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    The Sins of the Father
    The Sins of the Father
    The Sins of the Father
    Ebook412 pages6 hours

    The Sins of the Father

    By Jeffrey Archer

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    From the author of the international bestseller Only Time Will Tell, Jeffrey Archer picks up the sweeping story of the Clifton Chronicles with The Sins of the Father.

    Only days before Britain declares war on Germany, Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of long-buried family secrets, and forced to accept that his desire to marry Emma Barrington will never be fulfilled, has joined the Merchant Navy. But his ship is sunk in the Atlantic by a German U-boat, drowning almost the entire crew. An American cruise liner, the SS Kansas Star, rescues a handful of sailors, among them Harry and the third officer, an American named Tom Bradshaw. When Bradshaw dies in the night, Harry seizes on the chance to escape his tangled past and assumes his identity.

    But on landing in America, he quickly learns the mistake he has made, when he discovers what is awaiting Bradshaw in New York. Without any way of proving his true identity, Harry Clifton is now chained to a past that could be far worse than the one he had hoped to escape.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateMay 8, 2012
    ISBN9781429949033
    Author

    Jeffrey Archer

    Jeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O’ Nine Tales, is one of the world’s favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in more than 100 countries and in fifty-one languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). Jeffrey is also an art collector and amateur auctioneer, and has raised more than £50m for different charities over the years. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two granddaughters and three grandsons.

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    Reviews for The Sins of the Father

    4/5

    43 ratings34 reviews

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    • 5/5
      4.5 Stars. Another excellent book in this series that keeps you wanting to read on and on and on to find out what will happen next. Plenty of twists to keep you alert and involved in the story! I will most definitely be reading on in the story, and I like the fact events are told from different viewpoints. It is typical Jeffrey Archer fare, but is not the poorer for that. He certainly knows how to spin a yarn and leave you booing (just as in a pantomime) when a character comes to the fore or succeeds (when you wholeheartedly don't want them to). As usual he leaves you on such a knife edge moment you need to rush out and get the next book! Will be interesting to see where he takes the story next.
    • 3/5
      I loved the continuation for the story but felt that at the end it just dropped off so that the author would continue with the 3rd book. I feel ripped off by this- all the of the first two books could have been one, especially if the duplication of the storyline was left out. I do believe that Jeffrey Archer is a very talented writer.
    • 3/5
      Plotting borders on the ridiculous but is relentlessly paced. It's difficult to stop reading this pulpy goodness - even though we know the oh-so-good main characters will triumph over the cardboard villains in the end and that a few secondary and tertiary characters will be needlessly killed off along the way. I can't rate this 2nd installment as more than 'average' but will continue with the series because the pages turn so very easily.
    • 5/5
      Can't wait for the next volume! Excellent
    • 4/5
      This is the second episode in the family saga, the Clifton chronicles. It is told in the voices of various characters, thus providing coverage from all angles so that we understand their experiences and opinions. There is no doubt that Archer can write well; he can also deliver a dramatic, suspenseful page-turner. My copy is an audiobook, a medium well-suited to Archer's novels.
    • 3/5
      If there is one lesson to be learned from this novel it is that no matter how badly things look - be it war, prison, fraud, or being a prisoner of war - as long as you are rich or have rich friends you'll be fine. Oh, and having a peerage title is kinda inherent in the rich part.

      Sins of the Father follows several characters through the events in and around the second world war. Harry Clifton was going to marry Emma Barrington, and despite Emma being pregnant, decides to join the navy after finding out that she could be his sister. Harry trades identities with Tom Bradshaw because reasons, which lands him in jail...... Okay, so this is just one long tale of misfortune disguised as a plot: you get the idea.

      Archer deftly weaves his way across multiple time periods with multiple characters suffering multiple hardships. But I found that I was only really interested in two characters, Maisy Clifton (Harry's mother) and Emma Barrington. This may have been because these were the strong willed characters who were grabbing circumstances by the horns and winning the tussle (or at least fighting the good fight). Archer takes several potshots at the issue of class and the peer system in the UK, the ones that work hard are rewarded, the ones that just sit back and inherit ultimately lose (is that a spoiler alert?). But he still manages to have the rich and peerage-d folk avoid death when their less fortunate and not rich commoner friends aren't so lucky.

