Page 46 of The Irish Gypsy
That same afternoon Patrick had been havingan interesting discussion with Messrs. Gardiner and Bazley. He wassurprised that they were toying with the idea of withdrawing theirsupport from Rose Banks because of the state of Haynsworth'saffairs. Patrick managed to assure the two mill owners that theirventure would be an unqualified success. He was annoyed with SamuelHaynsworth. The state of the business didn't bother him very much,because he knew with proper management it could provide a lavishliving, as it had in the past. That Haynsworth had tried to put oneover on him by keeping him in the dark about his financialtroubles, however, didn't sit well with Patrick.
At dinner he avoided a frontal attack butdecided to observe Haynsworth more closely. Sam's manner was sobluff and hearty that Patrick had a hard time hiding his amusement.It was glaringly obvious that the older man was pathetically tryingto cover up something, and Patrick relented toward him because hewas reminded of his father. His attention fell on Grace. She hadthe angelic look of a girl just emerged from the convent. Hewondered how he could get her into a receptive mood withoutwounding her delicacy. He pondered whether he was doing the rightthing to contemplate marriage to her. Would she shrink in horror athis touch, her maidenly modesty outraged? He thought,Well, Imust get over the first hurdle."Would you like to show me theplants in the conservatory, Grace? Your father tells me you knowall their Latin names."
Her innocent blue eyes fixed on his as shesmiled her acceptance and arose from the table.
Like a lamb to the slaughter,thoughtPatrick irreverently.
For the first time in years, Patrick was alittle unsure of himself. Should he declare himself first, or lethis actions speak for him? As they stood in the green twilightadmiring an exotic orchid, he gently drew her to him and softlytouched her lips. Her tongue darted into his mouth expertly and hewas so amazed that he wondered if it had really happened or if hisimagination was playing tricks on him. He decided to put things tothe test once more. Very tenderly he drew her toward him and gaveher a chaste kiss, but she slid her body against his so invitinglyit was obvious this wasn't her first encounter with a man. Patrickwas at once shocked and intrigued. It was like making love to anun; arousing because of its sinful quality. He was fascinated tosee how far she would be willing to go.
Samuel Haynsworth came to the door of theconservatory in his hat and coat and announced, "I have to go out.I promised to visit an old friend of mine who's confined to bed.Grace will entertain you. Why don't you take Patrick upstairs toyour sitting room? I'm sure you'll be much more cozy up there."
"All right, Daddy. Don't hurry back on ouraccount. I'll keep Patrick amused," she promised and rubbed againsthim again.
It was so patently obvious that they werebeing left alone together, Patrick thought that perhaps Haynsworthwas trying to palm off not only a damaged business, but also asoiled daughter.
Grace took his hand and led him upstairs toher rooms. She didn't stop in the sitting, but went straightthrough to her bedroom. Patrick noted with cynicism the lack ofservants, but he was too consumed with curiosity to hesitate. Shestartled him with the swiftness of her disrobing. No shy flower,this. Patrick thanked Providence that he hadn't proposed to herbefore taking the liberty of kissing her. Her body was very paleand fragile-looking, her pubic hair blonde and baby-fine. He wasstill reluctant to defile a 'good' girl. Grace deftly took him inher right hand and manipulated his shaft until he was erect andthrobbing. He took over then, forcing her back against the pillows.As her passion built, she began to whisper the most obscene wordsthat Patrick had ever heard from a woman's lips. The effect was soerotic to her that she came before him with a great convulsivespasm that forced him to withdraw.
"Don't worry, my love, I'll do it this way."She went on her knees to him and took his shaft into her mouth.Patrick was too far gone to protest. He found it impossible to takethe passive role even in oral sex, so he held her head and thrustand plunged violently to reach his climax.
Confronted with such a paradox, he was at acomplete loss and took refuge in anger. "My God, you know moretricks than a prostitute from a Soho brothel. A girl with yourupbringing should be ashamed. I took a riding crop to my sisterwhen I found her fooling with the stableboys. What the hell hasyour brother been thinking of to allow you to learn suchthings?"
