Page 12 of The Irish Gypsy

Patrick wasn't sure why he had suggested Kitty go away to school; he only knew he could not live under the same roof with her and not have her. His concentration had been shattered and he had developed a physical ache that would not go away, yet he held back because he knew Kitty was not quite ready. Hoping that absence would make her heart grow fonder, he had decided upon the school as a means of polishing her rough edges a bit. Once she was removed from his immediate proximity, perhaps he would be able to concentrate on business again.

Because of the large profit they were making with their wine venture, Patrick had been approached by a food company that wanted to improve its profits. Hind Food Company had its main headquarters in London, but had many plants all over the country. It was bigger than Lipton's, Lyons and Tate she had everything she had ever needed for happiness: a full belly, a warm fire and Patrick John Francis O'Reilly. She traced her finger along a heavy black eyebrow, then brought it down to follow the slant of his arrogant jaw. She didn't know if she loved him in spite of his faults or because of them, she only knew that she loved him with every fiber of her being. She was dizzy with love. When her finger lovingly traced his top lip, Patrick bit it playfully. She immediately lifted his hand to her mouth and bit one of his fingers in return.

"If you hurt me, I'll hurt you back,"

she said wickedly and Patrick groaned at the fierce arousal she always produced in him.

He knew he must go about his seduction with a little more finesse than last time. Though he was ravenous for her, he knew he must starve a little longer while he kindled her desire and fanned the flame until she was white-hot. One hand caressed her shoulder as the other stole to her breast. He heard her swift intake of breath that told him his touch gave her pleasure.

Kitty could feel Patrick's manhood, hot and hard, beneath her buttocks. She knew now that sex was primal, elemental and above all natural between lovers who were insatiably attracted to each other. With a knowledge as old as Eve's, she knew she was ready for this man to make love to her. The sensations he aroused were delicious as she clung to him, heady with the smell of his man-scented skin.

Patrick's fingers began to undo the fastenings of her dress. Kitty kissed him and stayed his avid hands.

"Darling, you mustn't undress me until after the chaplain's been."

"Chaplain?"

he murmured huskily.

"Aren't we being married tonight?"

she asked faintly.

"Married? I should hope not! Where would the fun be in that?"

He saw a pulse beating in her throat and put his lips to the spot.

"When I marry, it will be for convenience, to some respectable daughter of society who will be tied to the household and children. I don't want to spoil your body with babies, Kitty, I want you all to myself, free to come to France with me and to America next time I sail."

She felt like she had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

"I won't! I can't! Take me home!"

Kitty's Irish was up. Her eyes glittered dangerously.

"If you touch me, I swear I'll kill you!"

"Stop playing games with me, Kitty. I'm not blind. You want me every bit as much as I want you."

He moved cautiously to the right to block the door.

"Darling, you'll have all my respect and honor and anything else you want."

He touched her cheek longingly.

"Let me spoil you."

Her eyes narrowed with fury.

"You've already spoiled me! Or to use correct English, I should say despoiled!"

Goddamn and blast everything. It was happening again. Patrick hung onto his temper. He tried a new tack. He'd never begged a woman before in his life. Now he did.

"Kitty, darling, yield to me. I swear I'll give you anything....anything!"

"Give me a wedding,"

she said stubbornly.

"I'll give you anything but that, I promise."

"Patrick O'Reilly, you've got a blind spot when it comes to marrying me. I'll swear you lace-curtain Irish are the most bigoted sods on earth, but you're worse than most. Even your father had the decency to ask me to marry him."

"My father?"

questioned Patrick, angry now.

Kitty ignored the subject.

"Ever since you brought me out of Ireland I've been branded with poverty, charity and humiliation and they are burns that never come out!"

she shouted.

"What the hell do you want, wench?"

His temper was completely gone now.

"I won't be your paid whore! I want a respectable marriage,"

she cried.

His eyes smoldered and he sneered.

"In that case we'd better look about us for a suitable husband for you."

The silence remained unbroken on the carriage ride back to Cadogen Square. The face that she loved above all others had a closed look that she could not penetrate.

After that, they avoided each other as much as possible, but when they were forced together because of the Christmas celebrations, they were dangerously polite to each other.

Julia had been planning a New Year's Eve ball for some time and she was delighted that Patrick would be there for it.

"I hope you have invited some eligible young men for Kitty and me,"

Barbara said hopefully.

"There will be plenty of young men, but I don't know anyone who would be willing to marry a penniless girl like Kitty,"

scoffed Julia.

"Why, Julia, Kitty is very beautiful and I was reading of the Gunning sisters only the other day. When their mother brought them out of Ireland they were so desperately poor they had only one fancy dress between the two of them and only one at a time could go out. Elizabeth was so beautiful the Duke of Hamilton eloped with her after knowing her for only a month."

Patrick looked up from his morning paper and said dryly.

"He was a notorious drunkard who gave her two children in quick succession and made her life hell."

Barbara lifted her chin and said.

"But that's the best part. He drank himself to death at thirty-three and Elizabeth immediately married the fifth Duke of Argyll. Her sister Maria married an earl."

Julia retorted.

