Part 6: No shrinking Violet
Author's note: In this chapter I begin the transition from Satine to Julia. When Satine acting, or when Christian is thinking about her or with her, she is referred to as Satine. When it anyone else, she is referred to as Julia. Just remember that Julia=Satine, and you'll be fine. :-)
Christian turned a frightening shade of white as he took the telegram with a shaking hand. He calmly read it.
Satine looked from Annette to Christian anxiously. Whoever this Violet person was, she doubted it was good.
Christian handed the telegram back to Annette. "Does Mamma know?" he asked.
Annette nodded. "I just showed it to her."
Christian ran a hand through his dark hair. Satine put a hand on his arm. He looked at her, startled, as if he had forgotten she was there.
"Who's Violet?" she asked softly.
Annette and Christian exchanged glances. They knew she would have to find out sooner or later.
"Violet is my older half-sister, darling." Christian said gently. "From my father's first marriage."
"Is that all?" Satine asked, laughing lightly. "Oh, you worried me there, dear. I was afraid it was something serious."
"It is serious." said Annette. "Violet is wretched and she's coming. She heard Christie had come home, or something, and she felt she had to welcome him."
Christian shook his head. "I'm afraid none of us ever really liked Violet. She was horrible to our mother, and still is. She hates in me and Annette in particular."
"How charming." Satine breezed, unaware of the seriousness. "Any particular reason?"
"I'm the only other girl and he's the first born after her." supplied Annette. "Her mother died when she was really young, and Papa married Mamma right after. Violet never forgave Mamma, and then she really hated all of us."
"We were never very nice to her when we were little. Mamma told us she was our sister but no one ever liked her much." said Christian. "And she was horrible to us."
Annette nodded in agreement. "She'd smash our toys, or break things and blame it on us. Papa always took her side because he felt she was outnumbered, and Mamma preferred not to get involved."
"So, he favored Violet?" Satine was getting dizzy. Add another level to the already confusing Deveraux family circle.
"He did when we were children. She grew up to be a ghastly young lady. No one wanted to marry her because she was so disagreeable." said Annette. "She's horrid, and she knew it."
"And so goes the story of Violet Deveraux." said Christian.
"And now she's coming." said Annette mournfully. "I do wish she wasn't."
"Now, now," Satine said diplomatically. "She can't be all that bad. You told me your father was terrible and he's not. I'm sure Violet is a lovely girl. Now, let's go tell your father."
Christian and Annette shook their heads vehemently. "No!"
"Why not?"
"Father will be furious. He doesn't like it when Violet comes to visit." Annette said in a terrified whisper.
"He will be very angry, darling. It'd be best to let Mamma tell him." Christian said.
Satine tossed her head with a carefree laugh. "You are all petrified of your father, and I think it's a shame. I'll go and tell him if you won't."
With that, Satine turned on her heel and started towards the office.
"Don't!" cried Christian and Annette. With a shared fearful glance, they bolted after her and arrived just as she knocked.
"Come in." they heard.
It was too late. Now they had to tell him.
Christian and Annette gulped.
~*~
"WHAT?" roared Jeremy with such force Christian, Satine and Annette shrunk away from him. The telegram he held in his hand quivered. "I TOLD HER NOT TO COME BACK HERE!"
Annette timidly opened her mouth to speak. "Papa, I was thinking that maybe-"
"Quiet, girl!" bellowed Jeremy.
Annette trembled violently. 'Excuse me." she whimpered, and she ran out of the room.
Christian and Satine exchanged glances. Jeremy smiled apologetically at Satine. "Julia, dear, I'm afraid that there's been some family discord in the past year with my daughter Violet."
Satine nodded. "I see."
"And now-" the telegram was dropped to the desktop and viciously slammed into the surface by the irate Jeremy's fist. "She decides to come back. I will not have it!"
"I think it's too late, Father. She said she'd be here on the five o'clock train tomorrow." Christian said.