She laughed and said, "My brother?" with suchcontempt and irony that Patrick immediately was aware of theirsordid relationship and he was sickened. "My brother started givingme lessons when I was ten," she told him bluntly.
He shook his head in disbelief. "I would haveput money on it. You really had me fooled. I thought you a virgin,Grace. I was actually going to ask you to marry me, even though I'mwell aware your father has been in financial difficulties. Oh yes,I knew he was trying to put one over on me." He laughed at himself."I'd no idea you were trying to put one over on me, too. Marriagenow is out of the question. You do realize that, don't you,Grace?"
"I understand, but oh, God, Father will killme for losing your backing," she said wretchedly.
"No such thing. I shall still work with yourfather on this new mill project. It's a very sound investment. Yourfamily's finances soon will turn around for the better. But ourpersonal relationship cannot continue. You can tell your fatherthat I'm engaged to another, if you prefer."
"Thank you, Patrick," she said quietly.
"Thank you," he said with a grin, his goodhumor returning, "thank you for everything."
After he left the house, he just walked andwalked. His ideas about women had just received such a jolt thatall his previous thinking had been turned upside down. Grace hadlooked like a Madonna and had turned out to have no morals at all,while Kitty with her bold looks and saucy manners was innocent as akitten. How blind he had been! He was so conditioned to believethat an unequal marriage was worse than a loveless marriage. Thatwas ridiculous! He loved Kitty, nay, he adored her. When he gotback to London he would go on his knees to her and beg her to marryhim. What an insufferable bastard he had been to her, thinking herbeneath him for wedding but not for bedding. He'd put anannouncement in theMorning Postand have the biggestwedding of the season. He'd flaunt her before all London. The womenmight not accept her into society for a while, but there wasn't aman breathing who wouldn't envy him.
At Madame Tussaud's, Kitty felt miserable.Simon was egging Terry on to steal one of the waxwork figures andset it in Queen Boadicea's Chariot near Big Ben. Kitty found itchildish and couldn't conceal her irritation.
"I know," Simon said, "Why don't I take Kithome and you two stay and enjoy yourselves." Kitty allowed herselfto be persuaded. She didn't exactly have a headache, more like aheartache, and she felt miserable. When they reached CadogenSquare, Julia had gone on her afternoon round of visiting and thehouse seemed quiet and lonely.
"Simon, to be brutally frank, I'm not up toentertaining you in the drawing room, I want to go to my bedroomand be comfortable," she pleaded, longing to be alone with herthoughts of Patrick.
"Then that's exactly what we will do. I knowthe very thing to get rid of your headache and lift you out of thedoldrums." He winked at her and went over to the wine table andremoved two decanters and two glasses. He started up the stairs forall the world like he owned the place and she was the guest. "Comeon. Last one up is a coward!"
Simon poured the wine and she sat gazing intothe fire, desperately wondering how she would face it when Patrickbrought his wife home.
"Kit," he said softly, "have you thought anymore about my proposal?"
"Oh, Simon, how could you possibly getCromwell past the Tussaud guards?" she asked impatiently.
"No, Kit, I mean my proposal ofmarriage."
She looked at him for a long time. How easyit would be to say 'yes' and run away from this house and livehappily ever after. She found she couldn't lie to him. "I don'tlove you, Simon. I like you, but I don't love you," she saidhonestly.
He threw back his head and laughed. Hisbeautiful teeth shone in the firelight. "Kit, I don't want you tolove me, I just want to be friends. The moment I produce a wife tolook after me, Mother will depart for Europe and leave us both inpeace."
Kitty pondered this for a moment. "But,Simon, you're forgetting Terry."
"I'm not forgetting Terry for one moment.He'll come to Surrey with us. I wouldn't have it any other way!There's plenty of room--beautiful countryside to hunt. I alwayshave bachelor friends staying with me; he'd fit right in. We'll bevery informal, Kit. We can do exactly as we damn well please." Heasked persuasively, "Doesn't the idea of being Lady Crowtherappeal?"
