Just When We Thought Everything Would Be Okay...

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene stretched in bed that morning. A good stretch that had her groaning as she woke her muscles up and she smiled up at the ceiling from her canopy bed. The past six months had been nothing but blissful. No Stephen, no father, Marinette was safe and living with her, everything was perfect. Everything was how it should have been. 

She tossed the duvet off and threw her legs over the side of the bed, before grabbing her robe and putting it on over her nightgown. She practically skipped down to the kitchen, saying hello to any servants she passed on the way there. She could see how happy they were once she'd taken over as well. Everyone at Hewitt estate was doing much better after the loss of their lord, but no one dared speak of it. Especially Helene who didn't want anything jinxed. She'd worked her ass off to get where she was, and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it. 

Once in the kitchen she greeted Gretchen, the cook, with a warm smile. "Good morning!" she said. "My lady! Good morning to you, did you sleep well?" She other woman asked with a smile. "I did thank you, I wanted to ask if I could get a breakfast tray for Mari." She told her. "Of course of course! We've got fresh strawberries this morning." Gretchen told her. The pride in her voice evident. "Excellent!" Helene said. She then stepped in to help Gretchen. The staff at the Hewitt estate quickly realized Helene Hewitt was not a woman who would ask her servants for anything she couldn't do herself, and often helped them when she could. Namely in the kitchen. Keeping her hands busy was something she liked to do, but she also liked cooking when she could get away with it. Gretchen and her had a compromise. Helene could help with breakfast but all the other meals she had to let Gretchen do as it was her job. 

They'd made quite the small feast, and Helene carried the tray up the stairs. A sway in her hips as she sang softly before coming to her sister's room. She adjusted her hold on the tray, and knocked softy before she opened the door. "Rise and shine my darling!" She sang. "We have quite the treat this morning." She said beaming as she came around the bed, and sat on the edge. Placing the tray on her lap until Marinette got adjusted. 

Marinette Roquefort

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette woke with a start and sat bolt upright with her chest heaving. She'd been having another nightmare, of her father chasing her through their old home. He didn't have to run, just walked patiently towards her, and no matter how fast she fled through the halls, he was always just behind her. The knock on the door had been enough to startle her from sleep, but it wasn't until she saw Helene's face that she remembered where she was. She was in Helene's house, safe and sound, sleeping past the sun because there was no one there to fear. She sighed heavily in relief and flopped back onto the pillows.

"We have quite a treat every morning with you in charge, Dear Helene," she answered with a sleepy laugh as she dragged her hands over her face. She felt as if she were wiping away her father's influence as well as the sleep from her eyes. A yawn overtook her, but she forced herself to sit up anyway and eyed the tray of breakfast.

"You don't need to spoil me so, Helene. I can come and get my own breakfast the same as you." She complained, even as she popped a fresh strawberry into her mouth. She didn't hate being spoiled, but she did want her sister to take care of herself as well. She worked too hard. Still, it gave her great joy to see her sister around the house, chatting with the servants and running things the way she wanted. It was like Christmas every morning to see her sister so full of life and laughter, without anyone to come home and ruin it for her.

"Or better yet, if you slept in a little longer, I could bring you breakfast in bed instead."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene sat up a little straight and turned her head up. "I don't know what your talking about." She said before a grin spread across her face. She placed the tray on Marinette's lap once she was settled and turned her body so she was sitting cross-legged on the bed with her. She reached over-plucked her own strawberry up, biting into it.

She took the moment to enjoy the sweetness of the treat before she answered her sister. "I like spoiling you though little sister. You deserve it." She said pointed her half bit strawberry at her. She giggled and reached for one of the plates. Marinette would see that Helene had brought her breakfast up as well and took her plate of strawberry crepes and one of the forks. She cut into the pastry then and took a few bites. Enjoying the quiet simplicity of the morning. She looked out one of Marinette's windows to see the gardens she'd put in shortly after marrying Stephen and sighed contentedly.

She glanced over at her sister then and a soft smile appeared on her lips. "I'm happy your here." She said softly. She really meant it too. Mari was safe here, and Helene would keep her there for as long as she could. Their father had no reach here. Not in her home. "Did you sleep well?" She asked her.

