Mrs. Kennedy and Me: An Intimate Memoir Read Online Free

often become physically tired, she seemed to have an endless amount of mental energy. From the planning of the pre-inaugural gala to the formal balls and the finalization of the guest lists and the invitations, she was intent on putting her touch on everything, and she was well aware that the eyes of the world would be on her.
    I was somewhat surprised by the level of attention the media was already paying to the new first family—especially to Mrs. Kennedy. The press had rarely covered anything President Eisenhower’s wife, Mamie, did, but suddenly the American public seemed to have an insatiable appetite for any news at all about Jacqueline Kennedy. At thirty-one years old, she was the youngest first lady in seventy-five years to occupy the White House, and American women, in particular, were fascinated by what she wore, where she shopped, and what her interests were.
    This intense interest by the public was also one of the biggest problems Agent Jeffries and I had to contend with in terms of protection. Whenever we took her anywhere, she’d immediately be recognized, and before we knew it there would be a swarm of people gawking, and often approaching her to shake her hand. She would smile graciously and offer a polite greeting, but as soon as we were alone, she’d quip, “You’d think I was somebody important, for heaven’s sake.”
    She didn’t enjoy being the center of attention in these situations, and I quickly realized that one of the best ways for me to protect her, and to gain her confidence in me, was to come up with creative ways for her to do the things she wanted, with as much privacy as possible.
    Getting exercise in some form—preferably outdoors—was something that was important to Mrs. Kennedy. She really enjoyed, and seemed to need, a certain amount of physical activity each day. She didn’t have a set schedule, but she would take walks in the various parks, and through the streets of Georgetown. I knew she had previously had one miscarriage and had also delivered a stillborn child, and it was obvious that she was cautious to not overexert herself. In those first days I tried to remain close, but unobtrusive, rarely initiating conversation, but allowing her to take the lead. I wasn’t there to be a friend—my job was to protect her.
    One day we walked down Thirty-fourth Street toward the Potomac River, just a couple of blocks from the Kennedys’ home, to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath. This gravel trail was situated down a steep set of stairs built into the bank alongside the canal, which parallels the Potomac. Heavily wooded and very secluded, the path was quiet and peaceful—a slice of nature hidden from the noise and bustle of the city—and it soon became our route of choice. Usually it would be just the two of us, unless Caroline and Maud Shaw came along, and it was on these walks that both of us began to let our guards down with each other.
    She set the pace and, although she was pregnant, she had excellent posture. She walked very erect, with a brisk yet cautious stride.
    “Mr. Hill,” she explained, “I have to take it somewhat easy because of my pregnancy, as my doctor has advised me. But I need to get as much exercise as possible to maintain my strength, and I do think that being in the fresh air is so good for one’s well-being.”
    Most of the time the path was wide enough for us to walk side by side, but at times it would narrow and I would allow her to walk ahead, while I walked behind, constantly scanning our surroundings. This allowed me to see what was happening in front of us yet also be in a position to protect her from behind.
    I never initiated conversation, but waited for her to take the lead. Sometimes we would walk for a while in silence and then she’d suddenly say something like, “My, the river is really flowing today. Isn’t that a lovely sound?”
    She was very aware of her surroundings and appreciative of nature—the sound of the birds, the changing