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The Displaced #2
Underneath The Broken Sky
Excerpt from the Book:
PROLOGUE
DEATH WAS COMING. Those in the cramped room could feel the reaper creeping forward as the young soldier’s rattling gasps for air painfully subsided. The Reverend straightened up, pulling the dirty sheet over the cadet’s pocked marked face. He turned to the youth hunched in the corner. The boy had been sitting in the corner of the crumbling hospital since the day before, when he delivered his friend, who now lay dead on the table.
“I’m sorry.” The Reverend cleared his throat before moving to the next patient, also not long for this world. “Best tell the General.”
The boy’s round face blanched in surprise. As a lowly infantryman, he had never faced the famed commander. He opened his mouth to argue, but one of the officers nearby nudged him with the butt of his musket. “Yes, Sir,” he swallowed.
The lad ran through the desolate streets, dodging discarded possessions and crumbling architecture left over from the last British siege of Louisbourg in 1758. Charred, skeletal frames were all that remained of the once proud fortress, the crown jewel of the French Empire in North America. Nothing had survived intact from the six weeks of British bombardment. The French were gone, their lives reduced to ash.
The young man gasped as he rounded a corner. The fierce wind raging off the North Atlantic caught in his chest. It was only October, but snow was already sticking to the ground on fallen leaves and patches of thin ice.
A knot of men appeared through the collapsing rock of what had once been the city’s walls. They huddled together near the newly dug graves of the previous week. The boy approached through what remained of the city gate feeling cautious. He had never met anyone of importance in his short life. He coughed. The men turned, the merciless wind whipping at their red coattails.
A number of the officers looked scandalized to see such a ragged soldier in their midst, and one even opened his mouth to chastise him, but General James Murray stopped him with a piercing gaze.
The young cadet took a step closer, stumbling over the uneven ground. General Murray looked at the pathetic figure with resignation. He had been waiting for this message for hours.
“Th-there’s been a-a-another four th-this afternoon,” the boy stuttered, staring at the freshly turned earth only a few feet away. He was too terrified to meet the General’s now stern gaze. “That’s two more from yesterday, but not as bad as the day before that. Sir.” He wiped his brow. Despite the freezing temperatures and flecks of snow in the air, he felt warm.
Murray nodded and turned back to face the turbulent ocean, ignoring his subordinates, who began to mutter and worry about this new development. For six weeks, he had watched Louisbourg crumble under the barrage of artillery lobbed into the walls and streets of the fortress by the British, including his own battalion. There was nothing left now but broken roads and dilapidated buildings. His troops were slowly freezing to death, and there was no relief in sight.
Six months. Six months they were condemned to remain in this collapsing, decaying hell of a ruined city. Governor Delacour had been a fool not to have surrendered earlier. Murray glared at the ocean spray that darkened the new graves. The last time Britain had occupied Louisbourg, over one thousand troops had died during the first winter. History was in danger of repeating itself. Half the garrison already had a cough; the rest were terrified they would be next.
The burials were finished, at least for a few hours. “There’s nothing more to be done, Sir,” one of the lieutenant's grunted. The band of men left slowly to deal with the living.
PROLOGUE
DEATH WAS COMING. Those in the cramped room could feel the reaper creeping forward as the young soldier’s rattling gasps for air painfully subsided. The Reverend straightened up, pulling the dirty sheet over the cadet’s pocked marked face. He turned to the youth hunched in the corner. The boy had been sitting in the corner of the crumbling hospital since the day before, when he delivered his friend, who now lay dead on the table.
“I’m sorry.” The Reverend cleared his throat before moving to the next patient, also not long for this world. “Best tell the General.”
The boy’s round face blanched in surprise. As a lowly infantryman, he had never faced the famed commander. He opened his mouth to argue, but one of the officers nearby nudged him with the butt of his musket. “Yes, Sir,” he swallowed.
The lad ran through the desolate streets, dodging discarded possessions and crumbling architecture left over from the last British siege of Louisbourg in 1758. Charred, skeletal frames were all that remained of the once proud fortress, the crown jewel of the French Empire in North America. Nothing had survived intact from the six weeks of British bombardment. The French were gone, their lives reduced to ash.
The young man gasped as he rounded a corner. The fierce wind raging off the North Atlantic caught in his chest. It was only October, but snow was already sticking to the ground on fallen leaves and patches of thin ice.
A knot of men appeared through the collapsing rock of what had once been the city’s walls. They huddled together near the newly dug graves of the previous week. The boy approached through what remained of the city gate feeling cautious. He had never met anyone of importance in his short life. He coughed. The men turned, the merciless wind whipping at their red coattails.
A number of the officers looked scandalized to see such a ragged soldier in their midst, and one even opened his mouth to chastise him, but General James Murray stopped him with a piercing gaze.
The young cadet took a step closer, stumbling over the uneven ground. General Murray looked at the pathetic figure with resignation. He had been waiting for this message for hours.
“Th-there’s been a-a-another four th-this afternoon,” the boy stuttered, staring at the freshly turned earth only a few feet away. He was too terrified to meet the General’s now stern gaze. “That’s two more from yesterday, but not as bad as the day before that. Sir.” He wiped his brow. Despite the freezing temperatures and flecks of snow in the air, he felt warm.
Murray nodded and turned back to face the turbulent ocean, ignoring his subordinates, who began to mutter and worry about this new development. For six weeks, he had watched Louisbourg crumble under the barrage of artillery lobbed into the walls and streets of the fortress by the British, including his own battalion. There was nothing left now but broken roads and dilapidated buildings. His troops were slowly freezing to death, and there was no relief in sight.
