Merope ran a brush through Ivy's long hair after she asked her to do a special braid for her.
"You really need to come with us next time," she said applying some red lipstick. "You would have a lot of fun."
"I'm not very good around a bunch of people. Besides I can't dance...," she laughs nervously. Merope thought for a moment which braid would look best on her. Ivy had a lot of natural beauty. Her hair was long and blonde, her chick bones sharp and high, and full lips. It was clear no matter what she was going to look good.
She took her hair gently and began to style it in a double side knitted braid. She parted Ivy's hair in the middle of clean scalp and began braiding the top layer. Once done she asked Ivy to hold it while she did the other side. Once done, Merope got a black ribbon to tie them together in the back, and left the lower level of hair free to run down her back.
"How is that," she asked letting Ivy look more in the mirror. Ivy smiled and thanked her with a hug. She stood up and removed her bathrobe standing in her under garments, as she debated which dress.
Merope was a bit surprised she had only three. Ivy seemed like the kind of girl who loved buying and wearing clothes.
"I think I will wear, the red one tonight," she said holding up a dark red flapper dress with golden patterns across, and black beaded tassels at the bottom. "I appreciate the help," she smiled getting dressed. "But don't make to many weekend plans your going out with us soon."
"We'll see," Merope fired back in a joking tone. She liked Ivy so far, but she seemed to like partying far too much for Merope's liking.
Their conversation was cut short when they heard Louisa and Beatrice begin to raise their voices at each other. Ivy sighed since this happened every weekend. The girls were always on Louisa's side but did their best to stay out of it. Kiyoko, Alice, and Josephine walked into the bathroom they all shared and Josephine locked the door behind them.
"Every fucking time," Alice huffed walking over to the mirror once she saw Ivy was done. She removed her maid outfit standing in her undergarments.
Josephine looked at Alice for a moment admiring her long beautiful legs, and short pixie cut on her head. She always had it short but knew how to style it to match her perfectly freckled face. Before anyone noticed she walked over to Merope and asked her to do a different braid for her than Ivy's.
Alice used a wet rag to flatten her hair, gave herself some little curls, and rubbed some Bandoline on she had mixed early. "Louisa, has enough to deal with and I'm sorry but Beatrice shouldn't be one of them,"
"That's her sister," Kiyoko reminded her.
Merope stopped brushing Josephine's hair and looked at them shocked. "That's her sister, I would have..."
"No one would guess," Alice said cutting her off even more annoyed. She took a pair of scallop print flapper stockings and slide them on her smooth legs followed by her shoes. She picked up the blue dress that had beaded tassels from the bottom to the top. "Ever since that old bat got in that young girls head, she shows nothing but hatred to Louisa."
"And poor Louisa, just wants her sister safe," Kiyoko explained putting on a green lace dress, with yellow tassels at the end but without beads, and a small white hair piece around her head with a white feather, over her hair that was curled and pinned to the side. "She wants all of us safe but we can handle ourselves better than Beatrice."
"So Louisa, told Maureen, Beatrice was planning to sneak out so now, I'm sure, Beatrice is going to be staying in the room with Maureen for the night," Josephine said as Merope, gave her a French braid, and began pinning it in a bun so it didn't cause to much trouble when dancing.
"I know she is young, but wouldn't Valeska look out for her," Merope asked not taking any side but the glare the girls gave her showed they must have believed so. "I'm not saying she should I just...I'm not taking a side or saying Louisa is wrong."
"Beatrice is fifteen years old, everyone in this room is eighteen and older there is a difference," Alice said her voice a little angry. "We know you're new but you need to understand..."
"Valeska is the devil in disguise," Josephine states knowing that was the exact words Alice was going to use.
Kiyoko walked over to the door and pushed her ear up to it listening in the best she could.
"I am so sick of your conniving ways," Louisa said raising her voice. Something very uncommon for her. "I don't know how you go into my sister's head but as long as I'm around she will never be going out with you."
"Oh, because you are such a role model," Valeska laughed, flicking her curls over her shoulder. "What could have you done for her? Manipulated her into leaving the family that was taking care of you both very well."
Louisa stiffened when Valeska brought up the sister's past. What the hurt the most is Louisa deep down knew it was.
