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Chapters (71)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. Part One
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Part Two
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-One
  26. Twenty-Two
  27. Twenty-Three
  28. Twenty-Four
  29. Twenty-Five
  30. Twenty-Six
  31. Twenty-Seven
  32. Twenty-Eight
  33. Twenty-Nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-One
  36. Thirty-Two
  37. Part Three
  38. Thirty-Three
  39. Thirty-Four
  40. Thirty-Five
  41. Thirty-Six
  42. Thirty-Seven
  43. Thirty-Eight
  44. Thirty-Nine
  45. Forty
  46. Forty-One
  47. Forty-Two
  48. Forty-Three
  49. Forty-Four
  50. Part Four
  51. Forty-Five
  52. Forty-Six
  53. Forty-Seven
  54. Forty-Eight
  55. Forty-Nine
  56. Fifty
  57. Fifty-One
  58. Fifty-Two
  59. Fifty-Three
  60. Part Five
  61. Fifty-Four
  62. Fifty-Five
  63. Fifty-Six
  64. Fifty-Seven
  65. Fifty-Eight
  66. Fifty-Nine
  67. Sixty
  68. Sixty-One
  69. Books by Barbara Taylor Bradford
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

You are a good man, Robert, and I know you have great integrity. I trust you completely. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my dearest cousin and true friend. May you live a long, fruitful and happy life. God bless you.

With love from your cousin,

Henrietta Fitzgerald Chandler

Robert put the letter back in the envelope, then placed the key in a drawer of his desk and locked it. The letter had touched him deeply, and for a moment he could not speak, felt choked up.

Looking across at Moira, he spoke at last. “Would you like to read the letter?”

She shook her head. “I know what Mother wrote. She gave me the copy she had made, so I would know what she had done. She left nothing to chance.”

Robert was taken aback, and stared at her, then said, “Obviously, she wanted to make sure nothing went wrong, protected you as best she could. Well, she was always organized. And so was your father.” He gave her a long, intense look, and asked, “What are your plans?”

“I don’t really know,” Moira admitted, speaking the truth.

He said, “Well, your life can change now. You are safe and we have the secret to your inheritance in our hands. Thank goodness Lawrence never found it.”

Moira’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. Thank you so much, cousin Robert. I am so grateful to you for guiding me, which is what Mother wanted. I’ve been so worried.”

“I can’t leave Bolton Manor this coming week. I have builders arriving to start working here. However, we could go up to town on Saturday, and visit the bank on Monday. You will stay at my London home, won’t you?” Robert asked.

“Thank you, I will.” Moira wiped her eyes with a small folded handkerchief. “About my plans, I think that perhaps now is the time to leave Mrs. Wilson’s employment, to become myself, to become who I really am,” Moira ventured. “I feel very safe now I am with you.”

Forty-Nine

Blackie always told the truth.

Dissimulation was not in his nature, and he always kept a promise.

At least, until recently.

Now, on this cold Saturday at the end of October, he pondered the fact that he hadn’t been entirely truthful with Laura, ignoring a promise he had made a few weeks ago. He had hidden a secret from her, and it was beginning to bother him.

The two of them were sitting in front of her fire, drinking tea and munching on ginger biscuits. Laura had lit a couple of lamps, and the kitchen had a cozy feeling, as the sky outside grew darker, and dusk descended even though it was still late afternoon.

Laura cut into his thoughts when she said, “I like this time of day. The gloaming, my grandmother used to call it, but most people think of it as twilight.”