[Marinette Roquefort]

"Oh, I'm sure you haven't the slightest idea." Marinette rolled her eyes dramatically, but she couldn't hide the smile that brightened her face. She felt as if she shining sun were warming her heart itself.

This place was like heaven. She still wasn't used to being safe each morning, but with each passing day, she felt more and more like a human being. At first, she'd felt wrong having free reign in the big house, and kept to her 'guest' room much of the day. It had taken far longer than it should have for Helene to coax her out to read in the library, or to sit in the kitchen while she and the cook worked on breakfast. She didn't go out of the house often, but even so, each time she did, being able to say she wanted to go 'home' and mean it...she'd cried the first time she heard herself say it.

"I'm glad to be here," she answered immediately, moving the tray aside so she could pull Helene into a tight hug. "No, I didn't but that doesn't matter. I'm here with you, and that's what does. Now. What shall we do today, oh lady of the house? Any chores that need doing?"

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene held her plate out of harms reach of the hug, and squeezed Marinette right back. Rubbing her free hand over her sisters back gently. She leaned back and frowned when she said she hadn't slept well. "You know you can always come crawl into bed with me if the nightmares get too much." She said gently. "I'll chase the monsters away." She said with a smile.

She meant it too. She'd chase all of them away. "Ooooh I don't know. I thought about going to the market to try and find something nice for the funeral tomorrow, but..." She shrugged. "I don't think anything will please father." She made a face. Remembering his visit last night when he said they would all be going to King Edward's funeral to show their support to the queen. Together. "We'll live." She sighed. Confirming to herself and Mari that they could survive the day with their father. "The fact we're in public will be made better." She told Mari reassuringly.

"I do think though, Spending time outside and in the garden would be nice. I want to prepare it for spring." She said thoughtfully. Going back to eating her breakfast. "What would you like to do today My dear?" She asked.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Ach, did she have to remind her? She didn't want to think about her father...she'd much rather he simply...cease to exist. Poof! And the two of them would be free like this forever. She didn't want to remember that her time here in paradise was limited. Still, every moment was worth it, and she could sustain herself on memories of this for years to come. Her father would never let her go free when he could still have her to domineer around the house--he needed someone to run things, and he had no patience for strange women. Why should he bring in someone new when he had her so perfectly trained already? He'd as much as said it himself.

"So long as we're wearing our mourning blacks, he should stay calm enough for us to get by. I wouldn't risk anything flashy, though, or he'll go on a rant about us being little whores again," she answered dryly, already hearing the insults in the back of her mind. That cruel little voice that chased her was her father's.

With a sigh, she removed herself from the bed and began to dress. The weather was fairly pleasant outside, although it was still a little chilly, and the ground was beginning to thaw enough that they might actually accomplish something. But working in the garden in the damp and chill sounded well...like work, in spite of the shining sun.

"Perhaps we might do some indoor spring cleaning? We can wash and air the sheets, throw open some windows to air out the stuffy winter air... The whole place will smell like lavender laundry soap and sunshine. And, of course, we can air out our stored mourning clothes as well, so we'll smell as sweet as roses while we're at the castle."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene rolled her eyes and let a dramatic sigh out. "I'd take a whore over what he called us last time." She sighed. Whore was far nicer than c-u-n-t, and the last time he'd at least called Helene that was his last drunken stupor. She watched Marinette get up and begin to get dressed, and supposed she should as well.

She stood from the bed and would take the tray and their finished breakfast, walking towards the door. She paused and turned to look at Marinette. "Lavender is a good scent..." She said thoughtfully. She wasn't too keen on cleaning that day, but if its what Marinette wanted to do, who was she to tell her no?

She couldn't help but smile at the mention of smelling like roses. She really did love the scent, and the flower for that matter. "We'll definitely smell a lot better than some people." She giggled. She could only imagine what King Edward smelled like. "Cleaning it is!" She said before she left Marinette. A servant came down the hallway and quickly hurried to take the tray from her. "Thank you Alise." Helene smiled at her. The younger girl smiled right back. "Of course M'am." She said before she was off, and Helene walked to the master suite. Throwing open the large curtains that had yet to be opened up as she walked down the hallway. She paused at her last window and watched as a carriage came down the drive. "Who...?" She frowned, wondering who would be calling so unannounced this early. As the carriage got closer she recognized the driver.

