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"Thank you," she said with a saucy smile, pulling the shirt off over her head to reveal her delectable naked body. She closed the gap between them and pulled his head to hers, capturing his mouth in a long, frenzied kiss. He staggered with her to the bed; he didn't have any clothes to remove and she was touching him in such a way that it was all going to be over in a few minutes.
"Hey, slow down," he said to her. "You know I can do better than this."
"I don't want you to," she growled, pushing him back onto the mattress and guiding him inside her.
"And what about-"
"Shut up, Castle," she said with a small smile, leaning down to kiss him. Her hands caressed his chest as she moved up and down; his hips copied her motion and he could feel himself getting closer and closer, dangerously close and she was moaning his name and he cried out hers in a glorious climax-
Richard sat bolt upright in his now soaking sheets. It took a moment for him to realise what had happened, then he cursed loudly and got out of bed, stripping it before anything could soak through to the mattress. Most of the blankets were alright, it was just a few sheets. He pulled on a shirt and took them down to the scullery. He was glad that he took enough interest in the running of his house to know where to find clean sheets – and that he took enough interest in the running of his life to know how to put them on the bed.
When he had finally sorted everything out he didn't feel tired at all. He was frustrated with himself, and with Kate, and with his mind for producing such a fantasy when it was he who had chosen to end things with her.
He forced himself to lie down and tried to sleep but it was no good. He wondered what Kate would be doing. He hoped she would be thinking about him but he regretted thinking that almost immediately. He didn't wish any worry or hurt on her. He wanted her to return his feelings, but most importantly, he wanted her to be happy.
Kate changed quickly into her more practical outfit and it wasn't long before she was prowling the streets. She hadn't heard about any murders... There would be parties, of course, but her conversation with Richard, as well as with the children that morning, took her to a different spot.
The houses in this part of London were so crowded together it was impossible to tell where one started and another began – and so many families lived in each 'house' that it didn't really matter. The streets were filthy. Police officers rarely ventured out this far – they paid locals to patrol the streets. The patrols were rare and utterly unreliable. It was dangerous even for Kate to be here at night, but something she had heard had brought her here anyway.
Despite the poverty and diabolical conditions, crime among these people was low. A man might steal a loaf of bread to feed his family, but people tended to look after each other.
However, this was not always the case. A man protects his own. A woman cares first and foremost for her children. A child, however kind, knows if she does not eat she will starve, and if she gives up her shelter, she will be the one to freeze.
It angered Kate to see things like this so close to where people were so wealthy. It was wrong but there was only so much she could do to help. She respected Richard for wanting to help as well, but she had a feeling the people here would only despise him.
Human filth streamed down either side of the narrow road and rats scurried boldly at her feet. The smell made her want to gag; the air was thick with disease and death. She found a child that she recognised huddled in a doorway and shuddered to think that he seemed perfectly cheerful to be there.
"M'lady!" he said happily as she revealed herself from the shadows.
"Hello Charlie," she said with a grin. Her mask only covered the top half of her face – and even if Charlie had seen all of her he wouldn't have been any the wiser. From what she could tell, he was about nine years old. He couldn't read or write – she was working on it – but he was as quick with his mind as he was with his light fingers.
"Billy said 'e seen you this mornin'. D'ya need sumfin?"
"No. Just checking on you."
"Don't need no one checkin'."
"I know you don't, Charlie. I'm checking for my benefit."
Charlie winked at her. "Course. You don't want to lose yer asset."
"Exactly. Have you talked to Ellie?"
Charlie shook his head.
"You know where she is?"
Another negative. Kate raised her eyebrows and handed him a bright silver coin from her pocket.
"Sorry M'lady, I ain't seen 'er. But I know why you want 'er. It's 'bout the new kid, ain't it?"
Kate nodded. "Do you know anything about her?"
Charlie looked at the coin and then back at Kate. She narrowed her eyes and he shrugged.
"No 'arm in tryin' for it," he said with a smile. "Don't know much. She's older, ain't a woman but ain't one of us. I'd 'elp 'er but she can't do nuffin, can't old 'er own. Don't want to be cruel, gave 'er some bread but she ain't 'elpin us and we ain't got nuffin to spare."
Kate nodded reassuringly. She knew Charlie valued her respect.
"I don't blame you. Do you know where she is?"
