I like the short stable-turned-hospital sentence. Perhaps "The stable-turned-hospital was small and half-empty. They had seen little action of late, and summer was rarely as sickly a season as the cold, wet winters."

And if the reader can't connect a less sickly season with fewer soldiers being sick...than they shouldn't be reading your book.

That works. Thanks, P-C and ita. It's often hard to see why something isn't working, because it all makes such perfect sense in my head.

Coming in late, but yes, change the object of the second sentence from amorphous "they" to specific "the army" and it's fine. Only other comment I have is the two sets of hyphens that close to each other - stable-turned-hospital" and "half-empty" - was a bit visually offputting.

Tim gave the okay on his essay. My relief, it is great. Shoulder to wheel.

WOOT!

Yesss!

insent both. I think this is the last of the "short enough to ask for a beta reader" essays for a long while. I appreciated all the help so much!

Allyson, backsent, with a second look to follow later tonight.

I've got writers group tonight. Usually a pleasure. Tonight, I'm about as antisocial as I've ever been. Not looking forward to smalltalk over pasta this evening, at all.

Back to you, Allyson.

If you need another reader, I'm here.