Sidekick Saturday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture (if possible) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment
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This week, Jaclyn has chosen Soldier as the theme. There are so many ways to go with this theme. There are literal soldiers and metaphorical soldiers... But I decided to go with literal and highlight a character from the series I shared yesterday on Feature Follow.
The series is MacKinnon's Rangers by Pamela Clare. And my sidekick character of choice is Lord William Wentworth.
Lord Wentworth is the grandson of His Majesty King George II. He is stationed at Fort Elizabeth, where he directs the Redcoats in the war against the French and the Indians. He coerces Iain MacKinnon and his brothers into fighting on the side of the Crown and establishes MacKinnon's Rangers. The Rangers fight more similarly to the Indians and thereby give the Redcoats an advantage.
There are many reasons I love Lord Wentworth. He's handsome and he knows it. He's very arrogant and snarky. He's cunning and intelligent. He makes me furious at times but at others, he makes me swoon. And I love watching as he shows his heart. And he also provides a fair amount of comic relief.
Since there are 3 books, there are many quotes I could share. But I thought I'd share quotes that show Wentworth's wiliness and his kindness. And can I just say that while looking for good quotes, I just got sucked in to the books all over again! :)
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"Do not make a mockery of this," Wentworth had warned him in private. "General Abercrombie is not as convinced as I of the need for the Ranger Corps."
Iain had laughed. "'Will he send us home if we disappoint him?"
Wentworth's face had gone cold as ice. "What I mean to say, Major, is that you are still bound by your oath and I by mine. Do you understand?"
"Threatened wi' the noose again?" Hatred had flared in Iain's gut. He'd leaned forward, glared down into Wentworth's arrogant face. "One day this war will be over, and there will come a time for the settling of debts between us."
Wentworth had merely smiled. "Today is not that day."
--Lord Wentworth & Iain MacKinnin, Surrender
Wentworth raised his voice a notch. "If you're looking for Miss Burns, you won't find her at the hospital."
Iain stopped in midstride and turned to face him, the sense of foreboding he'd felt all day returning full force. "Where is she?"
"She spent the better part of the afternoon upstairs - in my chamber." Wentworth brought something to his nostrils, closed his eyes, and sniffed it, as if savoring its scent.
One of Annie's ribbons.
The sight of it - together with Wentworth's words - struck him like a fist. Annie had been in Wentworth's chamber? Had she left the ribbon as a token?
Even as he denied that she could have done any such thing, even as he reminded himself how Wentworth liked to bait him, a spark of jealous rage burnt in his gut.
You turned your back on her and left her weeping, MacKinnon. Did you expect her to pine for you? Did you expect her to wait for you? Did you no' learn that lesson wi' Jeannie?
He forced that voice out of his mind.
"Forget your bloody games, Wentworth. Where is she?"
"I'm afraid she's rather less innocent than when you left her."
--Lord Wentworth and Iain MacKinnon, Surrender
"I cannot continue to flog you because I would face an open revolt from the Rangers, and I'm not certain your pain continues to serve a purpose."
Rage flashed through Connor to hear his agony dismissed so lightly. "What purpose did my sufferin' ever serve apart from satifyin' your pride?"
"I cannot set you free because I know you will plot with your brothers and Captain Joseph to take Sarah from me. Indeed, I'm certain you are already conspiring to some end, using clever Lady Anne as your messenger..."
--Lord Wentworth and Connor MacKinnon, Defiant
