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
- Newsletter Sign-up
Her kitchen was her domain, and everyone was made to realize that. This aside, she was a splendid cook, and that was one good thing about Fairley Hall. The Squire gave her a free hand; her meals were delicious and made of the best produce. The Squire was not a nipscrape, and Cook bought the best from the food markets, the butcher, the fishmonger and the greengrocer.
The other thing Blackie admired about Cook was the way she looked after a little boy from the village. As he was recently orphaned, with no family, she had asked her married daughter, Delphinium, to take him in. During the week, he worked at the Hall as the boot boy. He was ten, and bright as a new penny. And of course, Cook made sure Kip, for that was his name, had the best of meals every day.
Very importantly to Blackie, Mrs. Turner had confided in him about earlier years at Fairley Hall, and it had intrigued him no end. And so they were friends already.
Over these last few days he had got on with the work outside, and he had just this morning been asked by Squire Fairley to stay for a few days longer. The Squire wanted Blackie to look at all the mahogany doors in the interiors, because he thought they needed repolishing, new locks and new knobs. Blackie was pleased about this request because the Squire had said he would double the fee if Blackie stayed another five days. Not only that, he would be working inside in the warmth, protected from the cold weather. He could also get to know Emma a bit more. The girl intrigued him. He’d never met anyone quite like her—she was driven, for sure. Perhaps even more than him. She worked like a demon and returned to her home across the moors whenever she could. Mrs. Turner said her mother was right poorly.
“Do ye want another mug of tea?” Mrs. Turner asked, cutting into Blackie’s thoughts.
“Thanks, I don’t mind if I do,” he answered. “Whatever time does Emma finish upstairs?” he now asked, sounding puzzled and frowning. “I can’t believe she’s the only maid at the moment. It’s brutal the way Murgatroyd makes her work.”
“Aye, it is, lad, but things are about to change, and he’s going to get the shock of his life. Serves him bloody right, it does. He’s nasty. If I had my way, he’d be sacked.”
“Why will he be shocked?” Blackie asked, an eager expression on his face.