**AUTHORS NOTE: I haven't been able to keep up with my writing due to work

conflicts. I used to be able to write as much as I wanted, sometimes 2

chapters a day. Of course that is no longer possible and I have let many

faithful readers down. I have received an email from one such person and

that has inspired me to write the next chapter of the story. This chapter

is going to be a flashback scene. It will be brief but it will give some

explanation as to what happened to cause the uproar. Enjoy!! **



Chapter 8 : Flashback to the past

Marguerite began to tell her tale with Gustave listening on?.

"It all started not long after Papa died. I mean our real Papa, not

Danielle's Papa. My mother was very distraught over his untimely demise.

She began to go to the local pub in town and would be gone for days. I

would take care of my sister as she was very young and could not care for

herself. Jackie would ask where Momma was and she would wake up in the

middle of the night crying for Papa. She was too young to understand. I

would go to her and jump in bed with her and hug her and tell her it would

be ok until she fell back asleep. We weren't fully alone as there was a few

servants still around."

"My mother came home about a week later. She smelled of ale and her clothes

were dirty and torn. She also was not alone. She brought home a vile man.

He too smelled of ale, but his clothes were much cleaner and well

maintained. He was a small man. My mother kept calling him Pewee. His real

name was LePuie. My mother said that he was going to stay with us a while

since her no good husband had gotten himself beheaded and there was no one

else who was willing to take us. He had an evil look about him and would

always sneer at Jackie and I when my mother was not looking. I hated him

then, and I hate him still to this day."

"Many weeks passed and Lieu was still part of our lives. He was quite evil

and was quite a slave driver. He fired most of the servants, and forced me

to clean the barns. Yes, I too cleaned stalls like Danielle. He also made

me cook dinner for him. Even young Jackie was not immune to his tirade. He

taught her to clean the floors and dust the cottage. My mother thought this

entire thing was good for my character. She spent most of her time drinking

my fathers' wine cellar away to nothing. I was worried that my mother would

marry this horrible man and he would become my father. I could not bear the

thought."

Marguerite paused to take a breath and see if Gustave was still listening.

He was, amazed at the entire story. She continued.

"One day I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when I heard my sister begin

to cry. Being the protective sister I am, I went out to see what was going

on. When I entered the library, there was LePeiu sitting on my fathers'

favorite chair, with Jacqueline in his lap. She was trying to get away but

he was holding her tightly and could not escape his evil grasp. I yelled at

him to let her go, that he had no right to touch her. He was very upset

that I had interrupted him and he let her go and he gave me his famous

sneer. He then muttered something about he would have his chance soon. I

thought nothing of it."

"Soon my mother stopped drinking and began to spend time with me. One

afternoon, her and I were going to town. Just her and I. Jackie was going

to stay with LePeiu. I begged my mother to take her along but she refused.

I told her what I saw and she just ignored it. We left in the carriage, and

I prayed my sister would be ok. Halfway into town, my mother realized she

had forgotten something and asked the driver to turn around. As we headed

for home, I felt relieved and I could check on my dear sister. We arrived

back at the house and my mother left me with the carriage while she went

into the house."

Marguerite stopped, as if visibly shaken. Gustave took her hand as

encouragement to continue. She nodded and continued?

"I was petting one of the horses when I heard her scream. It was the most

blood-curdling scream I had ever heard. I ran into the house to find my

sister lying on the floor, in nothing but underpants, cleaning the floor.

LePieu was nearby, with his shirt off. He also had set up an easel and was

beginning to paint my sister. My mother had walked in this and screamed for

him to get out. He grabbed his belongings and left. I never saw him again.

My sister began to cry with all the commotion so I picked her up and began

to clothe her again. She seemed ok, just scared."

"Something snapped in my mother that day. She began to hate Jackie.

Honestly, I don't think she ever really loved her, just tolerated her. As

we grew, she talked down to her. I too also spewed hatred at her, if only

to please my mother. Jackie remembers nothing of the incident, but my

mother tells her she would never marry, as she was impure. That is why she

reacted the way she did today. I was wrong to never tell my sister what had

happened. I was also wrong to treat her the way I did. I have always loved

her and I would never hurt her in anyway. It was my mother's entire fault.

She ruined my relationship with my little sister."

She was sobbing. Gustave put his arm around her in a light embrace. He had

a new respect for this woman. She was truly being honest and she really did

care for her sister. How could her mother be so cruel? Why did Marguerite

hide her feelings for so long? Gustave only knew the answer to one thing.

He turned to the woman in his arms.

"We must tell the King and Queen your story, and quickly before Rodmilla

and LePeiu fill them with lies." With that, both got up from their place

and ran to the royal party, hand in hand.





** Well there you have it. The past. My reasons as to what happened to the

"evil" stepsisters. There was no rape going on either. Just a sick mind.

That's enough. Hope this keeps you occupied for a while. More will be

along. I promise! **