Changing Kitty

Chapter 3

Sabine threw Kitty and exasperated look. “I like dancing,” she sighed. “I guess I’m just not that confident around London society, I feel as though they are scrutinising my every move. Every time I dance with a man that a fine lady had her eye on for her daughter I hear whispers about me. I feel as though I’m not good enough.”

Kitty pouted. “Not good enough? Sabine, you’re an Earl’s daughter! You would be a fine match for any man,” she assured her. She knew it for she had received quite a few offers during her seasons.

Sabine smiled thankfully towards Kitty. “And it is usually me trying to make you see rationally,” she laughed lightly.

Kitty nodded in agreement. “Who knew it would be me that was the logical one,” she winked.

“I received a letter from mama today,” Sabine said in a slightly annoyed tone. “They’ve hired another stable hand – a Scotsman.”

Kitty knew how fond her cousin was of her horse. They had an amazing bond. It was obvious when she visited how much Sabine and Puissant trusted each other. “A Scotsman?” Kitty raised her eyebrows. “What’s he doing in England, I wonder?”

Sabine shrugged her shoulders. “His name is Mr McKenzie and apparently he was hired after he caught Puissant after she broke free of the stables.”

“Well that’s a good thing, then, isn’t it?” Kitty thought aloud. “If he hadn’t been there Puissant could have been halfway to Wales before they even knew she was missing.”

“I know in my head that what you’re saying is logical but I just wish I was home looking after her. I wouldn’t care if I never received an offer, I’d rather spend time in my stable,” Sabine sighed.

Kitty lightly slapped Sabine on the back as she rose from the bed. “Come now, we will not dwell on what we once had ... for example I’m choosing not to dwell on the fact that I have an incompetent naval captain living in my house who enjoys talking about utter nonsense,” Kitty growled under her breath. “Have you ever heard of Cassiopeia?” she asked her cousin.

Sabine nodded. “I learnt about her during lessons when I was younger,” she replied. “Why do you ask?”

Kitty furrowed her eyebrows. “Why on earth would you learn about a vain queen during lessons?”

Sabine shrugged. “I didn’t actually learn that Cassiopeia was named after a vain queen until later on, I first learnt about the constellation. Mama felt guilty that Philip and Louis were able to attend Eton so she designed a similar curriculum for me,” she replied simply. “I learnt about history, geography, literature, arithmetic and all sorts of religions, it was quite interesting. And then of course I would go outside and spend the rest of the day in the stables.”

Kitty was amazed. When she was in the schoolroom she learnt about languages, music, drawing and dancing. She could embroider and play the pianoforte but she couldn’t do much else. It never occurred to her to demand a more extensive education. She didn’t think about what her brother’s were learning when they went away to school; she just sat with her sisters and learnt what her governess told her. “Perhaps he’s right about me,” Kitty whispered under her breath.