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Kitty was shaken as she left the room. She had only spent a small amount of time with the lord, but it had left her flushed and excited. Something about the way he looked at her mixed with the way he bantered with her was thrilling. Nothing close to what any other man had made her feel. The problem was she didn’t need that kind of distraction this weekend.
“There you are, my dear.” Patrick approached her from the other end of the hallway as she made her escape. “I have been looking everywhere for you.”
“I’m sorry, I needed a little bit of quiet and the other rooms were too crowded.”
“You were alone?”
His eyes went up and down, then focused on her face which she could feel was a bright red by now.
“No, unfortunately I was interrupted by one of our opponents.”
“A handsome one? With dark red hair and a charming smile?” Patrick grinned broadly at her, as he extended an arm. “I noticed he was missing from the party as well. I’m glad to find that you are beginning to enjoy the festivities a bit more.”
“I wasn’t enjoying anything.”
“Then you weren’t doing it correctly.”
The old man gave her a wink and she couldn’t help but chuckle. He was incorrigible.
“I wish I could be as relaxed as you are about this.” Katherine told him as they walked. “I feel as though I can’t breathe most of the time.”
“Nothing is ever as bad as we think it is.”
“If we don’t win the competition, we will end up on the streets.”
“We have been there before. We survived.”
Kitty still had vivid memories of when they would be on the road with the show and have no place to stay. Sleeping in tents, in the middle of fields and having to bathe in the freezing cold creeks. Or worse, when they could not bathe at all. After she got married, she swore she would never go back to that kind of life again.
“I’m not as young as I was then.” She mumbled.
“Neither am I, but I’m not so old that I am ready to give up.”
Patrick stopped them both and turned her to face him, using one finger to tilt up her chin and look her in the eyes.
“This is not all up to you, my dear. We are in this together and whatever the outcome, we will face it together. Don’t take the full burden on yourself.”
Looking at Patrick’s sweet face, Katherine could feel the tears stinging in the back of her eyes. He was the only family she had. She felt even more determined to make sure they didn’t reach that point at all.
“I think I will retire early tonight.” She told him. “Perhaps some sleep will make me more amenable.”
“You are always charming, but you do look a little tired. Do you want me to walk you up?”
Katherine shook her head. There was no reason for both of them to leave the party. Patrick was having fun and deserved it. Things had been difficult for him since her husband’s death. Kitty envied him for having found the love of his life. The few years the two men had together were wonderful, but she couldn’t imagine the kind of pain Patrick felt now, behind the facade.
“No, you stay. Enjoy the party and keep an eye on the other players. I want to make sure we have the edge in tomorrow night’s game.”
She reached up to give him a peck on the cheek and he patted her on the hand before releasing her at the bottom of the stairs.
The accommodations she was given in the house were splendid. The room boasted a large, comfortable bed and a window with a view of the gardens. The expensive rug on the floor matched the expensive blue silk wallpaper on the walls. It was made to put guests with good taste at ease.
The townhome she had lived in with Patrick and her husband was nice, but small. They had no need for a large space and they only required two rooms. They only had one housekeeper, who was especially discreet and never questioned the sleeping arrangements. Kitty cringed at the thought of having to let her go if this plan of their failed. There was no telling if she would let secrets slip.
“I wondered how long I was going to have to wait up here.”
Kitty froze inside her room, her face towards the door and her hand still on the knob. She could run if she needed to, but that would cause a scene.
“Don’t you remember me, Kitty?”
Slowly, she turned to see who spoke and her stomach dropped. She did remember him. Lord Christopher Hampton stood near the bed, one hand wrapped around one of the four posters. He hadn’t changed a bit since the last time they met, but she no longer felt the same. Instead of flutter of excitement at seeing him, she felt like she might be sick.
“How could I forget the coward that ruined my life?”
“Ouch, that hurts.” Nothing in his expression showed the slightest remorse. “I’m hardly the only one to blame for what happened. You should have been more cautious.”
“I trusted you because I loved you. I thought you loved me as well.”
“I never said that I did.”
“No, but you said everything else a girl wants to hear. You even said you were going to marry me.”
“I said we could run off together and we did.”
“You left me penniless and stranded at a roadside inn, after taking my virtue.”
“Let’s be honest, I took nothing. You gave yourself to me, which shows you have poor judgement.”
Crying out, Kitty reached for the closest thing she could, which happened to be a small but expensive looking vase of flowers and threw it at him. The glass shattered loudly as it fell at his feet.