      This was an engaging read but was let down by the ending. I'll quite happily ignore the idea of the House of Lords having nothing better to do than spending an entire day debating who gets to inherit what, rather than say running the country as per the job description. I'll even allow the speeches being included as part of the story. But I won't abide Archer leaving this plot point unresolved until the next novel. That's a deduction of one star from the rating right there.
    • 3/5
      This is the second book of Jeffrey Archer’s series, The Clifton Chronicles. I received the first book as an Amazon freebie and was hooked.First words:~"My name is Harry Clifton"~Loved it! I listened to this audio book over 4 days and could hardly stop. Jeffrey Archer is a master story teller. I like his simple way of writing. Characters are real and believable. Ok, sure, some of the action is way too much of a coincidence and I find I have to suspend my disbelief but that is ok, this is fiction, not reality; this is a story. It is kind of like watching a soap opera. Can one more horrible thing happen to this family? But that is ok, this is fiction, not reality; this is a story after all. And a well written, well crafted story it is. I really care; I truly want to know what happens next to each and every one of these characters. I will be disappointed when the series ends.Again, I really appreciated the story told from multiple points of view and found that this style enriched my experience of the novel. Emeila Fox reads the chapters written from a woman’s perspective and Alex Jennings reads the male perspective. Although Roger Allam did a good job with the narration of Book One: Only Time Will Tell, I found Alex Jennings to be even more enjoyable.I am definitely on to Book 3: Best Kept Secret4 stars
    • 3/5
      Story moves along from where the first book left us. The ending of course is a cliff hanger .
    • 4/5
      Book 2 in the Clifton Chronicles --- moves more quickly and has more "what next?" moments than the first book, so it is a quick read. I feel that whole blocks of some of the main characters time is missing, e.g., what happened to Giles between his escape from the POW camp and the end of the war, and such. Nevertheless, the missing pieces do move the story along at a blistering pace at times. Another cliffhanger for the ending; I think a truly great author could do better than depend on such gimmicks. If we like the people and are interested in their story, we'll be back for the next book.
    • 3/5
      I liked the second book...The book was in two parts.
    • 5/5
      I loved Only Time Will Tell and the way in which Archer told the story from different characters points of views in different chunks of time. This managed to tell multiple sides of the story that not all characters were privy to. Sins of the Father does the same picking up as Harry arrives in New York and it arrested for the crimes of the dead man whose name he claimed in order to protect Emma. The story mainly follows Harry and Giles and their experiences during the war and Emma's attempts to find Harry whom she refuses to believe died crossing the Atlantic. Some a few other characters also pick up the story weaving a engrossing story with enough questions and intrigue to keep the reader interested and will to pick up the next few novels in the series. The ending will also be a help in readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
    • 4/5
      A very easy read - fast paced - easy to follow. Too often succeeding books in a trilogy (series) are rather "thin" and do not measure up to the first book. This is an exception. While most of the character development was accomplished in the first volume, each of the primary players continue to become richer and fuller.I do not especially like "cliff-hanger" endings, but it is what it is.
    • 3/5
      An engaging story of mistaken identity, but carelessly written. One chapter begins with a character who goes to the bank "each Friday afternoon" to deposit her paycheck and the characters begin their conversation by greeting each other with "Good morning!" This kind of stuff drives me crazy. Each section is told from the viewpoint of a different character, so lots of back and forth over the same plotline as we see each characters point of view. Had I not read the first book in the series and liked it so well, I probably wouldn't have persisted with this one.
    • 5/5
      Jeffrey Archer keeps the magnificent characters, intricate plot, and surprises coming at an enjoyable pace in "The Sins of the Father." Once again, this great writer has left us anxiously waiting for the next installment of this most enjoyable series.

