Read Online Day Will Come by Beryl Matthews - Free Book Online Page A

remember everything Bob had taught her.
    ‘Relax,’ he told her after a few miles. ‘You are doing fine.’
    It wasn’t easy with him sitting beside her and watching every move she made, but those few words of encouragement was the only comment he made. By the time she reached the camp she was relieved, and rather pleased with herself. She didn’t feel as if she had made any bad mistakes, or he would certainly have corrected her. It boded well for the test.
    Bob smiled with pleasure when he saw Grace getting out of the driver’s side. He saluted the major. ‘How did my pupil do, sir?’
    ‘Very well, Corporal. I felt quite safe.’
    Grace gave him a disbelieving look. She had noticed his foot pressing on an imaginary brake once or twice.
    He laughed softly, reading her expression accurately. ‘Don’t change out of the slacks straight after the test. There’s something else I want you to do before we leave.’
    ‘Very well, sir. I’ll see you in about an hour.’
    ‘You didn’t ask Major Chester what he had planned,’ Bob remarked as they walked towards the car.
    ‘I quickly learnt not to ask him questions.’
    ‘I know,’ Bob laughed. ‘He tells you what to do, and you do it.’
    She smiled, and nodded towards another soldier waiting by the car. ‘Is that the man who is going to do the test?’
    ‘That’s right. You don’t have anything to worry about. You are a good driver. All you’re lacking is experience. Just forget he’s there and concentrate on the driving.’
    ‘I’ll try not to let you, or myself, down.’ Putting on a confident air, she walked towards the examiner.
     
     
    ‘We’ll go straight to the assault course, Sergeant.’
    ‘Yes, sir. I’ve got a few volunteers who will give you a bit of competition. They are looking forward to beating an officer. All I’ve told them is that you are an officer who wants to see if he can still tackle the course. They don’t know who you are.’
    Dan grinned. ‘So they think they can beat me, do they? We’ll see about that. I used to be quite good at this.’
    ‘And I’m sure you still are – now you’re fit again, sir.’
    ‘Let’s not keep them waiting, then.’
    There were six soldiers at the course, laughing and joking. They snapped to attention when Dan arrived.
    ‘At ease. Thank you for volunteering to run the assault course with me. I haven’t tackled it for some time, and it will be more fun to be running with others.’
    The men smiled smugly, and one said, ‘We’re looking forward to it, sir. We don’t get the chance to run against an officer.’
    Dan put on a slightly worried frown as he studied the course, making the sergeant turn away to hide his grin.
    ‘Confident bunch you’ve gathered together, Sergeant,’ Dan remarked quietly.
    ‘They are new here, sir, and don’t know you, or your reputation of never expecting your men to do anything you can’t. I can’t wait to see them brought down a peg or two.’
    ‘You really think I can do that?’
    The sergeant nodded, hardly able to contain his amusement. ‘Working with you over the last few weeks I’ve seen for myself what you can do, and I’m sure they won’t find it as easy as they think it’s going to be.’
    ‘I appreciate the vote of confidence. Let’s see just how fit I am, shall we?’
    The sergeant faced the men. ‘Right, let’s get this started. Any man I see tripping, pushing or obstructing another will regret it. Is that clear?’
    ‘Yes, Sergeant,’ they chorused.
    ‘Play fair, or I will make your lives a misery. Get ready … Go!’
    Dan started several paces behind the enthusiastic men, pacing himself over the first few obstacles. Then, finally, feeling good, he increased his speed, overtaking one man, and then another. The sergeant was running beside them, yelling comments at the top of his voice. Not all of them complimentary.
    It was only in the last few yards Dan managed to overtake the last of the men. He was bent over, gasping for