Francis, a would-be poet, moved in literary circles, being friendly with a number of artists, but when Caitlin was about four or five, he began to live apart from his family. Yvonne left London, and she and the girls settled in Blashford, near Ringwood and the New Forest, where they were close friends to Welsh artist Augustus John and his family. In her early teens, Caitlin fell in love with Caspar John, son of Augustus John, despite the fact that he was almost eleven years her senior. During this period she was raped by Augustus himself, who seemed to believe that sex with those he painted was an artist's privilege.