Chapter 15: Hate with a Meaning

The ball room was alive and filled with royalty and nobles, each walking around talking or admiring the aisian artwork upon the wall. Cassandra stood beside Duke Charles, she looked breautiful if it weren't for that sad vacant look on her face. " Look at her, was it not yesterday she was happy?" A duchess whispered to her husband as they passed the table. Duke Charles smiled as he talked to some generals.

"Poor girl it seems this wasn't her ideal man to marry." They both nodded and walked toward the buffet table.

"And then the ambassador turned to me and said 'My daughter would love you.' Now here we are." Duke Charles said cheerfully, everyone smiled and nodded Cassandra gave them a weak smile. For in her heart still ached.

"You two are a lovely couple, what is the secert that you two have?" A noble lady asked a little excitedly.

"Well Madame that is for us to know and you to find out." A small chuckle came from the group that surrounded them only Cassandra was the only one that did not laugh. Charles glared at Cassandra and looked at everyone. "We must move on, I hope you all have fun." They bowed and crustied their goodbyes and walked off.

"Ow.. You're hurting me." Cassandra hissed as they moved to the sitting room, once the door was closed Charles threw her up against the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You're making the guest uneasy with that ill face of yours!" he snapped Cassandra narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want me to do?!" She snapped back.

"Smile damnit! It's not right when you're frowning!" She smiled and arched an eyebrow at him.

"Does it matter? I don't seem to have any say in my life anymore. Are you willing to control my emotion also?" He glared at her and raised his hand slapping her sharply across the face. She looked at him with the upmost hate.

"Now let's go back outside," He turned away from her and fixed himself. " Come on." She let out a breath and walked out of the darken room smiling at the passbyers. As she advanced slowly through the ballroom everyone stared at her smiling and giving small bows she finally made it to her friend Lady Michelle.

"Hello Michelle, having fun at this gala?" Michelle made a face and sipped her wine.

"Of course not, all this is about is just nonsense. Can you believe it the Germans have the nerve to speak poorly of the French. They say that we are ones that should be blamed for the Chinese revolts." Her French accent was deep and made her sound even more angry at the fact she was feasting with her enemies.

"They need to feel as if superior to all countries Michelle pay no heed. Your husband swaps them off like they were flies you must do the same."

"Easily said then done Cassandra, Oh goodness your right cheek is awfully red." Cassandra touched her cheek which Charles inflicted his slap.

"Yes well..." As she tried to find an answer she glanced around the room to see a man about the same height and face structure of Sherlock Holmes. Though he was big in weight and size she could see the likiness of the two. "Who is that fellow over yonder? With your husband." Michelle moved a bit and stared closely at the man who was talking to her husband.

"Oh that's Mister Mycroft Holmes.he is a what do you call it.- He is the man that is in charge of dipolmatic matters between countries. What do you call them?"

"A peacemaker?" Cassandra asked quietly, Michelle brighten and finished her wine handing the empty glass to a servant who passed by unnoticed by the other nobles.

"Oh yes, that's the word." Cassandra turned and looked at Michelle with mild interest once that young woman had just a glass of wine she becomes more and more daring and out going. Instead of the usual quiet and shy wife of the French Dipolmat. "Come I will introduce you to him if you like." Before she could protest Cassandra was pulled toward the men. "John, look at how I bumped into."

"Alas here is the the Dipolmat's daugther herself Cassandra," He kissed both of her cheeks and waved to Mycroft Holmes who stared at them intently. "Cassandra this is Mycroft Holmes, the same man who has brought China, England and France together! Quite a load of work." She raised her hand toward him which he took and kissed gently.

"It is good to see you Mister Holmes, your last name is oddly famous amoung the middle class and upper class." He chuckled letting go of her hand. She felt as if she had to know the relations of Sherlock and himself, cousins? Brothers?

"Yes thanks to my adventurous younger brother Sherlock Holmes. He is a bit peeved to the popularity gained after his friend Dr.Watson started to journal is cases. Though he does get more business." They all laughed lightly while Michelle took another glass of wine. Her fourth glass to be exact.

"Yes he was working on my -" She stopped suddenly, Mycroft raised a questioning eyebrow while the others didn't pay heed to her cover up. "Issues with a certain... Maid. It's bit hot in here I'm going to go out and have a nice breath of air. Excuse me." She bowed to them and turned around sharply walking toward the hallway. Looking around for any random persons in the hallway and glad for it's emptiness rushed into her step mother's sitting room.

She could feel the tears brimming and the heartache that she inflicted onto herself and Sherlock, before she could wipe the tears she heard voices coming close to the door. Looking for a place to hide she rushed toward a Chinese screen that was placed in the corner for a dramatic effect to the room. Huddling she spotted a hole in the screen she bend down slightly and watched. Two figures entered the room in a frenzy they couldn't take their hands off each other. In the dark they bumped and thumped against the walls and furniture around the sitting room. Soon there was a loud rip and the woman pushed the man away. They moved a bit and the lights were turned on. "Oh gods." Cassandra whispered to herself. In front of her stood Charles her forced upon suitor and her step mother Catherine.

"Look at that! You ripped my dress!" Catherine said hotly turning her back to Charles and trying to fix her dress's sleeve in vain. Charles moved around and placed his arms around her waist kissing her bare shoulder.

"Oh I can do more then rip that darling." Catherine turned around and kissed him passionately in the lips, both parted breathing heavily.

"But first if you want all of me. We have to go through the whole plan." She walked over to her desk and placed some documents on the desk. "Since your cousin was taken away and is rotting in jail we have no one to make the poision for that damn oriental." Charles ruffled through the papers and smiled at Catherine.

"Who? Your lousy excuse for a husband or his damn annoying daughter Cassandra? I would prefer-"

"You can't harm her till you marry her. Once she's dead and gone after the marriage you have the rightful hand to hold on to her money. The death of my husband will stir bad affairs between both China and England. Then Cassandras? Will launch a war, they will think the English are killing off their kind. Brillant." Both of them chuckled.

"I will find someone to help us darling. It will take a few days but we can spare that... And now that my resources have said that Cassandra left her prince Holmes in tears this afternoon... Nothing is here to stop us. Your husband will be to busy signing treaties and going to parties he's not going to know how he got sick. It's a great idea my love." He kissed her again and started for the doors with her. His arm around her waist.

"You will see to everything then? I do not have to worry? My daugther and I are tried of doing all the work Charles. You should be doing them!" He laughed and kissed her hand affectionally.

"Well you just charm your little asian man and, by a two weeks time your husband will be bedridden till his slow painful dying day." At that they existed the room, Cassandra stayed where she was. Fuming with anger and betrayel, she did not know that her step mother was willing to scoop that low and kill her father for money and all his personal belonging. If she won then she would be getting their land in China also pratically making her the richest widow in England society. But to get those she had to get rid of one her. Stumbling from the cramp corner she walked toward the papers on the desk. They were the prints of all of her father's estates, also his managed bank accounts. Taking deep breaths she ran through everything in her mind. Going to the police but she had no evidence. Her father wouldn't believe her that his lover was going to kill him. No one was willing to believe her unless she found proof.

Help. She needed help from Sherlock Holmes.