"You have my sister convinced you actually care about her. If you did you wouldn't be going out every weekend instead of helping her. You convinced her to drop out of school, telling her you could help her "achieve" her dreams. What have you done to help..."
Their high voices caused Dorothy to begin to whimper in her cradle.
"What the fuck have you done," Valeska fired back now standing in a cheap day dress. Most of her earnings went straight to into paying off large amounts of debt she had collected over the years and this was all she could afford. "You talk so low of me. I'm not the one that got pregnant, don't know who the father is..." She laughed when she saw the shame on Louisa's face. "Face it even your own mother would think I'm a better role model for Beatrice than you'll ever..."
Kiyoko who had heard the words first unlocked and rushed out the bathroom. She got in front of Louisa trying to prevent her from attacking.
Everyone, except Merope, knew Louisa's mother was a sensitive topic to her. Alice and Josephine stood by Louisa to help Kiyoko. Louisa was very calm natured but when she was angry enough she blacked out. Ivy stood between them.
"Hell look what you did to your own child," Valeska said crossing another boundary. "Poor thing will never be anything with a mother like you. Except a little bastard."
At that moment it wasn't Louisa who attacked it was Ivy. Insulting one of them was one thing but insulting the child all the girls equally, with the exception of Valeska and Beatrice, was crossing unforgettable line for all of them.
Ivy rushed a cross the room and yanked the older woman by the hair. She pulled her to the floor as Valeska let out a pathetic scream. Dorothy began to scream as the voice rose. Merope rushed over and took the little girl in her arms and went into the bathroom with her to mute the sounds at least a bit.
Louisa pushed Kiyoko to the side and rushed to join Ivy. She wasn't about to not get at least one hint, since she was the mother of the child who was insulted. As Ivy continued pulling her hair, Louisa gave her a few hints to the head.
"Stop it," Alice said grabbing Ivy's hands and pinching them with her sharp nails to make her leg go.
"Shit...bitch," Ivy said releasing her hands at the sharp sting.
"She isn't worth it," Josephine said as she and Kiyoko both tried pulling Louisa away.
At that moment, their bedroom door flung open and standing at the door was the Riddle family.
"What the hell is going on in here...," Lord Thomas said in an enrage loud tone.
"Have you heathens lost your minds," Mary Riddle said equally angry.
Tom just stood there. He wasn't angry in fact, he was a little upset his parents were trying to stop it and that he missed most of it.
"Maxwell, Tom, get them...," Thomas ordered.
Maxwell walked into the room grabbed Ivy and Louisa by their arms. Being the strongest of two young men. Tom grabbed Kiyoko and Alice while Josephine moved back willingly.
Valeska sat on the floor sobbing with her make up smeared and her hair looking like a rat's nest. Thomas walked over and helped the older woman up.
At that moment, Maureen came rushing down the hall. She had ordered Beatrice to remain in her room and continue the needle work Maureen had been teaching her. The older woman walked in with an enraged expression and demanded answers.
"Tell me the truth of so help me..."
"They attacked me for no reason," Valeska said putting herself into performance mode. Despite being a failed actress she didn't like some talent. "I told them it was not best to go to that filthy pub. Working here they are attached to the Riddle name..."
"You lying bitch," Ivy says raising her voice.
Mary Riddle gave her a warning expression. "I will not tolerate this behavior in my house. If there is going to be any yelling in this home it will be by the ones that keep a roof over your head."
"Yes, Madam," all the girls said together.
"Now tell us your side," Thomas said to Ivy.
"Louisa was telling this old hag, that Beatrice needed to stay here because of her age. They got into an argument while we were getting ready in the bathroom."
"Then she made a comment about Louisa's mother and we all rushed out before a fight could happen," Alice said after.
"She the called The Bundle a..." Kiyoko started.
"The Bundle...," Tom said looking at them questionably.
"It's our nickname for Dorothy," Josephine answered.
"Anyway, she called Bundle a bastard and..."
"Now that I believe...," Maureen nodded. She knew how Valeska was and she had no doubt the girls claims were true.
"Liar!" Valeska said raising her voice in anger. "She is bias against me and always takes the side of this wretches."
