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Back A Man of Honor Save as PDF
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

“I prefer to stand; thank you, though. I want to rent your shop, and you should know I have a growing business I run from my home. I will make a go of your shop; I can reassure you of that.”

“You look a bit young—”

Emma cut him off when she said, “I would be willing to pay you several months in advance, Mr. Lowther.” Emma knew she had the winning hand, because she had cash. Everyone loved cash.

“How many months?” Joe ventured, feeling suddenly uncomfortable and hot around the collar. This girl had stunned him, her emerald eyes totally focused on him.

Emma, fully aware of the effect she was having on him, smiled at him. “I’m not sure what the rent is, but I would be prepared to give you six months in advance. Surely that shows my good faith and also my belief in myself.”

Joe was obviously taken aback. “Six months?” he repeated, his voice rising an octave.

“Yes. And I am being very rude, Mr. Lowther. I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Emma Harte.”

“How do you do, Miss Harte.”

“It’s Mrs. Harte,” Emma corrected him, with another smile.

He nodded, wondering why he was filling up with disappointment.

Emma, seeing his confusion, knowing he was attracted to her, went in for the kill. Opening her reticule, she took out the bundle of cash and began to count the money. “Now how much is the rent?”

Joe, to his surprise, told her, “A guinea a week.”

“Well, that makes it four guineas a month,” Emma said, as always fast with numbers. Paying no attention to Joe, she peeled off the notes and laid them on the table. “I think we have a deal, don’t we, Mr. Lowther?”

“I suppose we do.” Joe nodded, thinking this extraordinary young woman had somehow got the better of him. But had she really? Glancing at the bills, he knew he hadn’t done badly himself. He said, “I’ll just go and get you the rent book, Mrs. Harte, and the keys to the shop.”

“Thank you, Mr. Lowther.”

Emma smiled at his back as he went out of the room, almost delirious with happiness and excitement. She could hardly contain herself.

When he returned and handed her the rent book and keys, she took them from him with a wide smile on her face. “Thank you, Mr. Lowther.” She glanced at the money on the table. “Aren’t you going to count it?”

“I trust you,” he said.

Emma thought she was floating home on clouds. Her step was firm and swift as she hurried back to Laura’s, chuffed and full of excitement. She couldn’t wait to tell Blackie and Laura. But when she went into the cellar kitchen, only Blackie was there. He was reading the racing sheet he favored.