Changing Kitty

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

As soon as Kitty had been left alone in her bedchamber she took it as a chance to escape. She just wanted out of her house. She didn’t want to have to face her parent’s disappointed expressions.

As she stole down the staircase stepping a silently as possible she was stopped by the same man that had ratted her out to her parents in the first place.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

Kitty should have been wary as she had been caught once again doing something that she shouldn’t have done. “Out,” she said poisonously.

Captain Aubrey smiled at her slightly. Kitty didn’t know what he was doing up and still completely dressed in his naval uniform but she wasn’t about to start a complete conversation about it with him. “I know you think I’m the enemy, Kitty, but time will tell you that I’ve helped you. You will thank me for it one day,” he said confidently.

Kitty arched her eyebrows. “Don’t hold your breath ... or do,” she snapped and went to push past him on the stairs but he caught her upper arm. There was always a feeling of hesitation whenever she was touched by another man, but it didn’t feel wrong which she cursed herself for.

“Lady Kitty, walk with me,” he commanded. He offered her his arm which she felt obligated to take. He led her down the stairs and out into the courtyard that she had seen him standing in on the night of her family’s ball. He looked up at the stars like she had seen him do before and sighed. “There was once a woman named Frances Hepburn. She was beautiful, more beautiful than any other woman that was being presented to society. Everyone thought that she had been born to be a duchess. But Frances fell; she was seduced by a man who she thought loved her. There she was, seventeen and with child, and completely ruined.”

Kitty’s eyes widened. “What happened to her?” she whispered.

“She was sent by her parents to have the child in the country at her grandparent’s residence. Once the child was born she was sent Paris and lived the remainder of her life in a convent,” Captain Aubrey replied, still looking at the stars.

“And the child?” she prompted.

“He was fine. He was raised by farmers in the local village. He grew up happy and healthy and joined the navy when he was old enough and went up through the ranks until he was Captain,” he smiled looking down at her.

Kitty’s eyes widened with realisation. Captain Aubrey knew exactly what happened to women when they were ruined. He was the product of a woman being ruined. She didn’t know what to say to him.

“You needn’t say anything, it’s not a story I tell very often,” he smiled at her, as if he had read her mind. “I see women like you whenever we make port. Lively and enthusiastic, and I just can’t help but fear that what happened to my mother will happen to you. It is a warning, Lady Kitty. You don’t deserve extradition.”