Mother’s Only Child

Mother’s Only Child
Anne Bennett

A powerful saga from the author of DAUGHTER OF MINE and DANNY BOY, in which a young girl is forced to give up her true love and marry for security – except that it leads her to danger and heartbreak before she finds happiness.Maria is a girl with a great talent for fabric design, and while the world becomes embroiled in war, all she can think of is her scholarship to the prestigious Grafton Academy. But then her father has a dreadful accident and her mother breaks down in guilt and grief. Maria, the only child, must care for them. Her hopes are dashed, not only of her career, but of marrying the one who's loved her for years.Reluctantly, Maria is driven into the arms of the supposedly reliable Barney. But he's no such thing. The young couple have to leave their home in a hurry and settle in Birmingham, where Barney grows increasingly difficult and finally goes too far. A family crisis ensues but out of it comes the one thing Maria had given up hope of ever finding again.This is a superb saga of love, loss and family closeness, set against the tumultuous years of the war and its aftermath. Established fans of this author will love it and it is set to win her many new dedicated readers.

Mother’s Only Child

Anne Bennett

Copyright (#ulink_be42cde2-f89c-546f-965d-ec412b54a0f9)

This novel is entirely a work of fiction.

The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk (http://www.harpercollins.co.uk)

This paperback edition 2005

SIXTH EDITION

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2005

Copyright © Anne Bennett 2005

Anne Bennett asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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

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Ebook Edition © NOVEMBER 2009 ISBN: 9780007355341

Version: 2017-09-13

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

To my youngest daughter Tamsin, with all my love

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#ufbb82afd-8b05-5917-b960-f39a63200de4)

Title Page (#u51435cd4-0020-5c32-954d-55e3aeb5f8c9)

Dedication (#ud1fff83e-9ff6-5de2-8779-8a436b1ee67b)

Copyright (#u0f781b14-d8ce-529b-8c98-dcadd8d73ab2)

Chapter One (#ub8a50eec-0218-51c6-9f6e-e191d8a49087)

Chapter Two (#u26da9ee6-eee0-5e71-af49-a298570cd872)

Chapter Three (#uc88773a9-c40e-5586-80fe-e9fe26979fb4)

Chapter Four (#u0ab3db6c-ecbc-571a-80ac-15963d15a812)

Chapter Five (#u01972096-e81c-5a49-baa2-910a23fa454e)

Chapter Six (#u507ff000-7aea-52fb-b508-0626bc98b47e)

Chapter Seven (#u39bf679a-ff80-52a1-88fe-cced45e11098)

Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eighteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nineteen (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-one (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-two (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-three (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-four (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Twenty-five (#litres_trial_promo)