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
‘Some years ago now. Her husband died when they were quite young. Uncle Oscar was about thirty-nine, forty. My aunt was very lonely, and my mother sent me to live with her sister. The way she explained it was that I could be like a daughter to Aunt Clarice and keep her company, give her a purpose in life … that was bringing me up.’
‘And was your mother right?’
‘Yes, she was. Aunt Clarice loved me as if I were her child, and she taught me to be a seamstress like she was, making beautiful clothes for the real ladies of Harrogate.’
Blackie was startled and exclaimed, ‘You’re a seamstress? Even now?’
‘Not now, not really. I do make clothes, but only for Sarah and for myself. I don’t work at sewing any more. It’s hard work, exacting, and the ladies can be difficult at times.’
Blackie nodded. ‘I bet they can.’ After a moment’s pause, he went on. ‘So ye more or less lived in Harrogate all of your life … until ye came here?’
‘Yes, from the age of eight.’
‘Didn’t ye miss your mother and Sarah?’
‘Not really, because they came to stay with us a lot … especially for the special holidays, like Christmas and New Year, and in the summer months. My aunt has a house near The Stray, and she was always very welcoming.’
Blackie smiled as he explained to her, ‘I love Harrogate. It’s me favourite place in Yorkshire. And I swear on the heads of the Blessed Saints that I will build meself a house there one day. That be truly the aim in me life.’
Angela smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. ‘A builder, eh? Well, that is surely a good trade, and one day perhaps we could go to Harrogate for a day’s outing. And we’ll go to Aunt Clarice’s house. I, too, love it there.’
‘Do ye really? ’Tis a wonderful town. I would like to take a trip there, sure and I would. Thank ye for inviting me.’
They spoke a little bit longer about Harrogate and its beautiful buildings. Then Angela changed the subject and said, ‘Here we are, chatting away, and it’s already growing late. And the air is becoming a bit chilly. Shall we go in and eat?’
‘Why of course, ’tis twilight.’
Jumping up, Blackie offered her his hand.
Angela took it and held onto it all the way along the terrace and into the house.
TWENTY
‘I’m going to pop to the kitchen to see what’s happening, Blackie. And if you want you can look at these rooms. I believe it’s a well-designed house. It might interest you.’
Angela smiled at him, dropped his hand, and waved at the open doors. ‘Go on, go and investigate. I won’t be long,’ she added. ‘Builders like to look at houses, I believe.’