Maureen turned to face Mary and they shared many words in a simple look. If there was anyone judgement she could trust in this house it Maureen's. In fact, she wished she had trusted her judgement about many other things.
"Where's the other...," Tom said looking around the room for Merope. "Is she gone?" He couldn't imagine where someone like her would go or why he even cared.
"She is in the water closet," Josephine said going to knock on the door. "Mer, come on out."
Merope stopped for a moment as Josephine called her that for the first time. The idea of having a friendly nickname had never crossed her mind before, but she liked it. It seemed like a more normal name than her actual one at least to the muggle world.
She opened the door and walked out holding Dorothy in her arms. The little girl rested her head on Merope's shoulder running her little fingers in he hair.
"Did you see what happened," Thomas asked not taking Maureen's view. Unlike his wife their relationship was not peaceful and barely civil since he blamed Maureen for helping his wife no longer be the fool he prayed she would remain. Merope stood their silent thinking of what to say. "Answer me or I'll have you back in that shack before..."
"I didn't see anything, sir," Merope quickly stated. No, she couldn't bear the idea of leaving his home, she couldn't bear the idea of constant silence, and she surely couldn't bear the thought of not being with her new friends anymore. "I swear on my life, Lord Riddle. I was helping the girls with their hair to get ready and I heard the argument. Before things got out of control, I picked up The Bundle because she was crying and brought her into the bathroom so calm her down and keep her away from the loud noise as much as I could."
Mary watched Merope answer and the young plain woman never broke eye contact with Thomas. It was clear she was telling the truth. Mary walked over and placed her hand into Thomas'. "She isn't lying, my dear."
"I believe you are right, mama," Tom said letting go of Kiyoko and Alice's arm. "This is the longest we have seen her eyes."
Mary turned to Valeska who was trying to fix her hair. "Maxwell, dear, you and a few other foot men, please take Ms. Weber's belongs and bed to cleanest spot in the stables. Ms. Weber will be staying there for now."
"How is that fair...," the older woman said raising her voice. "Look what they...", she went to argue but was stopped by Madam Mary's glare.
"You are lucky, had it been my child your stuff be lucky enough to rest on a pound of manure," she said before turning to face the other girls. "The rest of you," she looked them over and noticed they were already dressed to the nines and honestly she was sick and tired of looking at them all day. "I'll think of what to do with you in time," she looked at Thomas. "Shall we return to the projector room?"
"Yes, my dear," he said walking out with his wife.
Maureen gave Valeska a look but held back the smirk as hard as she could. The very thought of this obnoxious old bitch sleeping with the horses almost made her bit her cheek so hard it could bleed "I shall escort you to your new humble bow."
"Smile why you can...," she warns with a cold heartless stare before giving it to the rest of the girls. "All of you," she said before Maureen gave her a small push out the door shutting it behind her.
Tom looked at Merope and noticed she was not dressed. "That's what you are wearing," he said noticing she had changed out of her maid uniform and was now in a comfortable long night black nightgown with a small shoulder shrug she clearly made herself.
"Ohhh...no, sir I'm not going," she explained as Louisa gently took Dorothy from her.
"She will be soon," Ivy says giving her a joke wink before looking in her purse and made a note of what all she had inside.
"It's better I don't, I'm not worth the trouble," she laughs nervously.
"Oh please, what kind of trouble can yee be...," said the tall man Madam had called Maxwell. "I promise, yee there is nothing on God's good earth yee could do that would be more troubling than that one right here...," he said pointing to Ivy.
"Oh get lost you mange riddled Fox," Ivy said giving him the finger. "Last minute touch up girls," she says as all the girls except for Merope and Louisa follow her.
They lock the bathroom door, and Ivy quickly pulls out three different color pill boxes each with a different flower. "I'll have to go to the docks again soon," she said noticing her stashes were getting low.
Each container had a different "social enhancer". They each picked their choice for the night, and took the cup that was often left on the sink. Since Mr. Riddle was still in the room they would have to use the water from the sink. Alice and Josephine placed a pill in their moved and took turns sipping some sink water from the glass.
When it was her turn, Kiyoko scooped some power in the water and mixed it by shaking the glass the best she could. She swallowed it as fast as she could and her body began to shake and she began to gag from the bitter taste. She quickly filled the glass with more water and began drinking fast.