"I'll wire her."
But the smooth Sparkling Diamond intervened. "Now, Father..." she said in a smooth, velvety tone. "There's no need to get upset. There's nothing we can do for the present." she smiled sweetly. "So, we'll prepare for a guest, and deal with Miss Violet accordingly when she arrives." She batted her eyelashes innocently. "Doesn't that sound a great deal more reasonable than wiring an angry telegram?"
Jeremy looked at her with a wondrous expression. "Julia, that is just the thing to do." He looked at Christian with a disgusted looked. "Now why didn't you think of that, boy?"
Satine preened next to him, and Christian smiled dryly. "Guess it didn't occur to me.
Jeremy coughed and waved them away.
"Leave, both of you."
Satine smiled pleasantly. "Don't you worry, Father. I'm sure you'll think of something."
Jeremy smiled. "Thank you, my dear."
Christian pulled Satine out.
~*~
Satine twirled her parasol. The afternoon sun was pleasant, and the weather was quite warm for February. They were walking through Evelyn's rose gardens. There we no roses, but the lay-out of the garden was extraordinary. It was a maze of curving cobblestone paths, with a walled garden in the far right corner. There were ponds that had been emptied for the winter with Greek and Roman statues decorating them and little mosaic tiles. There was a beautifully carved wooden gazebo in the center.
"That's where Annette's going to be married." Christian said. Satine looked at him.
"Annette's engaged?" she asked.
"All but. She's been courting George Carter since before I left. He should be proposing soon."
A thought came into Satine's mind, and her stomach churned as tendrils of green grabbed hold of her mind.
"So... have you ever been engaged, Christian?" she asked lightly.
Christian chuckled. "Almost." he replied.
Satine jerked her arm away from him jealously. "To who?" she asked irritably.
"To Michelle Wittinger. We courted for a few years. Then she met George Carter's brother, Michael. They've been married for a few months now. They're expecting their first baby soon."
"So, it's Michael and Michelle Carter?" The green retreated from her mind and Satine smiled again, taking Christian's arm.
"Yes."
"That's horrible."
"I know."
"Christian and Satine go good together." she said dreamily, spinning her parasol again and looking off into the distance. "But we're not supposed to be Christian and Satine, are we? We're Christian and Julia now."
Christian squeezed her arm. "Yes, darling."
Satine looked at him. "What will you call me, when we're alone? Julia or Satine?"
Christian studied her. "I suppose I'll cross that bridge when we come to it, don't you think?"
"No. I want to know. Because Julia is... is... this new me. The English society me." she drew herself to her full height and pretended to drink a cup of tea with her pinkie extended. "The proper young lady." she said in a confident English accent. "And Satine is the..." she looked down and kicked at a stone in the path. "The courtesan."
Christian put a finger under her chin and made her look at him. "No, my love. No. Satine is the woman I fell in love with."
Tears caught Satine by surprise when they sprang to her eyes. "Can you love Julia?"
Christian shook his head, and when he spoke his voice was hoarse with emotion. "I don't care what your name is. I don't care if you're Julia or Satine or Annette or Violet or even Nini or Mome Fromage. I would love you no matter what your name was."
"Even if it was something horrid like Enid?" Satine said with a laugh.
"I have an aunt named Enid." Christian said thoughtfully. Satine hit him. "What? I do!"
A cold breeze whipped around them, and involuntarily, Satine shivered.
Christian looked at her with a concerned look. "Why don't we go inside, darling? It's cold out here."
Satine cocked an eyebrow. "You seem to have the body heat of a salamander. It's wonderful out here."
"You have one of a polar bear." he shot back. "It's frigid. And I do NOT want you getting sick again."
"I won't."
"Please?"
Ignoring him, she glided over to a stone bench and sat down. She smiled winningly at him, patting the space next to her.
Defeated, Christian sat down.