"Shit!" She cried and made a dash for her room. "Shit shit shit shit!" She swore.  Running into her room and over to her closet, she tore off her robe not bothering to hang it up, and grabbed the first dress she could snatch. She made quick work, forcing her feet into some flats, as she tied her dress, and quickly ran a comb through her hair before pulling it out of her face. She hurried out of her room then, and hurried to her sisters room. "Mari!!" She called. Opening the door, Helene scowled at her sister. "Lord Pompous and Lady Dimwitted are here." She practically growled. The closest thing she had to "In-laws" was Stephens Uncle George and Aunt Bernice Hewitt, as Stephens parents had both died young. She really hoped their creep of a son, Clarence, was not with them. Helene had vented to Mari on more than one occasion about the couple and how difficult they could be. She was lucky she got a visit every month, but this was the second one, which made her highly suspicious about them visiting unannounced. "Prepare thyself." She Sighed, before she turned and left.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette sighed heavily and flopped back into the pillows after Helene left the room. She wanted to air out the house like she wanted to air out her mind--clear both of the old cobwebs and memories that made them so unbearable. To have everything clean and fresh was part of her idea of a safe haven. She listened to the sounds in the hall, a long time habit from listening to her father as he moved through the house. She frowned when she heard running footsteps, but assumed at first it must just be Helene being energetic. Then it came again, and her brow furrowed just before Helene flung the door open and shouted frantically about her in-laws arriving.

Marinette gasped and hurled herself out of the bed at top speed, yanking open the wardrobe to pull out a navy blue dress. She pulled off her nightgown at a tremendous speed; she grimaced when she heard one of the seams pop loudly at the elbow, but she didn't stop to check. There was no time. Once the dress was on she whipped her hair into a plait down the back and shoved her feet into a pair of tan shoes. She glanced in the mirror just quickly enough to confirm that she didn't look like absolute trash before hurrying after her sister. She hesitated a bit behind her, unsure how the older couple would feel about her being there but decided that being there as moral support for her sister was most important. If Helene could support her with father, she could support Helene with these two. And besides, these two were much less likely to become violent.

"Any idea what they want...?"

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene snagged a servant while she was waiting for Marinette. Instructing them that Lord and Lady Hewitt had would be at their door in no time. The servant practically sprinted down the hallway at Helene's urging, and she smoothed a hand over the dark maroon colored fabric of her dress. She closed her eyes, taking in slow steady breaths despite how quickly her heart was beating. She highly disliked the couple. They were self entitled dimwits who expected you to take their advice and do it. Their only son Clarence, was their sparkling pride and joy who could do no wrong, and if Helene had sniffed him out right, he was nearly if not worse than Stephen had been. He sickened her. They all did. 

Her eyes opened when Mari was at her side, and she looked up at her sister. "Other than to arrive unannounced and catch us still in our night gowns?" She laughed a bit bitterly before she started for the stairs. "I haven't a clue, this isn't like them." She confessed. "They only visit once a month and it's usually to see how I'm faring without Stephen, and that I haven't burned the house down." She rolled her eyes. She reached for Mari's hand then, giving it a quick squeeze for comfort and her own reassurance. Marinette was there. She'd be fine. She could do this.

Hewitt House was an old monstrosity of a thing, and Helene had done her damnedest to bring some light into the place since she'd become lady of the house. It had certainly been a man's home when she arrived, with dark woods and paneling, with brown and dark green accents. Since Helene had taken charge there was brighter colors, light creams and blues. There were flowers if she could get them, or some sort of floral arrangement always. Since spring had yet to arrive the arrangements around the house currently had small pieces pine and pine cones with cinnamon sprinkled in to give the home a warm feeling. 