"Alright let's get down to the pub quick," Ivy who decided to wait until she arrived at the pub, said. What she loved to take didn't take long to kick in.
"Oh what the worst yee would do...bruise a toe," he smiled kindly at Merope. "Sorry, I'm Max, I hear you be the new one, Mer?"
"Merope...that's...that's the whole name," she said nervously tucking a piece of hair that had come out of her braid behind her ear as looked down.
Max smiled though she didn't see. This girl, while maybe not the prettiest seemed very innocent and kind natured. He liked that.
"Well, we are off," Ivy said as the others just waved. "Don't wait up."
"No you'll just wake us up," Louisa fired back since Ivy often came back the most drunk and often had to be helped into bed. "But have fun."
Max waved them off as a single he would be down there soon once he finished his job. He turned back to Merope. "Well if you do decide to go soon...maybe we can walk there together."
Merope stiffened at his words. Was this man actually wanting to be seen with her? Even Mr. Riddle, picked a time of day not many would be out when he picked her up from the shack to bring to the manor. The girls had made her feel warmth in her heart but this warmth was a bit different. Though she couldn't really explain it, wasn't because of attraction to him, though he was a very decent looking young man. Maybe it was the simple fact, he was a man that treated her like a human, not an abuse object, or even a servant just simply a human.
"Only if you want to...," he quickly added a bit nervously when she didn't reply back. "Sorry, maybe that was..."
"Max...," called out Tom's voice who had been watching and listening by the door. "My mama gave you a job." He said in an arrogant tone.
"You are right...best get to it," he said giving Merope a small smile before turning to leave to get some help from other male servants.
He stopped as he was about to walk past Tom when he heard her soft gentle voice finally say. "I...I'll think about it."
Merope paused when she realized what she had just done. Was she actually bold enough to go through with it? She surprised herself that she was bold enough to even answer.
Max gave her a kind smile. "Good night then," he said before walking past Tom who now seemed too stunned to move.
Had he heard that right? Was she actually debating giving this jack of all trades a chance? What upset him even more was the confusion of why he cared?
"Mr. Riddle...," Merope said her voice full of concern since he had just been standing there. "Are you alright?"
"If I wanted your concern I'd ask for it," he said harshly shutting the door harder than normal causing Dorothy to whimper a bit.
Merope stood there for a moment confused and then looked at Louisa who was clearly still upset about what had just happened. She sat on her bed patting Dorothy on the back to keep her calm and maybe some sleep before the girls got back.
"I'm sorry I wasn't much of a help. I just saw her crying and..."
"No you did the best thing. You got my daughter out the way and most importantly you just walked away...," she sniffs a little and it was clear she was holding back a lot of emotions.
"I know you wanted to talk to me about..."
"We will do it as soon as that hags stuff is out and we are alone just...please," she said in a begging tone. Merope nodded and apologized before going over to the other side of the room where the bed she shared with Kiyoko was. She got down on the floor and began feeling around in her charmed satchel. Thankfully the girls were completely respectable about each other's stuff. She reached inside and pulled out a small book about potions and their ingredients. To muggles it would probably seem like nothing more than a simple herbal medicine book, at least from the outside.
/
Merope closed the book and slipped it back inside the satchel once she heard Louisa lay Dorothy down in her cradle.
"I know you and I both took a quick clean early...," Louisa said referring how they both took a quick cool bath to get the sweat from working in the basement earlier while they steam dried the clothes. "But with all of them gone you want to take advantage of having a long hot bath?"
Merope smiled and nodded. "Since I got here...," she says following her into the bathroom. Louisa walked over to both of the two tubs and turned them on the same amount of water to make sure they equally had enough hot water.
Merope picked up a random brush. "Is it alright if I both this?"
"If it's not in your bags, or the drawer by your side of the bed it's free game," she said tying her hair up. "We came up with those rules and they have worked...most of the time."
Louisa wouldn't deny they didn't always get along, but that was normal for all sibling relationships. Even her and Beatrice had arguments before they basically stopped talking.
