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
‘So what’s the latest news, Peter?’ Blackie asked. ‘Ye must know what’s going on all over the world, what with the tickertape and all that fancy equipment newspapers have.’
Peter laughed. ‘I do usually. But not now. It’s my day off. Nothing’s happening as far as I know. And so that’s good news, in my opinion.’
Blackie grinned, and Sally said, ‘I don’t know any local gossip, but if Sarah’s coming, she will.’
Laura looked across at Blackie, a brow lifting. ‘Is Finn bringing Sarah?’
‘I’m not sure. Because he wasn’t sure,’ Blackie replied. ‘But we’ll know soon enough. He’ll be here shortly. He’s usually a bit late for some reason or another.’
Sally, who worked in a dress shop in Leeds, started to talk to Laura about clothes and the new fashions. And Blackie and Peter got into a long discussion about horses and horse racing. Blackie prided himself on his knowledge of horseflesh and thoroughbreds, and tended to show off a bit when speaking ‘horse talk’, as Laura referred to it. He thought he knew the most, more than anyone else, and couldn’t help boasting. But nobody minded; Blackie was so well liked by everyone.
When steps outside and loud knocking on the door interrupted their conversations, Laura got up and hurried across the room. Blackie and Peter both stood up, ready to greet Finn and Sarah.
But, much to Blackie’s surprise and dismay, Finn was ushering in Moira Aherne. His heart sank, but somehow he managed to keep a neutral look on his face. Despite her tremendous popularity, she was not his favourite. He still thought she was not who she said she was. There was something of a mystery about her. When he ran into her at Mrs Wilson’s, he always said hello, but avoided conversing with her, just got on with his work.
Now he walked forward, smiling, and greeted her and his friend Finn with geniality. It was Laura who took hold of Moira’s arm and drew her towards Peter and Sally.
Finn turned to Blackie and said in a low voice, ‘Sorry, Blackie, but Sarah fell and sprained her ankle yesterday. So I asked Moira. Ye’re not mad at me, are ye?’
‘No. It’s all right. I often run into Moira at Mrs Wilson’s. We always chat for a minute,’ Blackie improvised, knowing it was wise to hide his dislike of Moira. He knew Finn fancied her, but then so did Uncle Pat’s friend, Jack Blane. He guessed most men liked her. She was beautiful, no denying that.
Despite his dislike of Moira, Blackie managed to hide it well, and he tried hard to make the evening pleasant for Laura’s sake. And he succeeded, too, in spite of his earlier misgivings.