Satine snuggled into him. "Now," she drawled. "What happened with Violet?"
Christian stiffened a bit. "Vi disobeyed my father. He disowned her. End of story."
"Like you did?"
There was a deep breath taken there. "No."
Satine pulled away to look him. "No?"
"No. I did because I wanted to get away from a tyrant and write, which I do not believe is a crime." he said, growing defensive. "Violet did it to be malicious and hurt my parents."
"No need to get snippy about it." Satine said in an injured tone.
"Annette told me that while I was gone Violet came back and made a horrible scene. That was when Father told her never to return. And now she is." Christian heaved a heavy sigh. "I see disaster in my future."
Satine moved closer to him. "Our future."
~*~
"Annette." Satine said, reaching out and grabbing Annette's forearm.
"Good morning, Julia." Annette said, raising her eyebrow. Julia's tone sounded rather urgent for ten o'clock in the morning. "Anything troubling you?"
"Why was Violet disowned?" Satine demanded, without returning Annette's pleasantries.
Annette removed her arm from Julia's grip and looked down. "I'm not supposed to talk about it."
Satine snatched her arm again. "Spit it out."
Annette looked around surreptitiously. "Come upstairs." she hissed.
The two looked in both directions before creeping up the stairs, tiptoeing down the hall, and quietly closing Annette's bedroom door.
"Look, I don't remember all that much-" Annette began desperately.
Satine cocked an eyebrow and just watched her.
Annette sighed. "Okay, okay, I do. I remember exactly what happened." she sighed again, and moved to sit down on her chaise lounge. "Violet left home quite some time ago... I was about ten, so Christian was fourteen, and Violet was twenty. Violet had always been a bit spiteful, so she decided to hurt the family the best way she could: to go for our reputation.
"She started hanging around with the servants and vagabonds in this little cafe... Papa didn't like that much, and told her to stop. But that was it. He had always had a soft spot for Violet. She didn't listen.
"Eventually, her own plan backfired and she fell in love with an artist. When she told Papa they wanted to get married, he forbid her. She paid him no mind and ran away with him. That was the last we heard of her until last October.
"Christian had left earlier in the year, so the whole family was not in a general pleasant mode, except for Gregory, of course, who adores trouble and contrariety." Annette stopped here and shuddered. "He's horrid, that brother of mine."
Satine nodded sympathetically. "Go on..."
"Anyway, Violet came back. She looked very angry. She demanded to see Papa, so Chauncy brought her into his office.
"First it was quiet. Then there was yelling. Then there was a crash, and Violet came stalking out. And Papa ran after her and yelled 'If you ever come back here, I'll have your little fantasy destroyed!'" Annette trailed her finger over the velvet pattern of the chaise lounge. "He wouldn't tell any of us about it. And if he told Mamma, she never breathed a word of it."
Julia had a troubled look on her face, and seemed to be deep in thought. Annette waited a few seconds, then waved a hand in front of her face. "Yoo-hoo, Julia." she said. There was no recognition. "Julia!" Annette burst out.
Satine came to with a start. "Oh! Annette! I'm sorry, I was... thinking."
Annette took Julia's hand. "Please don't get involved, Julia. Just let Papa handle Violet. Please. Violet executes nothing but trouble. Please, just leave her be. I'm begging you."
Satine laughed lightly. "Have you no faith in me, Annette?"
Annette's face grew dark with remembrance. "I know my half-sister." she said in an ominous tone. "I don't want you getting involved, and neither will Christie, and neither will Papa."
Satine felt a sudden chill of forewarning. "I won't," she said slowly, squeezing Annette's hand. "I promise. You have my word, I won't get involved."
The sun rose again on Annette's countenance. "Good. Now," she said, rising and pulling Julia up with her. "I want to go shopping. Care to come along?"
~*~
The huge grandfather clock in the main hall had sounded five o'clock fifteen minutes before. And all was not well in the house of the Deverauxs.
