The sergeant major was a proud Marine, recipient of the Medal of Honor, combat veteran of two wars, husband to a wonderful wife and father to a beautiful, charming daughter. His commanding officer was the regimental colonel, to whom he was indebted for a kindness shown years earlier, and with whom he had served in combat.
When the colonel was wounded in action, the sergeant major, then a gunnery sergeant, had helped save his life. It was the third time in their careers of over twenty years that they had served together, and the bonds between them were deep, transcending the traditional officer-enlisted relationship. The colonel was considered a prime candidate for brigadier general, a position which would place him near the top of the officer corps, just as his sergeant major was at the pinnacle of the enlisted ranks. He was also a friend of the family of the sergeant major.
As strong as the relationship was, it was about to be tested. The colonel was no longer married—he had separated from a beautiful but headstrong wife who was unable to accept the role of loyal military wife. The sergeant major had a daughter whom the colonel had first met when she was seven years old. He had gotten to know her as a charming youngster, a precocious, savvy teenager, and now as a beautiful mature woman who had graduated from college with honors. The daughter was drawn to the colonel, first as a friend of her parents, then as a mentor and advisor, and now as a man for whom she was developing strong romantic feelings.
The sergeant major and his wife had reservations about the developing relationship, concerned both for their daughter's happiness, and respect for the fact that the romance might impact negatively on the colonel's career. In addition, for the sergeant major, the thought of his daughter being involved with and possibly marrying his own commanding officer was a difficult prospect for him to accept. The daughter's respect for her father, and the colonel's respect for his trusted assistant created a gap that neither could transcend free from emotional baggage.
Can the colonel and the sergeant's daughter find a path to happiness? Confusing events on both sides of their lives threaten to stifle their desire to join together in a lasting union. When fate intervenes, the issues facing them grow more complicated as the two families try to sort out the conflicts that face them. It was the ancient question of love and duty.
Available at Amazon.com | Sage Books Home | Updated July 13, 2021