CH 9: Betrayed

"R-Rachel?" Staring back at Kitty's tear-stained face in amazement, Tim moved to touch her, but she sorrowfully drew away from him as if she'd been burned.

"Don't touch me" she bitterly pleaded, "just leave me be, I beg of you!"

Astonished, Tim miserably rebuked, "But Rachel, I didn't know! How can you blame me when she pretended to be you?"

"And how can you blame me when you couldn't even tell us apart!?" Kitty shrilly argued. "It's almost as if our thirteen years of friendship meant nothing to you, because you couldn't even see through Lady Hampshire's rouse!"

"That's only because she gave me no reason to be suspicious! If someone pretended to be me, you wouldn't immediately think I'd been possessed, would you?"

Shaking her head, Kitty solemnly agreed, "No, I suppose I wouldn't, but you should've known better, Tim. You actually knew about the possession, and therefore should've been able to tell me apart from some stranger."

"But Rachel, I love y..."

"You love her!" the governess sobbed in response. "If you truly loved me, you would've been able to tell the difference, but intead I awaken to find you two about ready to do God knows what!"

Feeling his desperation flaring within him, Tim grasped Kitty by the shoulders before giving her a firm shake, his eyes pleading with her as he shouted, "To hell with Kitty Soames! The only woman I could ever be with is Rachel Drummond, and anyone here in Collinsport could vouch for that! If you can't believe me, at the very least believe in all that we've meant to each other..."

With a tearful shake of the head, Kitty sorrowfully returned, "I'm sorry Tim, but I cannot...it would seem that you have a new conquest now, and I'd advise that you marry her as soon as possible."

"What?" Positively incredulous, Tim moved to ask what she meant when Kitty held up a hand.

"Please don't" she begged, "you're making this far harder on me than it already is. I love you, Tim, but it would seem that Kitty Soames loves you, as well. Do yourselves a favor and be with her, because only together can you live a normal life. I can no longer give you that, and I know you're fully aware of that fact."

"But I can't be with someone I don't love" Tim sorrowfully insisted. "How can you expect me to forget about you, Rachel?"

"Because you already did when you spent all that time with Lady Hampshire" Kitty softly revealed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were in love with her, as well."

"B-but Rachel..."

"Do not try to summon me again, Tim, for I must go to give you time to think" Kitty forcefully cut in. "Until you make a decision, I'm afraid I'll have to forbid us from seeing one another."

"Rachel, please..."

"Goodbye, Tim."

With a deep intake of air, Tim squeezed his eyes closed as Kitty collapsed in his arms in an unconscious heap. Holding her close to his heart, he felt tears burning along his lashes as he prayed that he could finally find peace with the woman he loved.

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When Kitty awoke, she found herself in bed with a watchful Leah at her side.

"Are you feeling any better, Madame?" she delicately inquired. "When Mr. Shaw revealed you were ill, it gave us all quite a scare, especially Master Edward!"

"Mr. Shaw?" Kitty reiterated, her brows scrunching amidst her exertion as she slowly sat up. "Is he anywhere nearby? I'd very much like to speak to him...about my illness, of course."

Frowning, Leah placed a hand to Kitty's forehead before clucking, "Not in this condition, you're not! Besides, Mr. Shaw is preparing his lecture for tomorrow morning and doesn't wish to be disturbed."

Kitty paled. "Tomorrow morning? H-how long have I been asleep?"

"Nearly a full day now, ma'am...as I said, you gave us all quite a fright."

Trembling, Kitty removed her covers before insiting, "I must see Edward immediately...please Leah, do not stand in my way!"

"But Lady Hampshire..."

"I must!" Sending one last penetrating look in Leah's direction, Kitty slipped into her robe before making her way out into the corridor. Collinwood was relatively silent that night, but the lack of conversation failed to deter Kitty from what she must do.

As she descended the stairs, she overheard the voices of two soft-spoken people, one clearly being Miss Collins and the other a smug baritone with placating mannerisms. When Kitty pressed her ear against the door, she suddenly became highly intrigued by the conversation.

"I tell you, we must go to the police!" the stranger interposed.

"But Reverend Trask, I've already told you I cannot do so when I am to blame for Miss Drummond's death! Mr. Shaw was right about me...I'm a murderer!"

As Kitty listened to Judith sobbing, a distinct chill curled up her spine in accordance with the sudden confession. Rachel Drummond was murdered, and by this highly aristocratic lady?

Pulling away as if to leave, Kitty froze once more when she heard Trask growl, "With God as my witness, I swear to you that we'll find a way to blame Shaw for your plight!"

"B-but how?"

"Don't you worry, my dear, I have a plan -- you just leave everything to me."

With a gasp, Kitty hurriedly turned and rushed back toward the staircase, by now far too overwhelmed to hear anymore. She had to warn Tim before it was too late!

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Scratching out his latest lesson plan in disgust, Tim irritably massaged his temples as he tried to think of a new idea. The children could only be entertained by polymers for so long, after all...

Just when Tim thought he'd broken through the fatal plane of writer's block, a hurried and frenzied series of knocks sounded at his door.

"Who is it?" he fearfully demanded. "Has something happened?"

There came a sob, then a pitiful, "Oh Tim, please open the door! I must speak with you right away!"

His features hardening at the sound of Kitty's voice, Tim slammed his papers onto his desk before storming over to the door and ripping it open. "What do you want?" he cruelly snarled. "Judging by how you've repeatedly lied to me these past few weeks, it's an absolute miracle that I'm willing to hear you out."

Kitty burst into tears. "Oh Tim, must you talk about that now? I'm here because your life is in danger!"

"Danger? And what would you know about that?" Tim mockingly demanded. "After all, I'd hardly consider you, a woman who used to spend her time lounging with chocolates, the slightest bit familiar with danger. I'm sorry for wasting your time, but this peasant, as you oh-so-fondly called me once, can look out for himself."

As Tim moved to shut the door, Kitty abruptly caught his arm and pleadingly gazed up into his eyes. "Please listen to me" she begged. "Reverend Trask wants you out of the way for what happened to Rachel, and he said he'd do anything accomplish that. When Judith asked what he meant, he said he had a plan... Oh Tim, I'm so frightened for you!"

Instead of making a snarky retort like he clearly desired, Tim miraculously found himself indulging her. "And?" he urged. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing... Rather, I left before I could find out. I was far too upset to hear anything else" Kitty meekly confessed.

Sighing, Tim took her by the arm before urging, "Come on then, let's go...you might be of use to me, after all."

A/N: Guh, this was SO flippin' hard to update! I just had NO inspiration, whatsoever...hopefully I can finish this story soon! Stupid work for draining my creativity. :(