Knowing that Violet did not play tricks, they expected her within the next fifteen minutes. There was a general perturbance in the house. Jeremy was irritable because his daughter was returning; Christian was upset that she had to return so soon after his own arrival, for he was certain her presence would bring nothing but misery. After twenty-one years, Evelyn was still nervous around her step-daughter, and always striving to impress her, thus the elaborate (and a little ridiculous) menu and hairstyle. Annette was upset because she couldn't find the pearl necklace she wanted; Thomas was agitated because he couldn't remember how to do his math homework (he could care less about his slightly-mythical older sister), and Satine was just anxious to be meeting another Deveraux- and one that was twice as evil as Christian and Annette had made Jeremy out to be. The only calm one was Gregory.
At 5:20 on the dot the doorbell rang. All members of the Deveraux clan were at their unspoken position: Evelyn in her boudoir; Jeremy in his study; Annette in the parlor, practicing the piano; Thomas in his room; Gregory on the veranda; and Christian and Julia in the library, reading poetry.
Chauncy moved slowly (the old butler was verging on seventy) down the hall and painstakingly opened the door.
"Yes?" he said in the snooty tone all butlers seem to possess.
"Hiya, Chauncy." came the jaunty greeting.
The girl in the hallway was strikingly beautiful. She had a cloud of curly black hair that framed face in a most becoming manner. She was a petite as Julia was tall, and an entire inch shorter than Annette. Everything about her was small and quick. She seemed to be lost in her billowing skirts and flowing peasant blouse that made her look like a gypsy and would certainly make a few Deveraux eyebrows raise. Her skin came to a sharp contrast with her hair, being so pale and creamy it was almost startling. She had naturally arched and fine eyebrows, an upturned nose, and a small mouth.
But most impressive of all were her eyes, that were the color of her namesake and shone mischievously.
Violet looked around the front hall, and sneered at the portrait in the hall. She then turned imperiously to glare at Chauncy.
"Well?" she said. "Aren't you going to announce me or something? I thought that's what the high-hat folk do."
"Yes, ma'am. Please wait here."
"In the hall?" Violet called to Chauncy's retreating back. "Gee, Evelyn's manners must be slipping. I remember when I used to wait in the parlor."
Violet, being the naturally curious person that she was, moved towards the parlor door. She could just hear the slight tinkle of an atrociously played Beethoven sonata.
She smiled and nodded. "Papa didn't want me to frighten off Annette, I suppose."
"What are you doing here?" came the stern voice of Jeremy Deveraux.
Violet turned, grinning. "Why, hello, Papa. How nice to see you."
"Answer my question, Violet."
Violet clucked her tongue. "My, my, my. How polite we are."
"Don't test my patience, girl." Jeremy said dangerously. "I told you not to return. What brings you here?"
Violet dropped her gaze modestly. "Why, I heard my baby brother had returned. I had to greet him accordingly, don't you agree?"
"No." said Jeremy gruffly. "How did you find out?"
Violet shrugged. "Oh... I have my ways. And I've heard he brought a little wifey home. Had to meet her."
"You will do nothing or the sort. You are leaving on the next train."
Violet shook her head. "Oh, I don't think so. I like it here very much, Father, and I think I'll stay a while." She motioned around. "Redecorate?"
"Violet, I'll not have this insolence in my own home. I demand that you leave." Jeremy glowered with a stare that would have reduced anyone us to quaking. Violet, however, held her ground and grinned saucily.
"No, Father, I think I'm gonna stay a while. And you won't kick me out, I know you won't. It'd cause such a scandal, and dear Evelyn would be mortified, and you couldn't bear it, so I know you're going to let me stay."
Jeremy, defeated, glared daggers at his daughter.
Violet flashed a smile that was more malicious than impertinent.
She pushed a lock of her hair back, and grinned widely. She opened her mouth and took a deep breath before bellowing.
