Good on ya, Gadget!
My ex and I tried that a few years ago ... the cat we were adopting (he was a stray) ripped my calf open one day when I was putting down his food ... the poor baby ... I did not mind ... but he was being quite vicious with kitty (who was old at the time) so we couldn't keep him. I loved poor 'Blackie' dearly, but what could we do?
She will come to 'know' your loving touch, and will sit/lay beside you as she becomes more comfortable. She may never allow peeps to pick her up (my kitty never did, cept for me on the *rare* occasion), but will return your love in many other ways, I'm sure.
tal