Chapters (71)
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Part Two
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Part Three
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Part Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Part Five
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Books by Barbara Taylor Bradford
- About the Author
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“I swear on the heads of the Blessed Saints that I will try to be back here one day, Cook. Siobhan and Michael, well, they’re my family.… I’ll for sure be back!”
Mary O’Rourke smiled faintly, her black eyes fastened on the orphan boy in front of her, whom she had grown so fond of. Aye, she thought, they all say that, our young boyos when they leave us, but sometimes we never see ’em again.… Some even die in foreign fields.
Six
“You look a bit shattered, lad,” Patrick Kennedy said to his nephew three days later, as they settled into their seats on the train. “I imagine it was a rough crossing on the ship.” His bright blue eyes remained focused on Blackie, his expression full of warmth, and just a little concern.
“It was bad, Uncle Pat. I was thankful when it was over, what with me having me suitcase an’ all to worry about.” He looked pale and tired, an overgrown boy the height of a man.
“A lot of people don’t make it in one piece, sometimes even not at all,” Patrick muttered, shaking his head.
Shifting slightly on the seat, he glanced out of the window. The two of them were sitting in a third-class carriage on the train traveling to Leeds and beyond. Its final destination was Scotland.
Blackie explained, “People were seasick. Many passed out from exhaustion, and some nearly fell overboard when the ship rocked and swayed. Another boy and me, well, we clung together and managed to stay alert, and upright. Still, I’ll tell ye, Uncle Pat, we had to use all of our strength to survive the lashing sea. All I can add is that it was cold, wet and dangerous, but, somehow, we managed.”
Patrick couldn’t help smiling when he said, “Let’s face it, you’re a young and strong spalpeen. Of course, you made it, but I doubt I could again.”
Blackie eyed his uncle, and shook his head. “In my opinion ye would’ve made it all right. Mam used to tell me ye were a tough man, strong as an ox, and that I should pattern meself after ye.”
“Ellen was always singing my praises, sure and she was, Blackie. Close we two were, growing up.” A smile crossed his face at thoughts of his late sister.
Settling back against the seat, his eyes taking in the train and all the details of the carriage, Blackie considered his uncle for a moment, and then said in a grateful tone, “I want to thank ye, Uncle Pat, for bringing me to Leeds and offering me a new life. It is right kind of ye.”
“My pleasure, lad, I wanted to do it, and I’d promised Ellen I’d look after you, and also give you a fresh start.”