"Oh, famileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm ba-ack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Author's note: In this chapter I begin the transition from Satine to Julia. When Satine acting, or when Christian is thinking about her or with her, she is referred to as Satine. When it anyone else, she is referred to as Julia. Just remember that Julia=Satine, and you'll be fine. :-)
Christian turned a frightening shade of white as he took the telegram with a shaking hand. He calmly read it.
Satine looked from Annette to Christian anxiously. Whoever this Violet person was, she doubted it was good.
Christian handed the telegram back to Annette. "Does Mamma know?" he asked.
Annette nodded. "I just showed it to her."
Christian ran a hand through his dark hair. Satine put a hand on his arm. He looked at her, startled, as if he had forgotten she was there.
"Who's Violet?" she asked softly.
Annette and Christian exchanged glances. They knew she would have to find out sooner or later.
"Violet is my older half-sister, darling." Christian said gently. "From my father's first marriage."
"Is that all?" Satine asked, laughing lightly. "Oh, you worried me there, dear. I was afraid it was something serious."
"It is serious." said Annette. "Violet is wretched and she's coming. She heard Christie had come home, or something, and she felt she had to welcome him."
Christian shook his head. "I'm afraid none of us ever really liked Violet. She was horrible to our mother, and still is. She hates in me and Annette in particular."
"How charming." Satine breezed, unaware of the seriousness. "Any particular reason?"
"I'm the only other girl and he's the first born after her." supplied Annette. "Her mother died when she was really young, and Papa married Mamma right after. Violet never forgave Mamma, and then she really hated all of us."
"We were never very nice to her when we were little. Mamma told us she was our sister but no one ever liked her much." said Christian. "And she was horrible to us."
Annette nodded in agreement. "She'd smash our toys, or break things and blame it on us. Papa always took her side because he felt she was outnumbered, and Mamma preferred not to get involved."
"So, he favored Violet?" Satine was getting dizzy. Add another level to the already confusing Deveraux family circle.
"He did when we were children. She grew up to be a ghastly young lady. No one wanted to marry her because she was so disagreeable." said Annette. "She's horrid, and she knew it."
"And so goes the story of Violet Deveraux." said Christian.
"And now she's coming." said Annette mournfully. "I do wish she wasn't."
"Now, now," Satine said diplomatically. "She can't be all that bad. You told me your father was terrible and he's not. I'm sure Violet is a lovely girl. Now, let's go tell your father."
Christian and Annette shook their heads vehemently. "No!"
"Why not?"
"Father will be furious. He doesn't like it when Violet comes to visit." Annette said in a terrified whisper.
"He will be very angry, darling. It'd be best to let Mamma tell him." Christian said.
Satine tossed her head with a carefree laugh. "You are all petrified of your father, and I think it's a shame. I'll go and tell him if you won't."
With that, Satine turned on her heel and started towards the office.
"Don't!" cried Christian and Annette. With a shared fearful glance, they bolted after her and arrived just as she knocked.
"Come in." they heard.
It was too late. Now they had to tell him.
Christian and Annette gulped.
~*~
"WHAT?" roared Jeremy with such force Christian, Satine and Annette shrunk away from him. The telegram he held in his hand quivered. "I TOLD HER NOT TO COME BACK HERE!"
Annette timidly opened her mouth to speak. "Papa, I was thinking that maybe-"
"Quiet, girl!" bellowed Jeremy.
Annette trembled violently. 'Excuse me." she whimpered, and she ran out of the room.
Christian and Satine exchanged glances. Jeremy smiled apologetically at Satine. "Julia, dear, I'm afraid that there's been some family discord in the past year with my daughter Violet."
Satine nodded. "I see."
"And now-" the telegram was dropped to the desktop and viciously slammed into the surface by the irate Jeremy's fist. "She decides to come back. I will not have it!"
"I think it's too late, Father. She said she'd be here on the five o'clock train tomorrow." Christian said.
