and the horrors of war perfectly by using the right blend of passion, fact and fiction. Not quite as good as Scarlet Shadows or Forget The Glory, my personal Drummond favourites, but still an excellent read.
Not used to being rebuffed, Vivian becomes determined to win a date and orchestrates several meetings with her; under orders from the theatre boss that gentlemen admirers are to be humoured, Leila has no choice but to relent. She knows that Vivian is only after one thing and tries to keep him at arm's length, but as they're both carrying a lot of emotional baggage neither of them expect any real feelings to develop. When they finally admit what's happening between them, the emotional baggage rears it's ugly head and drives them apart.
They next meet several years later in Kimberley, South Africa. Both have undergone substantial changes in their lives, but the pain of their parting and the secrets they each hold means they prowl around each other unsure what to do next. But next is the siege by the Boers, and all inhabitants are held captive with food and water in short supply and shells exploding all around. Can our couple overcome the siege and the past? It's not as straightforward as you might think.
I really enjoyed this. Emma Drummond knows how to combine brooding heroes, heart-wringing angst and the horrors of war perfectly by using the right blend of passion, fact and fiction. Not quite as good as Scarlet Shadows or Forget The Glory, my personal Drummond favourites, but still an excellent read.
February 4, 2018
6-stars. It is a great romance, with so vividly described characters that now that I finished the book I feel that I miss them.
The first part takes place in London where Leila is a chorus girl and Vivian is an officer on leave. The second part transfers us to the Kimberley siege, the beginning of the 2nd Boers war.
The plot is captivating and I don't want to reveal anything but there is a lot of separating and meeting again for them. There are some secondary characters the majority malicious ones, but there is retribution at the end.
The writing is so fascinating that I am moving to a second book from Emma Drummond right away.
The first part takes place in London where Leila is a chorus girl and Vivian is an officer on leave. The second part transfers us to the Kimberley siege, the beginning of the 2nd Boers war.
The plot is captivating and I don't want to reveal anything but there is a lot of separating and meeting again for them. There are some secondary characters the majority malicious ones, but there is retribution at the end.
The writing is so fascinating that I am moving to a second book from Emma Drummond right away.
December 19, 2025
Another great historical novel by the author.
Descriptions that transported me back in time, to another world, allowed me to learn and understand a great deal, and at the same time left me (as befits a great historical novel) with the feeling of full context. The feeling that dry facts will never convey.
Drummond also had the ability to create interesting, complex, and realistic characters (befitting the era in which the book takes place).
And although all the male protagonists were members of the British army, she still managed to create original, unique love stories.
[4.5 stars]
Descriptions that transported me back in time, to another world, allowed me to learn and understand a great deal, and at the same time left me (as befits a great historical novel) with the feeling of full context. The feeling that dry facts will never convey.
Drummond also had the ability to create interesting, complex, and realistic characters (befitting the era in which the book takes place).
And although all the male protagonists were members of the British army, she still managed to create original, unique love stories.
[4.5 stars]
May 15, 2013
I love this book so much that I own two separate hard cover copies, so just in case I can't lay my hands on one copy, the other will be available.
Leila, our heroine, is a chorus girl existing on the margins when she meets Vivian Veasey-Hunter, an aristocratic officer likewise on the margins - his parents were married subsequently to his birth, which makes him a bastard. Leila and Vivian are drawn to each other and what starts as a simple flirtation/seduction rapidly becomes much more, but events intervene and when they meet next, it is years and years later, with Leila a well-known opera singer and Vivian as one of the British army during the Boer War.
I think I love this book so much because it combines protagonists that I adore (I cannot get enough of competent, strong-willed yet tortured types that Drummond makes all her heroes and heroines) and a great setting (England and South Africa in the Victorian era), plus a hefty dose of military action and a ton of hurt/comfort.
If I were objective, I am sure I could find flaws with ACF - certain things happen too patly and a few of the secondary characters receive last-act character reveals which seem a bit sudden, but I just don't care - by the end of the book I was so deeply invested in Leila and Vivian as individuals and as a unit, that I would have welcomed Santa Claus, as long as he would have given them their deserved happy ending.
Leila, our heroine, is a chorus girl existing on the margins when she meets Vivian Veasey-Hunter, an aristocratic officer likewise on the margins - his parents were married subsequently to his birth, which makes him a bastard. Leila and Vivian are drawn to each other and what starts as a simple flirtation/seduction rapidly becomes much more, but events intervene and when they meet next, it is years and years later, with Leila a well-known opera singer and Vivian as one of the British army during the Boer War.
I think I love this book so much because it combines protagonists that I adore (I cannot get enough of competent, strong-willed yet tortured types that Drummond makes all her heroes and heroines) and a great setting (England and South Africa in the Victorian era), plus a hefty dose of military action and a ton of hurt/comfort.
If I were objective, I am sure I could find flaws with ACF - certain things happen too patly and a few of the secondary characters receive last-act character reveals which seem a bit sudden, but I just don't care - by the end of the book I was so deeply invested in Leila and Vivian as individuals and as a unit, that I would have welcomed Santa Claus, as long as he would have given them their deserved happy ending.
April 24, 2023
This Boer war drummond book had a much better romance
not-for-me
June 22, 2025Prolonged get together
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews