Chapter Thirteen
For Kitty, that week passed all too fast. Before she knew it, it was Wednesday and it was time for the ton to get together once again to farewell the naval troops who were going to be gone for quite some time.
True to his word, Sebastian had kept the Alcott family home from the several parties and dinners that they had been invited to and Kitty silently thanked him for it. The time spent at home was the time she spent with her fiancée and that time had been uncomfortable thanks to a conversation Kitty had had with Evangeline.
News of Lady Kitty Alcott’s quick engagement to the Captain had caused quite a stir. Rumours were flying about town suggesting that the Captain was being a gentleman after Sir Walter had ‘soiled’ Lady Kitty, others said that Sebastian had paid the Captain handsomely to wed his ruined daughter just in case she was with child.
Immediately after it was announced, Evangeline had called on Kitty to hear all the gossip. William had been blind sighted by the sudden appearance of the energetic Lady Evangeline who had dragged Kitty away from him.
Evangeline was a frequent guest of Kitty’s so she knew their house well. Before Kitty had known she was up the stairs and shut in her bedchamber.
“Charles and I have never been alone in a room together, let alone had the chance to discuss marriage!” she had exclaimed. “How could you have kept such information hidden from me? I thought I was your best friend!”
Kitty had rolled her eyes at the exasperated looking Evangeline. “You are, Eva,” she had assured her. “It all happened so quickly. At first I loathed him, then that hate turned to admiration and the admiration transformed into love. Come to think of it, I really think I’ve loved him all this time. He is the most magnificent man I’ve ever known.”
Evangeline had squealed with glee and she’d hugged her friend tightly. “Oh, my darling, I am so happy for you!” she’d cheered. “But alas, does he not depart Friday?”
Kitty had nodded. “Yes, this is why our impromptu nuptials are planned for Thursday morning.” She’d smiled warmly at Evangeline. “Eva, will you be my maid of honour?”
Evangeline’s hazel eyes had widened. “Are you sure?” she’d gasped. “Your sisters ...”
“My sisters will be bridesmaids also,” Kitty had finished her sentence. “Eva, you are my best friend. Granted we’ve misbehaved together, but we’ve shared every secret and now I want you to be standing with me at my wedding as I will wish to stand beside you at yours.”
Tears had filled Evangeline’s eyes and she hugged Kitty once more. “Oh, I wish you a lifetime of happiness, my dear Kitty. Is it possible that everything could work out so perfectly for you?”
“I doubt it will be perfect, nothing is perfect, I’m sure there are tumultuous waters ahead but it is nothing we can’t handle,” Kitty had replied.
“But you won’t be together,” Evangeline had pointed out. “You will have one night and then he will be gone. Can you really be without your husband for that long?”
Kitty still didn’t have an answer for that question. She had no idea how she was going to last without seeing William every day. She felt so safe with him, and with him being gone she didn’t know how she was going to cope.
Kitty hadn’t answered so Evangeline had pressed on with her next question. “What if he lies with another?” she’d asked. “Months without the company of his wife ... men get lonely. My mother pretends not to notice but my father has frequent visitors. And your husband will be in the Caribbean ... my, those women are beautiful and exotic, one could not blame him for keeping company with someone once he gets lonely.”
Kitty had felt her heart take off. She hadn’t considered any of the points that Evangeline had brought to her attention. It was not uncommon for married men to take a mistress. Her father was the exception, as well as her Uncle Daniel, but men like them were scarce. What if William betrayed her? “Eva,” Kitty had whispered in a distressed tone. “He wouldn’t do that to me, would he?”
Evangeline had gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth. “Oh, I should not have said a word. Kitty, forget everything I just said. I do not want to plant a seed of doubt in your head just days before your wedding.”
But it had. Kitty fretted about the fear she had for two days. She’d made it so that she and William were never alone so he never had an opportunity to ask her what was the matter. She knew that the sooner she asked the question the sooner she knew that she would see the expression on his face that told her that he had ‘friends’ in the Caribbean.
“You do not seem like the type of woman who is happy to be getting married in the morning,” Little J commented as she lounged on Kitty’s bed as Kitty fixed the bodice on her emerald gown. Little J did not care if she creased her pale blue gown or the fact that her blonde curls were coming loose from the up – do that one of the maids had fixed for her.
Kitty did not know what to say to her sister so she chose to ignore her. Instead, she turned away from the mirror and shrugged her shoulders nervously. “Do I look alright?” she asked her sister.
Little J beamed. “You look beautiful as always, Kitty. I suspect the gentleman in attendance tonight will be very upset that you are off limits.”
Kitty felt like saying that she wished women saw married men the same way but she didn’t want to let anyone know what she was thinking. “Come along,” she ushered her sister. “We are expected presently.”
When they arrived at the ball, Kitty kept both her sister and her cousin at her sides, making sure the conversation never ceased so that William couldn’t get her attention. She knew she was being ridiculous but fear overshadowed her logic at that moment.
The ballroom was not as immaculately decorated as society parties usually were; instead only blue velvet curtains were hung behind the orchestra to honour the departing heroes. The room was completely dotted with blue coats, both dancing and standing idly chatting to the young ladies. Kitty spotted Evangeline on the floor dancing with Charles and felt a sudden surge of resentment fill her. Why did Evangeline have to speak? She could have been blissfully unaware.