"I'll wire her."
But the smooth Sparkling Diamond intervened. "Now, Father..." she said in a smooth, velvety tone. "There's no need to get upset. There's nothing we can do for the present." she smiled sweetly. "So, we'll prepare for a guest, and deal with Miss Violet accordingly when she arrives." She batted her eyelashes innocently. "Doesn't that sound a great deal more reasonable than wiring an angry telegram?"
Jeremy looked at her with a wondrous expression. "Julia, that is just the thing to do." He looked at Christian with a disgusted looked. "Now why didn't you think of that, boy?"
Satine preened next to him, and Christian smiled dryly. "Guess it didn't occur to me.
Jeremy coughed and waved them away.
"Leave, both of you."
Satine smiled pleasantly. "Don't you worry, Father. I'm sure you'll think of something."
Jeremy smiled. "Thank you, my dear."
Christian pulled Satine out.
~*~
Satine twirled her parasol. The afternoon sun was pleasant, and the weather was quite warm for February. They were walking through Evelyn's rose gardens. There we no roses, but the lay-out of the garden was extraordinary. It was a maze of curving cobblestone paths, with a walled garden in the far right corner. There were ponds that had been emptied for the winter with Greek and Roman statues decorating them and little mosaic tiles. There was a beautifully carved wooden gazebo in the center.
"That's where Annette's going to be married." Christian said. Satine looked at him.
"Annette's engaged?" she asked.
"All but. She's been courting George Carter since before I left. He should be proposing soon."
A thought came into Satine's mind, and her stomach churned as tendrils of green grabbed hold of her mind.
"So... have you ever been engaged, Christian?" she asked lightly.
Christian chuckled. "Almost." he replied.
Satine jerked her arm away from him jealously. "To who?" she asked irritably.
"To Michelle Wittinger. We courted for a few years. Then she met George Carter's brother, Michael. They've been married for a few months now. They're expecting their first baby soon."
"So, it's Michael and Michelle Carter?" The green retreated from her mind and Satine smiled again, taking Christian's arm.
"Yes."
"That's horrible."
"I know."
"Christian and Satine go good together." she said dreamily, spinning her parasol again and looking off into the distance. "But we're not supposed to be Christian and Satine, are we? We're Christian and Julia now."
Christian squeezed her arm. "Yes, darling."
Satine looked at him. "What will you call me, when we're alone? Julia or Satine?"
Christian studied her. "I suppose I'll cross that bridge when we come to it, don't you think?"
"No. I want to know. Because Julia is... is... this new me. The English society me." she drew herself to her full height and pretended to drink a cup of tea with her pinkie extended. "The proper young lady." she said in a confident English accent. "And Satine is the..." she looked down and kicked at a stone in the path. "The courtesan."
Christian put a finger under her chin and made her look at him. "No, my love. No. Satine is the woman I fell in love with."
Tears caught Satine by surprise when they sprang to her eyes. "Can you love Julia?"
Christian shook his head, and when he spoke his voice was hoarse with emotion. "I don't care what your name is. I don't care if you're Julia or Satine or Annette or Violet or even Nini or Mome Fromage. I would love you no matter what your name was."
"Even if it was something horrid like Enid?" Satine said with a laugh.
"I have an aunt named Enid." Christian said thoughtfully. Satine hit him. "What? I do!"
A cold breeze whipped around them, and involuntarily, Satine shivered.
Christian looked at her with a concerned look. "Why don't we go inside, darling? It's cold out here."
Satine cocked an eyebrow. "You seem to have the body heat of a salamander. It's wonderful out here."
"You have one of a polar bear." he shot back. "It's frigid. And I do NOT want you getting sick again."
"I won't."
"Please?"
Ignoring him, she glided over to a stone bench and sat down. She smiled winningly at him, patting the space next to her.
Defeated, Christian sat down.
Satine snuggled into him. "Now," she drawled. "What happened with Violet?"
