Veve: I am sure Joe would be very jealous ha ha It wouldn't be Andrew, as his Mother is Clarisse's cousin :) But I am still looking for the young fine man ha ha Thank you for your comment.

tengland2: Harriet already knows who it is lol Scott you say? Who knows ;) Thank you for your comment also

ooOoo

Boxing Day.

After having a lovely Christmas and seeing the girls so happy and after a month of wondering back and forth about what to do with her mystery man, she decided to end it. On Christmas Day? Could she really do that to him on Christmas?

Sneaking back into the Palace just after 7, she crept up to her suite, shutting the door as she turned to see Harriet stood with her arms folded.

"what time do you call this?" she asked "I thought you was only going to end it with him" she questioned "and 10 hours later, you return"

"not now" Clarisse said walking over and went into the bedroom

"well everyone is still sleeping, why not now?" she asked following her

"because it's to early" she said unzipping her dress while going into the bathroom and put the taps on

"Clari" she sighed and stamped her foot

"Harriet" Clarisse said coming out and gave her a look of frustration and sighed while walking over to the closet

"you didn't end it did you?" Harriet wondered and saw Clarisse appear at the door

"no" she sighed and went back into the closet, getting undressed and slipped on her robe "I couldn't, I got there with every intention of ending it" she said coming back out into the bedroom "it just didn't happen"

"so you fell into bed with him instead?" Harriet asked while watching her walk into the bathroom "do you remember what you said a month ago to me?" she questioned as Clarisse looked at her and started brushing her teeth "you said to me that you didn't want to get to involved because you will end up being hurt and you couldn't go through that again"

"but.." Clarisse started with the tooth brush still in her mouth as Harriet put her hand up to her to stop her

"it appears to me that you are past that stage and are to much involved now to get out" she said looking at her as she finished brushing her teeth "Clarisse, I know you are older than me and it should be the other way around, you giving me advice" Harriet said looking over at her "but I think you've done a silly thing now"

"don't you think I know that?" she asked "Harriet honestly I had every intention of doing what I went there for, its just when he opened the door" she closed her eyes "it, um, I.."

"what are you trying to tell me?" Harriet asked while watching her open her eyes and come out into the bedroom

"he was stood in a towel and well..." she whispered looking at her "I tried to, I did start of with saying what I went there for but well, he kissed me and I turned to jelly"

"oh my" Harriet said watching her sit down on the bed "this is going to be hard isn't it?"

"yes" Clarisse nodded while standing up "what am I going to do"

"um..." Harriet started while looking at her "first off, perhaps maybe you should turn of the bath taps before it over flows" she smirked as Clarisse rushed into the bathroom and Harriet followed her, shutting the door behind them

"what are you doing?" Clarisse asked turning around and looked at her

"I figured people are gonna start moving around soon and well, we are talking and it needs to stay private" Harriet nodded

"ok" Clarisse said sitting on the edge of the bed

Harriet talked to her for a bit then headed downstairs so Clarisse could get ready. Not long after she came down and they had breakfast together, being joined by Greg a little while later.

"ahh" Harriet smiled his way "I am surprised to see you down here first and at this hour"

Clarisse looked his way as she held a cup of coffee up near her face "why?" she asked looking at Harriet then back at Greg

"lets just say he had a late night last night" Harriet smirked as Clarisse looked at her

"actually Fia is just on her way down" he said turning with a blush as both Clarisse and Harriet looked over at him

After a few minutes Sofia came in and walked over to him, giving him a kiss not realizing Clarisse and Harriet was sat at the table, both holding cups of coffee up to there face.

Clarisse cleared her throat and smiled over at them "Morning darling" she laughed at Sofia's face

"I didn't no you two was down here" she said blushing a little

"of course you didn't" Harriet smirked and sipped her coffee

"so you both had a late night huh?" Clarisse said teasingly while putting her cup down

"um..." Sofia said blushing

"aww look you made her blush Clarisse" Harriet laughed a little

"sshh" Clarisse said looking at Harriet then back at Sofia

"lets just say" Sofia smiled while walking over to Clarisse and wrapped her arms around Clarisse's shoulders from behind "it was a bit of pay back" she said and kissed her

"pay back?" Clarisse asked while putting her hand up onto Sofia's arms

"yes, for all those times you and Daddy kept me awake" she whispered as Harriet started laughing

"um" Harriet started "she wasn't actually in her room last night, I was" she smirked

"what?" Sofia said while standing up "you wasn't?" she said looking down at Clarisse

"no" she said looking up at her

"where was you? or don't I want to know?" Sofia said standing back

"Sofia" Clarisse started

"nah its fine Mom" she said walking over and started getting some breakfast

Clarisse looked at Harriet "well thank you very much" she whispered and turned to Sofia "Sofia"

"what?" she said picking some breakfast not looking over

"look at me, please" Clarisse begged

"I can't" Sofia answered as she started crying

"she's crying" Greg whispered

"yes I am" she snapped and turned to face Clarisse and slammed her plate on the table making both Clarisse and Harriet jump "because I still can not get my head around the fact your with someone else, I see my Dad all the time and it breaks my heart not seeing you together" she said wiping her eyes as Clarisse stood up "I know what he done was wrong and it broke us, but you should still be with him not some stranger" she shook her head "it's not right and I hate it" she said looking at her

"Sofia" Clarisse whispered softly

"I can't" she said shaking her head and ran out the room

"Sofia" Clarisse exclaimed while running after her

Harriet stood up and started cleaning up the mess as Greg looked at her

"should I go after them?" he asked

"no" she shook her head "I wouldn't" she looked at him "you will learn that in time, its always best to leave them two alone when its like this"

"Ok" he nodded and looked towards the door for a second and looked at his plate of breakfast "I don't feel that hungry anymore" he said quietly while pushing the plate away "would it be ok if I went for a walk around the gardens?" he asked looking at Harriet

"of course" she nodded "you don't have to ask"

"thank you" he said standing up and walked out

She finished cleaning up the mess then sat down and finished her coffee, the rest of the family came down not long after.

