The American war of independence is entering a new phase. Gone are the days when the British forces could assume an easy victory followed by a heroic return to their homeland. The rebels have established themselves as a scrappy and resilient bunch who will not roll over for the highly trained but incompetently led redcoats. After a sound defeat and humiliating surrender at Saratoga, Captain Jamie Skoyles and the rest of the surviving members of his British regiment are sequestered in Cambridge, prisoners of war living under the watchful gaze of the rebel army. Frustration is mounting due to both their mistreatment at rebel hands and the indignity of their thrashing on the battlefield. What's more, Skoyles remains a man divided; while he's been loyal to the crown for decades, his allegiance is increasingly pulled in the direction of the courageous and steadfast American forces and their noble cause. Though he's bound by the accords signed upon the surrender to remain with his men and await shipment back to London, a restless Skoyles escapes and makes his way as a double-agent toward Valley Forge, where the rebel commander General George Washington puts his trust in him. As Skoyles skillfully plays both sides against each other, he is soon faced with a tremendous choice: Will he fulfill his mission and bring down the rebel leader, perhaps turning momentum toward his British countrymen? Or will Skoyles allow his rebel sympathies to control his actions, and squander Britain's best chance to bring the rebellion to its knees? Praise for David Garland and Saratoga "The Saratoga story retains its freshness---and it's always fun to see an underdog deliver comeuppance." ---Kirkus Reviews "The intra-unit and military-civilian politics are well done." ---Publishers Weekly "A thoughtful, exciting, intelligent story set in one of the great wars in history." ---Robert Barnard, author of A Cry from the Dark " Saratoga is a crackling, battling, saber-rattling good yarn in the Bernard Cornwell tradition." ---Reginald Hill, author of The Stranger House DAVID GARLAND is a British historian, playwright, and novelist with a special interest in the American Revolution, an interest that was inspired by his studies at Oxford University and that has continued during regular visits to the States over the past thirty years. Chapter One Cambridge, Massachussetts, November 1777 Skoyles was angry. Within days of arrival, he had reached his decision. He simply refused to remain a prisoner of war. When he first confided in his friend, however, all that he got in response was wide-eyed disbelief. "Escape?" cried Caffrey. "Yes, Tom." "Why?" "Because it's our duty as British soldiers." "Our duty is to abide by the terms of the convention negotiated by General Burgoyne, and I'm happy to do that. We may have been defeated but we weren't humiliated by an unconditional surrender." "All surrenders are humiliating," said Skoyles. "Think of the concessions." "They're meaningless." "Not to me," said Tom Caffrey firmly. "As soon as transports arrive, we can wave goodbye to America and sail home to the safety of our own country. I call that good fortune." "I call it shameful." "Don't you want to go back to England?" "No, Tom," Skoyles asserted. "This is my home now." They were standing outside one of the barracks on Prospect Hill where the British soldiers were quartered. Captain Jamie Skoyles and Sergeant Tom Caffrey of the 24th Foot were part of the bedraggled and dispirited army that had trudged two hundred miles from Saratoga to Cambridge with their tails between their legs. As they struggled through the Green Mountains, enduring biting winds and frequent rain, they had had ample time to reflect on the disgrace of being part of an elite force that had invaded from Canada, only to be humbled on the battlefield by a makeshift army of American rebels. Skoyles felt that disgrace more keenly than most. It rankled. "I joined the army to fight," he insisted. "There'll be other battles, Jamie." "Not if we get shipped back to England. Under the terms of the convention, we're forbidden to take part in this conflict anymore." "I can live with that." "Well, I'll not do so." Caffrey gave a shrug. "You have no choice." "Yes, I do. I can get out of here." "Easier said than done." "I'll manage. The question is, will you come with me?" Tom Caffrey heaved a sigh. A sturdy man in his forties, he had a broken nose, set in a craggy face, that gave him a kind of raffish charm. Caffrey was the son of a Devon butcher, but he had somehow ended up as a surgeon's mate in the British army. The hideous sights and nameless tragedies that he encountered had, miraculously, not deprived him of his natural affability. He and Skoyles had been friends for several years, but that friendship had never been put under threat before. It was different now. Loyalty was at stake. Caffrey licked his lips befor