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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

The other thing Blackie admired about Cook was the way she looked after a little boy from the village. He had been recently orphaned, had no surviving family, and Cook had asked her married daughter, Delphinium, to take him in. During the week, he worked at the Hall as the boot boy. He was ten, and bright as a new penny. And of course, Cook made sure Kip, for that was his name, had the best of meals every day.

Very importantly to Blackie, Mrs Turner had confided in him about earlier years at Fairley Hall, and it had intrigued him no end. And so they were friends already.

Over these last few days, he had got on with the work outside and had just this morning been asked by Squire Fairley to stay for a few days longer. The Squire wanted Blackie to look at all the mahogany doors in the interior, because he thought they needed repolishing, new locks and new knobs. Blackie was pleased about this request because the Squire had said he would double the fee if Blackie stayed another five days. Not only that, he would be working inside in the warmth, protected from the cold weather. He could also get to know Emma a bit more. The girl intrigued him. He’d never met anyone quite like her – she was driven, for sure. Perhaps even more than him. She worked like a demon and returned to her home across the moors whenever she could. Mrs Turner said her mother was right poorly.

‘Do yer want another mug of tea?’ Mrs Turner asked, cutting into Blackie’s thoughts.

‘Thanks, I don’t mind if I do,’ he answered. ‘Whatever time does Emma finish upstairs?’ he now asked, sounding puzzled and frowning. ‘I can’t believe she’s the only maid at the moment. It’s brutal the way Murgatroyd makes her work.’

‘Aye it is, lad. He’s nasty. If I had my way, he’d be sacked. But at least Emma will get a bit more help from now on.’

‘Oh yes, how’s that?’ Blackie asked, an eager expression on his face.

‘Mrs Wainright has hired another girl, Annie Stead, from the village. She told the Squire it was ridiculous to expect Emma to do everything. Annie’s being trained as an in-between maid.’ She chuckled. ‘It was me daughter, Delphinium, who recommended her, through me. And I’m right glad.’

‘So am I.’ He went and took the fresh mug of tea from her, and continued, ‘Emma is a good young woman, a hard worker, dutiful, who never complains, sure she is. But she’s also very clever, at least so I’ve noticed, and given half a chance she could go far.’