Chapters (73)
- Cover
- 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
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- Keep Reading …
- About the Author
- Also by Barbara Taylor Bradford
- About the Publisher
Moira smiled. He was a nice boy. She mustn’t let him irritate her the way he did.
THIRTY-TWO
‘So I suppose you’ve recovered from your adventures by now, haven’t you, Blackie?’ His uncle suddenly grinned. ‘What a weekend of changing emotions for you, eh? Disappointment at noon, plus a dash of annoyance, I’ve no doubt. A joyous reunion with a loving cousin and walking the gardens of Bolton Manor with Lord Robert.’
Blackie couldn’t help chuckling. ‘You’ve hit the nail on the head, Uncle Pat. I can’t believe she’s in Yorkshire. It was so special to talk to her, to see her once more. Anyway, the best part was having a nice tea in the kitchen with Siobhan, before she went upstairs to do Lady Lucinda’s hair.’
‘The food always gets to you, lad,’ Patrick said, a smile of affection on his face. ‘But as Shakespeare said, “All’s well that ends well.” And what a stroke of luck that you ran into her in the town. How wonderful for you to see her again after all this time, and with her having been able to travel over to England with Lady Lassiter.’
‘It was, and Lord Robert was as nice as always, and listened when I spoke about his garden. He even offered me the work!’
‘And he gave you a shilling to boot, very generous indeed.’
Blackie nodded and took a bite of the fried egg sandwich. He was hoping he could see Siobhan again soon. ‘I hope Aunt Eileen feels better now. Shall I go upstairs and ask her if she wants a cup of tea?’
Patrick shook his head. ‘I’m sure she’s sleeping. She was a bit off it all weekend, and I finally got her to go to bed just before you came home yesterday afternoon. Maybe it’s a cold.’
Blackie took a sip of tea. Then looking at his uncle intently, he said, ‘I measured the back garden at Mrs Wilson’s today. Ye see, I need to know the size of the floor, to order the terracotta tiles. Floor first, Uncle.’
‘You’re gifted, Blackie. You have an inbred talent for building, and I must admit I was struck by the cleverness of your plans. It’ll be a grand conservatory.’
‘Let’s hope so, Uncle Pat. I’ll be handling a lotta glass again.’
‘And with lots of glaziers, I hope.’
After they had finished their tea and washed the dishes, Blackie and Patrick sat down to read in front of the fire.
Patrick had his head in the morning newspaper, which he had not had time to read before. Monday was always a busy day for him.