Christian stiffened a bit. "Vi disobeyed my father. He disowned her. End of story."
"Like you did?"
There was a deep breath taken there. "No."
Satine pulled away to look him. "No?"
"No. I did because I wanted to get away from a tyrant and write, which I do not believe is a crime." he said, growing defensive. "Violet did it to be malicious and hurt my parents."
"No need to get snippy about it." Satine said in an injured tone.
"Annette told me that while I was gone Violet came back and made a horrible scene. That was when Father told her never to return. And now she is." Christian heaved a heavy sigh. "I see disaster in my future."
Satine moved closer to him. "Our future."
~*~
"Annette." Satine said, reaching out and grabbing Annette's forearm.
"Good morning, Julia." Annette said, raising her eyebrow. Julia's tone sounded rather urgent for ten o'clock in the morning. "Anything troubling you?"
"Why was Violet disowned?" Satine demanded, without returning Annette's pleasantries.
Annette removed her arm from Julia's grip and looked down. "I'm not supposed to talk about it."
Satine snatched her arm again. "Spit it out."
Annette looked around surreptitiously. "Come upstairs." she hissed.
The two looked in both directions before creeping up the stairs, tiptoeing down the hall, and quietly closing Annette's bedroom door.
"Look, I don't remember all that much-" Annette began desperately.
Satine cocked an eyebrow and just watched her.
Annette sighed. "Okay, okay, I do. I remember exactly what happened." she sighed again, and moved to sit down on her chaise lounge. "Violet left home quite some time ago... I was about ten, so Christian was fourteen, and Violet was twenty. Violet had always been a bit spiteful, so she decided to hurt the family the best way she could: to go for our reputation.
"She started hanging around with the servants and vagabonds in this little cafe... Papa didn't like that much, and told her to stop. But that was it. He had always had a soft spot for Violet. She didn't listen.
"Eventually, her own plan backfired and she fell in love with an artist. When she told Papa they wanted to get married, he forbid her. She paid him no mind and ran away with him. That was the last we heard of her until last October.
"Christian had left earlier in the year, so the whole family was not in a general pleasant mode, except for Gregory, of course, who adores trouble and contrariety." Annette stopped here and shuddered. "He's horrid, that brother of mine."
Satine nodded sympathetically. "Go on..."
"Anyway, Violet came back. She looked very angry. She demanded to see Papa, so Chauncy brought her into his office.
"First it was quiet. Then there was yelling. Then there was a crash, and Violet came stalking out. And Papa ran after her and yelled 'If you ever come back here, I'll have your little fantasy destroyed!'" Annette trailed her finger over the velvet pattern of the chaise lounge. "He wouldn't tell any of us about it. And if he told Mamma, she never breathed a word of it."
Julia had a troubled look on her face, and seemed to be deep in thought. Annette waited a few seconds, then waved a hand in front of her face. "Yoo-hoo, Julia." she said. There was no recognition. "Julia!" Annette burst out.
Satine came to with a start. "Oh! Annette! I'm sorry, I was... thinking."
Annette took Julia's hand. "Please don't get involved, Julia. Just let Papa handle Violet. Please. Violet executes nothing but trouble. Please, just leave her be. I'm begging you."
Satine laughed lightly. "Have you no faith in me, Annette?"
Annette's face grew dark with remembrance. "I know my half-sister." she said in an ominous tone. "I don't want you getting involved, and neither will Christie, and neither will Papa."
Satine felt a sudden chill of forewarning. "I won't," she said slowly, squeezing Annette's hand. "I promise. You have my word, I won't get involved."
The sun rose again on Annette's countenance. "Good. Now," she said, rising and pulling Julia up with her. "I want to go shopping. Care to come along?"
~*~
The huge grandfather clock in the main hall had sounded five o'clock fifteen minutes before. And all was not well in the house of the Deverauxs.
