Doe (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Kitty was cautious around Doe; polite and kind, nothing was to be done by Doe if it were too much. She even asked Doe to sit down while she dressed herself.

"Kitty." Doe laughed a little.

"What?"

"You don't have to tiptoe around me. Draco and I made up."

Kitty naturally relaxed, "Good. He was so stupid. He embarrassed himself, all of us and was so sorry afterwards."

"He wouldn't want you to say that."

"When he found out for how long you had been missing, he was beside himself, thinking it was his fault..."

Doe laughed at her exaggeration.

"You'd never stormed off before. He was astounded it had taken me so long to realise you were missing. He said you could have gone to get some air and drowned in the river or..."

"Drowned?" Doe pulled a face, "That's a little dramatic."

"That's what I said but he was so serious. I guess, you really haven't ever acted like that. It kept playing on my mind the longer it took to find you. Tim was nearly in tears, when he went to search the grounds."

"In tears?"

"Expression of speech. But he was very upset, of course no one wants to find the body."

"I've never seen Tim cry."

"Well it is you." Kitty smiled, "If anything happened we'd never forgive ourselves."

Doe felt herself blushing.

"You are silly. You're our friend. Closer than that, really." Kitty sat down with her, dressed but unfinished.

"Oh!" Doe looked at her.

"What? We have known you since you were a little girl." Kitty stared at her in disbelief.

"No, I just thought of my question. And if I ever wander off again, you'll know where to look. Draco said it was okay, if I visited again." Doe took her hand in hers.

They took lunch outside. Tim strolled off into the woods as they set themselves up in the garden. Summer was well on its way that day. Draco came to sit with Doe at the table.

"I promise not to upset you." He told her cheerily.

"So do I." She smiled, she had a shirt of Kitty's over her knee that she was mending, the sun was on her face and she was in a good mood for it.

Kitty herself was spread out on the grass, dipping her fingers into the sugar for the strawberries.

"It's a truce then."

"That's right. You don't have to worry about me drowning myself."

He looked at her quizzically.

Kitty laughed.

"It's happened before. People get lost here." He shrugged, taking a strawberry.

"When?"

"A long time ago. This is an old place, with lots of history."

"Did you really think I'd drown myself?"

He looked at her for a moment and then shook his head smiling, "Not you."

"You don't have that much power." She laughed.

He grimaced.

"Not on me anyway. It will take a lot more than being called a Lab rat."

"I didn't mean it." He sighed.

She looked at him now. She shrugged, "it doesn't matter, Draco."

There was a pause as they ate.

"So, have you spoken to Francis about her decision?" he asked softly.

Kitty craned her neck round.

"Hmm." Doe nodded.

"And is she decided?"

"I don't think so."

"Maybe she should take longer."

"I think she knows, deep down, what she wants. She'll probably only fully realise when she says it out loud to Lord Lurie. Then we'll see what we have to do."

"What we'll have to do?" he tilted his head slightly.

"She's not going to marry Will, whatever happens and that will have consequences." Doe looked at him seriously.

He nodded.

She broke of the loose thread and shook out the blouse, scrutinising her handiwork. She neatly folded it up as Draco played with the green tops of the strawberries.

"Do you think she wants to come back?"

Doe looked at him, unable to quite believe that he didn't know the answer. He must really be scared, she thought.

"She doesn't really have a choice. Father won't just let her leave his grip." Draco sighed, "Do you think she'll let me be there, when she speaks to him? Someone has to support her."

"I'll ask her tonight."

He nodded, rolling the green crowns across his plate, the leaves shredding and sugary red water lapped at the rim. She gave him a smile and he returned it with a sort of wretched look.