Page 8 of The Irish Gypsy
“Oh, how lovely, but don’t tell me if it’sanything bad!”
“Oh, nothing bad is in store for you, ma’am,I can feel it in me bones.”
The housekeeper wore no wedding ring, soKitty gazed at the tea leaves at the bottom of her cup and said, “Ican see a letter ‘T’ here.”
“Why, that’s my name, Mrs. Thomson. Howclever you are.”
“I also see a man here who thinks of youconstantly. He is waiting for an encouraging word from you.”
Mrs. Thomson’s mind went rapidly over theservants and the deliverymen.
“He is a man who is held in great esteem byeveryone. He holds some position of authority such as doctor, orperhaps a man of the cloth.” She swiftly glanced at Mrs. Thomsonand caught her with a blush upon her cheeks.Ah, not far off themark, thought Kitty shrewdly.
“We can’t sit here all day gossiping. Here isa clean uniform for you, it’s a little large, but what will holdmore, will hold less. Now, you must keep all that hair covered up.Here’s a mobcap for you. Now I must see what I can do about shoesand stockings, and then I’ll find you something to keep you busy. Imust admit I wasn’t looking forward to training a new maid, but Ithink you’ll do very nicely.”
At lunchtime Jonathan sat down with his twodaughters.
“Father, you look tired out,” exclaimedJulia.
“No bloody wonder. I’ve crossed the Irish Seatwice this week. Do you realize how much it’s cost me to transportthat lot to Lancashire?” he asked.
“Father, it’s simply not done to discussmoney all the time, especially to ladies, and especially at table,”she said repressively.
Barbara watched with horror as her father’sface turned purple, and before he could say anything she begged,“Oh, please don’t fight!”
“There now, you’ve upset your sister,”thundered O’Reilly. “Why can’t you be a gentle girl likeBarbara?”
Julia roiled her eyes to the ceiling inexasperation.
“Where’s Patrick?” he demanded.
“He’s over at the Falcon today; he left amessage not to go running down there this afternoon. You’d dobetter to have a rest instead.”
“Why is it everybody knows what’s best forme?” he thundered. “Barbara, sit up straight! Stop playing withyour food! Julia, why is it you and Patrick are always givingorders and demanding your own way?”
“Because if we didn’t, you’d bully us the wayyou bully Barbara. I hope you haven’t forgotten the Leavers arecoming for dinner tonight.”
“That’s good. Maybe you’ll watch that sharptongue of yours!” he shouted.
“You’ll dominate the conversation and I won’tbe able to get a word in edgewise,” she said and laughed.
He looked at Barbara. “It wouldn’t hurt youto try to take part in the conversation at dinner tonight, insteadof sitting there like you’re posing for Lipton’s pickle jars.” Helooked at Julia. “What do you mean, I bully her?” he demandedaggressively.
“Oh, why don’t you go for a drive thisafternoon? It’s such a lovely day, it will soothe your nerves. Butstay away from the mills.”
Jonathan O’Reilly got dressed up and walkedover to the stables. He ordered the carriage. He directed hisdriver to take him through town, and he sat back enjoying the fineafternoon. He felt good and his spirits rose as the carriage madeits way through the center of town. He called to his driver to stopoutside Ward’s Florists, where he descended and bought animpressive bouquet of roses, carnations and snapdragons, then gavethe driver an address he called up out of the past. He ascended theflight of stairs after confidently dismissing the carriage, withorders to return in two hours, and knocked on the door. “Hello,Dolly. Remember me?” he said and smiled.
“Why, Mr. O’Reilly,” she said and smiledhesitantly. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“It must be nearly two years, eh, Dolly?These are for you, my dear.”
“Won’t you come in?” she asked a littleapprehensively. She wondered if he had found out about her andPatrick and had come to make trouble. She smelled the flowers andopened the little card that came with them. Inside were fifteenpounds and it was suddenly very clear what he had come for. She hadmost of her bills paid for her and received many presents, but itwasn’t too often that she received cold cash, and the temptationwas too great to refuse. She smiled provocatively at him and said,“Come and make yourself comfortable, Johnny.”
“It’s rather warm today,” he said as hedivested himself of his coat and sat down.
“Would you care for a cold drink?”
“Some brandy would suit me better, lass,” hesaid and winked.