"Don't know where she'll sleep. Ain't much goin', 'specially wivout money... She might be down the end, at the pit."
The pit was a group of public toilets at the end of the street; a lot of the stench even where Kate was came from it.
"She's sleeping there?"
"Don't know. I done it meself once. Years ago. 'Fore I learned anyfing."
"So it's possible."
"Anyfing's possible, M'lady. It's rainin'," he commented, looking up at the sky. "If you ain't got a roof you'll freeze to death. I'd rather a stink than a grave, meself."
Kate nodded. She could hardly dispute that.
"Will you take her wiv you?" Charlie asked rather longingly. Kate shook her head.
"I can't. I'll take her to the inn, though."
Charlie's eyes brightened and Kate flipped him another coin.
"Thank you," he said, deliberately copying her way of speaking.
"You look out for the girl, won't you?"
"Yes, M'lady," he promised, then tipped his hat to her and went to get himself a bed for the night. Kate doubted he would spend the money. He'd either try to persuade the owner to let him sleep in the stable for a tiny fraction of it, or save it up. She found Charlie fascinating in that way. He had nothing, but he still tried to save his money. He was currently saving up for some new clothes so he could get a job in a 'fancy 'ouse'.
She melted herself back into the shadows and tried to forget about her nose as she got closer to the pit. She forced herself into the shack that covered the holes in the ground and sure enough, there was a figure huddled in there, a girl of about fifteen, she thought. She bent down and lifted her up; she was light as a feather. The girl was clearly ill; pasty white and stick thin. Kate used the back entrance to the inn and the barman came through to the kitchen to meet her. She tossed him some money without even looking up.
"Get me some blankets and hot water," she commanded. He shouted something to a barmaid and soon Kate had what she needed. She lay the girl down on a thin hay mattress at the side of the room and began to wash her. She was covered in bruises and barely conscious. Her eyes fluttered open at Kate's touch and she let out a tiny sound.
"Hello," Kate whispered. "My name's Kate. I'm going to help you. What's yours?"
"Sally," the girl managed to whisper.
Kate tried to soothe her as she washed her and began to remove her filthy clothes, but to her horror, when she took of Sally's shawl, she realised she was pregnant. Not far along, just showing a little – and more because of how thin she was.
"Go out to the main room and see if Charlie's there," Kate said to the barmaid. The maid looked black.
"Little boy. Wears a blue cap. Just shout Charlie," she said exasperatedly. The maid left and Charlie came in seconds later.
"What d'ya need?" he asked, wiping some gravy away from his mouth with his sleeve.
"I need you to fetch a doctor."
"She alright?"
"She's pregnant."
"Jesus..." Charlie said. He didn't wait to be paid, just ran out of the door. He had a good heart, that boy.
It was almost morning before Kate got home. Sally was much better; Charlie had said he would keep an eye on her. Kate had promised Sally she would be back the next night and had overpaid the innkeeper to make damn sure she was well looked after. She wondered about bringing Richard... Sally was the same age as Alexis. But he had said he wanted to help. And she knew he would love Charlie.
She washed herself thoroughly despite her tiredness, but she still couldn't get rid of the smell. She would wash her hair in the morning – she would HAVE to wash it before seeing Richard. She groaned at herself. Seeing Richard shouldn't matter like that to her.
She knew he was right. She felt selfish for starting things with him to begin with. But at the same time... she was desperate for it not to end. Or... for it to begin. She hadn't felt this way about someone in... well, ever. He made her feel so different, she wanted him in her life, she... She wanted to tell him things she'd never shared with anyone and she already knew that he would listen and help her however he could.
Was that what she was afraid of? That he would try to help her and put himself in harm's way? She had to keep him safe. Him and Alexis.
And then... Alexis. She had to talk to the girl. There were no two ways about it. She couldn't stand lying... She wished she could think of a way of letting Alexis know without telling her and putting her in danger. Alexis would want to do what Kate was doing, Kate was sure. And that wasn't going to happen, not yet, not while Lex was so young.
Kate sighed. She couldn't tell her. As clean as she was going to get, she collapsed into bed for a few hours sleep but her mind continued to whir away and she heard the clock strike six when she was still wide awake. She wondered when she would see Richard. She didn't have an invitation to his house; she knew he wanted to help in the evening but perhaps she would get a day off. She didn't know if she wanted that or not.
A/N: Thanks for reading, please review! Love you xxx
