"don't walk away from me kitty... this is your home-"
"you took my home away from me and threw me to the wolves for five years, your grace."
returning to the ton after being sent away to live in france for five years is lady katherine 'kitty' chatha...
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it had been a long journey from overseas but at last the young katherine chatham had arrived in england and was travelling to london. she couldn't help but feel her nerves worsen as the carriage wheels hit against the rough roads and the horses kept up a rhythmic beat of their hooves. with every second that they inched closer to london the distinction between apprehension and excitement became more difficult.
for five long years kitty had been away from england, her family, everything she knew. how she longed to speak to people, to look into their eyes as they spoke instead of penning letters hoping that they could feel her true emotion through dried ink on paper.
kitty's initial anger at being sent away turned into resentment which was now, after years, a sense of longing. of course part of her naturally still hated her father for sending her away as a punishment but she had made peace with it, or rather, accepted it temporarily in the hope of the marquess allowing her to return to england.
and here she was, sat opposite her maid, eyes fixated now upon the carriage floor her bottom lip held between her teeth tightly.
"is there something wrong, m'lady?"
"no, not at all." kitty looked up quickly out of her daze, breathing out while letting a hesitant smile play across her lips, "i missed you most dearly eliza.".
eliza had travelled from chatham house in london and had been waiting at the docks to greet her mistress, having not seen kitty since that cold morning when the 16 year old girl was ushered onto a ship. she was a lady short in stature, dark curls scraped back into a neat bun hidden under a bonnet with tired brown eyes.
having been kitty's mother's maid and kitty's personal lady's maid since she was 6 years of age, eliza knew kitty better than most. for 10 years she had taken care of the girl as if she were her own, until kitty was sent away under the facade of education, travel and a necessary 'maternal' figure which could only be found in some french aristocratic aunt. only the chatham household knew the true reason for kitty's sudden departure.
seeing kitty now, as grown as she was, almost bought a tear to eliza's eyes.
"how was france my lady-"
"call me kitty, please, eliza, it is just you and i. i do not care about propriety right now." kitty interrupted, pulling the hood of her cream cloak down, allowing the spring air to warm her face.
"your father would have my head!"
"well he shall be none the wiser! i hated france at first and never truly grew to like it if i am honest, but i suppose i became accustomed to it. the weather was certainly the most pleasant part."
"the house was quiet without you i must say, especially when the earl left to go to oxford. your father kept us busy."
"i do not doubt it. how is my brother?" kitty felt her heart ache a little. of course she had corresponded as often as she could with her elder brother, but she still worried about him. he would not tell her directly if anything was wrong. he had a habit of protecting kitty from all that he could.
