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Back Time to Say Goodbye Save as PDF
Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Chapter Twenty-One
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Chapter Forty
  45. Chapter Forty-One
  46. Chapter Forty-Two
  47. Chapter Forty-Three
  48. Chapter Forty-Four
  49. Chapter Forty-Five
  50. Chapter Forty-Six
  51. Chapter Forty-Seven
  52. Chapter Forty-Eight
  53. Chapter Forty-Nine
  54. Chapter Fifty
  55. Chapter Fifty-One
  56. Chapter Fifty-Two
  57. Chapter Fifty-Three
  58. Chapter Fifty-Four
  59. Chapter Fifty-Five
  60. Chapter Fifty-Six
  61. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  62. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  63. Acknowledgements
  64. Also by Rosie Goodwin
  65. About Rosie Goodwin
  66. Welcome to the world of Rosie Goodwin!
  67. A Letter from Rosie Goodwin
  68. Cissie’s Roast Chicken
  69. An extract from Rosie Goodwin’s next novel
  70. Prologue
  71. Chapter One
  72. Love Rosie Goodwin?
  73. The Days of the Week collection
  74. Mothering Sunday
  75. Tales from Memory Lane
  76. Memory Lane Advert

Only that evening he and an officer had almost come to blows when the man had mounted a young stallion that Ben was trying to keep quiet after the poor animal had nearly gone mad with terror when he had been taken into the battle zone. The animal had reared up when the officer had leapt onto his back and brought his whip crashing down on the terrified animal’s rump. Ben had snatched it from his hand and snapped it in two across his knee.

‘That won’t do any good,’ Ben had roared at him. ‘The poor beast is scared. You need to take a different horse tonight.’

The officer had been red in the face as he tried to bring the horse under control. ‘How dare you!’ His eyes had glittered with rage. ‘I could have you court-marshalled for that, you ignorant oaf! And as for this damn animal, if it’s not going to do its job then I’ll put a bullet in its head.’

Ben’s young assistant, a spotty-faced youth with thick glasses who had been unable to join up for the fighting because of poor eyesight, had raced across to calm the situation down, which was just as well because Ben had been ready to drag the arrogant officer from his saddle and beat him to a pulp.

‘I’ll see to this, Corporal Branning.’ He had pushed Ben towards the tent where the horses were kept as he grabbed at the reins and talked soothingly to the horse, and Ben had walked away with murder in his heart. As it happened, he wouldn’t have to confront that particular officer again. Both he and the horse had been shot by a sniper as they patrolled through a ruined town on the edge of the desert and although Ben grieved for the poor horse, he felt nothing for the officer.

When Ben arrived back at the hut that was home to him and a number of other men he stared around despondently. It was almost as cold inside as it was out and the hard beds and thin blankets offered little comfort or protection against the biting cold, despite the smoky old stove that stood in the centre of it. His stomach was empty and growling with hunger, but Ben couldn’t be bothered to go to the mess to see what meals were available.