The Orphans of Ardwick Read online

  Her heart fluttered and jumped but her excitement was tinged with sadness. ‘Nowt’s changed really, lad. Aye, I’ve a room and bed of my own now instead of Josephine’s dressing-room floor, but don’t I still sit with you all in the kitchen as I’ve allus done? I ain’t a Goldthorpe in my ways and never shall be, for I’ve never known it. I’m just Pip. The same one you’ve allus known. I like being me.’

  Simon nodded, smiled. ‘Aye. I like that Pip, an’ all.’

  She smiled back then glanced behind them as the door opened.

  Without a word, Mack shimmied between them and planted his thumb in his mouth. They shared a contented, completed look over his head.

  ‘All right, Bread?’ asked Simon.

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘What?’ the older lad added to Pip when she shook her head, grinning.

  ‘You’ll never let that bloomin’ name die, will yer?’

  Taking out his thumb, Mack cut through their chuckles. ‘I like it.’

  ‘You like being called Bread?’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘D’you know, no one’s ever asked your opinion on it, have they?’ She shrugged. ‘All right, then. Bread it is, Simon!’

  When their laughter had died away, they sat and watched the patches of scudding clouds. This time, they saw far more than cats and horses dancing jigs, and fish sporting top hats.

  They saw a future. Here, at Bracken House.

  Their home.

  About the Author

  Emma Hornby is the author of A Shilling for a Wife and Manchester Moll. Before pursuing a writing career, she had a variety of jobs, from care assistant for the elderly to working in a Blackpool rock factory.

  She was inspired to write because of her lifelong love of sagas and after researching her family history; like the characters in her books, many generations of her family eked out life amidst the squalor and poverty of Lancashire’s slums.

  Emma lives on a tight-knit working-class estate in Bolton with her family.

  Discover more about Emma and her books at her website: emmahornby.com

  Also by Emma Hornby

  A SHILLING FOR A WIFE

  MANCHESTER MOLL

  TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS

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  www.penguin.co.uk

  Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

  First published in Great Britain in 2018 by Bantam Press

  an imprint of Transworld Publishers

  Copyright © Emma Hornby 2018

  Cover photography: © Colin Thomas;

  except background © Getty Images

  Design by Richard Ogle/TW

  Emma Hornby has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

  This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473541702

  ISBN 9780593077542

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

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