Patricia Altschul Says There Was More to the Meeting with Kathryn C. Dennis at Her Ball

Kathryn C. Dennis and Patricia Altschul took steps towards a hopeful future relationship after the former Southern Charm foes ushered in a new era of cordiality at Patricia's white tie ball in the Season 5 finale. Patricia hadn't invited Kathryn to anything in years until she decided to invite her to the ball.

"I have not really been friendly with Kathryn nor have I invited her to anything for about four years," Patricia told The Daily Dish. "I was concerned about her previous behavior, the volatility, the drug situation. But in the last year, Whitney [Sudler-Smith] has been telling me how she’s changed, how she’s really been an exemplary parent, she's fun, she’s kind, she’s nice to be with. There’s no evidence whatsoever of that past behavior and so I just thought it was time. I was looking forward to seeing her and getting to know her."

Kathryn told Patricia at the ball how much she had researched what to wear to a white tie event and she seemed proud when Patricia complimented her on wearing the proper attire. But it took Kathryn a while to approach Patricia.

"It was interesting," Patricia recalled, "because at the ball I kind of expected her come up and say, 'Hi, here I am, thank you for inviting me,' but she seemed very reticent and I think she was actually afraid of me. She was standoffish. Usually when you come into an event like that you find the hostess or the host and make yourself known and thank them. But I didn't see her until well after we had eaten, cocktail hour had been done, people had been dancing. So I was afraid she wouldn’t even come over. She’d come, say hello to her friends and leave. So I didn't know what she was going to do."

Kathryn appeared intimidated, and Patricia noticed it: "I think she was intimidated. I don't know why; I’m a pussy cat."

Patricia also recognized that part of the reason her outlook on Kathryn has improved is that she doesn't listen to the same sources.

"For one thing, I have not taken my information from Thomas [Ravenel], who had always been my source of information about Kathryn, backed up by Landon [Clements]," she revealed. "This year I didn’t; I listened to Whitney and to Shep [Rose]. And I actually saw her on the show. The evolution of her on the show and that’s what made me interested and anxious to get to know her better."

Patricia's assessment of where she and Kathryn are now in their relationship is the most positive it's ever been.

"I would hope that we are friends now," Patricia asserted. "We had a very nice conversation at the finale, at the ball. It went on even longer than was shown and I have high hopes that we’ll be friends in the future." — Reporting by Alesandra Dubin