Page 84 of The Irish Gypsy
Her smile was tender, her hands gentle as shefed him broth to bring back his strength. He remained coldlyindifferent. His eyes were narrow slits whenever they rested uponher for a moment, and she knew she would need to become theconsummate actress ever to break through his iron carapace. Sheplied him with liquor, hoping he would indulge in a gigantic drunkto drown his heartache and emerge with his sorrows behind him.Patrick disappointed her. He set glass after glass aside withhardly a glance. She knew he didn't wish to ease the pain of Kitty,but to hold it close. When he was well enough to leave his bed, hekept to himself. He was silent and remote and she had to double herefforts to reach him. The grave held a fascination for him; hevisited it both night and day. He took solitary rides; she rode outafter him many times, but could never capture more than a fleetingglimpse as he thundered through the forest. She fell into the habitof riding off her own frustrations after dark. Sleep becameelusive. She watched covertly as he returned to the house onfoot.
"He has been at the damned graveside again,"she said to herself jealously. She walked over to the burial groundand stood gazing down. "I have a garden filled with perfect rosesand camellias, but he prefers to gather wild flowers for her." Hermouth twisted downward in a derisive laugh as she thought of theempty grave and the hoax she had perpetrated. Men were suchsentimental fools! When would he get on with the business ofliving? He showed signs of becoming restless and she feared itwould only be a matter of days now before he would announce hisreturn to England. Her mind twisted and turned for some smallshred, some weakness in his makeup that she could fasten upon andturn to her own advantage. It did not take her long to find anidea.
"Mon chéri,we must speak. Thingscannot go on as they are."
His eyes narrowed. He lit a cheroot andallowed the smoke to mask his expression.
"Don't you think the time has come when youmust return to England?"
The moment he hesitated, she knew she hadwon. "I know how much you must have loved her. She was so veryyoung, you cannot bear to leave her here alone while you return toEngland. There is still a bond between you which even death cannotsever."
He crushed out the cigar and let her see thenaked pain in his eyes.
"Stay here, marry me and you will own allthis land. Then you may be near her all your days. We would makegood partners. You would be the first to acknowledge this if youwere thinking clearly."
During the next few days her words came tohim again and again. The truth was that he had wanted to leave forover a month now, but he could not abandon Kitty. He began to lookupon the plantation with speculative eyes. He even had anoccasional smile for the house servants these days. When Jacquinereturned from her ride each evening, her eyes went up to thebalcony outside his window.
"Ah, well," she murmured, "not tonight, butsoon he will send out an invitation, soon."
Jacquine went for her usual evening ride,leaving Patrick still at table with a large brandy. Topaz came into clear the dishes and she smiled shyly. "Can I get you somethingelse?"
"I'll just help myself, Topaz. I don't wantyou waiting on me, child."
"It's always a pleasure to do for you, sir,"she said and smiled.
"I'm glad you feel that way, Topaz. I've beenthinking about staying here. I think we're going to have awedding."
Her face crumpled. "You can't!" she blurted,then quickly covered her mouth.
"Topaz, what's wrong?" he reached out andtouched her cheek.
The gentle gesture undid her. Tears floodedher eyes. "Oh, sir, your Kitty's not dead."
He jumped up so quickly the chair went overbackward. His eyes blazed. "Where is she?" he demanded.
"The mistress sold her to the slavebuyer."
His face went ashen and he slumped to hisknees before her. "Sweet Jesus, I've prayed that she was alive andnow I wish to God she was dead!"
"Oh, lord, sir, she'll kill me for sure!"
"Stop crying, Topaz, I won't let her harmyou. Where did he take Kitty? The slave auction in Charleston?What's the slave master's name?"
"I can't remember, sir. Oh, lord, she'll killme."
"Go to bed, Topaz," he ordered quietly.
Jacquine rode full gallop up to the house anddrew rein under Patrick's balcony. He looked down upon her andstruck a match to light his cheroot. The flame flared up andoutlined his naked body against the darkness. She smiled up at himand dismounted quickly. She picked up the hem of her habit and ranup the stairs eagerly. He was there before her, splendid in hismanhood. She reached out her hands and ran them up his arms andalong his muscled chest. He took her in his arms, lifted her highabove his head, then brought her crashing down across his upliftedknee. A crack rent the air as her backbone snapped and her bodycrumpled to the floor, quite dead. Calmly he washed his hands andslipped into his clothes. He lifted her body and took it down toher horse. She rode like a madwoman; it would be natural to assumeshe had killed herself in a fall. In the stables he caused no stiras he saddled a horse for himself. He knew how impossible was thetask that lay ahead of him. He feared he would never find her, buthe had to try.
Little Charles caught Kitty's eye. He pulledhimself up by a chair leg and tottered over to her, threatening tolose his balance with every step. She chuckled at his progressthrough the packing cases. Their departure had been delayed acouple of months before the new governor had arrived. She wassupervising the packing of Charles' art collection to take back toEngland with them. She would feel a pang of regret at leaving here,because she had been happy. Charles was so good to her. He treatedher as a precious possession, constantly giving her tokens oftenderness to show his love. Often she felt she was cheating himbecause he made few demands of her in bed. She knew he wasn'tindifferent, but she knew he feared failure and embarrassment.Perhaps things would change when they were aboard and he had leftbehind the heavy responsibilities of his governorship.
Kitty longed to see her brother again. Assoon as they were back she planned to have her grandfather go backto Ireland to live on the estate Charles had deeded her. Terrycould manage it and even breed horses, which always were his firstlove.
I did the right thing,she assuredherself as she thought of the happiness she would bring to herfamily when they learned they could go back to where their heartshad always been.
Kitty dressed carefully and picked a largehat that shaded her face well. She walked swiftly and surely fromGovernment House, through the business section of Basseterre and upthrough the posh residential area where each mansion was moreimposing than its neighbor. The last house was larger and moreimpressive than the rest. Without hesitation she went through thegateway and up to the massive front doors. She pulled the bell andwaited patiently. After a few moments Molly Maguire answered thedoor herself. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw Kitty.
"Well, I'll be damned, it's the governor'slady. Come in, honey. It's not every day I get a visit from flamingnobility." She led Kitty into a small salon furnished in exquisitetaste, and rang for a serving girl. When she came, Molly orderedtea and gave orders that they were not to be disturbed.
