Humiliation was a word Marlene had unfortunately become quite acquainted with in the past few months. It colored everything she did and everywhere she went as the whispers followed her. Her only saving grace had been that once she was married it wouldn't matter anymore. She had a good match on paper and that would set her sister's up to have good matches as well. How terrible he made her look after that wasn't her concern.
Fabian Prewett could not even manage though.
He had to ruin everything in a way that not only made impossible to walk back from but ruined her family's reputation. Marlene was seething when she heard the gossip ripping through the ballroom, as he stumbled back over to her, asking to speak with her.
When he told her what he'd done, Marlene wanted to punch him clear off his feet. His blank blue eyes were filled with traces of guilt, but it wasn't guilt to her. It was guilt to the situation he caused. He had no allegiance to her and was only speaking to her because he had to.
Marlene took the hideous ring off her left hand, slipped it into his hand and walked over to her aunt as if she was simply grabbing something to drink. Everyone's eyes were on her, but she would not lose composure. She would not let him be something that reflected on her any more than it already had.
"Is it true?" Her Aunt Ida whispered to her quietly.
Marlene itched her nose, showing her ringless hand.
"We should make our exit then."
Marlene couldn't agree more. She kept her chin high, noting the ones who whispered versus the ones who politely looked away. It wasn't typically her way to keep grudges, but as she felt Narcissa Malfoy giggle and sneer as she passed, she realized that it was time she made an exception or two.
The instant they arrived home, her Aunt Ida chastised her, "how could you let this happen?"
Marlene kept her mouth shut.
No one would feel it wasn't her fault. Her Aunt was simply saying what everyone in the ton felt, and now her sisters would suffer the consequences. Though a rage threatened to consume her towards the buffoon that was her ex-fiancée Marlene did not have the luxury of time to feel anything. She had to plot. She had to pivot. That was her only means of survival. So as her aunt went on and on about what a disappointment she was, she analyzed how many different points the interaction could have.
Fabian would have to marry the girl. That was already set, but maybe Marlene could shift the blame or erase it altogether. Though it should have been on him and his roaming his hands, Marlene knew the best outcome would be changing the viewpoint from negative to positive. She had not had a big reaction at the ball. Most of what was discovered was that he was caught with another woman, and she gave him his ring back. There was no way she could say the engagement was already broken off. It would have been the easier option, but unfortunately Marlene walked in with him, wearing his ring, so that was out of the question.
"Do you understand me?" Her Aunt Ida scoffed, interrupting her thoughts.
"Of course," Marlene nodded solemnly, waiting for her aunt to walk away before she started pacing through other possibilities.
The last thing she expected was for the door to open and Lily Evans to sneak in. Marlene laughed, despite everything, "what are you doing here?" Marlene whispered.
"I heard what happened and wanted to check on you obviously. What a scoundrel. He should be shot in the town square," Lily huffed.
"Truly?" Marlene beamed.
Lily nodded with a smile, "absolutely… now what are you going to do? What can I do to help?"
"There's little you can do because there's little I can do," Marlene rubbed her own temples, loosening her bright blonde curls in an attempt to alleviate the stress. "I know I need to change the narrative or I'm dead in the water and my sisters are ruined… I simply don't know what to do though."
Lily took her hands and guided her over to the library. "Let us go over the facts. Who saw what so we know what is concrete and what can be smudged."
"He was in the drawing room with Emmeline Vance, kissing. A few people saw it. Then he walked over to me after the whispered started and told me what he'd done. I slipped him the ring back and left."
"So, no one heard what he said to you?" Lily asked her.
"No, he is a phenomenal whisperer. It may be his one outstanding trait…" Marlene snorted dryly.
"Right now, people believe it is what it is, that he cheated and now must marry her. But the reasons behind it we might be able to change to soften things," Lily reasoned, her green eyes growing wide with ideas.
Marlene's own crystal blue eyes narrowed, "reasons behind it?"
"If, and," Lily reached over and squeezed her hand, "this will turn your stomach so hold on… but if we turn it to they are a love match that simply met each other after he was already promised. Then it can be he made a mistake in passion, but you understood when he explained it. Then you are seen as generous and compassionate and it makes the story their love and not about your broken engagement."
"Not the worst idea. Of course, I would have to get her on board," Marlene's jaw ticked, thinking about how she might have to beg the woman that blew up her life to work the situation.
It was one thing if the woman did not know and was trying to trap a husband. Marlene wouldn't have thought highly of that approach, but she would have understood. Women had little power in this world and had to do whatever they needed to in order to secure themselves and their family. Marlene knew that all too well. But considering it was well known that Fabian was taken to the point where Marlene had walked in with him, wearing his ring, she highly doubted that was the case. No, either she was a loose woman, or she had planned things.