      I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First-reads.
    • 5/5
      The second instalment of the Clifton Chronicles begins as Harry, presumed dead, takes on the identity of Tom Bradshaw - a wanted criminal. Tom is tried and convicted, and so Harry begins time in jail.Emma, refusing to believe Harry is dead, goes to New York to find out what has happened to him.Once it becomes clear Harry is still alive, the debate continues as to whether he is or isn't Hugo Barrington's illegitimate son. - the result of which meaning whether he can marry his beloved Emma, or not.Another brilliant page turner from Jeffrey Archer.
    • 1/5
      Has Jeffrey Archer lost all ability to come up with something new? This is a soap opera wrapped in cliches. The plot is so predictible -- Americans are stupid, selfish and arrogant; Brits are classy, intelligent and brave. Been there done that. Perhaps it is time to retire.
    • 5/5
      Archer's second book in the Clifton Chronicles is certainly a page-turner! It is plot driven and it clears up the trouble and the "death" of young Harry Clifton. WWII surely plays a big part in this installment. One of the most enjoyable parts was near the end when I, as an American, learned much about the Parliamentary System. Events on the last page of this book require that one read the next in the series!
    • 3/5
      2nd segment of the Clifton Chronicles. Great multi generational story of the life of Harry Clifton, this time as a young man. Better than the first segment, due to the story being told by only one character, instead of being retold by many. Conclusion of this book was much too abrupt.
    • 4/5
      A great follow-up to Only Time Will Tell. Archer loses none of the momentum of the first installment and builds on the lives of the characters. I was engrossed from start to finish. This is a series that is impossible to put down. Already ordered the next two in the series and can't wait to read them.
    • 4/5
      Book 2 in a Jeffrey Archer saga. I guess that it does not pay so well to be a great novelist, for Archer is great, and yet he has his ambiguous political career as part of his personal history as well.Lord Archer has everything going with intricate plot, characterization and a good story, but I am unsure if there is a theme here. And while bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad, in the end death due to age or otherwise finds all, and we wonder what is the point of these people.With Delderfield we see the entire landscape emerge, but that has not happened yet here, and also we find too little being told to us about our heroes, Giles and Harry after certain points in time. Both of whom sound as if they would be well decorated and highly ranked by the end of the war, but seem to have achieved the best they were going to reach before the middle of 1942. (Lord Archer, there was a lot that happened after the middle of '42)So not truly a book that is all there. A bridge piece though this entire piece is set for 5 books.
    • 2/5
      I loved the first book but this one wasn't quite as good. I still enjoyed it but compared to the first it didn't grab me as much.
      I will be going on to the third in series!!
    • 4/5
      Great read. Cant wait for the next instalment of the Clifton Chronicles, such a great storyline. Archer at his best
    • 3/5
      Sins of the Father is book #2 in this family saga, and picks right up where the first one, Only Time will Tell, left off. It covers both American and British involvment in World War II, seen from the point of view of aristocrats and working class. It's not great literature, but it is an enjoyable read. I'd put it in the cozy category of family war sagas. Archer has a knack for leaving the reader hanging at the end of each chapter, and then really leaves the reader hanging at the end of the book. It's the only reason I'll get #3, Best Kept Secret, when it comes out because I can't stand not knowing what the answer is to #2.
    • 5/5
      A very pleasant and fast reading - it may not be existentialist or full of "new weird" ideas and sometimes posh philosophy but it is incredibly eloquent. I have read almost all of Jeffrey Archer's books and will continue to do so because the stories feel true and believable. Plus he serves just the right amount of good fortune and misery without being overtly naive or depressing.
      The Sins of the Father will certainly not disappoint.
    • 5/5
      Again, I, we, are left hanging, waiting for the third installment of this chronicle! Little did I know when I started another Jeffrey Archer book---an author I have thoroughly enjoyed. Somehow I thought there were only two books so I'm disappointed that I can't turn, now to the third book and will that be all or will it continue to a fourth book? The writing is great and it's fun to see the order in which the characters are presented. Just a few months and I can continue this story!!!!!
    • 4/5
      The second book in the Clifton Chronicles picks up right where Only Time Will Tell left off, so it's advisable to read that book first. Harry Clifton arrives in New York City under an assumed name, hoping to start over, only to discover that the identity he took on belongs to a man accused of murder. Harry spends some time in prison while his beloved Emma decides she cannot bear being apart from him, even if they might be truly brother and sister, and she leaves England in search of him. Meanwhile, Giles joins the war effort, Hugo becomes more dissolute, and Maisie has several challenges - and triumphs - of her own to face.On the whole, I liked this book even more than the first in the series. Harry's behind the scenes look at prison life was an interesting perspective (perhaps informed by the author's own time spent in jail?) and you felt Emma's pain and frustration as she searched for Harry. In this book, we saw more of Emma and her personality, making the reader realize what Harry saw in her and how well they fit together - something which I felt was missing in the first book when we first learned of their romantic relationship. Giles's war-time stories were a bit dull in the beginning when he was just in basic training but then became increasingly more poignant. Maisie's life always took the most interesting turns, and she remained my favorite character of the whole lot. Hugo once again showed himself to be rotten to the core, confirming my earlier "beef" with the series - the "good guys" are all so perfect while the "bad guys" have no redeemable qualities. However, on the plus side, Archer dropped the use of both first and third person point of views and just stuck with third person ones. He once again covered the years from many different characters' perspectives, although there was less overlap of specific events now that the characters were spread out across the world in their various predicaments. Once again, Archer ended on a cliff-hanger, compelling the reader to move on the next book in the series. One final note for audio book aficionados: Emilia Fox continued to narrate for the female characters, doing an excellent job in particular as Emma. For the male characters, Roger Allam was replaced by Alex Jennings. At first, the abrupt change was a bit jarring but once I got used to Jennings, I quite liked him as I felt he put more of an emphasis on distinguishing the different characters' voices and tones than Allam had done in the previous book.
    • 5/5
      Book DescriptionIt is only days before Britain declares war on Germany. Harry Clifton, hoping to escape the consequences of a family scandal, and realizing he can never marry Emma Barrington, has joined the Merchant Navy. When a German U-boat sinks his ship, Harry and a handful of sailors are rescued by the SS Kansas Star, among them an American named Tom Bradshaw. That night, when Bradshaw dies, Harry seizes a chance to bury his past―by assuming the man's identity.My ReviewThis is the 2nd book in the Clifton Chronicles series and in order to understand the story and know the characters it is best to read this series in order. This book was just as good as the first and kept me reading until the last page where once again it ended with a cliff-hanger. As I already own the 3rd book, I was eager to read the prologue in order to see the results of the cliff-hanger. Jeffrey Archer has a wonderful way with words and the lives of the Barringtons and Harry Clifton is all consuming while reading one of his books. I will continue with the next books in the series and hope and pray that Jeffrey Archer keeps writing and I won't have to wait a whole year for one of his cliff-hangers. If you haven't started this series, you should, as you will not be disappointed.
    • 3/5
      The sins of the father is one of those ambiguous titles which may fit more than one character. But the most sinful AND the most fruitful of them is Hugo Barrington. The way the book is written simplifies reading. Each section carries its own motivations and villains. The most enjoyable passages for yours truly were the Maysie Clifton and Hugo ones.The sins of the father unabashedly panders to being a commercial page turner. Having read a couple of Jeffrey Archer books about 20 years ago, I've come to the thought, having read this book, that the author has simplified his writing to confirm a boost in sales. The story has few surprises, for a historical novel where the main person is supposed dead. This choice may have forced the author when he decided not to make his protagonists suffer too much.When Harry is incarcerated, I was totally certain that there will be grim accounts of him being subject to amorous advances from customers criminally tougher than Harry. The words rape and butt sex kept coming to me and I wanted such accounts to be dealt through quickly so we can move to saner things. But my fears were unfounded. I can offer no clearer evidence of how sanitized this book is than to mention the lack of prison rape.Like I said, the writer treats his character with great care. The saddest chapter, IMHO, is the very first one. Each section of the book is dedicated to one character. And these sections consist of tiny arcs where good and bad things happen quickly and successively. The people concerned never suffer much, and if they do, it's not for long. The deaths of Terry Bates, Quinn and doubtlessly, Olga are rushed. I was so sad for Olga. Her motivations are fake, but this fake person suffered the most in the book. For me, her case is even more a waste of life than those fallen in war.Jeffrey Archer had to write a book with conflict, but he does his utmost to keep rewarding his readers with a flurry of mini happy endings. What's more, the writer pitched a series of happy endings at the end and punctuated the book with a cliffhanger. Return of the King, eat your heart out. This is why I believe that the writer accepted the limitation on his imagination and embraced his book's paucity of originality. I think the author's first notes didn't differ from the final output in quality. And that is not a sin. I recommend this book to people who like to read bestsellers.
    • 4/5
      I hadn't read any Jeffrey Archer books for years and I really enjoyed this one. The only reason it got 4 stars and not 5 is that I felt, all the way through, as if I was reading the background story to something that was about to happen or be unveiled, and it kind of felt 'unfinished' at the end.