The foyer was lit up with natural light from the large windows and the large dark door was opening as soon as they were nearly near the bottom. "Thank you Darragh." Helene called to the butler as he opened the door, and in waddled the Hewitts. Already they were yapping. "Helene!!!! Oh dear girl I hope you don't mind us coming unannounced." Bernice Hewitt's shrill voice rang out. Helene plastered on a smile. "Not at all! This is quite the surprise! We weren't expecting anyone so early..." She said approaching them. Bernice Hewitt was a small woman, who has a bit on the heavier side. She had graying blonde hair with darker highlights that was always kept perfectly pinned up. Not a curl out of place, and shrewd blue eyes. Her mouth constantly looked like it was pinched into a forever pursed smile and she constantly gave of the air of silently judging you. What Helene hated most about the woman was her high little laugh she had. She moved in for the hug, already holding her breath so she didn't have to breath in Bernice's overly strong perfume that reminded Helene of sickly sweet milk. Bernice was a bit shorter than her, and Helene placed a kiss on each of her cheeks and gave her a quick squeeze. She smiled down at her former husbands aunt, and then turned to great the Lord Pompous. 

Unlike his wife, George Hewitt was a large obese man who surprised Helene constantly with the fact he could button his trousers each morning. His gut stuck out a good couple inches, and his face was often red from whatever physical activity he did. He had beady brown eyes thinning red hair that had already turned white at the sides. He had a large bushy mustache as well, at least three chins, and whenever he looked at you, you couldn't help but feel like he was debating whether to eat you or not as it constantly looked like he was squinting at you. The man was loud, and liked to talk about himself, or his son, barely letting you get a say in. He was also self righteous and believed he knew everything. Helene had to hold her tongue many a time to prevent herself from telling the man what she honestly thought of him. 

"George." Helene said, with a strained smile. "Helene." He gave her a nod of his head. "E-heh. You both remember my sister Marinette?" Helene said with slight laugh and smile, turning and gesturing towards Mari. Helene walked over and wrapped a arm around her waist. "Mari, Lord George, and Lady Bernice  Hewitt. Stephens Aunt and Uncle." She said doing the proper introductions. 

"Pardon me to interrupt M'am, but the tea is ready in the sitting room." Alise's quiet voice sounded, from an archway, and Helene turned and gave the girl a relieved smile. "Shall we?" She asked. 

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette dropped a low curtsy--likely lower than was due to Lord and Lady Hewitt--when her name was mentioned. She was grateful for Helene's slight embrace when she rose, lending her the strength to smile politely through her horror.

"A pleasure as always, Lord Hewitt, Lady Hewitt," she greeted them, although her voice was thin.

Marinette too was relieved by the interruption of tea, and she turned quickly to follow her sister and her guests into the sitting room. She waited, though, making herself the last in their train, as her standing was the lowest among them. She wanted to be as deferent as possible to the Hewitts--in her mind she was planning to handle them much the same way she would her father, in the hopes that appeasing them would mean gentler treatment of Helene in the end. She knew her own actions were likely of less importance than their greed, or Helene's bowing to their will, but she hoped that she might at least smooth the way to easier interactions.

Once in the sitting room, she would wait for the Lord and Lady to take their seats first before finding a place to nervously perch near Helene.

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene led the way into the sitting room, once taken aback by the fact Bernice wasn't commenting on her decorating skills. The woman in fact was strangely quiet, and it set Helene on edge. "Thank you Alise." Helene told the girl, who smiled at her and dipped into a curtsy before leaving. "Oh! Close the door will you?" Bernice spoke up. Surprising Helene even more. What was going on? Alise turned and looked at Helene for approval, and she gave a nod of her head. Not wanting to argue with the Hewitts about how they should treat her servants. 

She smiled at them both and went to quickly make the tea how she knew they liked it. "Oh thank you  dear, but that won't be necessary, we don't plan on staying long." Bernice told her with a wave of her hand. Helene stilled, her eyes going to Mari, and then the Hewitts. She realized then that George was fixing Mari with a look that almost made it seem like he didn't wish she was there. Helene's eyes narrowed, and she reached over to give Mari's hand a quick squeeze. Indicating she wanted her there. 

