Our one happy Yule

[Helene Hewitt]

How she managed to put herself together, pick herself up off that ballroom, and get rid of any smeared red lipstick was a feat in and of itself. She felt hollow. Broken, and she with each step, it got harder to breathe. Not only from her injured ribs from her shattered heart.

Helene had never wanted to tell the man she loved no. No, she couldn't run away with him. Despite how much she'd craved to say yes, it had been no. "I want to say yes, but I can't Wesley..." The dagger just twisted more aggressively, and Helene took a shuddering breath in and out. Don't you dare cry. Not here. Not where they can see you. She thought angrily to herself. She'd slipped her heels back on in the ballroom after finding a mirror and redoing up her hair. It was in no way the beautiful up do Mari had done for her earlier, but she still looked nice. Save for the threatening tears, and her lips free of her red lipstick.

Helene held her head high as she walked down the same way she'd gotten to the smaller ballroom. This time there was no deGrey following behind her silently. She knew, because she looked. Twice.

Come back...Come back my darling, and fight me. Tell me no. Push back, break me into your infernal submission and make me tell you everything. She thought desperately. Apart of her wanted to run into him back in the ballroom. To see him, so he could see that look in her eye and know she wanted him to fight her.

She squeezed her hands together, and she heard the door to the main ballroom open. the sound of heals clicking on the floor before she rounded that corner. When she did, her steps faltered for a moment. "Marinette." She said surprised. She'd just been on her way to tell Mari she was going home, that her side was hurting her, when really she wanted to weep into her pillow and silently wish she'd never met Wesley deGrey. This way she wouldn't suffer from the pain she caused him. Her eyes looked over her sister for a brief moment, when a small smile appeared on her face. "I was just coming to find you." She said. Trying to keep the tears at bay while she blinked rappidly. Oh dear, not here. Please Lene, not here. She begged herself. She had to be strong. She just had to...

Marinette Roquefort

[Marinette Roquefort]

Well, that was that, then. With William off to care for his daughter, she now had no one to talk to, and not one other person in the ball she'd willingly seek out. Any other deGrey was someone else she'd be bothering and causing trouble for, and they were the only people in the room she even half-trusted. How fitting for her that she'd managed to ruin Yule all on her own by sending away the person who'd done the most to make it a happy one. No Roquefort girl ever had a happy Yule, after all.

Wait. Speaking of Roquefort girls...Lene was still missing. It had been quite a while...shouldn't her sister have been back by now?

A seed of panic was planted with that realization, one which pushed Marinette from her chair and drove her through the crowd toward the exit. She'd been selfish, so selfish, and her sister was god knows where, possibly in danger from Clarence, already injured, and even if Wesley had gone after her there was no guarantee he'd caught her or helped. She needed to find her sister, now.

She wasn't even sure where to look but she chose a direction at random as she exited the ballroom and--oh. Oh, she was right there already. She'd been ready to sigh in relief until she saw Helene's expression.

Marinette recognized the look on her sister's face all too easily. A smile to hide tears was a regular occurrence in the Roquefort home, after all. She'd know it anywhere.

"Oh, Lene," she sighed, hurrying towards her and immediately linking their arms. Her own sorrows were immediately pushed aside so that she could make sure her sister made it out of here without any more trouble. It was the least she could do after ignoring her to chase her own happiness. "Come now, let's get out to the carriage and get you home."

She wouldn't let her sister argue with her, either--any complaint would be met with a firm shake of her head and reassurance that she was just coming to find her and go home anyway.

It didn't take long to find their carriage among the others waiting, although the driver looked startled to see them. Marinette apologized profusely as he put out his pipe and hurried to hide a flask.

Soon, though, the women were settled inside the carriage next to each other, huddled into their coats and wraps as the vehicle began to move.