      Very enjoyable read though and beautifully constructed. The pages kept on turning themselves and I couldn't put it down, even late at night when I really needed to sleep!
    • 5/5
      I devoured the second book in the Clifton Chronicles and was only disappointed that I didn't have the third book in hand...

      This book picks up with Harry serving a six year prison sentence for a crime he didn't commit. Giles has enlisted to fight in the war and is quickly working his way up when he is taken as a POW. Emma isn't convinced that Harry is dead and has set off for a two week trip to investigate in New York, leaving behind their son Sebastian. Meanwhile, Maisie has three potential engagements. Hugo has been cut off the family fortune and seeks to find other means, or rather a rich woman to give him the life of luxury he deserves....be weary of the green eyed monster...

    Book preview

    The Sins of the Father - Jeffrey Archer

    1

    MY NAME IS Harry Clifton.

    Sure, and I’m Babe Ruth, said Detective Kolowski as he lit a cigarette.

    No, said Harry, you don’t understand, there’s been a terrible mistake. I’m Harry Clifton, an Englishman from Bristol. I served on the same ship as Tom Bradshaw.

    Save it for your lawyer, said the detective, exhaling deeply and filling the small cell with a cloud of smoke.

    I don’t have a lawyer, protested Harry.

    If I was in the trouble you’re in, kid, I’d consider having Sefton Jelks on my side to be about my only hope.

    Who’s Sefton Jelks?

    You may not have heard of the sharpest lawyer in New York, said the detective as he blew out another plume of smoke, but he has an appointment to see you at nine o’clock tomorrow morning, and Jelks don’t leave his office unless his bill has been paid in advance.

    But— began Harry, as Kolowski banged the palm of his hand on the cell door.

    So when Jelks turns up tomorrow morning, Kolowski continued, ignoring Harry’s interruption, you’d better come up with a more convincing story than we’ve arrested the wrong man. You told the immigration officer that you were Tom Bradshaw, and if it was good enough for him, it’s going to be good enough for the judge.

    The cell door swung open, but not before the detective had exhaled another plume of smoke that made Harry cough. Kolowski stepped out into the corridor without another word and slammed the door behind him. Harry collapsed on to a bunk that was attached to the wall and rested his head on a brick-hard pillow. He looked up at the ceiling and began to think about how he’d ended up in a police cell on the other side of the world on a murder charge.

    *   *   *

    The door opened long before the morning light could creep through the bars of the window and into the cell. Despite the early hour, Harry was wide awake.

    A warder strolled in carrying a tray of food that the Salvation Army wouldn’t have considered offering a penniless hobo. Once he’d placed the tray on the little wooden table, he left without a word.

