Page 21 of The Irish Gypsy
The carriage stopped at Wapping Wall outsidethe Prospect of Whitby. "Oh, isn't this a public house?" she askeddoubtfully as he helped her down.
"Yes, it's a pub, the best on the Thames. Ithas been here since 1509"
"Do you think it quite proper for me to gointo a place like this?"
"Well, some ladies would refuse, but thismorning you were the girl who wanted to go everywhere andexperience everything, weren't you?"
She tucked her arm in his and smiled upinvitingly. "What are we waiting for?"
He led her upstairs on the riverside. It washigh tide and the Prospect stood on tall timbers, out in theriver's waters. Kitty received many admiring glances and shenoticed that she was the only woman in the room. Patrick orderedfor them both. They had pâté, whitebait and trout broiled in heavybutter. "In the last century, thieves and smugglers frequented thisplace. The hangman too--the public execution area is just acrossthe street."
She shuddered. "The atmosphere is strangehere."
"Wait until you go up in the Tower," hepromised.
Instead of white wine to go with the fish, heordered her mead and mulled wine for himself. "Do you like it?"
"It's delicious," she said dreamily. "I feellike Queen Guinevere, sipping mead."
"Much more beautiful," he assured her.
He took her to the Tower as he had promisedand guided her toward the Jewel House. "There are three floors ofarmor, but you must be prepared to climb to each floor, and thencoming down there's over a hundred winding tower stairs to theexit, so please, sweetheart, can we skip the armor today?"
"Oh look, there's one of the ravens. You mustbow to him, Patrick."
He laughed. "I'm Irish too, or have youforgotten?"
"I can feel the sadness here, can you?" sheasked wistfully.
"Of course; and evil and pain, but don't letit spoil our day. Come, look at the jewels, they will really thrillyou."
Kitty was in thrall as she viewed the crownsand scepters encrusted with precious gems.
He whispered in her ear, "Do you likediamonds, Kitty?"
"I like pearls," she said softly.
"Pearls are for tears," he protested.
"To be Irish is to know the world will breakyour heart before you're forty."
"My God, it must be this place. Let's get outof here," he said, laughing.
They were driving past Green Park when hesaid, "Half-Moon Street is just across the park."
"Oh, could we get out and walk the rest ofthe way?"
"Of course, sweetheart." He told his driverto deliver the packages to Mrs. Harris in Half-Moon Street. "Tellher we'll be arriving shortly. You can return the carriage toCadogen Square, I won't be needing you again today."
He took her hand as they strolled through thebeautiful park. Kitty put up her parasol and almost skipped alongat his side. "Oh, Patrick, this has been the happiest day of mylife."
The sun was sinking behind the trees andpeople were making their way home after an outing in the park. Theyreceived many cold stares and there was much tut-tutting as theystrolled hand in hand in a public place, seemingly lost in a worldof their own.
Before they reached the top step, the doorwas flung wide and Mrs. Harris was curtsying to her new master.
"Good evening, Mrs. Harris. This is your newmistress, Kit....er, Kathleen Rooney."
"Good evening, ma'am." She sketched anothercurtsey. "All your packages arrived and I've taken the liberty ofunpacking them in your bedroom, ma'am."
