Page 78 of The Irish Gypsy
It became warmer each day, but the sea wasnever rough enough to make Kitty sick again, and with regular mealsand plenty of sleep, she was beginning to feel quite recovered. Theother girl did not speak to her, but held herself aloof from anycontact with her fellow passenger. Kitty was quietly gatheringstrength for the ordeal ahead. By now she suspected she was beingshipped to a brothel, and she would need her strength and agilityto make a break for it. She filled her mind with happy musingsabout the child she was carrying, to block out thoughts of herfuture.
But when land was sighted, she knew her timewas running out. In a desperate move, she cried out to the ship'scaptain when she saw him on deck. "Please, sir, please, you mustbelieve me. I'm white, I shouldn't be here. Help me, please helpme?" she begged.
"Do you take me for a fool, woman? You'vebeen sold to Molly Maguire's whorehouse. The fanciest knockingshops in the islands are here on St. Kitts. Now, out of my way;we're about to come into harbor."
"St. Kitts," said Kitty wonderingly, and hereyes lifted across the ship's rail to where tiny boats dotted theharbor. Great rollers were breaking on the beach between longjetties where porters and ship's clerks milled about, waiting tomeet the ships. Her eyes swept the town of Basseterre and beyond tothe north, where Mount Misery reached into the clouds. Hope buddedand blossomed inside her chest. Surely St. Kitts meant CharlesDrago!
Kitty and her companion were taken into asmall warehouse office and locked in a cell with bars. After aboutan hour, Kitty felt the heaviness of her pregnancy and clutched thebars to keep herself upright. The sound of a woman's laughterreached her ears, and a small party came into the office.
"I'll take their papers from you, boyo, whenI've had a look at the bloody merchandise! God almighty, don't tellme they're both flaming-well colored," she said with a tinge ofdisgust.
"Now, Molly, I didn't know you had anythingagainst colored gals," the captain said with disbelief.
"Oh, flaming hell, of course not, it's justthat men always have contempt for what there's too many of, and onSt. Kitts there's just a shade too many colored gals."
At the sound of the Irish brogue, Kitty brokedown in tears.
"Don't cry,acushla. Welcome to theParis of the West Indies."
"Mavourneen"was all Kitty couldwhisper.
"That's Gaelic! You're Irish! What theflaming hell are you doing here?"
Kitty's Gypsy blood pounded in her veins asshe lied, "Charles Drago, the governor of this island, is myfiancé. My name is Kathleen Rooney. I sailed from England to joinhim and I was kidnapped. Please, if you will get word to Charlesthat I am here, he will reward you generously, I'm certain."
Molly knew Charles Drago from the years whenhe was first sent out as governor. He'd been a frequent visitor ather establishment, but she hadn't seen him in well over a year, shewas sure. Molly made a quick decision. If Charles Dragoacknowledged this young woman in the orange cotton shift, who wasliterally barefoot and pregnant, she must indeed mean a great dealto him. It would pay her to be as discreet as possible. Shecouldn't embarrass the governor by visiting him openly, so shedecided to stay with the girl and send a note to the back door ofGovernment House with her man, Jean-Paul.
It amused Molly to think an Irish waif couldcapture the heart of the governor and perhaps become a duchess. Asthey waited, Molly wondered how they would discreetly convey Kittyto the governor's mansion without so much as a cloak to cover amultitude of sins.
Charles Drago swiftly made his way from hiscarriage into the warehouse office. "Kathleen! This fellow wastelling me the truth after all. I can't believe it!"
"Oh Charles, thank God you came so quickly.Oh, my God, I can't believe it's over," she cried.
He put a protective arm about her and spoketo Molly in a warm, natural manner. "I can't thank you enough, Mrs.Maguire. I'll send my man of business around tomorrow. You'll neverregret this kindness. My word on it."
Without a thought for embarrassment, Charlespicked up Kitty and strode outside. He helped her into the carriageand jumped in beside her.
"Charles, let me explain how I come to be insuch a predicament."
"You don't have to explain anything to me,and we're certainly not going to have explanations until you arecompletely recovered." He smiled happily. "My governorship lastsanother six months, so you're going to be stuck with me that longanyway."
"Oh, Charles, words fail me. I just don'tknow what to say."
"Don't say anything. Enjoy the beautifulview. See, there's the cathedral. It's the building with twoturrets. The houses here are called châteaux; notice they all havered tiled roofs and no glass in the windows. That's to catch thecool breezes off the sea. Why am I running on like this when I cansee all you need is a bed? You're close to exhaustion."
"When I'm stronger, you can show meeverything. I know I'll love it here."
The governor's residence was a startlingwhite with a terra-cotta tiled roof. At the front, royal palmswaved in the cool breeze from the sea. There was no glass in thewindows; instead, jalousies were used as shutters if the eveningbecame too cool. In the center of the house was a tiled courtyardwith a splashing fountain. Brilliant flowers banked the courtyard;tubs overflowed orange lily, and hanging baskets trailed purple andpink bougainvillea everywhere. Her steps were reluctant as shehesitated to meet the staff, unkempt as she was, but Charles tookher hand and propelled her through to a delightfully cool sittingroom.
The servants were friendly and showed adesire to please, which put Kitty at ease immediately. They spokesome English and Kitty decided she would try to learn someFrench.
The bathroom had a square sunken bath withbeautifully ornate faucets. The warm, perfumed water filled theroom with an exotic, heady fragrance and they left her to relax andwent in search of a garment in which she could sleep. As hertensions melted, the tears slipped down her cheeks and she becameengulfed with great shuddering sobs.
Charles heard and stayed the servants fromgoing to her assistance. He realized that all the pent-up fearsconnected with her ordeal would be better out than in. Eventuallyshe became still. The girls helped her into a white silk shift andled her to a bedchamber.
"Please don't burn my orange smock. I want tokeep it lest I forget one moment of my slavery."
"I wash and iron and wrap up in parcel," thegirl called Mimi said.