    Harry took one look at the food before beginning to pace up and down. With each step, he grew more confident that once he explained to Mr. Jelks the reason he’d exchanged his name with Tom Bradshaw, the matter would quickly be sorted out. Surely the worst punishment they could exact would be to deport him, and as he’d always intended to return to England and join the navy, it all fitted in with his original plan.

    At 8:55 a.m., Harry was sitting on the end of the bunk, impatient for Mr. Jelks to appear. The massive iron door didn’t swing open until twelve minutes past nine. Harry leaped up as a prison guard stood to one side and allowed a tall, elegant man with silver gray hair to enter. Harry thought he must have been about the same age as Grandpa. Mr. Jelks wore a dark blue pinstripe, double-breasted suit, a white shirt, and a striped tie. The weary look on his face suggested that little would surprise him.

    Good morning, he said, giving Harry a faint smile. My name is Sefton Jelks. I am the senior partner of Jelks, Myers and Abernathy, and my clients, Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw, have asked me to represent you in your upcoming trial.

    Harry offered Jelks the only chair in his cell, as if he was an old friend who had dropped in to his study at Oxford for a cup of tea. He perched on the bunk and watched the lawyer as he opened his briefcase, extracted a yellow pad and placed it on the table.

    Jelks took a pen from an inside pocket and said, Perhaps you might begin by telling me who you are, as we both know you’re not Lieutenant Bradshaw.

    If the lawyer was surprised by Harry’s story he showed no sign of it. Head bowed, he wrote copious notes on his yellow pad while Harry explained how he’d ended up spending the night in jail. Once he’d finished, Harry assumed his problems must surely be over, as he had such a senior lawyer on his side—that was, until he heard Jelks’s first question.

    "You say that you wrote a letter to your mother while you were on board the Kansas Star, explaining why you had assumed Tom Bradshaw’s identity?"

    That’s correct, sir. I didn’t want my mother to suffer unnecessarily, but at the same time I needed her to understand why I’d made such a drastic decision.

    Yes, I can understand why you might have considered that changing your identity would solve all your immediate problems, while not appreciating that it could involve you in a series of even more complicated ones, said Jelks. His next question surprised Harry even more. Do you recall the contents of that letter?

    Of course. I wrote and rewrote it so many times I could reproduce it almost verbatim.

    Then allow me to test your memory, Jelks said and, without another word, tore off a sheet from his yellow pad and handed it and his fountain pen to Harry.

    Harry spent some time recalling the exact words, before he set about rewriting the letter.

    My dearest mother,

    I have done everything in my power to make sure you receive this letter before anyone can tell you that I died at sea. As the date on this letter shows, I did not perish when the Devonian was sunk on September 4th. In fact, I was plucked out of the sea by a sailor from an American ship and thanks to him, I’m still very much alive. However, an unexpected opportunity arose for me to assume another man’s identity, and I did so willingly, in the hope it would release Emma from the many problems I seem to have unwittingly caused her and her family over the years.

    It is important that you realize my love for Emma has in no way diminished; far from it. I cannot believe I shall ever experience such love again. But I do not feel I have the right to expect her to spend the rest of her life clinging on to the vain hope that at some time in the future I might be able to prove that Hugo Barrington is not my father, and that I am, in fact, the son of Arthur Clifton. At least this way, she can consider a future with someone else. I envy that man.

    I plan to return to England on the first available ship, so should you receive any communication from a Tom Bradshaw, you can assume it’s me. I’ll be in touch with you the moment I set foot in Bristol, but in the meantime, I must beg you to keep my secret as steadfastly as you kept your own for so many years.

    Your loving son,

    Harry

    When Jelks had finished reading the letter, he once again took Harry by surprise. Did you post the letter yourself, Mr. Clifton, he asked, or did you give that responsibility to someone else?

    For the first time Harry felt suspicious, and decided not to mention that he’d asked Dr. Wallace to deliver the letter to his mother when he returned to Bristol in a fortnight’s time. He feared that Jelks might persuade Dr. Wallace to hand over the letter and then his mother would have no way of knowing he was still alive.

    I posted the letter when I came ashore, he said.

    The elderly lawyer took his time before he responded. Do you have any proof that you are Harry Clifton, and not Thomas Bradshaw?

    No, sir, I do not, said Harry without hesitation, painfully aware that no one on board the Kansas Star had any reason to believe he wasn’t Tom Bradshaw, and the only people who could verify his story were on the other side of the ocean, more than three thousand miles away, and it would not be long before they were all informed that Harry Clifton had been buried at sea.

    Then I may be able to assist you, Mr. Clifton. That’s assuming you still wish Miss Emma Barrington to believe you are dead. If you do, said Jelks, an insincere smile on his face, I may be able to offer a solution to your problem.

    A solution? said Harry, looking hopeful for the first time.

    But only if you felt able to retain the persona of Thomas Bradshaw.

    Harry remained silent.

    The district attorney’s office has accepted that the charge against Bradshaw is at best circumstantial, and the only real evidence they are clinging on to is that he left the country the day after the murder had been committed. Aware of the weakness of their case, they have agreed to drop the charge of murder if you felt able to plead guilty to the lesser charge of desertion while serving in the armed forces.

