Page 72 of The Irish Gypsy
And the moonbeams kiss the sea--
What are all these kissings worth
If thou kiss not me?
As if in response to the beautiful words ofthe poem, Kitty's child suddenly seemed to turn over and'quickened' at that moment, and she was swept with such a suddenwave of nausea that, groaning uncontrollably, she clutched herbelly and tried to stand. Kitty wasn't quick enough and before shegot to her feet she began to vomit. It covered her dress and hersurroundings. Jim's fingers fumbled to turn the lantern brighter,and finally managed to illumine Kitty's miserably huddledfigure.
"Please, Jim, go away and leave me. I don'twant you to see me like this."
He waved away her pleas with an impatienthand and briskly poured water into her washbowl and brought over afresh towel. He took hold of the soiled dress and took it off overher head. Kitty was too weak to protest and allowed herself to beundressed like a rag doll.
"Sweet girl, you're with child! Why didn'tyou tell me?"
She shook her head miserably and began toretch again.
"Hush now; hush lass," he murmured as hewashed away the filth. He found a clean nightdress and slipped itover her head. "You can't sleep in this bunk until it's beenstripped and cleaned. Come on, sweetheart, I'll carry you to mybed. You can't stay here. It stinks!"
He put a glass of wine to her lips andslipped her into his bed. He couldn't have treated her with moreloving care had she been his child. In that moment, she loved himwith all her heart. He bade her rest and went off with hisincredible energy to strip and scour her cabin. No sooner was herbunk made up clean and the air made sweet-smelling again than shefouled Jim's cabin as she had her own. With infinite compassion hewashed her again, changed her nightgown and carried her back to herown cabin.
In the early hours of the morning he asked,"Are you feeling better, lass?"
"Yes, Jim. I'm sorry about what happened,"she said, embarrassed.
She awoke later to find Jemmy taking hisplace. He looked at her kindly and asked, "Have your ideas aboutthe captain changed, ma'am?"
"Jemmy, that man's a saint."
He grinned. "Don't let him hear you say that.He prefers to think he's the devil."
She smiled a secret smile. "We knowdifferently."
After breakfast, Captain Harding returned andsat on the edge of her bunk. "Why didn't you tell me about thebabe, lass? Your little belly looked so pretty, all rounded andswollen with the sweet burden you carry. I'm fond of you lass, butit just wasn't meant to be. You've found your man and I'm not oneto come between a man and his woman. Still, it would have been anadventure--two Gypsies sailing the seven seas. I'll think of it onlonely nights."
She reached up and touched his face where hisbeard curled softly. "I'll think of it too, Jim."
"Rest now. We'll sight land tomorrow."
Chapter 20
Patrick arrived in Charleston a full monthbefore Kitty. He quickly arranged for the disposal of hisprofitable cargo and so was free to make plans to fill the shipwith goods to take back to Liverpool. He would buy cotton fromBagatelle, travel to Wilmington to pick up tobacco grown inVirginia, then sail to Philadelphia and New York to the branchoffices of the Hind Food Company, which was expanding faster thanhe had ever dared hope. He purchased a carriage and a fine team andarranged for a young seaman, Rob Wilson, to drive him to theCarolina plantation.
When they arrived at Bagatelle, Patrick wassurprised to find that Jacquine had not remarried. He couldn'tbelieve that a woman of her passions could lead a celibate life, sokept his eyes peeled for evidence of her bedfellow. Surprisingly,he found none. He took young Rob aside and spoke seriously to him."There's an extra fifty pounds in it for you, Rob, if you stick tomy side like glue."
Rob cocked a questioning eyebrow at him.
"It's very simple. I don't wish you to leaveme alone with the widow," he said with a laugh.
"She looks like a grand piece. Willing,too!"
"Too damned willing, that's the trouble.You've heard the expression, 'She'll have your guts for garters'?Well, this one would have your balls for earrings."
Kitty's face was ever before him. Histhoughts dwelled on the times she had been warm in his arms. Thescent of her lingered in his dreams, and many had been the night onthe long voyage when he had tossed sleepless upon his narrow bunkwhile her vision teased him with a burning, consuming desire. Shewas in his blood now, never to be denied. She was his love; hisonly love. The thought of other women was like ashes to him. Hisone thought was to get away from the plantation as soon aspossible.
Jacquine was burning with impatience to gethim alone, but when Patrick kept up a steady conversation with thecommon seaman who accompanied him, her pique smoldered beneath thesurface.
The table was being set only for two. Patrickquirked an eyebrow at Jacquine. "Surely there will be three of usfor lunch, or aren't you joining us, madame?"
She gasped audibly. "I presumed your servantwould dine in the servants' hall, Patrick."