Louisa removed the Cotten shirt and shorts of her two piece nightie and added some sweet smelling salts to the baths. She picked lavender picked rose since she couldn't bear the to smell lavender again after all they had to wash today. She slowly slide into the hot water and let out of euphoric sigh as her sore muscles began to relax.
"Do...do you mind closing your eyes," she asked as Louisa nodded and did as she was told. Quickly Merope removed her nightgown and slide inside the second tub. "Alright," she said as she laid on a different side of Louisa so they could face each other while talking.
Louisa opened her eyes and she noticed the mark on Merope's hand before she removed it from the rim of the tub. It seemed to be a burn mark and if she wasn't mistaken it almost seemed to take the form of words.
"Kiyoko wanted me to tell you she was sorry if she did anything that caused you to want to sleep..."
"Oh you mean about this morning...," Merope shook her head. "No she didn't do anything...I'm just so use to sleeping one a floor...I guess beds are not comfortable for me," she jokes nervously.
Louisa looked at her with a serious expression. "Who are you trying to fool, Mer? If it's me don't waist your time."
Merope looked down in shame. "I promise, it wasn't her. I just..." She pushed knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them resting her chin on her knees.
"I know it wasn't her, and even she knows it, but she wants to apologize for causing you to be uncomfortable even if unintentionally," Louisa's eyes moved back to the hand she could see again.
"Who gave you that scar," she asked. She didn't want to pry, but if there conversation was going to be successful she was going to have to a bit.
"What?"
"The scar on your hand, who gave it to you?"
"How did you...," Merope turned the front of her hand to face her and realized the words could still be seen slightly. She didn't her best to ignore this scar because it was the one that was the most exposed. "How did you know someone gave it to me?"
Louisa sighed a bit. "No offense, but we all believed you're an abuse victim by...well everything about you kinda gives it away to those that care to pay attention. Finding you on the floor this morning proved our belief."
Merope still looked down in shame and said nothing. Even if she wanted to talk about it would anyone really understand? How could she explain why it happened? She couldn't tell them it was because father and brother thought she was a squib.
Louisa could feel she was uncomfortable, and moved over closure resting her chin on the arms she rested on the rim off the tub. "You're not alone here. We all have gone through it just not all the same."
"Really," she asked shocked.
No, the world wasn't suppose to have the same horrors of her home. She found herself wondering why she was still questioning if there was evil in this outside world, despite the story Ivy told her early.
"That's one of the main reasons we are here," Louisa explained.
"Alice, was tortured by her step mother. That's why Alice keeps her hair short because her step mother would either rip it out or drag her by it all the time.
Josephine, had to drop out of school to take care of her lazy parents and their kids. We are the only family she has now because they won't speak to her since she cut them off.
"Kiyoko, was born into a loving home but when her parents died she and her two brothers were put in an orphanage. No one would take them because of their race, she lost one brother and another promised to come back for her one day but...she is losing home on that.
"And I thought I was the only one who suffered...," Merope said shamefully. "Even Ivy? She seems to be the happier one of all of us."
"It's a facade, humor is how she gets through everything. Her mom was a prostitute..."
"What's that," Merope asked.
Louisa looked at her for a moment. Did she really not known? "You were raised really sheltered I see...it's a woman that...does...the stuff Ivy read about last night but they don't do it for love but for money. The prettier Ivy got, the more her mom used her for money...she told Ivy she didn't like doing it but...clearly not enough to stop."
"What about you," she asked.
"Well Beatrice and I actually come from a good family but...," her relax tone begins to change and she leans back against the tub relaxing more in the hot water. "We had a good father a wonderful mother," her face lights up as she thought of her. "She could be...maybe there isn't away to describe how she was. She was just herself," her smile goes to a frown. "Father met someone else...that whore...," Louisa said with venom in her words.
Even Louisa herself knew it was wasn't right to label her stepmother this word, and her father was to blame for the marriage falling apart. Maybe it was the fact a part of her still loved her father that prevented her from giving him all the blame.
"If it wasn't bad enough she took my mother's husband, she took us. She didn't want my mom around and wanted her to simply go away."
"Did she?"
Louisa bit her lips and tried to hold back her tears but it did little good. Especially after Valeska's words came back to.
"Yes...when she wasn't able to get us back or even see us she...took her own life."
