I'm really sorry this story has kind of been…well dead…I'm getting it up and running again.

So SORRY!

Disclaimer: I am not Julia Golding; I do not own Cat Royal.

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Act One: Scene One; Home Again

In which Cat and Frank get closer than expected...

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"Want to tell me why Syd ran off?" Pedro asked me over his cup of tea.

We were at home Pedro, Jenny and I all paid rent once a month. It was a modest little house but it was better than the street.

"Well…to put it bluntly…" I said a blush coming over my cheeks, "I kissed Frank."

Pedro spat out tea all over the table. He was in hysterics. I'd just told him that I had kissed one of our best friends and he laughs.

"You're joking! No come on Cat. What really happened?" he asked wiping tears from his eyes.

"That's what happened." I replied simply.

"What? No! You kissed Frank? FRANK?"

I nodded. It seemed really stupid. The reality of what I had done began to sink in. I Cat Royal an orphan had kissed Francis Avon Earl of Arden. I felt blush creeping over my cheeks. I really could be an idiot.

"Are you…are you sweet on him?"

"No! Yes…I mean…I don't know Pedro. It just happened."

"It just happened." He repeated. "So are you courting?"

"Well…um…no." I replied awkwardly.

I could feel myself going from lightly pink in the face to tomato red.

"Well if it makes any difference…well Frank says not to tell you but he –" Pedro was interrupted by a knock at the door. "I'll get it." He said sighing rising to his feet.

"No it's alright I'll go."

Unlocking the door I turned the handle. It was Frank.

"Oh…hello Frank." I gushed feeling all the more awkward. That was the final straw I went from tomato red to crimson in a second. "Listen about last night…I …it –"

"Never mind that now, Pedro! Come here!" he called.

"What? What's happened?" he asked.

Now we could both see the pain and worrying on Frank's anxious face.

"It's Syd."

"Oh no! What's happened?" I asked urgently. I hoped he hadn't hurt himself all because of me.

"He's…well he's gone."

"What? What do you mean?" asked Pedro confusion etched upon his face.

"He's gone missing. Mr Fletcher followed him to the pub last night and took him home around midnight. But he was gone this morning."

I couldn't believe it. He couldn't have run away because of me. Could he? I broke down in tears. I'm not usually one to go down like that, but the weight of guilt was crushing me. Pedro stroked my hair comfortingly and Frank patted my shoulder in an embarrassed way. Pulling my self together I squared my shoulders. This wasn't helping Syd. He could be in trouble!

"Come on." I said. "We should go to the butchers to see what they're doing."

With that grabbing my coat I ran off. Pedro and Frank just behind me.