Either way, it would benefit the woman to work with her. Emmeline would be casted aside if everyone continued to think she had slept her way to have a husband that was supposed to belong to someone else.
"I wish my father was alive," Marlene groaned as she thought about talking to the woman, "he would have challenged Fabian to a duel and killed him outright, saving us from this entire conversation."
Lily smiled and said, "I'm sure he would have."
"I think they are all overly emotional morons in the way they have to result in a duel after being insulted but in this one stance… I feel the need for it," Marlene teased her.
Lily giggled, "I can see why this would be a game changer for you."
"I wish you would have chased the dog after this, not before," Marlene sighed before she looked at her, "What was that by the way?"
Lily's face flushed a deep red. "An accident! The dog ran past me, and instinct took over. I hoped I could simply return the dog but by the time I realized what happened the Queen of England was standing in front of me."
"What is she like?" Marlene asked her. "I saw you talking to her or rather her talking to you."
"Very blunt and intense," Lily shivered. "I felt like she saw my entire life trajectory in her eyes."
Marlene laughed, "well you know that's not true because she did not tell everyone you were going to leave at the end of season to be a governess."
"Good thing too because Petunia would have stoned me right then and there," Lily giggled back.
Marlene leaned back in her chair and said, "what a sad case we are. Bound by things we have no interest in."
"If you were in my boat you would become a governess with me," Lily teased her.
"I don't think so," Marlene said earnestly. "I want my own children. I want to have so many the house is filled with them. The husband is the inconsequential part. But as a governess you borrow the children for slips of time and then you have to return them to the parents, as if they did not fill your day and feel like your own. I don't think I'm strong enough for that."
Lily nodded in understanding. "I know and that part will be difficult. I have no illusions that it will not. I simply refuse to get married. Once we turn this around for you, the room will be after you with the best offers because of your beauty, poise, and breeding. You may yet find a love match."
"Why do you speak as if you are not also beautiful?" Marlene countered. "You are wearing the worst color, worst fit and worst fabric combination I have ever seen, and you are still radiant."
Lily giggled and gently swatted at her. "Enough of that. My point is I enjoy the idea of a life that is my own and I do not have to share with a man that will not like or respect me."
"I may have to steal you. Then you can be my children's governess and we can raise then together," Marlene teased her.
"We need to find you a husband quickly then," Lily teased her back with a wide smile.
"Yes," Marlene said, "we do. I do not even know who is available to look into. My wedding was scheduled for next month."
"Bright side. You do not have to be Mrs. Fabian Prewett, or have Mrs. Prewett as a mother-in-law anymore," Lily pointed out.
Marlene nodded emphatically. "She thinks the world is shaped around her son I believe. It was exhausting to tell her I felt the same at every turn…"
"Alright, let's make a list of eligible men," Lily declared, grabbing a quill and some parchment. "Amycus Carrow-"
Marlene made a face.
"Not idea but he is on the list," Lily told her sympathetically before she continued. "Caradoc Dearborn. He seems nice. Dirk Cresswell, Aiden Avery, Gideon Prewett," Lily added with a mischievous grin.
"Can you imagine if I went after his twin brother?" Marlene laughed.
Lily said, "I think it would be marvelous personally. Who am I missing?"
"Ummm Luke Hookum, Augustus Rookwood, Rabastan Lestrange, James Potter-" Marlene listed until Lily made a noise.
Lily raised her hand apologetically. "I'm sure there are worse choices on that list. He is simply insufferable to me."
"Yes, but he is on the list," Marlene sighed.
"Alright, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Theodore Nott, Ludo Bagman, Vincent Crab, Amos Diggory and the Yaxley's have a son I think. There may be more but that's around your range."
Marlene nodded, thinking of the list. "I think that's fair."
Lily told her, "alright, don't fret. First you approach Emmeline, damage control that and then we go after this list for you."
Marlene squeezed her hand. "Thank you Lily. It's nice not to be alone on the battlefield."
"You essentially are. I am more the man that runs around handing cannonballs to other people, but I will make sure you are ready to go," Lily giggled back.
Marlene smiled back, talking to Lily for another hour or so before the redhead disappeared into the night.
The next morning, Marlene woke early to work on her plan. She arrived at the Vance's side entrance so her arrival would not be noteworthy. When she arrived, she expected that girl to be having tea or maybe even asleep. The last thing she expected was for her to be meeting with wedding dress designers.
Marlene knew there was a very real possibility that the kiss was planned, but seeing the glee on the slender brunette's face as she picked out choices for the wedding she wasn't supposed to have, turned Marlene's stomach.
She controlled herself as much as she could so when the fox-faced woman saw her and stood up, she started on the right note.
"Hello," Marlene said evenly. "I hoped to speak with you, if you have a minute."
