Page 40 of The Irish Gypsy
After the guests had left, Patrick said, "Iwas subjected to an appalling display of bad table manners tonight.I think you will both benefit from six months at school. If you'dtaken the time and trouble, and if you had an ounce of common sensebetween the two of you, you could have behaved like GraceHaynsworth tonight."
"Colorless!" pronounced Barbara,defiantly.
"Whey-faced!" said Kitty jealously.
"As a matter of fact, you both looked rathervulgar beside her," Patrick said, and left them both with theirmouths open.
Chapter 12
Patrick wasn't sure why he had suggestedKitty go away to school; he only knew he could not live under thesame roof with her and not have her. His concentration had beenshattered and he had developed a physical ache that would not goaway, yet he held back because he knew Kitty was not quite ready.Hoping that absence would make her heart grow fonder, he haddecided upon the school as a means of polishing her rough edges abit. Once she was removed from his immediate proximity, perhaps hewould be able to concentrate on business again.
Because of the large profit they were makingwith their wine venture, Patrick had been approached by a foodcompany that wanted to improve its profits. Hind Food Company hadits main headquarters in London, but had many plants all over thecountry. It was bigger than Lipton's, Lyons and Tate & Lylesall rolled into one. They even had a network of food processingplants in New York, Pittsburgh and Chicago. This company didpickling, bottling and the new process of canning food and had newplants springing up everywhere.
Patrick knew that anything to do with feedinga nation would be profitable. He took the job on in London and theboardroom often was startled with his unusual suggestions. Hediscovered that the organization was being run under the mandate ofproviding as many jobs as possible. Small plants were scatteredacross the country. He closed some down entirely, merged others andexpanded the operations in the larger centers. He had been hired toraise profits, and he could only do this by making the organizationtough, lean and efficient. He stopped the manufacture of somebrands that didn't sell well. He planned to cut the prices to thefarmer for his crops and standardize the measure of food going intoeach jar. It was a long-range plan, but after the first quarter thefigures showed improvement.
Patrick succeeded in fixing Disraeli'sinterest in the model mill and village Samuel Haynsworth hadproposed and when the Christmas holidays arrived Patrick returnedto Bolton, quite pleased with the progress he had made inLondon.
When he heard the carriage approach, bringingBarbara and Kitty home, he went outside. Barbara flung herself uponhim in the usual manner whenever they had been separated. She wasfull of chatter, telling him everything with her first breath. Heheaved a sigh of relief as she ran into the house to greet Mrs.Thomson. Then there was only Kitty. Their eyes met and held, hereached for her hands and she alighted from the carriage in adreamlike trance. Neither spoke, but drank in each other with theireyes as if they would never have enough. Slowly he drew her to himand bent to take her lips. She opened her mouth to say something,but he stopped the words with his lips, and her breath became asigh.
"I missed you so," he whispered.
Then they were sitting around the roaringfire, laughing, telling stories, drinking warm mulled wine. Barbararattled on, oblivious of the lingering glances Kitty and Patrickwere exchanging.
"At first the girls were such snobs, youwouldn't believe it, but Kitty made up such outrageous stories, shewas treated like the Princess Royal and we were the most populargirls at school."
"It's good to have you home. The house willbe lonely when you return," he said meaningfully, his eyes onKitty.
She looked at Barbara. "You might as welltell him, Barbara. He'll find out sooner or later anyway."
Barbara handed him a letter from theheadmistress, which he took and read carefully. It was couched inpolite euphemisms, but it boiled down to the fact that they couldnot return to school because of their disruptive influence on theother girls. Barbara was relieved to see the corner of Patrick'smouth quiver. He looked up. "Well, imps, what was it got youexpelled?"
Barbara spoke up quickly, proving the oldadage that when under stress, women confess. "I don't know exactlyif it was Kitty's Gypsy dances--they're really quite shocking youknow--or if it was her stories about her devastatingly handsomelover who ravished her."
Kitty gasped. "Barbara, how could you?" andshe ran from the room.
Barbara looked at Patrick in bewilderment."Well, really, he was only imaginary. I thought those storieswouldn't make you nearly so angry as the time we dressed up as boysand then got locked out all night."
"Where the devil did you sleep?" Patrick wasangry despite his resolve not to be.
"In the stables, of course," said Barbaramatter-of-factly.
"And to think you used to be a littlemilk-and-water miss who was afraid of her own shadow."
"Yes, and got bullied for it too! Since Idecided to be more like you and Julia, I've enjoyed myselfimmensely."
"Tell Kitty to come downstairs immediately.No, take this note up to her." He scribbled on a piece ofpaper.
Kitty dabbed her eyes and read the note:'Lady Jane Tut: I can see there is no necessity to return toschool. You are more polished and refined than I ever dared hope.Signed: Lord Muck'.
Kitty laughed in spite of herself butwouldn't show the note to Barbara. The girls came back downstairsand Patrick informed them of his plans.
"Seeing you don't have to go back to school,we might as well go down to Julia's. I have to see SamuelHaynsworth tomorrow, but after that I have business in London. Wecan pick up Terry on the way and take him with us forChristmas."
When Barbara blushed furiously, Patrick saidlightly, "These Rooneys are the very devil, aren't they?"
Patrick went out to Rose Bank to see SamuelHaynsworth. Patrick received the grand tour, not only of the house,but also of the bleach works. Haynsworth looked sideways at Patrickand said, ""Whoever marries my daughter will have half interest inall this!"
"A full partnership? What about your son,Sam?"