"anyone know why Mom and Sofia are yelling at each other?" Pierre asked while pouring some coffee

"well um..." Harriet said "it may have been my fault, see Sofia didn't no that Clarisse wasn't in her room last night and that I was" she said looking at him as he sat down

"so they are yelling because of that?" Charlotte asked

"no" she shook her head "she still can't get her head around the fact that Clari has a new man"

"oh" both Pierre and Charlotte whispered

Harriet left them too it and went across to the living room when Sofia came in.

"where's Greg?" she asked

Harriet looked over at her "he's gone for a walk"

"thanks" she said turning around

"Sofia, stop" Harriet said while sitting up and watched as she turned back to look at her "sorry about this morning, I wouldn't of said anything if I knew it was going to upset you"

"it's alright" she shrugged "you wasn't to know" she said folding her arms "its just yesterday we had a lovely Christmas with Dad here and everyone was getting on" she said walking over and sat on the arm of the chair "then she went to him last night, it kinda ruined the day" she whispered

"oh Sofia I am sorry" she reached over and took her hand

"I just sometimes wish it would be how it used to be" she said as a couple tears escaped her eyes "I know that won't happen again, but it doesn't hurt to wish" Harriet stood up and hugged her "I know what he did was wrong, and shouldn't of done it" she whispered "but I wish that they was still together" she cried

"I know darling" Harriet said hugging her "where is your Mom?"

"I don't no, I think she went for a drive or something" she said looking up at her "I think I upset her more than you upset me"

"that's understandable" Harriet whispered "her whole life she's been through a lot and after it all, she actually had a smile on her face again"

"I know" she said putting her hands up "arrh I am so stupid" she cried and stood up "when she come's back can you please tell her to come and see me?"

"of course" she nodded "where are you going?"

"to find Greg and hope to god it didn't scare him of" she answered and headed out the door

Harriet sat back down and thought for a bit when Olivia came in.

After a while Clarisse returned and went up to her suite, to hide away. Everyone had lunch downstairs, then Sofia took a plate up for her Mom after Pierre told her she was home. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer, one that didn't come so she tried the door.
"Mom?" she called out while shutting the suite door

"I'm in the bedroom" she answered

Sofia walked over to the door and walked in seeing she had been crying "Mom?" she walked over putting the plate on the end of the bed "what's that matter?" she said kneeling on the bed beside her

"it doesn't matter" she said shaking her head while wiping a stray tear

"of course it does" Sofia answered while laying next to her "is it about what happened this morning?" she asked looking at her "I'm sorry Mom, it's just..."

"I know" Clarisse said looking at her "it's ok, I know" she said taking her hand "I ended it anyway"

"what?" Sofia asked sitting up and looked at her "why?"

"because I was stupid and should never of let it happen" she moved sitting up against the head board "it's not just my feelings that it was messing with, it was my girls too" she said looking at Sofia

"Mom I am so sorry" she said taking her hands

"it's alright, it was fun while it lasted" she said closing her eyes "playing with fire is a dangerous thing anyway" she said slowly opening her eyes and looked at her

"I am so sorry" she moved and snuggled up to her

"it's alright, its not your fault" she kissed her forehead "my girls and family come first from now on" she said wrapping her arms around Sofia's shoulders "no matter what" she said and kissed her forehead again

Sofia stayed with her a little while then left her to get some rest, she headed downstairs where everyone else was. After a while she came down and went and poured herself a glass of wine, when Harriet came in.

Clarisse turned her head sideways then took a couple sips of her drink "help yourself" she said while moving and sat down at the table

"Sofia told me" she said while getting herself a glass and sat next to her "do you want to talk about it?" she asked

"no" she shook her head while resting her elbows on the table in front of her "I just want to forget it ever happened" she shrugged while looking at the glass

"Clari" she whispered "it will be ok"

"when" she shrugged while looking up at her "and you no it's fine, I will get used to it in the end" she answered and sipped her wine

"I really wish things didn't go the way they have" Harriet said rubbing her arm "you deserve to be happy"

"well they have, its the path that you are given, you have to take it or lose it" she answered coldly "I just wanted to be happy, that was all" she answered while closing her eyes

Harriet sat watching her for a second then noticed movement in the doorway and couldn't help but smile "Clari" she whispered while nudging her gently

She opened her eyes and looked at her "what?" she saw her motion towards the door "Joseph?" she whispered

"yea, I just popped over to see the girls and over heard you talking, is everything alright?" he said walking over to the table

"yes" Clarisse nodded

"really?" he asked and looked at Harriet for a second then back at Clarisse "come with me, I need to talk to you" he said extending his hand to her "please?"

Clarisse looked back at Harriet as she nodded with a smile, she stood up while taking his hand and he led her upstairs.

Harriet couldn't help but giggle, and asked a maid to take them up some wine, knowing Clarisse will probably need it.

To Be Continued...