Six months. Six months they were condemned to remain in this collapsing, decaying hell of a ruined city. Governor Delacour had been a fool not to have surrendered earlier. Murray glared at the ocean spray that darkened the new graves. The last time Britain had occupied Louisbourg, over one thousand troops had died during the first winter. History was in danger of repeating itself. Half the garrison already had a cough; the rest were terrified they would be next.
The burials were finished, at least for a few hours. “There’s nothing more to be done, Sir,” one of the lieutenant's grunted. The band of men left slowly to deal with the living.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2019
110 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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November 6, 2020EReaderNews
March 29, 2020
Romance during the war between French Canadians and the British
Canadian author Frieda Watt studied Fashion Arts at Seneca College and now devotes her time to writing books. Passionate about history she creates fictional history that seems so real that we wonder about the validity of other accounts of the period of history she incorporates into her series – THE DISPLACED – of which this is the second installment!
Too few authors address Canadian history and particularly that era during the British blockade of Quebec. Frieda captures this era will skill and with a sense of mystery thriller that enhances the historical aspect as well as enhancing the major romance story she has crafted.
Frieda’s own synopsis of this complex plot distills the book’s message well, as she continues the history of the lives of Marie and Pierre – ‘It was supposed to be safe. Marie escaped – or thought the battles were behind her. But the Plains of Abraham are waiting with promise retribution for long ago sins. Finally, Pierre has the life which was stolen from him years ago. Yet, the past is not so easily forgotten. Ghosts of memories stock the streets of Quebec as broken promises, secrets, and revenge collide with heart-breaking consequences. The fight for the continent is just beginning. Can Marie and Pierre survive the gathering storms without losing each other? ’
A taste of the flavor is evident early in the story – ‘Le Griffon Noir tavern sat at the far south edge of the Lower Town of Quebec. Tucked away from polite society, the worn stone structure had been built right up against the seer wall of the towering shale cliffs, yet was close enough to the lapping edge of the rushing Saint-Laurent River that the heavy stench of sea life and water weeds hung in the air. As the winter storms of November 1758 came rolling in, mercilessly lashing the countryside with snow and ice, sea travel had become impossible. Violent winds and surf powerful enough to splinter large barges made crossing the North Atlantic too dangerous for any vessel. Those living in Quebec were now stuck in the country until the spring thaw freed them from confinement…’
Well developed characters and an intensely fascinating historical account make this a book to not only absorb but to also await the next volume of this series. Recommended.
Canadian author Frieda Watt studied Fashion Arts at Seneca College and now devotes her time to writing books. Passionate about history she creates fictional history that seems so real that we wonder about the validity of other accounts of the period of history she incorporates into her series – THE DISPLACED – of which this is the second installment!
Too few authors address Canadian history and particularly that era during the British blockade of Quebec. Frieda captures this era will skill and with a sense of mystery thriller that enhances the historical aspect as well as enhancing the major romance story she has crafted.
Frieda’s own synopsis of this complex plot distills the book’s message well, as she continues the history of the lives of Marie and Pierre – ‘It was supposed to be safe. Marie escaped – or thought the battles were behind her. But the Plains of Abraham are waiting with promise retribution for long ago sins. Finally, Pierre has the life which was stolen from him years ago. Yet, the past is not so easily forgotten. Ghosts of memories stock the streets of Quebec as broken promises, secrets, and revenge collide with heart-breaking consequences. The fight for the continent is just beginning. Can Marie and Pierre survive the gathering storms without losing each other? ’
A taste of the flavor is evident early in the story – ‘Le Griffon Noir tavern sat at the far south edge of the Lower Town of Quebec. Tucked away from polite society, the worn stone structure had been built right up against the seer wall of the towering shale cliffs, yet was close enough to the lapping edge of the rushing Saint-Laurent River that the heavy stench of sea life and water weeds hung in the air. As the winter storms of November 1758 came rolling in, mercilessly lashing the countryside with snow and ice, sea travel had become impossible. Violent winds and surf powerful enough to splinter large barges made crossing the North Atlantic too dangerous for any vessel. Those living in Quebec were now stuck in the country until the spring thaw freed them from confinement…’
Well developed characters and an intensely fascinating historical account make this a book to not only absorb but to also await the next volume of this series. Recommended.
May 28, 2021
Fantastic book but felt cheated at the end
This was a fantastic book but I felt cheated at the end. It was so abrupt. As detailed as this book was, I was expecting a much better ending.
This was a fantastic book but I felt cheated at the end. It was so abrupt. As detailed as this book was, I was expecting a much better ending.
May 13, 2022
I love historical novels and the Canadian history was excellent. I felt the first chapter was odd. Once the characters stepped out I was fine. Very well thought out characters and great descriptions describing scenes. The ending was disappointing. I expected something big to happen, the French winning the final battle, Pierre instrumental in saving Quebec, but nothing exciting happened. Maybe in the next book.
February 10, 2020
Another great story by Frieda Watt. So much history as well as depicting the struggle and determination by so many people.
I hope this story continuous. I like to see what happens when next they get to Montreal.
5 Stars by me.
I hope this story continuous. I like to see what happens when next they get to Montreal.
5 Stars by me.
December 10, 2019
Excellent reading. Ms. Watt has produced a great sequel to her first book. Well written and wants you to keep reading. Looking forward to her next book.
January 8, 2020
Great read
I enjoyed this as much as it’s prequel, but it ended too abruptly. I was expecting more and hit ‘the end’.
I enjoyed this as much as it’s prequel, but it ended too abruptly. I was expecting more and hit ‘the end’.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews