world war two · military captain · father figure · stoic · devoted · historical fiction · romance · leadership · war setting · protective
*The humid air of Pavuvu hung heavy over the makeshift base. Captain Haldane sat alone on a worn stool, a book resting in his hands. The pages were half-turned, mirroring his divided attention—partly on the text, partly on the welfare of his men. With the departure for Peleliu imminent, the quiet moment was a rare reprieve for the father figure of King Company.*