Kittie was enjoying the opportunity to walk outside of the house each day, making her way outside nearly fifteen minutes before the lessons were to begin. Mr Whitman had been arriving early and it continually gave them an opportunity to talk and get to know one another better.
She knew that it was a mistake to hope that he was doing it intentionally, that he was trying to find her and speak with her also. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but have hope. Whenever she saw his lovely, smiling face, Kittie’s heart leapt, and she knew that she wanted to be with this man.
“You really do know everything,” she teased him after he recited a poem while they walked up to the house.
“I know very little,” he replied, insistent. “But what I do know, I make the effort to know well. That is the difference between myself and many other men who are, perhaps, far more intelligent than I.”
“I disagree entirely. I think there is no man out there as intelligent as you and I find it fascinating that you would suggest otherwise,” she said.
“How so? Why is it fascinating?”
“Because you are so dedicated to making yourself smaller that you do not realise just how grand you are,” she said.
Mr Whitman laughed, and Kittie shrugged, having meant every word of it.
“You are very kind, Lady Montague, but I fear that I am not as grand as you think I am,” he said.
“You shall just have to prove that to me. Otherwise, I will never believe you,” she said.
“And if you do not believe me, you do not trust me. I should like for you to trust me,” he said.
They reached the front door and paused, looking at one another for a long moment before turning back to the door, remembering that they needed to get inside so they could have their lesson.
Kittie enjoyed his company so much, but she knew that it was foolish to think that anything could ever happy between them. She wondered if Mr Whitman fancied her in return, but couldn’t ask, knowing that her interest would amount to nothing. Richard would be furious if he ever found out that she was even thinking along these lines with a man who was hired to be Henry’s tutor.
But just as Kittie was thrilled to sit in on another lesson, to enjoy more time with Mr Whitman, even with Henry present, she was also sad. This was the last day before Richard would return and it was the final lesson she would have with Mr Whitman before she was certain Richard would ban her from studying at all. There would be no further opportunities to enjoy the company of this man she cared for or his mind, which she found equally fascinating.
“Very well, we must continue on in our Latin. Gabriel, tell me, what is the importance of knowing not only Latin phrases, but also the meaning behind them?” Mr Whitman asked.
“We cannot study only the words without knowing their context,” Henry replied.
“Excellent. So, what does it mean with I say Carthago delenda est?” Mr Whitman asked.
Henry paused and thought about it.
“I am not sure about Carthago, but it is a statement that something must be destroyed,” Henry said.
“Indeed. And we are speaking of Carthage. So, what is behind this phrase? Why must Carthage be destroyed?” Mr Whitman asked.
Henry chewed his lip, trying to figure out the answer. At last, Kittie chimed in.
“This was a popular phrase during the Second Punic War,” she said.
Henry’s shoulders slumped.
“I knew that. Kittie, I wish I had your mind for remembering. Of course, it was the phrase they used,” Henry said.
“Do not scold yourself, Henry. You have an excellent mind. You simply have to put things within the context as your sister has done,” Mr Whitman said.
“Of course,” Henry replied.
Mr Whitman looked at Kittie and gave her a gentle nod.
“Excellent work.”
A bitter scoff sounded behind Kittie and she turned to look in the doorway. There, much to her dismay, stood Richard, an expression of disdain upon his face.
“Richard?” she asked, her skin going cold at the sight of him.
“To your room at once, Katherine,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Wait, Richard, you must listen to me. I know you are angry, but I can explain,” she said.
“You will do no such thing. You will go to your room right now. I will deal with you later,” he hissed.
Kittie paused, unable to move. She had a terrible feeling that she had just gotten Mr Whitman into trouble, all because she had insisted upon staying in the lessons and being a part of them. She feared that, now, Richard would use this as a chance to demand higher standards from Mr Whitman that he would not be able to follow or that he would release Mr Whitman altogether and she would never see him again.
No matter what happened, Kittie wished she could undo her choices that had led to this. She wished that she could make things right and talk to Richard before he did anything rash. She was petrified that she had caused Mr Whitman to get into trouble that he never deserved or asked for.
“Go,” Richard insisted.
Kittie relented, knowing that it would do no one any good if she remained there, indignant and trying to fight against her brother’s orders. Instead of allowing herself to fight, she made her way out of the room, quickly departing so Richard wouldn’t be further angered by her presence.
She rushed up the stairs, trying to stay close enough along the wall that she would not be seen if she tried to listen to what happened next, but she was disappointed to find that she could hear nothing from there. Instead of learning what might happen to Mr Whitman, she had only found herself further away, hoping that nothing would get any worse.