Unexpected Correspondence

Chapter 7

The next day found Kitty patiently waiting by the car for Thomas to arrive. He was late, but he had told her earlier that he had an operation before they were due to meet to set off, so she assumed that his work had run over time. A few minutes later, Kitty noticed the captain speedily walking in her direction with a typewriter tucked under his arm and looking rather sheepish. He briefly apologised for his tardiness and opened the car door for her, before carefully depositing his typewriter in the car and getting in himself.

Unlike the last time she had taken this drive, Thomas did not feel the need to fill the tense silence as Miles had. Recalling that time, Kitty felt a little guilty at how she had treated Miles, what he had said to her had been out of order but she had overreacted, and his later behaviour when he had saved her from Elliott more than made up for his previous actions.

"Are you okay?" Thomas asked, when they were a few miles away from the town.

"I'm a little worried." Kitty admitted. "I'm scared something will go wrong."

"I won't let that happen." Thomas reassured her, squeezing her knee comfortingly.

The rest of the journey continued in companionable silence, although Kitty couldn't help but fidget more and more nervously as they approached the town.

Upon arrival at the hotel, Thomas went to get a room for himself sorted, and once he had his key he walked over to the corner where she was waiting for him.

"I'm in Room 18." He told her, Kitty nodded.

"I'll meet you there in a few minutes." Thomas picked up his typewriter from where he had left it and went in the direction of the rooms while Kitty went to the reception to find out where she was supposed to meet Elliott.

"Excuse me," Kitty said in French to the receptionist to catch his attention, "I am supposed to meet Mr Elliott Vincent at two o'clock, have any arrangements been made?" The receptionist consulted a book on the desk.

"Mr Vincent has booked a private meeting room for two o'clock." Kitty's heart sank, the last time they had met had been in the restaurant, a public location where he couldn't do anything to her. The only reason he had managed to get to her had been because she had foolishly run into an empty room in the hope of seeing Sylvie, and now he had specifically planned for them to be alone. She couldn't help but worry about what he had in mind for their meeting.

Kitty thanked the receptionist and headed to Room 18. She knocked tentatively at the door, doing her best not to look across the corridor where the room where she had thought Sylvie to be in was. She closed her eyes as the memories of the terror she had felt both times she had been trapped against a door that day washed over her. One time held there by Elliott, his body pressing against her bringing back all the memories of him forcing himself on her, the other time desperately holding out a fork in a last ditch attempt at defending herself. She wondered if she would have any opportunity to grab a weapon before meeting Elliott.

By the time Thomas opened the door, which could have only been a minute or two, but to Kitty felt like a lot longer, tears were already streaming down her face. Thomas looked like he was about to say something but whatever it was died on his lips as he saw her distress, he quickly ushered her in and hugged her comfortingly.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Bad memories," Kitty replied, wiping her eyes, "God, I've been such an emotional mess lately."

"That's understandable, the last few weeks have been rough and you have been through a lot."

"Today's not likely to be that much better," Kitty said quietly, "Elliott has booked a private meeting room. Whatever he has to say to me must be pretty important if he doesn't want anyone to overhear, either that or he has some other motivation."

"That is a problem," Thomas murmured absently as he tried to think of a solution, "I could stand outside the meeting room while you talk. If he tries anything you could make some noise, knock over a chair or something, and I'll come in immediately."

"That might work." Kitty replied, Thomas didn't speak for a moment as he carefully considered whether or not to ask her something.

"Has he ever been violent towards you?" Kitty nodded against his shoulder, she felt his arms around her tighten in response. They remained like that for a moment until Kitty gently pushed him away.

"How has your paper been going?" She asked, he looked a little thrown by the abrupt change in topic, but also seemed to understand why she felt the need to discuss something, anything, else.

"It's going well, I haven't written very much yet but the topic is very interesting." They both went to sit at the small hotel desk where Thomas had stationed his typewriter as he continued explaining to her the intricacies of the subject his paper was on, in an attempt to take her mind off the meeting that was only half an hour away.

Eventually they were not able to delay any longer, Thomas's animated description trailed off as he glanced at the clock.

"It will be fine." He reassured her, but this time his words had less of an effect. They left the room together, Kitty tightly gripping his hand, and soon they stood in front of the door to the meeting room.

"I will be just outside the door," Thomas told her quietly, "if I hear anything, I will come straight in." He squeezed her hand one final time before letting go and stepping aside, so that when the door opened anyone inside would not be able to see him. "Good luck." Kitty smiled weakly and steeled herself for what lay ahead. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hello Catherine, you're late."

AN: *looks out from behind shield* Next chapter is the big confrontation, I swear! No more filler or delaying. Next chapter should also be the last chapter, I have seven points on my plan to go through to get to the end of the fan-fic which will hopefully fit into one chapter, if not it should definitely fit into two chapters. I'm aiming to get everything posted up by the 26th which is when I go away for a while but I can't guarantee to get it all done by then, I shall do my best though!

Thanks to Lauretta92, through-the-eye-of-a-needle, Kate and Margje for reviewing last chapter!