A Great Beauty

by A. O'Connor

  It was the opening night of a show in the West End. The playwright was a good friend of Hazel’s and was anxious that Michael should attend it and the party afterwards.

  As they finished the day of frustrating negotiations, Michael left the conference room with the other delegates.

  Arthur Griffith sighed loudly as they made their way down the stairs.

  “I do not know how we will break this stalemate,” he said.

  “Tomorrow is Saturday – I suggest we meet first thing in the morning at Hans Place to discuss strategy,” said Michael. “I’ll be there after eight o’clock Mass.” He looked at his watch, anxious that he would not be late meeting Hazel for the theatre.

  “Yes, perhaps things may be more positive after a good night’s sleep,” said Arthur.

  “I imagine Michael has anything but a good night’s sleep in mind,” said Erskine Childers. “What’s your social diary tonight, Michael?”

  Sensing the mood darken, Arthur moved on quickly to join the other delegates ahead of them.

  “And what’s that supposed to mean, Childers?” demanded Michael.

  “Well, one would imagine that you have forgotten the reason for your being in London. We are here to negotiate the independence of our country, not to become ‘Playboys of the Western World’! I can’t keep up with the whirl of social events you are attending as reported in the newspapers!”

  “Well, you more than anyone should know not to believe what you read in the newspapers!”

  “Very true – but I think in this case the British press are reporting things accurately.”

  Michael felt his temper rise. One hand on a hip with his other hand outstretched, he pointed back to the conference room they just left. “Nobody fights as hard as I do in there! I put every part of my being in there every minute of every hour, fighting for our country! You or anybody else can’t say anything different! I’m hoarse from the horse-trading I’m doing. So, what if I go to a few events at night? So fucking what? It keeps me sane!”

  “You’re getting too close to the enemy, Michael,” Erskine said in a low voice. “You are keeping some strange bedfellows for an Irish patriot and it will come back to haunt you. Have you asked yourself how well you know this Hazel Lavery? She could be a British spy, reporting everything back while you, the head of our Intelligence, is taken in by a pretty face!”

  As Michael struggled to control his emotions and marshal his thoughts, Erskine walked off to the join the rest of the delegates.

  Michael rushed back to Cadogan Gardens and quickly wrote a letter to Kitty before getting ready for the night out at the theatre. Erskine’s words had upset him and cast a shadow on the night.

  The horn of an automobile blew a few times outside. Michael glanced out his window and saw Hazel’s automobile waiting downstairs.

  He hurried down and, shouting goodbye to the others, hurried out to the waiting car.

  For once Michael was not accompanied by his cohort of bodyguards. Princess Mary, the King’s only daughter, was expected to attend and Hazel felt showing up with Michael’s usual bodyguards might not be seen as diplomatically correct.

  Hazel was not driving herself and, as they made their way to the theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue, she chatted away about her friend the playwright.

  “Although he is keen to meet you, I daresay he is after the free publicity your attendance will bring!” she said.

  “How do I look?” she asked as she checked her appearance in her mirror.

  He studied her in her glittering white gown and white fur coat.

  “You look beautiful, Hazel,” he said quietly.

  “Thank you.” She snapped her mirror shut and turned to him. “I must say I am glad we got that black-tie suit for you – you’ve got plenty of wear out of it!”

  He smiled and shrugged, before frowning. “Maybe too much wear …”

  “Michael, is everything alright – you seem very quiet tonight? Did the negotiations today go badly?”

  He raised his eyes to heaven. “They go badly every day! Nothing new there. It’s just something Childers said to me when I was leaving Downing Street.”

  “Yes?”

  “He said I was fraternising with the enemy and letting the side down.”

  “Meaning me – I take it?”

  “You amongst others. He criticised my lifestyle over here. Implied I was being seduced by London society and all its glamour.”

  “Well, you wouldn’t be the first!” Hazel tried to make light of it.

  “I’m just worried about how all this is playing out back home. I don’t want to be seen as a traitor or falling down on my duties.”

  “Michael!” Hazel reached over and took his hand. “Nobody has thrown themselves into this role, which you never asked for, more energetically than you. You are forging bridges that Britain and Ireland can build on in the future when independence is achieved. You have told me that Childers is one of the chief obstacles to making progress with the treaty. That he resolutely refuses to budge or even discuss compromises. A treaty is about finding a compromise that works for both sides – not just sitting there being obstinate. That attitude ends in war!”

  He nodded. “He is very obstinate on a daily basis.”

  “But do you see how important it is for you to recognise that? You are looking at it from the other point of view – as I am sure Winston and the more reasonable men on the British side are doing too. None of the other delegates have criticised you, have they?”

  “No.”

  “Well, that says it all! We will just have to park Mr. Childers as a lost cause. I certainly wouldn’t allow him to ruin a night at the theatre if I were you!” She smiled at him and he smiled back.

  The play was a hit and Hazel and Michael rose to their feet and applauded with the rest of the audience when the curtains came down. Afterwards they made their way to Claridge’s where the after party was.

