Sorry about the lateitude guys. With my computer not letting me log in, I've had to update on someone else's computer and update day kind of escaped me this past week. Here's more!

Chapter 5

"Katherine," Gin called after her daughter, shutting the doors to the manor behind the both of them. "Katherine, stop," she pleaded. The young woman ignored her, rushing quickly up the stairs, no doubt heading for her room. "Katherine."

"What happened?" Elizabeth inquired, emerging from the parlor, both twins trailing behind their mother. "Where've you been?" Gin did not turn to her, staring at the empty landing at the top of the staircase.

"Elizabeth," Will's voice preceded him as he stepped through the front doors, looking rather exhausted. He opened his mouth again to speak to his wife, then shut it upon spotting Gin. "Is Katherine with you?" he asked. She nodded silently and he let out a sigh. "I thought I'd lost the both of you." He crossed the room to Elizabeth and slipped an arm around he waist, glancing curiously back and forth between them. "Is something wrong?"

Gin sighed as well, glancing up the stairs again where Katherine had disappeared. "I believe I've made a mistake," she admitted.

"What did you say to her?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Say to whom?" Will demanded, looking to either of them for a response. "Katherine?"

Gin lowered herself onto the third step and drew her knees up to her chest. "I told her," she announced. Elizabeth's eyes widened and her eyebrows practically hit her hairline, but Will still appeared confused. "About Jack," Gin clarified for him.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and it echoed in the sudden silence. "How did she take it?"

"She wouldn't believe it at first," Gin told them, massaging her forehead tiredly. "It took me a while to convince her." She shook her head. "I shouldn't have said anything, I knew it would be too much of a shock." She buried her face in her hands.

"I'll talk to her," Will offered, already heading for the stairs. He placed a reassuring hand on Gin's shoulder on his way up. "I can relate. She'll come around, trust me."

Gin nodded and allowed a grateful smile, watching him ascend the steps, then turned back to Elizabeth who was already gazing at her. Her friend's expression proved doubtful.

* * * * *

"Katherine?" Will ventured, rapping softly on her door. He hesitated when he received no answer. "Can I come in?" he asked. Nothing. He slowly reached for the door knob and turned it, pushing the door open, surprised to find it unlocked. When he entered, the young woman was nowhere in sight. "Katherine?"

"Did you know?" a feminine voice demanded. Katherine emerged from behind the wardrobe to his left, several dresses in her arms. She walked briskly over to a half-filled bag lying on the bed and stuffed them inside, angrily. "You knew." It was no longer a question.

He didn't reply, eyeing the suitcase as she returned to the wardrobe to yank out more clothing. "Where are you going?" he asked.

She came out again, shaking her head. "I don't know," she revealed, pausing to answer him and staring down at the dresses as if only now realizing that she was unaware what she was packing them for. "I just…I need to get away from here for a while. Away from my mother."

"Katherine," he began, still watching her. "Your mother didn't have a choice in this. At least she felt she didn't. If she had told anyone, even your-" he cut himself off, realizing his mistake. "Even Richard," he finished, "it would only have made the situation far worse."

"She could have told me," she argued.

He sighed. "She just did."

Katherine averted her gaze, staring down at the dresses she carried again.

"I know how it is," he went on, rising from his position on the bed. "I found out about my father also when I was only a little older than you."

She squinted at him and shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

He looked up at her. "We have similar backgrounds, you and I," he said vaguely.

She stared at him. "Your father was…"

"Yes." He gave a small, almost inappropriate laugh. "It was actually your father that told me. I was ready to kill him for suggesting such a thing. I had been told he had a perfectly respectable occupation."

"Are you…" she trailed off, trying to contemplate how to word what she wanted to say tactfully, "I mean, does that mean you're, um…"

"No," he replied, answering before she even truly had the chance to ask. "No, I'm not. But I won't deny it's in my blood." He raised his eyes to hers. "And neither can you." He turned and headed for the door, hoping she wouldn't go through with leaving.

"Will?"

He reluctantly turned and raised his eyebrows in silent question.

She hesitated, appearing as though he hadn't really expected him to turn. "Does he know?" she finally asked. "About me?"

He shook his head. "No," he told her. "Your mother never had a chance to tell him."

"Do you think…I mean, if he did know me," she added. "Would he like me?"

The question brought a faint smile to his lips as he remembered his old friend. Jack probably would have even preferred a girl to a boy. He nodded. "Yes." He turned again and disappeared into the hallway.

* * * * *

More next week. That is, as long as there's FEEDBACK!!!