The Battle Dance: Waterloo

Brussels, 1815. The British high society flirt and frolic because soon Napoleon Bonaparte must be fought and destroyed. Officers are eager to do anything to wed the women they love before they must march out to conqueror the Corsican Ogre. All depends on the Duke of Wellington. All trust this great man with their lives and liberties but does he have a few fatal flaws? Is he maybe too merry? Has everyone got too carried away and now are to pay for their period of too pure pleasure? Clara Fitzpatrick looks like she has much going for her as she holidays with her cousin the Marchioness of Ashton in Belgian's festive capital. Major Keegan, a fretful war veteran, and Lord Alvanley, an idiotic but intelligent leader of fashion, both appear to press their suit for her hand. Yet Clara's placid face conceals a painful past. Her heart has been broken many times. First by her philandering cousin Nicholas, then giving up any idea of marriage with the man to whom she has the deepest connection. Her father once betrayed her best friend's family. Now she dare not follow her heart and must pretend he isn't her parent in case the dreadful truth of what he did is ever known. Meanwhile, Nicholas Tilden is reclaiming the woman he once wooed for her fortune to save his family from debtor's prison but since her crying off from their engagement he has realized he won't be whole without her. Unfortunately, she has since got betrothed to a ruthless French Count who will do anything to keep her from escaping to tell the world what sort of man he really is. War is about to break over all their heads and bathe their bodies in blood.