“Get out of this room right now!” She yelled at him.
People might hear them and come running, so he needed to leave quickly.
He grabbed her and covered her mouth with his hand. There was a wild anger in his eyes and a fierce look on his face. Kitty stilled. She had never seen him like this before.
“I’m going to release your mouth, but if you scream another hateful word I will choke you into silence.”
Christopher had always been gentle and polite with her. Even when he left her stranded, there had been no violence involved. He snuck away in the night. Now he looked like he would hurt her and feel no remorse for it. She nodded her compliance and he slowly pulled his hand away from her face.
“That wasn’t a nice way to greet a potential protector.” He said, keeping one arm still wrapped around her waist stopping her from moving away. “Considering the dire circumstances you are in, you should be more accommodating to those who might be willing to help.”
“I have never been willing to be any man’s mistress.” She hissed, this time keeping her voice down.
“I remember, which is why I had to deceive you to get what I wanted. But now you don’t have many other options.”
“I’m no longer an innocent farm girl. You made sure of that.”
“No, you are an actress who married a man with many secrets and empty pockets. That makes you a penniless widow with a shady past.” Christopher laughed. “What kind of future could you possibly hope for without taking a lover?”
Kitty felt her mouth drop open. No one was supposed to know about her life in theater.
“Surprised I know so much? I like to keep track of my conquests, especially when they suddenly appear in the same ballrooms as me.”
Kitty didn’t remember ever seeing Christopher on her rare nights out, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. That’s the trouble with London, too many faces in the crowd.
“I would never accept you as my lover. I would rather beg in the streets.” She said.
“Once you lose your status and privilege, I won’t need your permission. There are a lot of terrible things that happen to women in the streets.”
He pulled her tighter against his body where she could feel his repulsive erection and she struggled against him. That seemed to only excite him more and he smiled in a sick way at her. A knock at the door made him stop.
“Kitty, are you alright? I heard a noise.”
It was Patrick coming to check on her.
Christopher got a mean look in his eye and pressed a finger to his lips. If Patrick knew the kind of trouble she was in, he might attempt to save her and get hurt. He was hardly the heroic type.
“I was being clumsy and dropped something. I hope the host won’t be upset with me.”
She lied to protect her dear friend. Christopher’s expression was smug.
“If we win the purse, I imagine we can replace the item easy enough.” She could hear Patrick chuckle. “Possibly buy them something nicer as a token of appreciation. Just keep thinking about that beautiful prize.”
“I will, thank you.”
Christopher waited until Patrick moved away from the door and down the hallway before releasing her. He bent over, laughing so hard his entire body shook. Kitty knew better than to think it was light-hearted. She began inching away from him.
“Is that your plan? You think you will win the purse this weekend and be able to support yourself and that ridiculous old man with it?” Christopher was finally able to speak again, while wiping the tears of laughter from his face. “I didn’t think you even knew how to play cards.”
“I didn’t, but it is one of the many things I learned after we parted. My husband even taught me a few tricks.”
“He was a decent player, but he couldn’t win this game. I doubt he could have taught you to play better than he did.”
“I have a natural skill for it.”
By this time, Kitty had managed to move close enough to reach the items on her vanity, including a sharp pair of scissors. If he attempted to attack her again, this time she would be ready. Defending herself was another lesson her husband had insisted she learn.
“I remember there were many things that you were naturally skilled at.” A smug, sick smile spread across his lips. “I look forward to seeing if you have learned any new tricks in that area as well. You must have done something special in order to marry a gentleman with the kind of past you had.”
“A past you forced me into.”
Christopher shrugged. “You would have ended up there without me; I just hurried it along.”
The tears in her eyes stung and Kitty swallowed the sob in her throat. She wished she had been experienced enough when she met Christopher to know what a terrible man he was. Instead, she had been young and easily impressed by his charming behavior and sweet words. There is nothing as vile as a man who steals a girl’s innocence with lies.
“Please leave.” Kitty asked, this time picking up the pair of scissors and pointing them at him. “I wouldn’t want to have to make a mess in this lovely room.”
A flash of pure hatred flickered in his expression before it relaxed.
“Of course. Wouldn’t want you to be too exhausted to play tomorrow. I’m going to enjoy watching you lose and being there to offer you my help. I know you will be much more agreeable once it becomes your only hope.”
Kitty stood rigid, weapon in hand, until after the door had closed. She rushed at it to make sure it was locked and then slid into a heap of tears upon the floor.