"Oh? What a shame. I do enjoy our visits." Helene said with a fake smile, appearing as if she was devastated they wouldn't be staying longer. In truth she was curious to this visit and to why they had shown up, and why they seemed to want to talk in private. "Helene, maybe it best if we talk with you in pri-" Bernice began to speak, and Helene was quick to cut her off. "Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my sister." She told them firmly. Her tone implying she would not be argued with. Bernice did that high little laugh of hers, grating on Helene's nerves again. "Of course dear." She said. She looked at Mari with her shrewd eyes and and gave her what could have been assumed as a smile, before a look of concern crossed her face as she looked at Helene. "There is no easy way to say this my dear, but George and I have been discussing Hewitt House as of late. The house was Stephen's as you know, may he rest in peace." She paused and closed her eyes for a moment and sighed, as if paying respect to his memory. It made Helene sick to her stomach, and she could feel herself growing tense.

"And given his passing well... We think...." Bernice didn't seem to know how to say it delicately, but George on the other hand was getting right to the point. "If you want to keep the house Helene, you need to remarry. And soon. Or else it goes to Clarence." He said rather bluntly. Helene blinked for a moment, trying to process what they were saying. What? What!?

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette frowned when Lady Hewitt asked the servant girl to close the door, and her frown only deepened when she was asked to leave the room, a look of terror entering her eyes. Helene may want to fight, but Marinette was already beginning to rise when her sister took her hand to keep her there. She sunk back into the couch as her heart began to race and her throat grew tight. They were going to do something terrible, she just knew it. It might not be physical, like their father, but she knew enough to read malice where malice lay. This woman was poison dressed as a sugared rose.

Helene's firm voice did nothing to stop her anxiety from climbing with every syllable out of Lady Hewitt's mouth. When she was cut off by her husband who finally reached their point, Marinette gasped. "I beg your pardon, but isn't that contrary to Stephen's wishes? I was under the impression that he had left the house and the land to Helene." She did her best to speak politely, despite the way her hands had begun to tremble. "Perhaps I misunderstood, but I should hate to disrespect the wishes of Lord Stephen, may God rest his soul."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene froze, an icy chill going down her spine at hearing the words. If you want to keep the house Helene, you need to remarry. And soon. And soon. Soon.Soon. Soooooon. The words echoed in her mind for a moment, and she just stared into space for a moment. She sat ramrod straight as she stared at a painting on the far wall, behind the Hewitts from where they sat on their couch. Her breathing had stopped. No. No not again. NO. She thought fiercely. She was done with marriages. The one had been enough. She was done with people picking who she would marry. She was tired of being raised and married to monsters. It was as if the universe was taunting her. Teasing her with a small bits of freedom. Stephen had been her escape from her father. When proved to be a worst fate then her father, she took matters into her own hands, and now that Stephen was finally good and truly gone? Now that she could finally be free? She was reminded yet again that Helene Elizabet Roquefort - Hewitt did not get freedom. She got chains and cage.

She could barely hear Mari, her eyes burned at unshed tears, and her lungs felt like they were burning. May he burn in hell. Helene thought bitterly. Finally she took in air, gasping softly. By looking at her you would think she was in shock, possibly regrieving her husband, and Helene was about to play that fact up all to well. "S-so soon?" Her voice cracked and she forced herself not to cry. Bernice looked at her with a look of pitty and tutted. "Oh dear, we know how much you loved Stephen." She started. She glanced at Mari. "If Helene wants to keep her lands she must remarry. It's Tresteria's way, as well as Stephen's parents wants. This was my brothers home. Stephen's wishes are his fathers wishes. She must remarry if she wants to keep the lands." George grumbled out in answer to Marinette. "He's only been gone six months," Helene said, looking dumbfounded. She could feel the room closing in on her and she reached for Mari's hand, clinging to it to ground her before the darkness consumed her. "We know this must be hard for you dearest, but the laws-" Damn the fucking laws!!! Helene nearly snarled. She held tight to Mari's hand. The Tresterian laws sure loved to suppress the women of Tresteria. Men like George Hewitt and David Roquefort just loved to rub them in. Helene could hear Bernice ramble on about the laws, but Helene didn't care. What she cared about was Marinette. If Helene remarried, she'd go back to their father. That. Could. Not. Happen.

