Hi,

I'm sorry, for the delay, but I couldn't update yesterday. Hope you'll forgive me. Here's the next chapter.

Enjoy it!!

VisualIDentificationZeta: Hope this chapter will answer your question. :)

Chapter 3

Marguerite woke at a knock at her door. Actually it was a really loud knock. But she didn't planned on opening her eyes, because the bed she slept in was huge and very comfortable. It was that kind of luxury, that she couldn't enjoyed for a long time. Yes, a really long time, because in the Plateau she couldn't find king sized bed, with soft bedclothes and her silk nightdresses were old and ugly, not like the one she was wearing at the moment… Moment! It's surely not the Plateau. But where is she then?

Miss Krux's eyes popped open and she suddenly sat up in her bed. She was in a beautiful, huge bedroom furnitured just like her taste with peach colored elegant things. It radiated light to everywhere.

The knocking became louder, and she quickly got out of her bed and tore up the door. But as soon as she did this, she had to step back from the picture, she couldn't imagine in her wildest dreams.

Not else than Veronica Layton stood in front of her, in a wonderful light blue city gown. It reminded her one of Charlotte explanations of the fashion in Paris. Charlotte! The river! A lightning! "But how came I here?" She thought, but hardly finished it, Veronica came into the room.

"Good morning, Marguerite, or shall I wish you Good afternoon? I'm not joking when I say, that you're incorrigible. You would have slept through the whole day in the Plateau, if there wasn't me to wake you."

"Oh, I'm sure in it." Marguerite rubbed her eyes.

"Come on, get on your clothes! The seamstress is waiting. We must hurry." Veronica started toward the closet and picked out a dress. "Put on this!"

Marguerite looked at the dress, and shivered. There wasn't a power that would make her wear that thing. It wasn't a surprise, Veronica never had a taste of fashion.

"Seamstress?" She asked her, as she examined her cupboard.

"Marguerite, you act as you don't imagine anything. Yes, my wedding gown. The day after tomorrow I'll marry. You're planning my wedding for month and now it's me who has to make you come with me? It must be a joke. What happened to you? If we were still in the Plateau I would think that a trog hit your head."

In that moment a plan started to form in Marguerite's mind. She slowly turned toward her and looked in her eyes.

"Something like that. Yesterday evening I fell and hit my head."

"Oh, no! Let me see where?" She stepped closer, but Marguerite held her back.

"Nothing serious, but sometimes things just get out of my head. I mean I remember of the Plateau and I know who you are, but anything else… "

"I'll take you to a doctor!"

"No!" She cried suddenly. "I mean" She continued more calmly. "In my opinion it would be perfect, if you would simply tell me everything. Just sit down, and talk as I get on my clothes."

She pushed her into a comfortable chair and went toward the cupboard.

"Well, I can't tell you more than that I know you about for 2 years. We've met in the Plateau. Marguerite it's ridiculous. I can't tell you all of our memories…"

"Please Veronica. For my sake!" She looked at her hopefully, and it was successful. The girl sighed and continued.

"You came into the Plateau with an expedition. You know that I lived there for 11 years alone?" Marguerite nodded yes. "Do you remember the Zangas?

"Yes."

"The expedition stood from you, two professors, Challenger and Summerlee and… and… Ned Malone."

"Reporter. International Herald Tribune."

"Exactly."

"Any other?"

"I don't know."

Marguerite stopped in her movements. Not Roxton, neither Richard nor Charlotte.

"Please continue."

"I took you in to the treehouse and everyone started to live for their own purpose. You collected gems, the professor's data, and plants, and Ned… adventures. Than on a horrible night, ape men attacked us. They took Assai and I was knocked out in the fighting. When I woke there wasn't anyone except of the two professors' dead bodies."

"They died?" Whispered Marguerite through dry throat.

"Yes. But you and Ned freed Assai and Jacoba showed the way home."

"Than I didn't sell you?"

"Sorry?"

"Nothing, nothing. You came with us?"

"Well, it was more the choose of destiny than me. When I escorted you, the cave collapsed. Ned saved my life, but he paid too big price. He gave his life in exchange of mine."

The unshed tears in Veronica's eyes suddenly burst out; Marguerite couldn't do anything else then embrace her.

"I… I loved him." She hiccupped. "And I still love him."

"Then why do you marry?"

The girl sat straight and held up her head.

"Hank Gilmore is a good man. He's honest, and accepted me the way I am. I respect him, and know that he loves me. I'll have a sure future beside him in this strange world."

Marguerite looked into her eyes, but she didn't see the Veronica she knew. This wasn't that brave women, who could easily handle a T-Rex. This was just a lost empty girl and Marguerite knew that she had to solve this, no matter how hard it will be…

to be continued...

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