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Back Goodnight Lady Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Praise
  4. Dedication
  5. BOOK ONE
  6. Prologue 1989
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. BOOK TWO - 1925
  17. Chapter Ten - 1925
  18. Chapter Eleven
  19. Chapter Twelve
  20. Chapter Thirteen
  21. Chapter Fourteen
  22. Chapter Fifteen
  23. Chapter Sixteen
  24. Chapter Seventeen
  25. Chapter Eighteen
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-one
  29. Chapter Twenty-two
  30. Chapter Twenty-three
  31. Chapter Twenty-four
  32. Chapter Twenty-five
  33. Chapter Twenty-six
  34. Chapter Twenty-seven
  35. Chapter Twenty-eight
  36. Chapter Twenty-nine
  37. Chapter Thirty
  38. Chapter Thirty-one
  39. Chapter Thirty-two
  40. BOOK THREE - 1947
  41. Chapter Thirty-three
  42. Chapter Thirty-four
  43. Chapter Thirty-five
  44. Chapter Thirty-six
  45. Chapter Thirty-seven
  46. Chapter Thirty-eight
  47. Chapter Thirty-nine
  48. Chapter Forty
  49. BOOK FOUR - 1968
  50. Chapter Forty-one - 1968
  51. Chapter Forty-two
  52. Chapter Forty-three
  53. Chapter Forty-four
  54. Chapter Forty-five
  55. Chapter Forty-six
  56. Chapter Forty-seven
  57. Chapter Forty-eight
  58. Chapter Forty-nine
  59. Chapter Fifty - 1970
  60. EPILOGUE

But deep down inside she knew the footing would never return. Liselle and Kerry were worlds apart now, divided by skin colour, and by deep-seated prejudice. But she couldn’t allow that thought to surface just yet. She wasn’t drunk enough to forget it immediately afterwards. She wasn’t drunk enough even to admit it.

Not yet.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Chapter Thirty-nine

‘That tree looks a right picture, Bri, even if I say it meself.’

Briony smiled at Cissy’s happy face.

‘It’s not half bad, is it? How’s Mrs H? Do you think we’ll get her down tomorrow for a bit of dinner?’

Cissy snorted through her large nose. ‘She wouldn’t miss Christmas with them lads for nothing. Though I must admit, Bri, I think this’ll maybe be her last one.’

Briony sighed.

‘What with Mother Jones going, and she’s going hard by all accounts, and Mrs H catching up with her, we’re gradually shrinking, aren’t we?’

Cissy nodded.

‘Well, the lads have yet to marry, and Liselle. Not to mention young Becky and Delia. We’ll soon swell the numbers up again! When you get old you’re not frightened of death. Well, not as frightened of it as you are when you’re young. Put it this way, Mrs H has had a good innings. She’s ready to meet her maker. She told me that herself.’

Briony knew Cissy was talking for effect. Over the years they had become very close, like mother and daughter. Closer in fact than most family. This fact touched Briony deeply. Cissy had been a workhouse child, Mrs Horlock was the only individual to give her a pleasant word. All Cissy had known until then was the back of someone’s hand and their curses.

Briony placed the last few presents under the tree, smiling wryly at the present for Evander. It was indeed a lovely tree, and it was going to be a lovely Christmas. She would make sure of that personally. It was Liselle’s twenty-second birthday.

Christmas Eve had always been a magical time to Briony. Even in the days when there was no guarantee there’d be even an orange in her stocking. It was the very feel of Christmas Briony loved. The fact of being part of something the whole world was involved with. Knowing that millions of children all over the world were experiencing the same feeling of anticipation as she was. That feeling had never left her, ever. Which was why she donated so much money each year to the welfare organisations. Boots for Children was all well and good, she always gave to that particular charity, but her favourite was the Catholic Church’s annual Christmas present rout. Where every child, no matter what its religion, got a present, a few sweets and a piece of fruit. The thought of all those happy faces cheered her.