Helene's hold on Mari's hand was surely a painful one, and her dark eyes landed on her sister. A silent apology in her eyes. She was so so sorry. If only-If only she'd been stronger. Done...more. Thought this through better, dammit dammit, DAMMIT. She forced herself to take a deep breath. She loosened her old on Marinette. "How long." She said with her eyes closed. How long did she have? How much longer of freedom and happiness did her and Marinette have? "Summer. You have until summer, by then it will be a year after Stephen's passing." Bernice explained. "If not sooner. Summer is the latest." George felt the need to say. That was six months. She's have six precious months to find a way to keep Mari safe and she could practically hear the clock ticking. "You could always marry Clarence, Helene. It would make this all easier." Bernice suggested.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette hardly felt the pain of her sister's tightening grip on her fingers--she was fairly certain her soul had led her body as she was feeling quite detached from all physical sensations as she realized what was happening. She was going to be sent back. Her father would own her once more, body and soul. She had known it would happen, that all this was too good to be true, but she had hoped they would have longer. Was it to be over now?

It was the apology in Helene's eyes that slammed her back into her body, and she took a shuddering breath. Had she forgotten to breathe for that long? Helene turned and asked how long they had left. Summer, said the woman. Summer at the latest said the man. Just until summer, and then she would be as a ghost once more, merely a shadow to be trampled beneath her father's heel. A sudden bitterness filled her, so heavy she could taste it on her tongue, and she rose suddenly to her feet.

"Well it was very kind of you to share that information with my sister in person, and I'm certain she'll take your advice to heart and be sure to follow your recommendations. However, as I'm sure you are quite aware, this has been a very trying time for Helene after losing her dear husband, and this news seems to have given her quite a shock. Let me walk you to the door, and we'll let her recover."

Her voice was almost not her own, suddenly firm and confident as she pressed the horrid couple to leave. She did it politely, of course, with a good excuse, but it would be perfectly clear that they were no longer wanted. "We have immeasurable esteem for you and of course for the law, so I wouldn't dream of putting up any more argument. I wouldn't want to waste any more of your time, as you mentioned being in a hurry," she assured them with a thin-lipped smile. Zero was immeasurable, wasn't it? You couldn't measure nothing.

[Helene Hewitt]

Mari suddenly rising to her feet surprised everyone in that moment, and Helene couldn't help but stare at her sister with large eyes. The moment Mari's words flew from her, Helene couldn't help but feel a swell of pride for her. Bless her. Bless her sweet sister.  The Hewitts seemed to be dumbfounded. Expecting more of an argument she could only presume, so they might be able to convince Helene to marry their son Clarence. The likely hood that Helene would marry that snake was slim to none. 

"Ah! Bu-but Helene! Won't you consider Clarence? He's a sweet kind man, you know this!" Bernice tried to interject. George seemed to pick up on Mari's hint though, and narrowed his beady eyes at her before he spoke to his wife. "We've said our peace Bernice. Helene knows what must be done now. Come along." He said. Heaving to his feet. Helene watched his jacket streeeeetch against his protruding stomach and she kept waiting for him to pop a button, but it didn't happen. He motioned for his wife to get up, and Bernice Hewitt looked like she was about to argue with him, however George fixed her with a look that shut her right up. "We'll see you next month Helene. Ah, Miss. Rosefork it was nice to see you again." George gave Mari nod in acknowledgement, and the two left the room. Helene could hear Darragh seeing them out and once she heard the loud thunk of the door closing, she felt like she could breath again.

"Oh Marinette...I'm...I'm so sorry." Helene whispered. Shaking her head slowly as the graveness of the situation came down. "I can't marry that man. I won't, but I won't see you back at that hellhole either." She shook her head more furiously. She could feel hot tears stinging her eyes, and she forced them to stay away. "And please. Please don't refer to Stephen as my dear husband ever again." She whispered. Hating the man more in that moment than she had ever before. "He-I- Oh Mari..." Helene leaned back on the couch. Resting a hand on her forehead. She forced herself to take slow, even breaths.