    But why would I agree to that? asked Harry.

    I can think of three good reasons, replied Jelks. Firstly, if you don’t, you’re likely to end up spending six years in prison for entering the United States on false pretenses. Secondly, you would retain your anonymity, so the Barrington family would have no reason to believe you are still alive. And thirdly, the Bradshaws are willing to pay you ten thousand dollars if you take their son’s place.

    Harry realized immediately that this would be an opportunity to repay his mother for all the sacrifices she’d made for him over the years. Such a large sum of money would transform her life, making it possible for her to escape the two-up-two-down in Still House Lane, along with the weekly knock on the door from the rent collector. She might even consider giving up her job as a waitress at the Grand Hotel and start living an easier life, although Harry thought that was unlikely. But before he agreed to fall in with Jelks’s plans, he had some questions of his own.

    Why would the Bradshaws be willing to go through with such a deception, when they must now know that their son was killed at sea?

    Mrs. Bradshaw is desperate to have Thomas’s name cleared. She will never accept that one of her sons might have killed the other.

    So is that what Tom is accused of—murdering his brother?

    Yes, but as I said, the evidence is flimsy and circumstantial, and certainly wouldn’t stand up in court, which is why the DA’s office is willing to drop the charge, but only if we agree to plead guilty to the lesser charge of desertion.

    And how long might my sentence be, if I agreed to that?

    The DA has agreed to recommend to the judge that you’re sentenced to one year, so with good behavior you could be free in six months; quite an improvement on the six years you can expect if you go on insisting that you’re Harry Clifton.

    But the moment I walk into the courtroom, someone’s bound to realize that I’m not Bradshaw.

    Unlikely, said Jelks. The Bradshaws hail from Seattle, on the west coast, and although they’re well off, they rarely visit New York. Thomas joined the navy when he was seventeen, and as you know to your cost, he hasn’t set foot in America for the past four years. And if you plead guilty, you’ll only be in the courtroom for twenty minutes.

    But when I open my mouth, won’t everyone know I’m not an American?

    That’s why you won’t be opening your mouth, Mr. Clifton. The urbane lawyer seemed to have an answer for everything. Harry tried another ploy.

    In England, murder trials are always packed with journalists, and the public queue up outside the courtroom from the early hours in the hope of getting a glimpse of the defendant.

    Mr. Clifton, there are fourteen murder trials currently taking place in New York, including the notorious ‘scissors stabber.’ I doubt if even a cub reporter will be assigned to this case.

    I need some time to think about it.

    Jelks glanced at his watch. We’re due in front of Judge Atkins at noon, so you have just over an hour to make up your mind, Mr. Clifton. He called for a guard to open the cell door. Should you decide not to avail yourself of my services I wish you luck, because we will not be meeting again, he added before he left the cell.

    Harry sat on the end of the bunk, considering Sefton Jelks’s offer. Although he didn’t doubt that the silver-haired counsel had his own agenda, six months sounded a lot more palatable than six years, and who else could he turn to, other than this seasoned lawyer? Harry wished he could drop into Sir Walter Barrington’s office for a few moments and seek his advice.

    *   *   *

    An hour later, Harry, dressed in a dark blue suit, cream shirt, starched collar and a striped tie, was handcuffed, marched from his cell to a prison vehicle and driven to the courthouse under armed guard.

    No one must believe you’re capable of murder, Jelks had pronounced after a tailor had visited Harry’s cell with half a dozen suits, shirts and a selection of ties for him to consider.

    I’m not, Harry reminded him.

    Harry was reunited with Jelks in the corridor. The lawyer gave him that same smile before pushing his way through the swing doors and walking down the center aisle, not stopping until he reached the two vacant seats at counsel’s table.

    Once Harry had settled into his place and his handcuffs had been removed, he looked around the almost empty courtroom. Jelks had been right about that. Few members of the public, and certainly no press, seemed interested in the case. For them, it must have been just another domestic murder, where the defendant was likely to be acquitted; no Cain and Abel headlines while there was no possibility of the electric chair in court number four.

    As the first chime rang out to announce midday, a door opened on the far side of the room and Judge Atkins appeared. He walked slowly across the court, climbed the steps and took his place behind a desk on the raised dais. He then nodded in the direction of the DA, as if he knew exactly what he was about to say.

    A young lawyer rose from behind the prosecutor’s desk and explained that the state would be dropping the murder charge, but would be pursuing Thomas Bradshaw on a charge of desertion from the U.S. Navy. The judge nodded, and turned his attention to Mr. Jelks, who rose on cue.

    And on the second charge, of desertion, how does your client plead?

    Guilty, said Jelks. I hope your honor will be lenient with my client on this occasion, as I don’t need to remind you, sir, that this is his first offense, and before this uncharacteristic lapse he had an unblemished record.