Knowing that Violet did not play tricks, they expected her within the next fifteen minutes. There was a general perturbance in the house. Jeremy was irritable because his daughter was returning; Christian was upset that she had to return so soon after his own arrival, for he was certain her presence would bring nothing but misery. After twenty-one years, Evelyn was still nervous around her step-daughter, and always striving to impress her, thus the elaborate (and a little ridiculous) menu and hairstyle. Annette was upset because she couldn't find the pearl necklace she wanted; Thomas was agitated because he couldn't remember how to do his math homework (he could care less about his slightly-mythical older sister), and Satine was just anxious to be meeting another Deveraux- and one that was twice as evil as Christian and Annette had made Jeremy out to be. The only calm one was Gregory.
At 5:20 on the dot the doorbell rang. All members of the Deveraux clan were at their unspoken position: Evelyn in her boudoir; Jeremy in his study; Annette in the parlor, practicing the piano; Thomas in his room; Gregory on the veranda; and Christian and Julia in the library, reading poetry.
Chauncy moved slowly (the old butler was verging on seventy) down the hall and painstakingly opened the door.
"Yes?" he said in the snooty tone all butlers seem to possess.
"Hiya, Chauncy." came the jaunty greeting.
The girl in the hallway was strikingly beautiful. She had a cloud of curly black hair that framed face in a most becoming manner. She was a petite as Julia was tall, and an entire inch shorter than Annette. Everything about her was small and quick. She seemed to be lost in her billowing skirts and flowing peasant blouse that made her look like a gypsy and would certainly make a few Deveraux eyebrows raise. Her skin came to a sharp contrast with her hair, being so pale and creamy it was almost startling. She had naturally arched and fine eyebrows, an upturned nose, and a small mouth.
But most impressive of all were her eyes, that were the color of her namesake and shone mischievously.
Violet looked around the front hall, and sneered at the portrait in the hall. She then turned imperiously to glare at Chauncy.
"Well?" she said. "Aren't you going to announce me or something? I thought that's what the high-hat folk do."
"Yes, ma'am. Please wait here."
"In the hall?" Violet called to Chauncy's retreating back. "Gee, Evelyn's manners must be slipping. I remember when I used to wait in the parlor."
Violet, being the naturally curious person that she was, moved towards the parlor door. She could just hear the slight tinkle of an atrociously played Beethoven sonata.
She smiled and nodded. "Papa didn't want me to frighten off Annette, I suppose."
"What are you doing here?" came the stern voice of Jeremy Deveraux.
Violet turned, grinning. "Why, hello, Papa. How nice to see you."
"Answer my question, Violet."
Violet clucked her tongue. "My, my, my. How polite we are."
"Don't test my patience, girl." Jeremy said dangerously. "I told you not to return. What brings you here?"
Violet dropped her gaze modestly. "Why, I heard my baby brother had returned. I had to greet him accordingly, don't you agree?"
"No." said Jeremy gruffly. "How did you find out?"
Violet shrugged. "Oh... I have my ways. And I've heard he brought a little wifey home. Had to meet her."
"You will do nothing or the sort. You are leaving on the next train."
Violet shook her head. "Oh, I don't think so. I like it here very much, Father, and I think I'll stay a while." She motioned around. "Redecorate?"
"Violet, I'll not have this insolence in my own home. I demand that you leave." Jeremy glowered with a stare that would have reduced anyone us to quaking. Violet, however, held her ground and grinned saucily.
"No, Father, I think I'm gonna stay a while. And you won't kick me out, I know you won't. It'd cause such a scandal, and dear Evelyn would be mortified, and you couldn't bear it, so I know you're going to let me stay."
Jeremy, defeated, glared daggers at his daughter.
Violet flashed a smile that was more malicious than impertinent.
She pushed a lock of her hair back, and grinned widely. She opened her mouth and took a deep breath before bellowing.
"Oh, famileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm ba-ack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"