Born Bad

Born Bad
Josephine Cox

The powerful bestseller from the nation’s favourite storyteller and author of The Loner and The JourneyHarry always knew he would go back one day …Eighteen years ago, he made a hard decision that drove him from the place he loved. Since then, he carved out a life for himself and found a semblance of peace, yet he is still haunted by the warm, carefree girl with the laughing eyes.For Judy Saunders, the pain of her past has left her deeply scarred. Cut off from her family and trapped in a loveless marriage, the distant memories of her first love are her only source of comfort in a dark and dangerous world.Years later, Harry is heading back. Excited, afraid and racked with guilt, he has little choice. He must confront the past, and seek forgiveness.

JOSEPHINE COX

Born Bad

Copyright (#ulink_40c46b80-fd9b-5973-a34c-78c6a94350b7)

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd. 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/)

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2009

Copyright © Josephine Cox 2009

Josephine Cox asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks

HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9780007221172

Ebook Edition © FEBRUARY 2009 ISBN: 9780007290048

Version: 2016–10–05

Praise for Josephine Cox (#ulink_e2498536-5de0-5cf5-9afd-d44f006335ea)

‘This is vintage Cox. Passionate and touching, an irresistible read. It’s a perfect book to while away an afternoon. Just make sure you hide Born Bad away from your mum and grandmother because they’ll love it too’

News of the World

‘The latest emotionally charged story from the mega-selling author won’t disappoint her army of fans’ Bella

‘Cox’s talent as a storyteller never lets you escape the spell’

Daily Mail

‘Another masterpiece’ Best

‘A born storyteller’ Bedfordshire Times

‘Any regular readers of Josephine Cox will tell you that the second you start to read one of her books you are actually living the scenario along with the characters’

Sue Brunton

Dedication (#ulink_29a822a4-5c9b-554a-82a9-76a0d9ba447f)

This book is for my Ken, as always

Epigraph (#ulink_0f1d48c9-0031-5c11-a24f-494ab8d37e16)

To all the caring people in my life;family, friends and business colleagues,I give my wholehearted thanks and huge love

For my lovely sister Win who has showndetermination and courage in a difficult situation.Love you loads, sweetheart, take care, Josie x

Contents

Cover (#u65300897-bb9b-597b-b0ea-19d65d15b2f3)

Title Page (#u985d369c-d8fe-57c9-923a-40463eddb538)

Copyright (#ucf4b7cd8-0bbc-51f2-a7fa-a5b943fd1f3e)

Praise for Josephine Cox (#u2bdd8d50-1504-574c-94ff-b25075e4309d)

Dedication (#u59682877-2094-5560-accc-e2add738d9af)

Epigraph (#udf20b754-ccf5-5c64-a8ed-4283bbcd7553)

PART ONE Weymouth, July 1956 Love Hurts (#u0e38fc90-d5b9-5fb1-8db6-9b2903959bb8)

Chapter One (#u20f11b96-95a0-5916-a737-1d864d18e32b)

Chapter Two (#u99bddc04-6b91-5c8b-bced-87ac243169dd)

Chapter Three (#uecd757cb-28b7-5e8a-8c4a-8b06dbb714ed)

Chapter Four (#u3639760a-ef57-529e-bbea-f72fe674eb68)

Chapter Five (#u04ea9481-80b4-50c0-83a0-628d75dc7b6e)

PART TWO Bedfordshire, Autumn 1956 Man and Boy (#u2a4fd374-5681-5a6e-aa1b-167d8277f726)

Chapter Six (#u757f307d-fec0-54d6-8172-4262811dbb4b)

Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)