Timid cat

We have a few feral cats in our neighbourhood and they are regularly to be found sunbathing in our courtyard. One of them, Arthos, we tried to adopt but then discovered he actually belonged to someone. He was never very friendly and was always fighting with all the cats around so we have turned our attention is to Kitty who is very timid and until recently would come nowhere near us. We gave her food but had to back away some distance before she ate it. However she has become more accustomed to us and seems to like hanging around when we are in the garden. Today she even ate some food within a foot or so of where I was sitting.