"Romantic nonsense! Kitty will get plenty of offers, but they won't be for marriage."

Patrick was nettled enough to reply.

"You're very catty, Julia. I happen to know Kitty could have been your stepmother! If she'd married Father he would likely have left her everything and you would have been disinherited."

Both girls were left with their mouths open.

Julia had invited a crush of her friends, and all Jeffrey's relatives were there. Kitty was deluged with invitations to dance and the moment the music stopped she was surrounded by men. Her eyes often sought out Patrick, who was never at a loss for female admirers. The young ones hung about him, giving him shy glances and blushing furiously when he spoke, but the older, married women vied with each other for his attention. They sent him bold invitations with their eyes and bodies and didn't even bother to conceal their blatant desire.

Kitty sought out Terrance, who had just danced with Barbara.

"What's wrong, Kitty?" he asked.

"Oh, it's just awful. I'm going to stay close by you two. You have no idea what the men here are like."

"Who? That fellow you were dancing with? What the devil did he do?"

"He kept trying to kiss me,"

she said indignantly.

"I'll just go and have a little word with him,"

said Terry angrily.

"Oh, no, don't. It wasn't just him. The last one danced me behind those potted ferns and put his hand down my bodice."

"Right here in front of everyone?"

asked Barbara, scandalized.

Just then, a small woman approached Barbara with a young man in tow.

"There you are, Barbara dear. Do you remember me from the wedding? I'm Amelia Brownlow, Jeffrey's cousin, and this is my son, Simon. I've been simply dying to introduce you two. Simon, this is Julia's sister, whom I've been telling you about."

The fair young man with lazy eyes smiled and bowed before Barbar.

"My pleasure, ma'am."

Amelia looked pleased with herself and said.

"Well, I'll leave you young people to enjoy yourselves. Have fun."

Simon looked amused.

"Mothers! Thank heavens she's gone. Please forgive her. She's bent on matchmaking, I'm afraid."

He looked at Kitty and Terrance standing together.

"You must be brother and sister. The resemblance is most striking."

Barbara said.

"Kitty and Terrance Rooney, our cousins from Ireland."

He bowed before Kitty.

"May I have this dance ma'am?"

Kitty did not hesitate. He was only about eighteen and she thought she would be able to handle someone her own age.

"To tell you the truth, we were just going to find a quieter room somewhere. We really aren't enjoying ourselves in this crush."

"My sentiments exactly! Why don't we get some refreshments from the supper room and retire to a quiet spot, the library perhaps, and have a party of our own?"

His smile was so disarming, they fell in with his suggestions immediately. They piled their plates high with an assortment of delicacies and each took a cup of punch and went down the east wing to the library.

Simon spotted a decanter of brandy and brought it to the fire.

"This will taste better than that awful concoction they call punch."

Simon saluted Kitty with his glass.

"You are a very refreshing change from the young women my mother usually introduces me to. They all say something very witty such as 'Shouldn't you be in school somewhere?"

"Well, shouldn't you?"

said Kitty, laughing.

"Sent down from Oxford, I'm afraid."

"We've just been expelled from school ourselves,"

Barbara said with a laugh.

"Good! I can see we have a lot in common."

"What do you do, now that your school days are over?"

asked Kitty.

"Amuse myself, and others too, I might add. I think I shall make a career of it."

"Are you independently wealthy, then?"

asked Kitty.

"Not exactly rolling in it, but I'm just marking my time until my uncle, Lord Crowther, sticks his spoon in the wall. Then I'll inherit the fortune and the title,"

he said with a smile.

"How convenient for you,"

said Kitty, amused.

"So your mother isn't in the market for an heiress for you."

"No, but she is trying to get me married off. Says a wife is exactly what I need to settle me down a bit."

"Surely you don't want a wife at your age?"

Terry asked.

"What I want is freedom, but I'll never have it until I get rid of Mother."

"But if you married you'd have two women running your life instead of just your mother,"

Terry pointed out.

"Oh no; once she fobs me off with a wife, she's bound for Europe. Can't wait to fold her tent and silently steal away,"

said Simon, laughing. He looked at Kitty.

"I don't suppose you'd like to take me on? You are in the marriage market, aren't you?"

"Of course she is,"

said Barbara.

"I've no dowry. I'm just a poor relation,"

said Kitty with a laugh.

"Your face is your fortune. You attract men like a flame attracts moths. It comes naturally to you."

Kitty blushed and drank her brandy to cover her embarrassment.

"Will you come out with me tomorrow, Kit?"

Simon asked abruptly.

Terry spoke up.

"She doesn't go out alone."

"Well, let's all four of us go somewhere, then."

"Oh, let's go, Terry. It would be great fun. What will we do?"

asked Barbara.

Simon eyed Terry for a minute, then suggested.

"We could go to Tattersall's and look at the horses."

Kitty said.

"That was a shrewd hit, purposely designed to get Terry on your side."

Simon grinned.

"Now something to amuse the ladies. Let's see. There's a spot up the river that is frozen where people are skating. There's all sorts of booths set up, chestnut sellers and fortune tellers."

"Oh, yes, please,"

begged Barbara.

The brandy was going to their heads and Kitty said, laughing.

