The lamp in the desert
By: by Ethel M. Dell
Series: Hutchinson's colonial library
Publisher: Hutchinson
Published: 1919
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 336
Subjects: Romance fiction; Melodramatic fiction
Description: Set in India, Captain Everard is madly in love with his only close friend's sister Stella. However, Stella is about to marry Ralph Dacre who is often described as a 2rotter3. Soon after the wedding Stella realises she had made a grave mistake. Everard then receives a letter stating Dacre was already married and thus his marriage to Stella is illegitimate. Everard immediately decides he needs to fix this himself and, after lying his way out of the army, sets out in a calculated way to win Stella over for himself. He is successful in doing so and the couple gets married and have a baby together. The lies told by Everard to get out the army soon get found out and force Everard to disguise himself to stay out of trouble whilst Stella is told her marriage is illegitimate for her husband should still be in the army. His brother ends up eventually 'saving the day' by getting Everard out of trouble and finding a way to ensure his marriage is legitimate.