Release date is 2022-12-08

The Queen's cadet -- The spectre hand -- The bombardier's story -- Kotah: a tale of the Indian mutiny -- The story of Raphael Velda -- La Belle Turque: the story of the Princess Cécile -- The Marquis de Fratteaux, captain of French horse -- Socivisca: the story of a Greek outlaw -- Paquette: an episode of the Franco-Prussian War -- Apparitions and wonders: Leaves from old London life, 1664-1705. The wild beast of Gévaudan. "There were giants in those days." Buried hearts. Phantasmagoria. A string of ghost stories.

Al Haines

"The Queen's Cadet" by James Grant is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century. The opening tale introduces us to Jack Arkley, a young officer and Queen's cadet, who narrates a haunting experience concerning his childhood and an encounter with a beautiful girl named Eve. The story weaves themes of love, loss, and the supernatural, reflecting the interplay between personal ambition and the spectral influences of the past. The opening of the story presents a nostalgic reflection on Arkley's life at Sandhurst military academy, where he reminisces about his upbringing in Wales and a fateful meeting with a mysterious girl during a mountain excursion. After saving her from a dangerous fall, he discovers she is his cousin, igniting a poignant bond between them. However, their budding affection is overshadowed by his subsequent army service in India, where he becomes entwined in a series of ghostly apparitions linked to her presence, suggesting deeper connections between love, fate, and the supernatural. This rich tapestry of romance and eerie occurrences invites readers to explore the themes of memory and emotional resonance. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Originally published: United Kingdom: George Routledge and Sons, 1874