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
‘I agree. Or I can ask Mrs Wilson if she needs another maid, and that would be a live-in job. Mrs Wilson has several people in service. A maid, a cook and a butler, as well as outside domestics.’
‘That’s a good thought, Pat, and I’ll talk to my sister. Adele knows a lot of wealthy women, those she makes clothes for. Adele just might have a candidate.’
‘It is a good thought. If not, Finn will have to find somebody with a room to let. There are quite a few people looking to make an extra bob or two, renting out in the Greenocks and in the Thorntons.’ Patrick let out a sigh, and said, ‘I know I’m being a busybody, worrying about a girl I don’t know, haven’t even met. But I just can’t stand the idea of some young woman fresh from Ireland, over here with no protection or family, living in that hellhole. Rape is commonplace and murder not far behind.’
‘I don’t think you’re interfering, Pat. I believe you’re a good man who has a conscience and the balls to go on his instincts and step into a situation that is undoubtedly rotten. No two ways about that. And I’m joining you. We’ll look like a gang of sorts, but who the hell cares?’
Patrick began to laugh, and then said, ‘When we were kids, I used to say there was safety in numbers, but you insisted we could fight the world and win. Just the two of us.’
Jack grinned, his dark eyes full of laughter, and shot back, ‘And we bloody well can, even now.’
‘We’re not that old, mate. Thirty-four, the two of us. We’re in our prime, Jacko!’
While Pat and Jack ordered themselves another pint, not far from the Barley Corn pub, Blackie and Finn pushed open the door to the popular dance hall at the top of Branch Road.
Ever since he’d first set foot in the place a couple of years after arriving in Leeds, Blackie liked to spend his Saturday nights there. He loved to dance, and, of course, inevitably he went up to the band and sang a few old ballads and popular songs, by request. Everyone who went there enjoyed his singing, and he secretly loved the enthusiastic applause and shouts for another song from him.
It didn’t take the two boys long to realize that the hall wasn’t so packed tonight, and a number of regulars were nowhere in sight. Turning to Finn, Blackie said, ‘Poor showing, I be thinking. I don’t know why it’s half-empty, sure and I don’t. ’Tis joyless, even though the band’s goin’ strong.’