[Helene Hewitt]

She should have known any attempt to hide her feelings from Mari would be in vain. Even as she opened her mouth to protest that she'd just go home herself and send the carriage back, there was no winning with Mari. Helene selfishly didn't want her sister to leave her alone either. Afraid of what she might do. Afraid of what stupid idea might pop into her head. Like trying to find Wesley... She linked her arm with her sister, letting her take her away from the castle and this Yule. Away from that small ballroom... 

Helene hadn't realized she'd fallen into a silent trance. A hollowed numbness had settled around her and she didn't want to think, or do anything. The pain in her side from getting into the carriage reminded her that she did have feeling despite how much she wanted to ignore it. She wrapped her coat tightly around her as the carriage began to move, Helene found herself leaning to the side despite how much it hurt to do so, to rest her head on Marinette's shoulder. 

"I didn't want to pull you away from a good evening Mari..." She said quietly. "I wanted you to have the best Yule..." She murmured, taking a small breath in and out. It was like breathing in razor blades though. "It hurts." She whispered, staring off into face, seeing the look on Wesley's face before he'd left. She could still feel the pressure of his lips on hers, the way his hands felt holding her. Touching her, his scent... "How this Yule turned out." She remarked quietly. 

[Marinette Roquefort]

When her sister leaned into her, she automatically put an arm around her, pulling her closer. She might not have everything she wanted, tonight, but at least the two of them always had each other. One safe person to return to at the end of the night.

"I wanted you to have the best Yule..."

The best Yule? As much as it hurt, she was fairly certain she'd actually had the best Yule ever, tonight. For a few fleeting moments, she'd been completely and perfectly and incandescently happy.

Mari started to laugh, but it came out as a sob instead. "I did have the best Yule, for a little while. It was like a dream, Lene. And then reality had to come along and smash it all to pieces again." Her shoulders shook with the next sob, and she held Lene tighter, careful not to press anywhere that was already bruised. "I'm sorry, Lene. I really thought we had a chance."

She'd been trying not to cry since the moment she'd realized her mistake in dancing with William, and now it was all pouring out of her. She hurried to pull one of the handkerchiefs she'd gotten from Wesley (how strange that had only been twenty-four hours ago; it felt like a lifetime) from her coat to keep from making too much of a mess.

"Please tell me you had fun, at least for a few minutes? Was it worth it for us to go?"

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene tilted her head slightly to look at Mari as she started to laugh, then saw the sobs. Oh no, what had happened? For a moment, Helene forgot her own problems. Sitting up and hugging her sister tightly, not caring if her shoulder blades screamed at her. Hearing Mari speak of her night.... Helene couldn't agree more, reflecting on her own time with Wesley. The happy bits that is. The moment where she thought to damn with it all and took what she wanted for once. 

And then reality had come in and smashed it all to pieces. Just like Mari had said. "So did I dearest." She whispered. "It is I that needs to say sorry." She told her, stroking her hair. Helene let Mari go as she pulled out her handkerchief. There mere sight of it, and knowing Wesley had given them to her, turned what remained of her heart to dust.

She flinched away from Mari. As if she'd struck her. Her hands tightened into the fabric of her dress, and she stared down at her lap, watching her white knuckles. "It was the most beautiful thing I think I've ever experienced." She whispered honestly. She raised her head to look at her sister. "For the moments it lasted." There was a pained expression in Helene's eyes. "I love him, Mari." She whispered. "I love Wesley." She said with a small laugh, a weak smile on her face as she struggled to not cry. "And I had to break his heart, and send him away." She choked back the sob that wanted to break through her chest at her admission. She reached up, pressing her fingers under her eyes to keep the tears from spilling. "To protect him." She whispered, turning her gaze on her sister. "From father. From the Hewitts. Goodness like that shouldn't be touched by me." She said firmly. "But yet. As much as it hurts, it was worth it. To live for once." She said. 

[Marinette Roquefort]

She loved him! For a moment, Marinette wanted to crow with joy. She loved him! Her instincts had been right! She loved him! This was perfect. The two of them would marry, and Helene would keep the house, and she'd be happy for once in her life and--

"I had to break his heart, and send him away."