    Judge Atkins scowled. Mr. Jelks, he said, "some may consider that for an officer to desert his post while serving his country is a crime every bit as heinous as murder. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that until recently such an offense would have resulted in your client facing a firing squad."

    Harry felt sick as he looked up at Jelks, who didn’t take his eyes off the judge.

    With that in mind, continued Atkins, I sentence Lieutenant Thomas Bradshaw to six years in jail. He banged his gavel and said, Next case, before Harry had a chance to protest.

    You told me— began Harry, but Jelks had already turned his back on his former client and was walking away. Harry was about to chase after him, when the two guards grabbed him by the arms, thrust them behind his back and quickly handcuffed the convicted criminal, before marching him across the courtroom toward a door Harry hadn’t noticed before.

    He looked back to see Sefton Jelks shaking hands with a middle-aged man who was clearly congratulating him on a job well done. Where had Harry seen that face before? And then he realized—it had to be Tom Bradshaw’s father.

    2

    HARRY WAS MARCHED unceremoniously down a long, dimly lit corridor and out of an unmarked door into a barren courtyard.

    In the middle of the yard stood a yellow bus that displayed neither number nor any hint of its destination. A muscle-bound conductor clutching a rifle stood by the door, and nodded to indicate that Harry should climb on board. His guards gave him a helping hand, just in case he was having second thoughts.

    Harry took a seat and stared sullenly out of the window as a trickle of convicted prisoners were led up to the bus, some with their heads bowed, while others, who had clearly trodden this path before, adopted a jaunty swagger. He assumed it wouldn’t be long before the bus set off for its destination, wherever that might be, but he was about to learn his first painful lesson as a prisoner: once you’ve been convicted, no one is in any hurry.

    Harry thought about asking one of the guards where they were going, but neither of them looked like helpful tour guides. He turned anxiously when a body slumped into the seat next to him. He didn’t want to stare at his new companion, but as the man introduced himself immediately, Harry took a closer look at him.

    My name’s Pat Quinn, he announced with a slight Irish accent.

    Tom Bradshaw, said Harry, who would have shaken hands with his new companion if they hadn’t both been handcuffed.

    Quinn didn’t look like a criminal. His feet barely touched the ground, so he couldn’t have been an inch over five feet, and whereas most of the other prisoners on the bus were either muscle-bound or simply overweight, Quinn looked as if a gust of wind would blow him away. His thinning red hair was beginning to gray, although he couldn’t have been a day over forty.

    You’re a first-timer? said Quinn confidently.

    Is it that obvious? asked Harry.

    It’s written all over your face.

    What’s written all over my face?

    You haven’t got a clue what’s going to happen next.

    "So you’re obviously not a first-timer?"

    This is the eleventh time I’ve been on this bus, or it could be the twelfth.

    Harry laughed for the first time in days.

    What are you in for? Quinn asked him.

    Desertion, Harry replied, without elaboration.

    Never heard of that one before, said Quinn. I’ve deserted three wives, but they never put me in the slammer for it.

    I didn’t desert a wife, said Harry, thinking about Emma. I deserted the Royal Navy— I mean the navy.

    How long did you get for that?

    Six years.

    Quinn whistled through his two remaining teeth. Sounds a bit rough. Who was the judge?

    Atkins, said Harry with feeling.

    Arnie Atkins? You got the wrong judge. If you’re ever on trial again, make sure you pick the right judge.

    I didn’t know you could pick your judge.

    You can’t, said Quinn, but there are ways of avoiding the worst ones. Harry looked more closely at his companion, but didn’t interrupt. There are seven judges who work the circuit, and you need to avoid two of them at all costs. One is Arnie Atkins. He’s short on humor and long on sentencing.

    But how could I have avoided him? asked Harry.

    Atkins has presided over court four for the past eleven years, so if I’m heading in that direction, I have an epileptic fit and the guards take me off to see the court doctor.

    You’re an epileptic?

    No, said Quinn, you’re not paying attention. He sounded exasperated, and Harry fell silent. By the time I’ve staged a recovery, they will have allocated my case to another court.

    Harry laughed for the second time. And you get away with it?

    No, not always, but if I end up with a couple of rookie guards, I’m in with a chance, though it’s getting more difficult to pull the same stunt again and again. I didn’t need to bother this time because I was taken straight to court two, which is Judge Regan’s territory. He’s Irish—like me, just in case you hadn’t noticed—so he’s more likely to give a fellow countryman a minimum sentence.

    What was your offense? asked Harry.

    I’m a pickpocket, Quinn announced, as if he were an architect or a doctor. I specialize in race meetings in the summer and boxing halls in the winter. It’s always easier if the marks are standing up, he explained. But my luck’s been running short recently because too many stewards recognize me, so I’ve had to work the subway and the bus depots, where the pickings are slim and you’re more likely to be caught.

    Harry had so much he wanted to ask his new tutor and, like an enthusiastic student, he concentrated on the questions that would help him pass the entrance exam, rather pleased that Quinn hadn’t questioned his accent.

