Page 95 of The Irish Gypsy
Kitty purposely kept herself so busy all daythat she had no idle time to sit and daydream. Whenever the briskautumn weather permitted she went out riding. Then the dreamsstarted. The first one found her in vaguely familiar surroundings.She wore only an orange cotton shift. She was manacled to a manwhose body was so close, their thighs brushed together. She openedher mouth to scream in terror, but it was Patrick she was shackledto and as she clung to him with relief, his manhood hardenedagainst her thighs and he took her on the hard ground. She awoke,still feeling his rigid fullness inside her, and let out her breathon a sob, not knowing if she was happy or sad to find it was only adream.
A few nights later her dream began in abeautiful bedroom. She felt truly at home there. The curtains weredrawn over the tall windows, and a blazing fire warmed the spaciousroom and cast its flickering shadows across the huge four-poster.She brushed her hair before a dressing table, while a smile playedabout her lips and anticipation made her spine tingle. She heard anoise, and the doorknob turned. She was afraid until she reassuredherself the door was securely locked. Suddenly there came a curseand a splintering of wood. Patrick stood in the doorway in atowering rage. "To lock the door against me, madame, is to inviteravishment!"
Charles had thoroughly enjoyed his sojourn inhis native land, but the day arrived when he could put off hisreturn to London no longer. "You must be eager to see your ownestate. Why don't we stop on our way through to the coast--it's notfar out of the way--and you can have a nice visit with Terry."
"Oh, Charles, that would be delightful. I'velonged to see Windrush ever since you put the deed in myhands."
He kissed her. "That was one of the happiestmornings of my life." He ran his hand lightly across her breast andshe blushed at the unaccustomed intimacy.
"I've been well-pleased in you," hewhispered.
When the entourage arrived at Windrush, Kittywas enthralled with it. It was very similar to the estate theO'Reillys had owned by the River Liffey, giving her the feeling ofcoming home. The sight of her grandfather deeply shocked her; hehad become so frail and thin. She confided her fears toCharles.
"If you feel like staying here awhile, mylove, it's perfectly all right with me. Charles Patrick can staywith you; Katie and Mimi will help you. I'll come and meet you whenyou're ready to come home."
"But it doesn't seem fair to you, Charles.I'm supposed to take these young girls to England, and that meansyou'll get stuck with making all the arrangements."
He leered and said, "If I can just get rid ofyou, it'll be like having a harem. I'll push on in the morningwhile the weather is holding. The Irish Sea is a bugger once thewinter gales start."
Her grandfather soon was too weak to be upand she had the servants lift him to bed. She slept downstairs,next to him. When Terry came in that night, Kitty spoke to himabout getting a physician up from Dublin.
"I think that's what we'd better do. We haveto overrule his objections and do what we think best." He looked ather kindly. "Having you here has cut my worry in half."
The physician told them bluntly there wasnothing that could be done. He diagnosed a tumor and told them itwould be only a matter of days. Kitty begged for something for hispain, and the doctor gave her the only thing he could.
The laudanum worked like a miracle. One doseat bedtime assured that he slept the night through. The doctor waswrong about the time, though. It went on and on and his pain grewmore severe. Each time he dirtied the sheets, she would gently washand change him and hold his hand. She wrote to tell Charles thatshe would be in Ireland for the whole winter. She knew he wouldunderstand that she was staying until the end. In spite of theemotional drain, Windrush was a haven to her. She loved everythingabout the old house. It seemed to draw around her and comfort her.It was a place that had always known life and death, joy andsorrow, love and pain. Death finally came on the second day ofFebruary while winter still gripped the land. She mourned hispassing; but it was such a blessed release.
As soon as she got the letter from Charles,she packed up her family and left immediately. He had a touch ofbronchitis, but as soon as the doctor gave him permission totravel, he would come for her. The carriage couldn't go fast enoughto suit Kitty. The moment it stopped before the mansion in StrandLane, she dashed out and flew up the steps. She was dismayed to seehim standing in his overcoat with his traveling case in hishand.
"You should be in bed. Wherever are yougoing?" she demanded.
"My dearest, I'm on my way to get you fromIreland, but as usual you have anticipated me."
"Oh, Charles, I've been worried to death. Areyou recovered?"
"All except for a slight cough. No, no, don'tkiss me, darling. I'm probably still infectious."
That evening as they sat before the fire, hetold her, "You'll never know how much I missed you. I've neverknown such a dreary winter in my life. You are my dearestdelight."
She kept a surreptitious eye on Charles'cough, even though she began immediate plans for a charity ball toraise money for the orphanages in Ireland. Julia was delighted whenasked to assist, and the two spent a whole day together discussingtheir strategy.
"There's so much organizing goes into one ofthese affairs, I don't know where to begin," said Kitty.
"I'll get a committee together; there's onlytwo things I need you for, Kitty. One is your ducal coat of arms tohead up the invitations, and the other is to show up on the nightof the ball. Patrick's back in London," said Julia happily.
"Thank God he's safe. He wasn't wounded oranything, was he?" asked Kitty.
Julia threw back her head and laughedheartily. "Oh, you do come up with some absurd notions, Kitty. He'sescorting some Americans about London. One of his businessassociates sent his wife and daughter over to escape the dangers ofwar." Julia rolled her eyes heavenward. "What a complacent fool tothink his womenfolk would be safe with Patrick."
Later that evening Kitty recalled with ironyJulia's words about not needing her help. Charles' bronchitis hadtaken a turn for the worse. She insisted he go to bed, then sentover to Harley Street for his personal physician. Julia would haveto look after the running of the charity ball after all.
"I'm afraid his Grace has a touch ofpneumonia. Keep him in bed, keep him warm and we'll see if he's anybetter tomorrow." Charles did not confide in the doctor that hesuspected he had a lung disease for which there was no knowncure.
Charles was not better the next day. Kittyslept on a couch she had moved into his room. She did everythingfor him herself and allowed everything else to slide. GraduallyCharles began to improve, but she didn't lessen her vigil duringhis convalescence. Then Charles Patrick got a hacking cough. Shewhisked him to bed immediately and started nursing her secondpatient.
Charles remonstrated, "You're tired to death;if you don't get some rest you'll be ill yourself. My darling,you've had so much sickness to cope with all winter and now this.You mustn't worry about me. Spend your time with the boy, but don'tsit up all night, every night with him."
She smiled gently at his concern. "That'swhat mothers are for."