Emmeline waved the people away condescendingly. The second they were alone, Emmeline said, "please don't tell me you are here to beg for your fiancee back. That would be rather pathetic."
Marlene focused her breaths very carefully, shaking her head. "I do not wish to have him back."
"Good," Emmeline patted her arm condescendingly. "Good first step."
Marlene stepped back so the smaller brunette would not touch her again. "I came here because we have a mutual problem I would like to solve."
"And what would that be?" Emmeline laughed a little.
"Obviously, it doesn't look well on either of us what occurred. I suggest we change the narrative. Instead, we can seem friendly in public," Marlene began though she knew it would take acting chops she did not have to do so but she powered through regardless.
"It will be as if you and Fabian are a love match that simply met too late, and I gave you my blessing. That way you are seen as too in love to be looked down on and my reputation will be restored."
It was a reasonable plan, and frankly more than the other woman deserved by the way her lips kept curling in amusement like she was the queen and Marlene was her newest court jester. It made her skin crawl, but like most things, she endured it for the sake of what was necessary.
"No, I do not believe we will be doing that," Emmeline told her. "See, the way everyone views it, is as it is. You were whispered about; you were stared at for being this great beauty but underneath all of that you were boring and could not keep Fabian's interest. Really you forced him to step out by being cold and detached. Many will talk about what a terrible mother you would have been and how I in fact saved him."
Marlene's jaw dropped, but she wouldn't let the water in her eyes fall no matter how much they burned. "Why are you being like this?" Marlene demanded. "I do not even know you!"
"Because," Emmeline snapped, her hazel eyes narrowing, "All last season I had to see them all throw themselves at you while they ignored the rest of us. Now you get to be the one ignored."
"I did not do anything to cause that! I attended balls the same way you did. You act as if I stole something from you-"
Emmeline snarled at her, "You did! I am prettier than you! I have more money than you! I have everything a suitor should want and they were all looking at you!"
Marlene blinked at her in shock.
"And now you can keep it that way. Forever they will be looking at you, but it will be the way you deserve. Now leave before you taint the house with your miserable reputation," Emmeline told her smugly, sitting down and sipping her eat like she was a lady.
Marlene left but she did not go home. Emmeline had insulted her every way imaginable for no reason other than to be cruel. She didn't know what she could have possibly done to deserve it. If anything, she had gone out of her way to take a safe option out of the mix leaving the richer, titled, and more handsome men for the other girls. Fabian was good looking, but he was hardly in the top ten. Emmeline acted as if Marlene had stolen her date for every dance simply by existing or like she flaunted herself around, which she absolutely did not. Her mother was with her last season, standing right next to her and never would have allowed that.
Sighing, Marlene found a quiet bench by the gardens. It was obscured and hidden well enough that it should have given her a moment to collect her thoughts.
The trouble was any plan she had was hindered by Emmeline's decision. Emmeline had both parents walking around the ton to make her look every bit the person she had declared herself to be. Marlene was alone, and alone was easier to paint in whatever light the public decided.
Even if she went to the next ball, she would struggle to get even the lower members of the ton to spare her a second glance. And at this point she wasn't sure what she could even do about it. More than anything, Marlene wished her mother was there. Her mother would have known what to do, what to say, who to consult with to get this back on track. But she was gone and the burden of being the eldest McKinnon fell on Marlene's shoulders.
"Excuse me," a little voice said.
Marlene looked up to find Viscountess Potter standing there. Her once jet-black hair was a stark white with age lines covering her kind face. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"Of course, Viscountess," Marlene told her politely, standing up to help the woman sit down.
"You look troubled my dear. My eyes haven't always been the best but I believe your distress is beyond sight. Talk to this old woman," Viscountess Potter told her.
Marlene bit her lip and shook her head. "I… I was engaged. It was a suitable match. My mother helped me make it the end of last season. We were due to be married next month and now… Now he was caught with someone else, and they are getting married."
"It was not a love match?" The viscountess asked her.
Marlene shook her head. "I have three younger sisters. My father has passed and now my mother. I have to marry well so they will have suitable marriages and now…"
"I am sorry. I am sure you were hoping to have a nice walk or view of the gardens. I did not intend to burden you with my problems," Marlene said quickly, wiping her eyes.
The viscountess said, "it is not a burden in the slightest. In fact, I have an idea that may help you just yet."
"What?" Marlene asked the woman, her blue eyes wide with hope.
"Leave it to me. But wear a blue dress to promenade tomorrow with your aunt. I will have everything all pulled together," the viscountess told her, pushing herself up to her feet with a grin. "Trust me dear. They haven't seen the best of us yet."
Marlene was unsure of what to say by the time she formed any words the elderly woman was long gone.
Authors Note:
Thank you for reading please review!