"You do exactly what I do, Simon."

"What's that, Kit?"

he drawled.

"Plant seeds in people's minds and watch them flower."

He gave her a knowing wink.

"Kitty, tell our fortunes now,"

Barbara begged.

"I thought we were going to get our fortunes told tomorrow, down by the river,"

Kitty protested, but she felt in her pocket and pulled out her Tarot cards, that she had been consulting earlier in the day.

"I'll do Barbara and Simon. Terry doesn't like them,"

offered Kitty.

"What do I do?"

asked Barbara.

"Shuffle the cards, and while you are doing it, make a wish and also ask a silent question that can be answered 'yes' or 'no'. Now divide them into three piles with your left hand and choose one of the piles."

Barbara picked the one in the center.

"I'll do the wheel of fortune, so place seven cards in a circle. Let me explain a little,"

Kitty said, knowing that Barbara loved this ritual. These cards tell about life and death, good and evil, love and hate, strength and folly, success and failure, truth and falsehood; the whole of human experience. The cups represent love, the pentacles represent money, the wands refer to your work, and swords are the unlucky suit."

Barbara solemnly laid out the cards.

Kitty turned all seven face-up before she began the reading.

"Oh, Barbara, your cards are good. I can tell you right away that the answer to your question is 'yes' and you definitely will get your wish. The first card 'Strength' represents you, yourself. It shows a woman closing the jaws of a lion. The symbolism means that true strength lies in gentleness. You have a spiritual power that is stronger than material power. The second card, the 'King of Swords' stands very close to you. It represents an overly stern father who inflicts verbal abuse on his children. The next card, the 'Six of Wands' means the triumphant resolution of all your difficulties. Eventually, you will realize your hopes and desires by utilizing your quiet strength. The 'Seven of Pentacles' is the Fate or luck card. With the 'Two of Cups' following, it means you will be lucky in love rather than in games of chance. The 'Two of Cups' which shows a young man and a young woman holding a loving cup, is the beginning of a romance or flirtation. It is also a time card; your wish will come true within a two. It could mean two weeks, two months or even two years. The 'Knight of Wands' always has dark hair and dark eyes. He is the romantic knight in shining armor who will come into your life. Your last card, the 'Sun' is a wonderful card filled with joy. It shows you have a sunny disposition and when combined with cups and pentacles, means the beginning of a long-lasting relationship."

"Oh, Kitty, you're wonderful,"

said Barbara, laughing.

Simon picked up the cards and reshuffled them.

"God, I hope mine aren't all sweetness and light,"

he teased.

Kitty frowned as she turned Simon's cards face up. She didn't like them.

"The answer to your silent question is 'no'; however you will get your wish. The card that represents you is the 'Knight of Swords". An aggressive young man, headstrong, reckless, self-destructive, quick to take offense. This is followed by the 'Chariot', which usually is a good card, but when it is reversed like this, it means self-indulgence and dissipation of energies. It also hints that perhaps soon there will be a scandal."

"Ah, the plot thickens,"

said Simon, laughing.

"Your third card is 'The Hanged Man'. It shows a young man hanging upside down from a cross. Notice that he is neither nailed nor tied to the cross, so he can free himself at any time and straighten out if he really wants to. This is followed by the 'Seven of Wands'. All sevens imply change. Social matters are disrupting your home life. The 'Four of Cups' means you have lots of friends, many parties, drinking and good times."

"Ah, better and better,"

said Simon with a grin.

"The 'Ten of Swords' has many meanings,"

said Kitty.

"What an awful card--the poor man has ten swords stuck into his back,"

said Barbara.

"It's not always a death card,"

assured Kitty. It can mean the dark arts, the underworld. When coupled with the 'Hanged Man' it means you have gotten so deeply involved in wrong activities you cannot find your way out. The 'Devil' means more self-indulgence and being chained by materialistic values. Your possessions can come to possess you if you put money before people."

"My character is laid bare!"

grimaced Simon.

The library door opened and Patrick came in with a married woman.

"Sorry, we thought this room would be empty,"

he apologized.

"That's obvious,"

said Kitty stiffly.

"Simon, I should be delighted to go with you tomorrow. Shall we go back to the party now and leave these older people to themselves?"

Kitty asked tartly.

Barbara and Kitty were sharing a room and when they were in bed, Kitty asked.

"Who was that with Patrick tonight?"

"Just one of his flirts, I imagine. Probably sowing the last of his wild oats before he settles down,"

she said, giggling.

Kitty caught her breath.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, nothing's been said of course, but I think he has his eye on Samuel Haynsworth's daughter, Grace."

"What makes you think that, Barbara?"

"Fabulous dowry, bleach works and all that. She's wallowing in it,"

Barbara said and yawned.

"I should have thought he'd prefer someone prettier than Grace Haynsworth,"

Kitty said in a small voice.

"And I thought I was na?ve! Patrick will always have a pretty face tucked away somewhere. Marriage won't put a cramp in his style."

Try as she might, Kitty was unable to fall asleep as she thought about what Barbara had told her. Kitty prayed silently, Help me to get over this terrible hurt....help me to stop loving him.