What would become of her? She was a young woman from an affluent home and family, but she was not married. She knew she couldn't marry Jamie carrying another man's child, and in her heart she knew she couldn't marry Mohammed. They were too different and it would never work.
After her nap, she dressed in a silk gown of white and green stripes to join her Aunt Louisa in town. Louisa took her niece to the Parfumerie to purchase a unique scent while Louisa preferred a simple blend of tuberose. They also purchased a pair of gloves for Louisa and a parasol for both women. Later, they took the coach home.
Katharine was exhausted from the day's events and slept into the afternoon. She awoke for dinner.
***
The next week passed uneventfully. When Jamie arrived, he had made accommodations to spend the night at a local inn, but stopped to speak with Katharine.
The quiet Jamie, with his blonde hair and blue eyes, seemed restless and agitated when he greeted her, but she thought little of it. The engaged couple walked along the small green gardens that wound through the property. The small garden was desolate, but had many large beech trees.
"You are well?" he asked kindly.
"Yes, and you?"
He nodded. They continued a short time before he suddenly blurted out, "Katharine, I would like to ask that we be married sooner than we had arranged, if you are agreeable."
Katharine tried to speak but he continued on.
"We will do very well together and I did not think there would be any objection on your part," he finished.
"Indeed, Jamie, there is. Things have changed since our engagement and I need to break it off. I'm sorry," she told him.
"I don't understand," he said, looking panicked.
"Things have changed. That's all I can tell you. There will be no marriage between us."
She looked at him and then turned away.
"Do I not have a right to know what has changed? As your fiancé?" he asked. His eyes glittered dangerously.
"Please. No good can come of this. Let us just be done with it," she told him.
Suddenly, Jamie grabbed her arm and pulled her down to the ground with him.
"I need this marriage," he told her harshly. "No matter what has happened, there will be a marriage between us."
She had never seen him like this and it frightened her.
"Let me go. There will be no marriage. My mind is set," she argued.
His eyes were hard and cold and suddenly he delved beneath her skirts, snagging her silk stockings as he went. He pulled her skirts up above her thighs and parted her legs as he settled himself between them.
Katharine cried out once, but her corsets restricted her breathing. She tried to fight him but he held her arms above her head. The dirt from the ground stuck to her face as she struggled.
"So, everything becomes clear," He breathed into her ear. His hand rested on her rounded belly.
"Did you give him a good fight for your little cunt or did he rape you?" he asked coldly.
"Get off me, now," she spat out.
"Or did you just pretend it was rape like most gently brought-up ladies and then spread your legs wide," he continued.
They stayed like this for a few seconds. He sat between her legs with his hand on her curved belly.
"So you are breeding the Arab's bastard child," he spoke contemptuously.
Katharine stopped fighting him, for she no longer feared rape as much as she feared he would harm her unborn child.