The orchestra were playing the quadrille already and Kitty was a little upset that she was missing her favourite dance. Many eyes met hers as she and her family were announcing into the room and she knew they weren’t all congratulatory stares. She wished that she could have taken William’s arm for comfort but she couldn’t without inviting his questions.
The ladies were all handed dance cards which gave William all the opportunity he needed to take Kitty’s arm. She jumped at the contact and cursed herself for feeling relieved in his presence.
“We need to talk,” he said in a low, concerned tone. He quickly dragged her from the ballroom and out into the hallway. He searched for a secluded space before pulling her into the drawing room. Kitty could feel her heart facing. She felt as though it might beat right out of her chest.
He closed the door behind them and turned on her. His piercing blue eyes were searching her for any explanation.
“Are you having second thoughts?” he asked in disbelief. “Because if you are, then tell me now so that I may leave with a shred of dignity.”
Kitty looked up at him feeling ashamed. “I’m not having second thoughts,” she whispered. “It’s just something that Evangeline said to me.”
“What did she say?” William pressed. He crossed the room to where she was standing and took her hands in his. “Tell me now so that I may help.”
“William,” Kitty mumbled. “I know that I’m not always proper but I do love you very much and I promise I won’t betray you when you’re away.”
William furrowed his eyebrows as he wrapped his arm around her waist to being her closer to him. “I know you won’t, that’s what marriage vows are for,” he answered simply. “What brought this on?”
Kitty sighed. “It’s just ... I know the women in the Caribbean are beautiful and exotic and different to the prissy English girls you’re used to ...” she started before William interrupted her.
“Is that what you’re worried about?” William demanded, sounding angry. “That I’ll bed every exotic woman I meet?” he snapped, releasing her. “Do you really think I would dishonour my marriage vows and betray you?”
“I don’t know!” Kitty exclaimed exasperatedly. “I don’t know how marriage works! Not one of my friends is married and it’s not like I’m going to go to mama for advice, that would just be humiliating and my sister is married to a clergyman so I’d like to imagine she is a nun in their home. I don’t know what you expect of me,” she admitted.
William folded his arms across his chest. “I expect faithfulness and loyalty,” he said simply. “And what I expect of you, you will receive from me. I will remain faithful to you, Kitty, I wouldn’t ever betray you.”
Kitty’s eyes filled with tears. “But you will be gone so long, Eva says that men get lonely,” she pressed. “It’s normal for married men to take a mistress.”
A hiss escaped William’s lips. “Do not speak as though you expect me to be an adulterer, Kitty, it’s quite an insult,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry,” Kitty cried. She sat down on one of the settees in the drawing room and buried her face in her hands. “I’m a terrible person, I know.”
She heard him sigh. She felt the settee sink a little as he sat down beside her. “I’m sorry, I should not have snapped at you, it just angered me that you thought I would betray you so easily.” He pulled her close to him and she relaxed a little, as she did so often in his embrace. “Wherever you go I will go. Wherever you live I will live. Your people are my people and your God is my God. Wherever you die I will die and that is where I will be buried. May the Lord's worst punishment cone upon me if anything but death separates me from you,” he whispered into her ear.
“Ruth 1:16?” Kitty smiled as she looked up at him.
“I may not have written the words, but I mean them,” he promised. “You are to be my wife, and I unlike so many, believe that a wife should be cherished and honoured.”
“How is that when you should be making me feel shame you make me feel as if I could fly?” Kitty sighed into his chest.
William rubbed her back soothingly. “I will never make you feel shame, my darling. If you wished it, I would make you wings.”
Kitty blushed. “I should think you a poet, William, instead of a naval captain.”
“I have not the talent for sonnets,” he laughed lightly. “Commanding a ship is simpler than imagining the perfect words. If I had such a talent I would not have made you hate me so when we met.”
“I am sorry,” she apologised sincerely. “I was afraid of your answer should I have asked you directly of my fears. If I had not been so stupid we could have had two more days together.”
“There is no need to apologise, Kitty. I don’t want you to ever be afraid to ask or to tell me something,” he replied. “I was afraid that you had changed your mind.”
A smile spread across Kitty’s face. “I could never change my mind,” she promised. “There is one thing I fear though,” she continued.
“What is it?”
“It would be foolish of me to ask you not to be gallant ... but you will come back to me, won’t you, William?” she asked him vulnerably.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Tomorrow night will not be the last night we spend together, Kitty,” he promised.
She smiled contently. “Is it possible that everything could work out so perfectly? It almost seems too good to be true.”
“Do not tempt fate,” he scolded lightly. “But I can’t agree with you more. It almost does seem too good to be true.”
Kitty hoped it wasn’t. She couldn’t handle anything awful happening to her, her family or her soon to be husband. She remembered that if they were coming, his parents would arrive the next morning in time for the wedding. Perhaps what would go wrong would be the fact that his parents seriously disapproved of her. She was sure that was it. She would have in – laws that hated her. If that was the only thing that went wrong then she could handle that.
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Who thinks that that will be the only thing that will go wrong? I've got quite a big shock coming just so you know, and I'm pretty sure you'll all hate me for it ... :P
Dedicated to BriannaVoges for making me smile when I was having a really bad day. I really needed that so thank you :)
Vote and comment if you liked it :)