Kate's Parisian Escape

Chapter 9

June 20th, 2011

Loire Valley, France

To: Katherine Perryman <dreamchaser89@gmail.com>

From: Louise Perryman <Iloverickspringfield@gmail.com>

Re: YOUR NEW AGENDA

How kind of you to share your plans with me. I suppose discussing the matter first would have taken up too much of your PRECIOUS time. Is that right? You do realize you're going to miss your cousin Diana's wedding now. We already RSVP'd! And now I'm supposed to tell them you're not going? Because you'd rather shack up with some man! Although from what I remember Jeremy was a lovely boy.

But be that as it may, its poor taste Katherine. You should know better. Two weeks was more than enough time for your "little" adventure. You know your Aunt Emily is not going to take the news well. I suppose I'll just have to tell her you contracted some illness from drinking the water over there. BUT I STILL EXPECT A WEDDING PRESENT FROM YOU! It's the least you can do. As for Henri I truly am sorry things didn't work out, I'm not even going to say I told you so. Your father sends his love and remember my dress size is sixteen!

Tootles,

Your disappointed mother

P.S. Are you sure Aunt Hetty doesn't send you birthday cards?

P.P.S. What are you talking about? Rick Springfield is still cute!

Rue de Lepic has settled in nicely at Château de Langlois. A litter box was set up for him in a room off the kitchen along with bowls for food and water and though they bought him a cat bed he continues to choose to sleep with Kate instead. As for Henri, he still hasn't responded to her email. Not that she really expected him to after all she told him not to contact her anymore, but Henri had never been one to follow directions. Or to be bossed around.

Kate has also made good friends with Elodie, one of the maids. The first day Kate had told her not to bother tidying up her room that she would make the bed and let her know if she required any more, clean towels or other items. But Elodie insisted Kate let her do her job. Kate had never had a maid before, and it felt strange having someone clean up after her. Jeremy told her she would get used to it but in her mind it still didn't feel right.

Kate learned Elodie was nineteen and lived in town with her parents and three sisters. She had beautiful curly black hair that she kept pulled back with a ribbon and searing blue eyes. Elodie said it was quite obvious how Kate felt about Jeremy but when Kate asked how Jeremy felt about her, she just smiled and continued making her bed.

Since her arrival Kate had taken to spending her days out in the gardens writing. There was a beautiful pond surrounded by flowers and shrubs with a black metal bench for her to sit on. Kate knew she needed to start thinking of what she was going to do when she went back home. She needed to get a job and she really didn't want to go back to working at Applebee's. But as she had told Jeremy her degree was pretty useless so her only option was getting her masters. Or pursue a different career entirely. If only she could get excited about that.

Today it was raining. Which meant Kate was stuck inside. So, leaving Rue de Lepic asleep on the window seat in her room she decided to spend some time in the library. The library overlooked the gardens and had floor to ceiling windows. Jeremy said he had some forms to fill out for school, so she was on her own this morning.

Though the voices had not stopped. They did not freak her out as much as they had initially, but Kate was still dying to know more about the two sisters and who the mysterious third set of footprints belonged to. Jeremy seemed unperturbed by the events that had occurred in his family's home and while Kate understood it had happened over two centuries ago that didn't mean the truth wasn't worth finding out.