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Back A Man of Honour Save as PDF
Chapters (73)
  1. Cover
  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. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  70. Keep Reading …
  71. About the Author
  72. Also by Barbara Taylor Bradford
  73. About the Publisher

‘And where would I be a-going, I ask ye that, lad?’ She looked up at the ceiling and went on, ‘And sure as God made little apples, Conor’ll never be needing it, not where he is …’ Her voice trailed off and Blackie noticed her black eyes were moist with tears.

He was about to comfort her but, before he could, she muttered, ‘Silly lad, a-going off like that, and not coming back to me … having an accident with his horse and dying on me … and in a foreign land.’

Shaking her head, and pulling herself together, Cook closed the suitcase and gave Blackie the key. ‘It’s strong, well made.’

‘Thanks a million, Cook. It’s a grand present, and I’ll treasure it. I can’t believe Conor never used this.’ He lifted the suitcase off the chair and put it on the floor.

‘He was a soldier,’ she said, a hint of pride now echoing. ‘They use kitbags, yer knows.’

‘Of course. I’d forgotten,’ Blackie exclaimed.

‘I’m happy ye’ll be going ter Leeds,’ she said. ‘Lots of opportunities there, so I understand. For a bright lad, ye’ll do well, Blackie, and especially since your Uncle Pat is there to guide ye. He’s clever, but then all the Kennedys are.’

‘Yes, I’m lucky, sure I am, having this chance to make me way in life.’

She nodded, sniffed, and went over to one of the ovens, looked inside. ‘Oh, that’s awright, I thought me cake was burning.’

‘I don’t smell anything,’ Blackie said in a reassuring voice.

‘No, a false alarm.’ Walking back to him, sitting down at the table, Mary O’Rourke said, ‘But I do hope ye’ll come back to see us, Blackie. We’ll all miss ye.’

‘I swear on the heads of the Blessed Saints that I will try to be back here one day, Cook. Siobhan and Michael, well, they’re me family … I’ll for sure be back!’

Mary O’Rourke smiled faintly, her black eyes fastened on the orphan boy in front of her, of whom she had grown so fond. Aye, she thought, they all say that, our young boys when they leave us, but sometimes we never see ’em again … some even die in foreign fields.

SIX

‘You look a bit shattered, lad,’ Patrick Kennedy said to his nephew three days later, as he and Blackie settled into their seats on the train. ‘I imagine it was a rough crossing on the ship.’ His bright blue eyes remained focused on Blackie, his expression full of warmth, and just a little concern.

‘It was bad, Uncle Pat. I was thankful when it was over, what with having me suitcase an’ all to worry about.’ His nephew looked pale and tired, an overgrown boy the height of a man.

‘A lot of people don’t make it in one piece, sometimes even not at all,’ Patrick muttered, shaking his head.