"Helene!" Marinette gasped at her sister's confession, and suddenly it made sense why the handkerchief had chased her away. She quickly hid it away, not wanting to cause her sister any more pain. It broke her heart to see her sister like this. She'd come so close to happiness, only to push it away. Something about that seemed familiar, but she ignored the slight sense of deja vu. She needed to face this, first. She could worry about herself later.

"To protect him." She whispered, turning her gaze on her sister. "From father. From the Hewitts. Goodness like that shouldn't be touched by me."

"Lene, there has to be some other way, doesn't there? You--" She blurted out protests in a hurry, desperate to find a solution. But Helene must have thought of everything already, she realized. She wouldn't have done all that if she wasn't sure. The determination in her voice was solid. Marinette bit back the rest of her arguments.

"it was worth it. To live for once."

"You deserve that and so much more, Lene. I wish I knew how to make that happen for you. You know I'd do anything."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene smiled sadly at her sister. Shaking her head at her. "No, he's a sailor. They'll never approve. Father call's him a misfit-" Her bottom lip quivered, and she looked back down at her hands. Maybe there was a way, but Helene was also afraid. Terrified. Anything she'd ever wanted was always ruined or taken from her in the end. If she got Wesley, managed to keep him...it would only be a matter of time before he was taken from her. Tainted. Harmed in some way... And that was only if he even wanted her back after she'd thoroughly crushed his heart. She couldn't do it. She was a coward. 

A coward that was afraid of being truly happy. 

Helene lifted her head and nodded at her sister. Smiling at her. Reaching over to take her hand from her. "I know you would, love." She said gently. A look of confusion then crossed Helene's face. "Wait...What happened to you in the ballroom?" She asked. Remembering Mari's own sobs. You get whisked off my a serial killer and you were left in the dark about what happened to Mari... "What happened with your Yule dearest? Tell me." She reached up to stroke her cheek gently, wiping away more tears. She gave Mari's hand a comforting squeeze. 

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette paled when the conversation was turned back to her. There was so much to tell, and not all of it from tonight. For a moment, just a moment, she pressed her lips into a thin line, afraid to speak. And then she realized she was being ridiculous. Helene was Helene. How could she keep anything from her?

She took a deep breath and began.

"First...You should know that I left out part of the story when I was telling about the Hunt. When we were walking back, Wi--the duke and I, I saw father through the window and I panicked. I stopped in my tracks like a frightened animal. And of course, it was obvious something was wrong. I wasn't going to say anything, I never do, but he didn't ask what was the matter, or why I was worried… He asked what Father had done. He understood, right away." She laughed, softly, remembering her shock. It made sense to her now; this was just who William was.

"The very first thing he did was insist he was going to help us. I tried to tell him not to get involved… I don't think he will, now, but he knows. I hardly had to tell him anything for him to understand it all. So when you were in trouble, and I sent Wesley to find you, William came to find me." She didn't catch herself using his name, this time, although she'd tried to go back to titles, as he'd done. Now that she was telling the story, it all came pouring out of her.

"Lene, it was lovely. I wasn't sure that it was alright, to have fun while you were in trouble, but while we were dancing… I felt like a princess. It was perfect, as if every other problem had melted away, and I could just be, for a few minutes. And! He wants me to teach Olivia to play the piano!" She beamed for a moment, until she remembered what came next. She blushed deeply and did her best to skim over what exactly she'd been thinking.

"But I got a bit overwhelmed by it all...and I think I got carried away… So I asked if we could sit down for a moment. And of course, he was sweet and went to get me something to drink because he thought I was feeling lightheaded, and then that horrid woman showed up.

