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Kitty nodded. Absolutely.
So our wayward brother made it to this country then, when he
should have returned to us.
Connie tutted. Don t spoil the day, Martin. What Rory has done can t
be changed.
And again we are left with the consequences. Martin took Kitty s
hand. The child is well?
Very well. The doctor says he is in excellent health. He has grown in
only a few days.
Connie straightened Kitty s skirts. Aye, of course he would, now he s
gettin properly fed.
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Anne Whitfield
We have named him Rory. Kitty waited for Martin s reaction.
Seems sensible, but let s call him Little Rory. Happen the poor chap
might not want to emulate his father completely. Martin brightened and
held out his arm. Come, we have a wedding to attend.
During the short journey to the church, Kitty experienced last minute
nerves and smiled wryly at Martin, who squeezed her white-gloved hand.
The carriage turned into the last street and rumbled to a stop some
distance from the church.
Mary craned her neck to stare out of the window. She gasped at the
carriages lining the way. So many people, Kitty. We shall have to wait for
them to be seated.
I hardly know most of them. Kitty grinned at Clara opposite.
They waited for five minutes before Martin opened the door and
balanced on the carriage s small step. What s the hold up, driver? I have
a sister wanting to be married. He laughed.
Nay, sir, I m not sure, the driver called back. But it looks like some
kind of accident. A fruit cart has gone over I think.
Can we not go past it, man?
No, sir, at least not by carriage.
Martin bent back inside to Kitty. I will go and have a look. There
might be away around it.
No, Martin. Kitty chuckled. Wait a few more minutes. I am sure it
will soon clear. I was early anyway.
He patted her hand. Yes, but at this rate we shall be decidedly late. I
will be back shortly.
An anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach made her feel slightly
sick. Kitty took a deep breath. Soon, she would be Mrs. Kingsley. For a
fleeting moment, she thought of her parents and then of Dorothea. They
and she would have treasured being here this day. Kitty missed the three
of them, especially her father. She remembered the witty conversations
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Kitty McKenzie s Land
and discussions they shared. Emotion caught in her throat. He should
be the one walking her down the aisle, but thankfully she had Martin.
What is the matter? Mary asked, taking her hand.
I was thinking of Mother and Father.
Yes, I was too, earlier. Mother would have enjoyed the occasion and
the chance to sparkle. She was always very good at doing that. Mary s
eyes softened.
Clara frowned at them. Sometimes, I am frightened that I will forget
what they looked like. I think I already have.
Mary hugged her. You won t, I promise.
A hubbub of noise reached them and Kitty noticed the amount of
people coming and going all around them. Where is Martin?
They continued to wait and with each passing minute, the knot of
apprehension grew tighter in Kitty s stomach. Abruptly, a shout sounded
close by. A scream rent the air, making them jump in their seats.
What could be happening? whispered Clara, her eyes wide in her
small face.
I do not know, pet.
Where has Martin got to? Mary muttered in annoyance. We are
going to be really late.
Minutes passed until Kitty could not stand it a moment longer. She
gathered her skirts. Enough of this. I shall not be late for my own
wedding. We will walk to the church. She quickly descended from the
carriage and gathered up her skirts. Mary and Clara followed close
behind.
People mingled around. A strange wailing drifted to them from
somewhere further up, but there was so much confusion it was hard to
determine where from. Carts, carriages, wagons and gigs were left
abandoned in a haphazard fashion. Men and women stood shaking their
heads, children talked excitedly to each other and dogs ran wild barking
at everyone and everything.
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Anne Whitfield
Kitty lifted her beautiful skirts high so as not to foul them. Her heart
thumped against her ribs. A feathery touch of fear tingled her spine.
Something unknown made her slow her pace until she stopped
altogether. Mary bumped into her from behind.
Ahead stood people she knew, people whose homes she visited and
parties she attended. They gathered in groups and she recognized the
Clearys, the Weatherbys, the Ashford-Smiths and the Havershams. Kitty
frowned. She wished they would stop dithering and enter the church.
They were now dreadfully late.
All at once, her guests turned to stare at her. Horror etched their
faces and Kitty took a step back. She blinked as her vision wavered. A
few guests broke from the crowd and walked towards her with blurred
faces. The throng moved. She looked past them. Close to the church
front, carnage littered the street.
A large cart lay on its side. Fruit, spilt out of broken crates, blanketed
the road. Near to the broken horses, still tangled in their harness, a man
sat on the roadside crying so hard it made Kitty wince. A woman also sat
on the road. In her arms, she rocked a small child, bloodied, mangled
and obviously dead.
Martin squatted by the upturned cart. He nodded to Dan Freeman,
who knelt beside him. In his lap, Dan cradled Benjamin s head and
shoulders. A mist clouded her vision, she saw rather than felt Connie put
her arms around her and croon in a soothing voice.
A scream pierced the air, a scream so shattering Kitty wanted to put
her hands over her ears to shut it out. Hazily, she realized it was she
who screamed.
Strangely, all noise stopped. In the silence, Kitty walked forward.
Slowly at first, then faster and faster until she was running, running to
Ben.
He was trapped from the waist down. The cart broke on impact with
the road as it overturned. A piece of broken wood had pierced straight
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Kitty McKenzie s Land
through Ben s chest, pinning him to the ground. Crates laden with fruit
and vegetables showered him, but it was the piece of wood sticking out of
his chest that did the damage. He was bleeding to death.
Kitty, helped by Martin, knelt beside Ben s head. From her silk
wedding purse, she took an embroidered satin-edged handkerchief, given
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