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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

Leaning closer to Blackie, Patrick said in a low voice, ‘You actually need a couple of new shirts. You have very few clothes as it is, and only those worn flannel shirts your aunt has mended more times than I remember. So please accept this gift.’ Patrick chuckled. ‘Think of it as a necessity, if not a birthday present.’

Blackie nodded, knowing there was no point arguing, and said, ‘I thank ye, Uncle. I shall buy a pair of combinations, which I surely need. I took some shillings out of me nest egg.’

Mr Pinkerton came back with a pile of folded cotton shirts and laid them out on the counter, along with the matching collars with studs. Blackie looked at them all, realizing, almost immediately, that his uncle was correct. He did need something new because – if he was truthful with himself – he looked rather shabby.

He hated to spend the money that he was trying so hard to save on clothes. But he realized that to get on in life he could not look poor, like a labourer. His uncle was a working man but always neatly turned out, his clothes tidy and darned, well looked-after.

And Blackie wanted even more from life than his Uncle Pat. He was hungry for a bigger life. To build the houses he dreamed of, using the ideas that filled his mind. Big money. That’s what he needed. He would work harder than ever to get it. It was the secret to life.

SIXTEEN

Eileen greeted them with a big smile when they arrived at the bakery. She had her hat and coat on ready to go; the bakery was full of customers on Saturday mornings, but by midday it was empty, the shelves bare. Everyone had bought up Eileen’s Saturday specials and gone home to enjoy them.

Blackie loved the smell of the shop … baking bread mingled with the aroma of sponge cake and cream buns, and his favourite apple pie.

Margaret, who was Aunt Eileen’s second cousin and owned the shop, gave him a nod and a smile as she came through the back door. She was carrying a tray of pork pies, and Blackie felt his mouth watering. As she passed him, going across to the other long counter, she said, ‘You’ll be enjoying these soon enough, my lad,’ and winked at him.

He laughed, and then went to join his uncle, who was gathering up several brown bags at the main counter. ‘Let me help ye,’ he said to Patrick, and reached for two more bags. A few seconds later they were out in Town Street with Eileen, walking home together.

Within minutes they were emptying the bags in the kitchen. Aunt Eileen put some of the items in the larder, and said to Blackie, ‘Help your uncle to set the table, and I’ll have dinner out in a jiffy.’