Act of Will

Act of Will
Barbara Taylor Bradford

From the internationally bestselling author of A Woman of SubstanceThree generations of beautiful women and their journey from rags to richesAudra is an impoverished children’s nanny from Leeds who sacrificed everything for her only daughter.Christina is a talented art student who won world renown as a fashion designer – yet who has known pain and heartache.Kyle is a rebellious young woman who chafes against her mother’s success – and in whom her grandmother’s spirit of duty and sacrifice is reborn.Moving from the bleak Yorkshire Dales, through London, to the glamorous world of haute couture, this classic novel sparkles as it entertains.

Act of Will

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Copyright (#ulink_28e811d1-4153-5d5f-a3f8-0c8382d0bdfd)

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

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

3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2

Previously published in paperback by Grafton 1987

First published in Great Britain by Grafton Books 1986

Copyright © Barbara Taylor Bradford 1986

Barbara Taylor Bradford asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Ebook Edition © JANUARY 2010 ISBN: 9780007363728

Version: 2017-10-30

‘Happy Birthday to You’, words and music by Mildred J. Jill and Patty S. Hill.

Copyright © 1935 Birch Tree Group Ltd, Princeton, N.J. Used by permission.

Dedicated with love to the memory of my parents, Winston and Freda Taylor. She gave me the greatest gift a mother can give a child, the desire to excel. He taught me to be strong of heart and to stand tall.

It is also for my husband Bob, whose love and support has equalled theirs, with all of my love.

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#u6781e262-e963-5930-9a69-3838b4448b92)

Title Page (#u7ae99e83-02f2-5cea-9427-f1d975b28f2e)

Copyright (#ude07251c-853f-5dc7-823c-31e29f8d999d)

Dedication (#ue4bb0007-2614-5c8f-8177-8af0523fdada)

Prologue (#u1f4997a1-24f2-55a2-8901-ba1d3b7a5cc7)

Audra (#ub35cf0ce-f33a-542e-b93c-18ea5d4c0d07)

Chapter 1 (#ufc002bd7-74d9-584d-9c34-1b3a648ac4ef)

Chapter 2 (#u7102505f-49a2-513c-ad52-2ffbc3b0dae5)

Chapter 3 (#u6f7ab20f-895d-50ea-a49f-30fc347952be)

Chapter 4 (#u98f74779-cbeb-528f-810e-93b0ed05dcf6)

Chapter 5 (#u4a01d552-465b-512c-95b2-ed3a05ecd83f)

Chapter 6 (#u26ff2142-dd40-5fb2-8eb5-7baf22cd7a9e)

Chapter 7 (#u3b08f762-04f8-5f7a-a434-aaf022d080a2)

Chapter 8 (#ub9440221-4540-5650-a2bb-484d1e67166c)

Chapter 9 (#uc8d6c21d-d3c4-555d-abb9-28dc24abb405)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 (#litres_trial_promo)