Chapter summaries

• Chapter one:

  • soldier in Ypres in the trenches,
  • sucked into the side,
  • officer shouts for help,
  • soldier does not get retrieved.
• Chapter two:

  • Kingsley is in court,
  • the public are against him,
  • Kingsley persists with his argument.
• Chapter three:

  • Kingsley waits for his sentence,
  • visited by Agnes,
  • left him a white feather,
  • Agnes requests for a divorce.
• Chapter four:

  • In the Lavender Club, Abercrombie, and Stamford scene.
• Chapter five:

  • The soldier's joke as they wait for their turn to shower,
  • in Wytschaete,
  • Hopkins becomes outspoken and is outraged,
  • he is led away by an officer.
• Chapter six:

  • Kingsley's first evening in Wormwood Scrubs,
  • no protection in the prison,
  • Kingsley persists with his argument with the governor.
• Chapter seven:

  • Abercrombie is now in Ypres at a welcome dinner,
  • Stamford attempts to speak to Abercrombie,
  • Abercrombie then attempts to write a letter to a young mother about her dead son/soldier.
• Chapter eight:

  • Kingsley’s first evening,
  • his first meal,
  • McAlistair serves him,
  • makes Kingsley realise he has no friends.
• Chapter nine:

  • Kingsley gets beaten up in his cell on his first night.
• Chapter ten:

  • Abercrombie’s first duty in charge of his new company is to punish Private Hopkins.
• Chapter eleven:

  • In prison hospital,Kingsley is sufficiently injured, Irish orderly offers him morphine, he arranges a meeting for Kingsley.
• Chapter twelve:

  • Abercrombie on front line awaiting the Third battle of Ypres,
  • he and Stamford share a comforting glance.
• Chapter thirteen:

  • After battle Abercrombie is mute,
  • sent along with Private Hopkins.
• Chapter fourteen:

  • In the prison Kingsley is visited by five masked Irish prisoners,
  • they leave,
  • refusing Kingsley any protection.
• Chapter fifteen:

  • A shot rang out in a hospital where Abercrombie and Hopkins are.
• Chapter sixteen:

  • Lord Abercrombie is disturbed during his breakfast that his son has died.
• Chapter seventeen:

  • Kingsley is kept in the hospital,
  • delaying his return.
• Chapter eighteen:

  • Lord Abercrombie is told that his son has been murdered by The Minister for War.
• Chapter nineteen:

  • The fate of Hopkins,
  • the man accused of Abercrombie’s murder,
  • is debated in the home of Beatrice and Sidney Webb.
• Chapter twenty:

  • Kingsley is told that the evening doors will be left unlocked for him to escape,
  • Kingsley tries to escape but is shot.
• Chapter twenty-one:

  • Captain Shannon informs Agnes that Kingsley is dead.
• Chapter twenty-two:

  • Kingsley wakes up in a moving car,
  • Shannon speaks directly to Kingsley,
  • told that Agnes and his son believe he is dead.
• Chapter twenty-three:

  • Agnes has now been ostracized from society,
  • she receives cards of sympathy.
• Chapter twenty-four:

  • Kingsley wakes up in a safe house in Folkestone,
  • he and Shannon watch a show,
  • they go to brunch together to discuss plans.
• Chapter twenty-five:

  • Agnes attends Kingsley’s funeral,
  • she wishes to read the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling.
• Chapter twenty-six:

  • Kingsley and Shannon have lunch at the Hotel Majestic,
  • Shannon determines to spend his final day in Folkestone with a young waitress.
• Chapter twenty-seven:

  • Kingsley visits the public library,
  • reads newspaper reports on Abercrombie’s death.
• Chapter twenty-eight:

  • Shannon meets with Violet,
  • he becomes violent and attempts to rape her,
  • Kingsley stops them.
• Chapter twenty-nine:

  • Shannon and Kinglsey part company,
  • involved in a bomb raid.
• Chapter thirty:

  • Kingsley goes to his old home,
  • watches George to sleep,
  • Agnes talks to George,
  • Kinglsey is overwhelmed with joy that his marriage might not be over.
• Chapter thirty-one:

  • Kingsley and Shannon have a meeting,
  • handed a white feather by a young girl.
• Chapter thirty-two:

  • Kingsley meets with the chief of the Seret Intelligence Service,
  • talked about his mission.
• Chapter thirty-three:

  • Lloyd George and his secretary enter the room,
  • Kingsley agrees that he will help.
• Chapter thirty-four:

  • Kingsley suggests that they test his disguise,
  • Shannon informs Kingsley that he should avoid contacting his family again.
• Chapter thirty-five:

  • Kingsley goes to watch a show in the music hall,
  • he then travels to France.
• Chapter thirty-six:

  • The men leave the train to defecate,
  • they talk about the war.
• Chapter thirty-seven:

  • Kingsley meets Nurse Murray,
  • they go to Abercrombie’s body, they return to her servant quarters.
• Chapter thirty-eight:

  • Kingsley goes to find his billet,
  • talk with men,
  • reveal his rank.
• Chapter thirty-nine:

  • Kingsley accompanies Nurse Murray to a concert,
  • go under a tree,
  • they have sex,
  • then Kingsley is overcome with guilt once Kitty leaves.
• Chapter forty:

  • Kingsley goes to the military police station at Armentieres,
  • issues instructions that Abercrombie’s body is to be exhumed.