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
Finn hesitated for a moment, and then blurted out, “I told ye I saw Gwen leave, Alf, a bit before you came in. She must have arranged to meet him outside.” When he saw the glowering look on Alf’s face, Finn added swiftly, “There’s no other explanation. I’m sorry, but I think I’m right.”
Blackie said, “I’m afraid I agree with Finn, Alf.…” He paused, and his dark eyes swept over his companions. “It’s too late to go back to the Dance Hall, and it was as dead as a doornail.” He smiled at Sarah. “Can I be walking ye home … it’s grown darker, sure and it has?”
“Thanks, Blackie, I’d like you to take me home.”
Finn said, “I’ll walk with you, Alf. We’re going in the same direction.”
Alf nodded, and they all said good night to one another and went their separate ways.
Sarah lived at the top of Town Street, near Whingate Junction, just opposite Charlie Cake Park. Blackie always associated the spot with the memory of his very first day coming to live with his uncle Pat, and the wonder of that first tram ride.
As they walked along together, Sarah became quite chatty, speaking about Gwen. Looking up at Blackie at one moment, she said, “Gwen is a nice girl, and I’m not sure she would be interested in Ian. He’s just not her type.”
Blackie looked down at her, frowning, his black brows knotting together. “What are you suggesting?”
“She might have gone home when she left the Dance Hall.”
“But Alf would have run into her on Town Street, sure and he would.”
“Not if she’d slipped through St. Ives Mount and down to Ridge Road, then up to Town Street.”
“I see what you’re saying. It’s just as easy to go that way.” He shook his head. “But why would she? Town Street is the direct route from Branch Road.”
“Maybe to avoid Ian, if he’s been chasing after her,” she pointed out.
“I see.” Blackie was quiet after that, his busy mind working. He suddenly said, “Could she have been hoping to avoid Alf? He did say they’d had a tiff.”
“Well, she could have stayed at home, but maybe she just loved to go to the Dance Hall. We all like that place … and there’s nowhere else to go for a bit of fun. And flirting.”
Blackie chuckled. “On the heads of the Blessed Saints, isn’t that the truth. Anyway, if ye be wanting my opinion, I think Gwen met someone outside the Dance Hall before Alf arrived.”
“Oh, Blackie, I don’t agree. She’d never hook up with Ian.”
“From what ye have told me, I agree. But she could have met another man, sure and she could. There’re a lot of nice lads here.”