"I...I'm so sorry," were the only words Merope could say.
"I left the house and convinced Beatrice to follow. I shouldn't have let my anger boil down to her. Things would have been so much better for her and our relationship if I hadn't ask her to leave with me."
A tear ran down Merope's face. She felt pity for someone other than herself and her family. If these girls could go through all that and still smile did she really have an excuse.
"Sorry...I just...my family had me hidden in a shack all my life," Merope said wiping away the tear ran down her face but another soon followed. "I always thought all the badness and sadness in the world only happened in those four worn down walls. Now I feel so foolish but also...relieved to know I'm not alone."
Louisa gave her a small warm smile. "The Riddles, will never care about you. They may grow to like you or tolerate you, that's why we are so close. All we have is each other."
Merope laughed a bit and then smiled. "I can be happy with that alone, in just a few days...I have felt more friendship and kindness than ever before in my life."
"Do you have any other scars?"
Merope who had done her best to stay neck deep in the water, now turned around and rose up a bit revealing all the cuts and burns on the back of her shoulders. "They go all the way down...I know they would make people uncomfortable...my face does enough so I..."
"Don't say that about yourself. You really think looks actually make a person really anything. Look at The Riddles, Cecilia, Valeska...all beautiful on the outside but on the inside...Madam Riddle is the only one I have sympathy for."
"What is Valeska's story. She is..."
"No one knows. That's why no one gets along with her. We have all tried to be nice but she isn't likable but at least if we knew why she was the way she was maybe we could get along and support her...she doesn't want it...she wants to be miserable and others miserable with her."
Merope decided to leave it at that. They spent the rest of the time having small talks about their life goals and Louisa really became a big sister figure for Merope very quickly. After enjoying their baths they both decided to turn in for the night.
However sleep did not last long. Merope awoke when she heard footsteps coming closure to the door, and the sound of muffled laughter.
The door flung open and walking in was Alice and Josephine both supporting Ivy to help her get to the bed safely. Kiyoko shut the door after them gently.
Louisa got up out of her bed making sure Dorothy was still sleeping. Thankfully she was because last time, it took the baby a few hours to finally get back to sleep. Louisa walked over after Josephine and Alice laid Ivy on her side of the bed she shared with Alice.
Louisa began helping the intoxicated Ivy remove her party clothes. Merope got up to help and gently took Ivy's shoes off.
"Does she always come home like this," Merope said a bit concerned.
"No, sometimes she feels like going to service evening so she doesn't drink a lot. I guess this weekend she decided to skip," she removed Ivy's dress leaving her in undergarments. "Let's change her into her pjs"
Merope nodded and helped all the girls get ready for bed. Ivy was laid on her side just incase she got sick.
/
Merope opened her eyes and looked at the window noticing some sun peaking through. She decided now would be the best time to leave the house for a while.
As quickly and quietly as she could, she dressed herself in the outfit Tom gave her. Every time she looked at it, a small smile came on her face. It was a simple skirt and blouse but from him it was worth as much as any outfit owned by Queen Mary herself. Once dressed she got her satchel and gently closed the bedroom door behind her.
She went out the servant's door and walked in the direction of the shack but didn't stay there long. She went into the woods that was once owned by her family, and walked into the middle and on the ground, resting under some debris was a permanently paralyzed poisonous snake. Of course, what else would a Gaunt use to make a portkey.
She touched it and felt her body begin to spin. It had been a while since she had traveled to the wizarding world, and now that she was free to do as she pleased she wasn't going to waste the chance.
"Aaahhh dammit," she muttered as she hit the ground. She had never mastered landing on her feet, but thankfully nothing was broken. Once the air came back to her she reached inside the satchel and pulled out a cheap worn out broom that she was told belonged to her grandfather.
This wasn't the first time she had tried flying, and she was no master but she wasn't going to that stop her. She got on and off she began her trip to Diagon Alley.
Her face light up with excitement and happiness as she felt the freedom of the wind as she flew.
/
Author note: Starting in the next chapter Tom will be more involved. I didn't want this to be a simple love story. It's a Merope redemption story. About how she should have done things better after the arrest of her family and gone on to live a normal life the best she could.
But more romance is coming. I promise.