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
‘Tommy is family,’ Jane Walton said, really smiling for the first time. ‘I had ter do my duty, and she’s a lovely person. But whoever sent her ter me had no idea what the Ham Shank is like, or they wouldn’t have.’
‘We all realized that, Mrs Walton.’ Patrick half turned away, then paused, and asked in a lower tone, ‘But why did you suggest she was different in some way, just now?’
‘Oh, my God, did yer think that? We was trying ter explain she was so beautiful we daren’t let her go out. These buggers, these rough chaps in the Ham Shank would’ve grabbed her, mebbe raped her—’
‘That’s a certainty,’ Stephen Walton cut in quietly. ‘And probably one by one, taking turns. That’s how bad it is here.’
TWENTY-THREE
Once they left the Bank, they were able to breathe properly, and made their way towards the heart of the city and City Square.
Patrick and Jack walked on each side of Moira. Finn was stepping out in front of the three of them, carrying Moira’s carpetbag. Blackie was striding behind Moira, his uncle and Jack. She was literally surrounded by the men, and well protected. This was the way they left the Ham Shank, Moira safe between them, and they kept this arrangement through the streets of Leeds.
They didn’t talk much on their way to the Blue Door, the café they were heading to, just a word or two now and then. Mostly they were lost in their own thoughts. Although they didn’t know it, Finn and Jack were both thinking about Moira’s unusual beauty, mentally comparing her to actresses on the stage.
Patrick was wondering how old she was, certain she was at least seventeen, whilst Blackie was pondering her personality.
He had been struck at once by her unique looks, her vivid colouring, but he was immediately also struck by the fact she was outgoing and friendly. Vivacious was the word that stayed in his mind.
He was most aware that she was well-mannered, and certainly she had self-confidence. He couldn’t help wondering about her background and who had brought her up; Moira was no raw country girl like some of those who came over from his home country.
At the back of his mind, there lingered the thought that Tommy O’Hara, Finn’s friend, had been concerned enough to make sure she knew someone reliable when she came to England. He had done his best, but sadly he hadn’t had the right information about the Bank. Sending her there could easily have been her death sentence.
We probably rescued her just in time, Blackie thought, and shuddered unexpectedly, as dreadful images rushed through his head.