Page 43 of The Irish Gypsy

Simon looked amused. "Mothers! Thank heavensshe's gone. Please forgive her. She's bent on matchmaking, I'mafraid." He looked at Kitty and Terrance standing together. "Youmust be brother and sister. The resemblance is most striking."

Barbara said, "Kitty and Terrance Rooney, ourcousins from Ireland."

He bowed before Kitty. "May I have this dancema'am?"

Kitty did not hesitate. He was only abouteighteen and she thought she would be able to handle someone herown age. "To tell you the truth, we were just going to find aquieter room somewhere. We really aren't enjoying ourselves in thiscrush."

"My sentiments exactly! Why don't we get somerefreshments from the supper room and retire to a quiet spot, thelibrary perhaps, and have a party of our own?" His smile was sodisarming, they fell in with his suggestions immediately. Theypiled their plates high with an assortment of delicacies and eachtook a cup of punch and went down the east wing to the library.

Simon spotted a decanter of brandy andbrought it to the fire. "This will taste better than that awfulconcoction they call punch." Simon saluted Kitty with his glass."You are a very refreshing change from the young women my motherusually 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 schoolourselves," Barbara said with a laugh.

"Good! I can see we have a lot incommon."

"What do you do, now that your school daysare over?" asked Kitty.

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

"Are you independently wealthy, then?" askedKitty.

"Not exactly rolling in it, but I'm justmarking my time until my uncle, Lord Crowther, sticks his spoon inthe wall. Then I'll inherit the fortune and the title," he saidwith 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 haveit until I get rid of Mother."

"But if you married you'd have two womenrunning your life instead of just your mother," Terry pointedout.

"Oh no; once she fobs me off with a wife,she's bound for Europe. Can't wait to fold her tent and silentlysteal away," said Simon, laughing. He looked at Kitty. "I don'tsuppose 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 menlike a flame attracts moths. It comes naturally to you."

Kitty blushed and drank her brandy to coverher embarrassment.

"Will you come out with me tomorrow, Kit?"Simon asked abruptly.

Terry spoke up. "She doesn't go outalone."

"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, thensuggested, "We could go to Tattersall's and look at thehorses."

Kitty said, "That was a shrewd hit, purposelydesigned to get Terry on your side."