She had the gall to say that I was just like her! That witch thinks I'm just after him for myself. Which is ludicrous, but it made it fairly clear what she's telling everyone else." She sighed. "All I wanted was one night. One! But I gave it up because I won't have that monstrous woman destroying William and Olivia's lives just because I was selfish and wanted to have a nice holiday. There's just no way I could do that. I'd rather go back to father than let anything happen to that little girl."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene listened carefully to everything Marinette said. smiling at her as she explained everything. She had to admit, there was a brief spark of fear at hearing William knew about their father, but his behavior yesterday made sense to Helene. He knew. He had helped, and hearing Marinette speak of the man.... Did her sister hear herself? It hadn't just been one deGrey to capture a Roquefort heart apparently... And with those words...Helene decided William deGrey could be trusted. For him to have Helene's trust would mean something, one day. 

This was good, it was one more person on Mari's side, and it brought a genuine smile to her face, however that smile soon fell as Margery  was mentioned. Helene's face schooled, and her own problems soon washed away. To think that devil would come in and dared ruined her sister's Yule? Unforgivable.  "Marinette, you are nothing like her and if the bitch says so again..." The look on Helene's face would be enough to tell her sister that she would handle her. But tonight...They'd handle her together. After the night they'd both had, they needed a pick me up. 

The fact Marinette was so willing to go back to their father only proved to Helene how much she cared for William and Olivia. Her sweet sister with her generous heart.... "Nothing, will happen to that little girl Dearest. Both of us will see to it." She promised her. Squeezing her hand. She looked out the window seeing they were almost home. "Now. The night is still young yes?" She asked her, looking at her sister out of the corner of her eye, as a slow smile appeared on her face. "I believe some Yuletide justice is in order." She remarked, sitting up straighter, and becoming a bit more herself. Who would have thought Margery Decant would act as the perfect distraction from Wesley? "When we get home dear, change into something you can easily move in. Pants Preferably. If you need a pair, I have extra, though they might be too short." She said, a coy smile appearing on her face. "Think Daragh and Angus are still up?" She mused. Despite how much she'd tried to beat those boys into taking care of themselves, they always seemed to be around to take care of them. "We're going to have the best Yule Mari. And Yule isn't over." Helene said firmly. 

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette smiled. Helene was right. Whatever it meant, they'd see to it that nothing bad happened to Olivia deGrey. If there was one comfort in tonight, she trusted that. Between her and Helene, Olivia had a whole boatload of persistence and love at her back.

Yuletide justice? Huh? Marinette's smile vanished and she stared at her sister in open confusion. And it only got stranger from there. She wanted Mari to find something easy to move in and wanted help from Darragh and Angus. Help with what? She couldn't even imagine what her sister had in mind.

"Pa--What? Pants? Lene, I don't even own pants. And the brothers? What in the world are you dreaming up?" She protested, her voice going up almost a full octave as worry kicked in. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

[Helene Hewitt]

"I'll lend you a pair of mine." She went on to say, crossing her legs. She let her mind slowly work her plan out. Oh yes, this would be just perfect... She looked at her sister out of the corner of her eye as her grin turned more mischievous. "There's one person we forgot to give a gift." She told her sister simply. "We wouldn't want our dear Margery to feel left out now would we?" She asked, looking at her sister, arching her brow. "A perfectly good idea. Mari," Helene couldn't help the bitter laugh that came forth. "I'm already going to hell in my eyes. If it's not her its the Hewitts or Father. And quite honestly, I'm sick and tired of not doing anything."  She told her. She clenched her jaw despite how sore it felt. 

"Two can play her games, and the best part..." She shifted her eyes at her sister. "Is she's not going to know who did it." She remarked. "She'll have no proof." She shrugged. Her smile returning. "I only wish to be able to see her face..." She sighed wistfully. "If we are caught, I'll take full blame, so don't worry." She told her.  

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette frowned heavily at her sister. She did think that Margery could stand to be taken down a peg--how could she not? But her mudbath had been a spur of the moment plan, not a premeditated one. If she were really out to stop the woman entirely, she'd go for something more subtle, find some way to force her to out herself to the entire court as a lying, gold-digging, two-faced hag. A trap. Whatever Helene was planning, she had the feeling it was quite a bit less… refined.

