Page 109 of The Irish Gypsy
"It's not seemly for a lady in your conditionto be seen in public. Thankfully, the crinoline will help todisguise your condition. Keep your cloak on at all times. Now,remember to keep your eyes down; you must be meek--a supplicant.The 'tragic widow' is a most sympathetic figure."
"I shall be the pathetic creature you haveordered me to be, even though it goes against the grain," sheflashed.
As she entered the courtroom, a wave ofwhispers swept around the room. She was surprised to see the roomfilled mostly with men. There were some newspaper reporters butlargely they were Charles' peers. Her eyes searched the crowd forPatrick. She was surprised when he ignored her and gave hisattention to the smartly dressed woman on his right.
The inquest opened with a few words which thecoroner addressed to the jury. "We are here to determine the causeand circumstances of the death of Sir Charles, Drago, ninth Duke ofManchester. Whether it was suicide or whether it was a greatercrime."
The first witness, Charles' businesssecretary, was called and sworn in. He testified that all moniescollected for the Port of London were accounted for and that allbusiness matters were in complete order, down to the lastdetail.
Otis Grant-Stewart testified how hediscovered the body, and the results of the autopsy were officiallyput into the record of the inquest.
Then came a succession of servants, endingwith Katie, who testified that they heard the gunshot. Katieperjured herself by claiming she saw her mistress run to thebedroom door after the shot was fired.
Charles' doctor was brought to the stand totestify about the state of his patient's health. When he concludedthat it was excellent, a murmur went around the court.
Kitty kept her eyes lowered. She tried to payattention to every word spoken but she caught her mind driftingover and over again. She wondered when her labor would begin andhoped she had done right engaging a midwife rather than a doctor.Her mind snapped back as her counsel asked Charles' doctor abouttreating him for impotence. The room was hushed. The doctor wasasked to step down. Before she could utter a protest, she heard hername called out and she moved forward as one in a trance.
"I call on Kathleen Drago, Dowager Duchess ofManchester, who will corroborate the testimony just given."
"Repeat after me: I swear by Almighty Godthat the evidence I give shall be the truth, the whole truth andnothing but the truth."
She placed her hand upon the Bible and soswore.
Kitty looked about the room at the avidfaces. It was the one thing Charles had dreaded. He had made herpromise, right after their marriage, never to divulge his secret.She never had, not even to Patrick. She knew she would always carrythe burden of guilt for Charles taking his life. She had betrayedhim in life, but before Christ she would not betray him indeath!
When the question of his impotence was put toher, she stood and threw off the cloak. Her pregnancy was revealedto every eye. Gone was the meek figure. It had been replaced by afiery woman who spoke with passion. "That is absolutelyridiculous," she said triumphantly. "We made love almost everynight!" A roar went up in the courtroom and the judge had to banghis gavel repeatedly to bring order. Kitty sat back down. Sheignored her counsel and instead turned to the judge and said, "Myhusband was cleaning his gun when it went off. It was an accident,pure and simple."
They broke off for lunch at this dramaticpoint. Patrick did not meet her eyes. She saw him slip from theback of the room with the woman on his arm.
Julia flashed her a pleased look that filledKitty with dread, but Jeffrey patted her hand. "Not to worry,that's the judge's wife."
The verdict of accidental death came as asurprise to none after the morning's dramatic testimony. Anemotionally drained Kitty went home to await the birth of herchild, while Londoners read of the "Dragon Lady" and the "NotoriousDuchess."
Chapter 30
Her pains began around ten o'clock at night.Katie said to Mimi, "I'll stay with her; you fetch themidwife."
By midnight, hard labor had begun in earnest,but no matter how they struggled, the child would not make itsappearance. The midwife refused to panic. These things took timeand ran their own course, and the lady was not built forchildbearing.
Katie put on her cloak and slipped out thedoorway. It was just striking one when she returned, a tall, darkfigure close upon her heels.
Arguing voices came to Kitty through a hazeof pain. The deep timbre of Patrick's voice started to curse andshe called out to the midwife, "He's no respecter of persons; lethim come to me."
He knelt beside her, taking her hands. Itlifted her heart to see how deeply concerned he was. He stayedbeside her for four hours. When the child finally was born, Patrickwas dizzy with relief.
"We have a daughter," he whispered tenderly.Kitty was too exhausted to speak. He turned to the midwife. "Howlong will she be abed?"
"A lying-in is always a fortnight," she toldhim.
He turned back to Kitty. "One month, onemonth from today I'll return. I'll come boldly for all the world tosee; no more climbing the back stairs for me, Kitty."
She closed her eyes and nodded herunderstanding.
Flowers came every morning especially chosenby Patrick. There was no need for any card; she knew who sentthem.
A full month hadn't quite gone by when hecame striding into her private sitting room. She had just finishedfeeding her daughter and was rocking her gently to sleep. Theenergy he brought into the room with him almost made the aircrackle.
"Kitty, it's all settled," he said, laughing,as he waved a telegram in the air. "You're looking at the newpresident and chairman of the board of Hind of New York. If youdon't like New York, we can live in Philadelphia. The gossip won'tfollow us to America. We'll be married before we sail. When can yoube ready?"
