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Back Sisters of Gold Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Title page
  3. Dedication page
  4. A Week’s Work in Birmingham
  5. I
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Ten
  16. Eleven
  17. Twelve
  18. Thirteen
  19. Fourteen
  20. Fifteen
  21. Sixteen
  22. Seventeen
  23. Eighteen
  24. Nineteen
  25. Twenty
  26. Twenty-One
  27. Twenty-Two
  28. Twenty-Three
  29. Twenty-Four
  30. II
  31. Twenty-Five
  32. Twenty-Six
  33. Twenty-Seven
  34. Twenty-Eight
  35. Twenty-Nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-One
  38. Thirty-Two
  39. Thirty-Three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. Thirty-Eight
  45. Thirty-Nine
  46. III
  47. Forty
  48. Forty-One
  49. Forty-Two
  50. Forty-Three
  51. Forty-Four
  52. Forty-Five
  53. Forty-Six
  54. Forty-Seven
  55. Forty-Eight
  56. Forty-Nine
  57. Fifty
  58. Fifty-One
  59. Fifty-Two
  60. Fifty-Three
  61. Acknowledgements
  62. Further Reading
  63. About the Author
  64. By the Same Author

‘Philip – oh, my dear Philip!’ It was not her father who had first claim on her loyalty, her gratitude and love. She knew now where she belonged. As she and Philip hurried to each other, and as she felt herself enfolded in his arms, sobs of pent-up tension and relief started to rise in her.

‘I’m here,’ she said, her cheek pressed against the rough weave of his jacket. ‘I’m so sorry – I’m here, my dear love, I’m home and I never want to be anywhere else.’

‘Oh, thank heaven,’ she heard him say, hoarse with relief. ‘Thank heaven . . . You’re here.’

She recovered herself, not wanting to give in to all her emotion now. As they loosened their grip on each other and looked into each other’s eyes, she could see how much the last hours had cost Philip in worry and uncertainty, along with all the tenderness he felt for her. He reached up a hand and gently stroked her cheek.

‘Pa?’ Daisy’s voice was timid for once. They each reached out to draw her into their embrace – the embrace of a new family.

As they released each other, Margaret turned to find her father quietly watching them. He had removed his top hat, holding it to his chest in a way that seemed humble. She saw that his hair, still thick and strong, had faded to grey and that his expression was not that of a grim authoritarian. He simply looked older and distraught in a way that began to soften her resentment.

‘So, Father,’ she said. And she stepped towards him.

Fifty-Two

Fifty-Two

It was as she stood in front of her father, William Hanson, that something began to give way in her. She was suddenly overcome by a hot, faint feeling and her legs began to shake.

‘Oh . . . help me . . .’ She reached out to Philip who seized hold of her and ordered William Hanson to bang on the front door.

In seconds, everyone was around her – Uncle Eb and Aunt Hatt, Annie, her father, Philip and Daisy. As the heat and blur receded, she found herself seated in the back room, everyone still there, Aunt Hatt announcing sweet tea and Annie kneeling in front of her, gazing anxiously up into her face. She tried to force her lips into a reassuring smile.

‘Maggs?’

She had never seen Annie so worried, or so tender.

‘Oh, Maggs – thank heaven you’re back. Are you all right?’

Margaret nodded, hardly realizing that tears were coursing down her cheeks. ‘I’m perfectly all right – I am. I think I just need something to eat. It’s been a long time since I had anything . . .’