  “Lord Felladale, I never had you down as a theatre-goer,” said Hazel as she led Michael around. “You were always too immersed in hunting, shooting and fishing on your country estate to sit in a theatre for a couple of hours.”

  “My dear Lady Lavery, nothing would have given me greater pleasure than to be on my estate hunting, shooting or fishing! However, my dear wife insisted I attend tonight. She is a friend of the playwright.”

  “Indeed – aren’t we all!”

  Lord Felladale’s eyes switched from Hazel to Michael.

  “Lord Felladale, may I introduce you to Mr. Michael Collins,” said Hazel.

  “How do you do?” said Lord Felladale, shaking Michael’s hand.

  “Pleased to meet you, sir. Like you, I might have preferred not to be cooped up in a theatre tonight. Those seats were a bit too small for me!”

  “Yes, I imagine it was rather uncomfortable for you – you are a rather big fellow.”

  “That is indeed my nickname!”

  “Watch out – here comes Princess Mary!” whispered Felladale, stepping aside as Princess Mary swept up to Hazel and Michael.

  “Your Royal Highness!” greeted Hazel with an exaggerated courtesy.

  CHAPTER 46

  One evening in Cadogan Gardens Michael could hear the others downstairs playing music and making much merriment. They had called up to him a few times to come down. But he was in no mood to join them. He realised how much he had changed since he had arrived a few short weeks ago. At the beginning of their stay, he wouldn’t have dreamt of not being downstairs with the rest of them, having a party. Now, he felt he couldn’t quite fit in and would have nothing to contribute to them enjoying themselves. He was laden down with pressure from the negotiations. It had been another intense day. Even as he stretched out on his bed, reading the letter from Kitty that had arrived that morning, it did not lift his spirits. A couple of months ago he would have given anything to hear her declaring undying love in a letter but now he couldn’t even concentrate on her words. Kitty was due to visit London with Maud in a few days�
�� time. They had been arranging the visit for the past few weeks. She wrote she could not wait to see him and was counting the minutes and seconds. He also couldn’t wait to see her. He felt he had lost his way in London and needed to see her. He jumped up off the bed and made his way downstairs. He glanced into the drawing room where the party was in full swing, slipped down the corridor and out the back door.

  Seeing there was nobody about, he made his way down to Sloane Square and continued walking through the dark November evening to the bottom of the Kings Road before taking the turn to Kensington.

  He soon arrived at 5 Cromwell Place and pulled the doorbell.

  “Mr. Collins! I don’t think we were expecting you?” said Gordon on answering the door.

  “Is Lady Lavery home?”

  “I’m afraid she is not as neither is Sir John. They are out to dinner.”

  “Oh!” Michael’s face dropped with disappointment.

  “I’m not sure how long they will be – but would you care to wait for them?”

  “Yes, if I could,” said Michael, stepping inside and taking off his coat. “Hazel said I could use the library here if I needed to?”

  “Of course. If you would follow me, sir,” said Gordon.

  It was after one in the morning by the time Hazel and John arrived home.

  “Did you have a good evening, sir, madam?” asked Gordon, taking their coats in the hallway.

  “Yes, very good, Gordon,” said John. “Although Londonderry’s cook isn’t a patch on our own.”

  “Delighted to hear it, sir. Em … Mr. Collins is here.”

  “Michael! Where?” asked Hazel.

  “I showed him into the library as he wanted to do some research. He arrived earlier looking for you and I suggested he should wait. I didn’t realise you would be so late, or I would have told him –”

  Hazel didn’t wait hear any more as she dashed down the hallway and up the stairs, leaving John and Gordon to stare after her.

  She raced down a corridor until she reached the library. She was overcome with a feeling of joy that Michael was there and had come to seek her out. At the same time she was frustrated that she had missed an evening of his company which she had wasted listening to Charlie and Edith.

  She flung open the library door, calling, “Michael!”

  To her surprise, she found the room was in darkness apart from the coals glowing in the fireplace. Michael was stretched out on the couch while several books were open on the floor beside him.

  “Michael?” she asked gently as she approached, but she saw he was fast asleep. She looked down at the books he had been reading and, picking them up, she saw they were all political books about the systems of government in places like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. She put them on the table before turning and leaving.

  She returned five minutes later carrying a large blanket. She knelt beside Michael and covered him with the blanket. He stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes.

  “Hazel,” he whispered.

  “It’s alright, Michael. You go back to sleep. I’ve just put a blanket over you. You’ll be safe and warm here and I’ll be upstairs if you need anything.”

  He closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep. She remained kneeling there, studying his face in the firelight. She could hardly tear herself away from him but knew John would be waiting. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead before rising and going to the door. She took another look at him before forcing herself to leave.

  CHAPTER 47

  As the train pulled into Euston Station, Kitty had her head out the window, her eyes searching the platform.

  “Can you see him?” asked Maud, pushing her sister out of the way and sticking her head out.

  “I’d be more capable of seeing him if you moved out of my way!” said Kitty, pulling Maud back and pushing her head out the window again.

