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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

‘Yes, and me uncle is doing very well as the foreman.’ Blackie cleared his throat, then said, ‘I just want to remind ye that I won’t be here next week, Your Lordship. At the beginning of this project, I did explain I had to be at Fairley Hall sometime in February. My uncle promised Squire Fairley that I’d take care of the job, as I’m the best one to do the stonework on the chimneys and other bits and pieces that they need.’

‘Ah, yes, I do recall that, O’Neill. Very honourable of you to inform me, and, of course, to keep your commitment to Squire Fairley. I believe you said your uncle would be here in your place again. That is fine with me. He’s excellent, good with the men. So, we will continue, and I will await your return. And thank you again for your dedication, O’Neill.’

‘It is my pleasure, Your Lordship.’

Lord Robert went into his library and strode over to his desk. He had many papers to deal with, but ignored them and sat back in his chair, lost in his thoughts. He was impressed by Blackie O’Neill, admiring the young lad’s talents. Mostly self-taught, he was growing into a clever draughtsman and builder. A good lad to have working for him. No, not a lad, not any more.

Robert sighed. At eighteen, our young men are old enough to be sent to the front to fight in a war when necessary. That’s what they always did – send their young to die in foreign fields. Cannon fodder, he muttered to himself. But it was the young who were fit, energetic and enthusiastic; they wanted to go and vanquish the enemy, joyful in their mission.

‘Well, thank God, there are no wars at the moment,’ Robert said out loud to the empty library.

There had been none since the Boer War, and the whole world was at peace for once. But for how long? he asked himself.

There was always one bugger who wanted to invade another country, seeking power, money and so-called glory. But, it seemed to him, there were none of those devils around at the moment. I pray to God this gentle peace lasts, Robert thought, getting up and going to the circular table near the fireplace. There were newspapers and magazines on it, and a book about the Boer War. He picked it up, took it over to the bookshelves and put it back in its place. His eyes caught another history book, one about Wellington, who had defeated the Emperor Napoleon in the little Belgian town, Waterloo, in 1815. He had enjoyed reading it. Taking it out, placing it on the table, he would give it to O’Neill later. He was well aware Blackie liked reading about great achievers.