Page 90 of The Irish Gypsy
"Of course not." She gave him a quick,reassuring smile, but she was far from reassured. She'd have to seehim now. She had sworn she wouldn't attend the command performancePatrick had ordered her to, but now she knew she had no choice.
She knew before she opened her wardrobe doorwhat she would wear. It was a burnt-orange walking suit edged indeep brown sable. It had cost the earth. She brushed her hair untilthe black curls cascaded down her back, and perched the matchingfur hat on a saucy angle. She took a parcel from the bottom bureaudrawer and marched forth to do battle.
Patrick opened the door himself; she notedthere were no servants in evidence. An expression of satisfaction,quickly veiled, came into his face when he saw her. "I knew you'dcome."
"You infuriating bastard, I didn't comebecause you ordered me to," she spat.
He looked at her with distaste. "If you liveto be a thousand, you'll never become a lady," he said quietly. "Atleast wait until you're over the threshold before you startscreaming like a banshee."
She trembled with rage, but at the same timerealized he had the advantage so long as he kept rigid control ofhis temper.
More calmly she stepped inside. "It appearsyou delude yourself with the idea that you are the aggrieved partyand deserve some sort of explanation. Let me quickly disabuse youof any such notion, Mr. O'Reilly."
His temper flared. "You shallow little bitch,you think a simple explanation on your part is enough to seteverything right when you've done your damndest to destroy me andalmost succeeded."
She looked around for a seat. "I might aswell make myself comfortable while you bore me with an interminablecatalog of grievances."
He towered over her, his wrath frighteningher more than a little. She had had to sit down because hertrembling legs had threatened to collapse.
"It was the simplest request in the world.All you had to do was wait for me. I gave you money and I gave youmy word that I would return and we would be married. But oh, no,you acted the thoughtless, selfish, willful child and came racingheadlong to America. A more stupid act I cannot conceive of. Theysay the Irish are thick, and by God they're right! I should haveknown better than to pick you out of the bog! You're as wild anduncivilized as a bloody aborigine from a rain forest and alwayswill be!" He caught his breath and her beauty stabbed him to theheart. "The great pity is you have no conception of the pain andheartache you've caused me," he went on in a quieter tone. "Theytold me at the plantation you had died from the fever and showed meyour grave. I kept vigil and mourned at that graveside like afaithful dog! I didn't want to stay in America, but I couldn't bearto leave you in the cold ground alone. It almost turned my brain. Icame to the conclusion that my only way out was to join you indeath. Then I discovered you hadn't died but had been sold as aslave. There are no words to describe what I went through then. Ihad rather you were dead a thousand times over than sold to somebrothel." The quiet voice was deceiving; it masked a fierce temper.He sneered now. "I should have known not to worry about you. Youcan take care of yourself better than anyone who ever drew breath,can't you, Kitty? Well, I hope you're pleased with yourself.Because of your blind ambition for a title, you've deprived me ofmy own son!"
"Permission to speak, milord?" she asked withheavy sarcasm.
"Granted." He nodded and settled back with acheroot, exhaling the smoke to mask his expression.
She did not use an accusing tone but decidedto set forth the facts as simply and quietly as she could.
"The same night you left me, I was frightenedout of my sleep. I discovered my husband and his friend rapingTerry. I shot my husband through the head. It was an accident ofcourse, but even so it took a great deal of explaining on my part.I went to London after the funeral, hoping you'd been delayed. Imet Charles there. He was kind and compassionate and asked me tomarry him. The idea of marrying any but you was unthinkable, evenwhen I discovered that you had gone away and left me with child. Myone thought and desire was to reach you as soon as possible. Somenotion of honor kept me from wanting to be the mother of a bastard.Your whore shackled me to a black man and sold me to the slavetrader. I was resold to a brothel in the islands, but before Icould be delivered, Charles rescued me. I stood before Charles inthis shift, my belly distended with your child, and he took me tohis heart and cherished me." She handed him the parcel and tore itopen for him. He pulled out the orange rag caked with dirt andencrusted blood.
Instead of recoiling from it, he held it tohis cheek and said, "Forgive me."
"You are probably right. Most of the blame ismine. Damn if I cry, I'm undone," she said, dashing away her tears.He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped her eyes.
"Please, I insist, let me be the villain," hesaid and smiled.
"A bloody role that suits you down to theground!" she cried, snatching the hanky from him and blowing hernose.
"Darling Kitty, we've hurled accusations ateach other, spat out our hatred and venom, and after all the bloodand tears, it still boils down to one thing: You're mine, and Iwant you!"
"Patrick, it's too late for that," she saidwearily.
"Listen to me, kitten. I've murdered for you.Killing brutalizes a man and reduces his quality. I'll stop atnothing to have you. Besides, it's clear you want me too."
"Patrick, you must listen to me. The onlyreason I came here tonight was because Julia said you might investthe money from the mills in slaves. I came to beg you to havenothing to do with slavery. I don't want you to destroy yoursoul."
"Julia's a bitch! She lies to amuse herself.Besides, America is on the threshold of a civil war. Mr. Lincolnwill put an end to slavery." He began to undo the buttons on herpelisse."
"Don't do that, Patrick. I'm notstaying."
She put her hands out to stop him and feltthe knotted muscles in his arms quiver. His voice roughened withdesire as his lips found her neck. "You don't think I'm going tolet you go, do you?"
As the old remembered tingling sensationsstarted, she panicked and tried to pull away. She managed the tophalf, but his strong hands slid quickly to her buttocks and pressedher into his thighs. She could feel him hard and ready. As he benthis head to take her lips, he was shocked to see the look of fearin her eyes.
"I'm frightening you," he said, andreluctantly withdrew his arms.
"Patrick, you're so strong. I know you canforce me, but I didn't come here so you could make love to metonight."
"I don't want you just for tonight; I wantyou every night and I want my son. I want you to come away and livewith me. It's love, not lust I feel for you, Kitty. Why are youafraid of me?"