Still, the glee budding on her sister's face was infectious, and it was hard to resist something that would bring a little spark of joy back to the person she adored most in the world.

"Alright, dear heart. I'll go along with your plan. But please, can't you fill me in on what it is?"

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene's grin only turned far more mischievous. "We're simply going to deliver flowers. A bouquet, with a harmless secret admirer note." She explained. She failed to mention the fact there would be poison ivy in the bouquet and if Margery stuck her face in it to smell the flowers, like she hoped, she'd be in for quite the surprise for the next couple of days. And with a few well placed words from their dear sweet boys in the court, everyone would know that Margery Decant had contracted a most unfortunate skin condition that was contagious to others, and to not go near her. 

The grapevine would proceed from there as people would come up with their own versions of how she'd gotten it. Helene didn't usually stoop to such levels, but Margery Decant had messed with the wrong deGrey, and her sister by association. Payback, was going to be an itchy bitch. 

Helene turned her head to look at Mari fully. "If she happens to find her flowers have poison ivy and she can't tell the difference from a decorative leaf from an obnoxiously itch plant...." She shrugged and winked at Marinette. "It's a good thing I like my green house now isn't it?" Helene asked with a coy grin. She'd taken up the hobby after she decided to kill Stephen. She'd done thorough research on how to kill him to make it seem natural, and she'd spent quite a lot of time in her garden, tending to her flowers and herbs. And no one was none the wiser, nor did they question her... 

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette blinked. A bouquet? How was that a prank? She tilted her head and turned to her sister in confusion. Surely there was more to it.

Helene turned to face her as she revealed the catch, and it was her wink that finally made Marinette laugh, against her better judgment.

"You keep poison ivy in the greenhouse? Maybe it's a good thing I haven't much of a green thumb!" She teased, nudging her sister with her elbow.

It was mean, but...she couldn't deny that the mental image of Margery Decant covered in a hideous, itchy rash was more than a little bit satisfying. And poison ivy spread, didn't it? Which meant if she scratched, it would only get bigger…

She tried to press her lips into a thin line and look disapproving, but she couldn't keep herself from smiling, even as she rolled her eyes. "Helene, you're positively evil. But even I have to admit, that would be priceless. Lead the way; I shall be your faithful assistant."

[Helene Hewitt]

Helene gave a innocent little shrug of one shoulder and turned her head so her chin rested against her shoulder for a moment. A look of complete innocence on her face while one of her eyebrows arched. "Maybe..." She said simply before her looked turned far more mischievous.

She couldn't help but laugh at Mari's attempt to be disapproving. They needed this. Especially after tonight. She still had Wesley's faint scent on her dress. She could smell him, and it made her chest ache suddenly. She needed this to distract her. To give her something to think about other than the way he'd left that ball room, and the way she'd left his heart on the floor, crushed beneath her heal.

"Excellent. And the best part, she won't even know. She'll have no proof." Helene's grin widened even more. They were soon home not much later, and Helene moved quickly to the door. Or as quickly as she could muster from her ribs. Her excitement fueled her move movements. She threw open the front door and was already shouting for the servants. "Angus! Darragh! Boys I need you!" She called. She turned to Marinette. "Go upstairs and change into what I told you. Remember to dress somewhat warm, I'll bring you the pants in a moment." She instructed.

She saw one of the boys pop his head out in the hallway from the kitchen, and she was already making her way down there. "Gentleman we have a mission tonight." She began to explain, coming around the corner. She placed her hands on her hips as she looked them over. A serious look on her face. "We're going to show Margery Decant what rotten children get on Yule when they miss behave and mistreat our friends. Is that clear?" She asked. A small smile forming on her face, while she watched Darragh's crooked smile begin to spread across his face. "Yes ma'am." He said. "Excellent. I'll meet you in the greenhouse in ten." She said before she spun on her heel and went to go change. Bringing Marinette a set of black leather pants she hoped would be long enough for her.