    Do you know where we’re going? he asked.

    Lavenham or Pierpoint, said Quinn. All depends on whether we come off the highway at exit twelve or fourteen.

    Have you been to either of them before?

    Both, several times, said Quinn matter-of-factly. And before you ask, if there was a tourist guide to prisons, Lavenham would get one star and Pierpoint would be closed down.

    Why don’t we just ask the guard which one we’re going to? said Harry, who wanted to be put out of his misery.

    Because he’d tell us the wrong one, just to piss us off. If it’s Lavenham, the only thing you need to worry about is which block they put you on. As you’re a first-timer you’ll probably end up on A block, where life is a lot easier. The old-timers, like me, are usually sent to D block, where there’s no one under thirty and no one with a record for violence, so it’s the ideal set-up if you just want to keep your head down and do your time. Try to avoid B and C block—they’re both full of hopheads and psychos.

    What do I have to do to make sure I end up on A block?

    Tell the reception officer you’re a devout Christian, don’t smoke and don’t drink.

    I didn’t know you were allowed to drink in prison, said Harry.

    You aren’t, you stupid fucker, said Quinn, but if you can supply the greenbacks, he added, rubbing a thumb against the tip of his index finger, the guards suddenly become barmen. Even prohibition didn’t slow them down.

    What’s the most important thing for me to watch out for on my first day?

    Make sure you get the right job.

    What’s the choice?

    Cleaning, kitchen, hospital, laundry, library, gardening, and the chapel.

    What do I have to do to get in the library?

    Tell ’em you can read.

    What do you tell them? asked Harry.

    That I trained as a chef.

    That must have been interesting.

    You still haven’t caught on, have you? said Quinn. I never trained as a chef, but it means I’m always put in the kitchen, which is the best job in any prison.

    Why’s that?

    You’re let out of your cell before breakfast, and you don’t go back to it until after dinner. It’s warm, and you have the best choice of food. Ah, we’re going to Lavenham, said Quinn as the bus turned off the highway at exit 12. That’s good, ’cause now I won’t have to answer any dumb questions about Pierpoint.

    Anything else I ought to know about Lavenham? asked Harry, unperturbed by Quinn’s sarcasm, as he suspected that the old-timer was enjoying delivering a master class to such a willing pupil.

    Too much to tell you, he sighed. Just remember to stick close by me once we’ve been registered.

    But won’t they automatically send you to D block?

    Not if Mr. Mason’s on duty, Quinn said without explanation.

    Harry managed several more questions before the bus finally drew up outside the prison. In fact, he felt he’d learned more from Quinn in a couple of hours than he’d managed in a dozen tutorials at Oxford.

    Stick with me, repeated Quinn as the massive gates swung open. The bus moved slowly forward and on to a desolate piece of scrubland that had never seen a gardener. It stopped in front of a vast brick building that displayed rows of small filthy windows, some with eyes staring out of them.

    Harry watched as a dozen guards formed a corridor that led all the way to the entrance of the prison. Two armed with rifles had planted themselves on either side of the bus door.

    Leave the bus in twos, one of them announced gruffly, with a five-minute interval between each pair. No one moves an inch unless I say so.

    Harry and Quinn remained on the bus for another hour. When they were finally ushered off, Harry looked up at the high walls topped with barbed wire that surrounded the entire prison and thought even the world record holder for the pole vault wouldn’t have been able to escape from Lavenham.

    Harry followed Quinn into the building, where they came to a halt in front of an officer who was seated behind a table and wearing a well-worn shiny blue uniform with buttons that didn’t shine. He looked as if he’d already served a life sentence as he studied the list of names on his clipboard. He smiled when he saw the next prisoner.

    Welcome back, Quinn, he said. You won’t find much has changed since you were last here.

    Quinn grinned. It’s good to see you too, Mr. Mason. Perhaps you’d be kind enough to ask one of the bell hops to take my luggage up to my usual room.

    Don’t push your luck, Quinn, said Mason, otherwise I might be tempted to tell the new doc you’re not an epileptic.

    But, Mr. Mason, I’ve got a medical certificate to prove it.

    From the same source as your chef’s certificate no doubt, said Mason, turning his attention to Harry. And who are you?

    This is my buddy, Tom Bradshaw. He doesn’t smoke, drink, swear or spit, said Quinn before Harry had a chance to speak.

    Welcome to Lavenham, Bradshaw, said Mason.

    Captain Bradshaw actually, said Quinn.

    It used to be Lieutenant, said Harry. I was never a captain. Quinn looked disappointed with his protégé.

    A first-timer? asked Mason, taking a closer look at Harry.

    Yes, sir.

    I’ll put you on A block. After you’ve showered and collected your prison clothes from the store, Mr. Hessler will take you to cell number three-two-seven. Mason checked his clipboard before turning to a young officer who was standing behind him, a truncheon swinging from his right hand.

    Any hope of joining my friend? asked Quinn once Harry had signed the register. "After all, Lieutenant Bradshaw might need a

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