  As the train pulled to a halt, they grabbed their bags, opened the door and stepped onto the platform.

  “I hope he hasn’t forgotten to meet us!” said Maud as they pushed through the crowded platform.

  “Hardly! I’m supposed to be his fiancée!” snapped Kitty.

  “Kitty!” came a shout and she turned around to see Michael standing there.

  She stared at him for a moment, hardly believing it was him and she was there in London with him. She pushed past the people, ran into his open arms and kissed him.

  “Well, there’s a welcome a fella doesn’t get every day!” he said, kissing her back.

  “I hope not from any other girl anyway!” said Kitty, kissing him again.

  “I feel like a gooseberry!” Maud said.

  “Ah, Maud, come here to me,” said Michael as he went to Maud and hugged her.

  “Ah, you look great, Mick!” said Maud. “Doesn’t he look great, Kitty?”

  “You surely do! Where did all this come from?” she asked, running a finger down his fine suit.

  “Savile Row,” he said as he took both their cases and they began to walk quickly down the platform.

  “Savile Row, no less!” said Kitty.

  “Well, when you are meeting the Prime Minister of England every day, you have to look your finest and be fashionable,” said Maud.

  “Fashion! Sure, what do I know about fashion! If I hadn’t Hazel there deciding, I’d be still there in the shop scratching my head wondering what to buy!”

  Maud glanced at Kitty, but her face did not reveal her feelings.

  “Lucky you had Hazel so,” Kitty then said with a smirk, “or who’d be here to collect us from the train station while you decided what shirt to buy?”

  Emmet and Joe were waiting in the front of the automobile.

  “Here are the girls, lads! If you thought the parties were wild at Cadogan Gardens up until now, wait until you see these two let their hair down!” said Michael as he opened the back door.

  “Shut up, you big lump!” said Kitty as she laughed and got into the back of the automobile. “Hello, lads!”

  “And that’s Park Avenue,” said Michael, pointing to the street as they passed it. “That’s where Lloyd George’s private secretary Sir Philip Sassoon lives in a mansion that is about the size of Grafton Street.”

  “Sassoon? What kind of a name is that? Is he foreign?” asked Maud.

  “No – he’s as English as they come!” laughed Michael.

  “He must be related to the war poet,” said Kitty. “You know, Siegfried Sassoon?”

  “Cousins, I believe – and I hear he’s from the Rothschild family – you know, the big bankers. Anyway, whoever he is related to, he’s a very nice fella,” Michael adopted a posh English accent, “or fellow as they say here! And that’s Harrods, the world-famous store.”

  “I don’t care what else I do in London, I will not be happy until I get into that store and take a look around,” said Maud, salivating at the sight of it as they drove by.

  “You’ll do more than that. I’ll get Kathleen to bring both of ye up here for a shopping trip and ye can buy whatever ye want on me!”

  “Oh, thank you, Mick!” cried Maud, kissing his cheek.

  “We should come to London more often, Maud!” said Kitty, winking over at her. “We’d end up being the best-dressed girls in Ireland!”

  “And this is Chelsea,” said Michael. “It’s around here a lot of the posh people live – the lords and ladies.”

  “Is this where Lord and Lady Lavery live?” asked Kitty, looking out at the big houses.

  “No – they are up the road in South Kensington. But it’s not that far away, A short walk. Ah – here we are – Cadogan Gardens.”

  As they approached the house, Kitty saw several police officers outside and a group of men.

  “Who are these people?” she asked.

  “Newspaper men and their photographers,” answered Michael.

  “Newspaper men!” exclaimed Kitty. “What are they doing here?”

  “They’re nearly always around, looking for a story,” s
aid Michael.

  “Looking for a story! But sure, there’s no story about us – we’re just two country girls over for the weekend!” said Maud with a laugh.

  But as the automobile parked at the side of the road in front of the house, Kitty realised she was very much a story. The press there would go crazy with excitement if they knew she was Michael’s fiancée. She did not want people to find this out through a story run in the press. More particularly, she didn’t want Harry and his family discovering by accident she was engaged to Michael.

  “I wish you’d warned me these were camped outside the house, Mick,” she said.

  “Just keep your head down and head straight to the front door,” said Michael as he pushed the door open.

  Kitty got out of the automobile and, as the newspapermen rushed towards them, she shielded her face and raced to the door.

  Inside, she wondered if she would be sorry she had come.

  Everyone in the house at Cadogan Gardens went out of their way to make Kitty and Maud feel welcome. They were given a beautiful bedroom each on the top floor.

  Kitty immediately sensed the loyalty they all had for Michael. As she watched their interaction, she would go so far as to say the love they had for him.

  On that first night they all stayed in and had a wonderful dinner of venison. The drink flowed and the chat and laughter never stopped through dinner. As Kitty sat beside Michael at the top of the table, she watched the jokes and jibes flying between him and the others. As much as she too enjoyed it, she longed to be on her own with Michael, but she couldn’t see much chance of that yet, with the house full of people. And with police and newspapermen outside, they couldn’t even go for a walk.