There was nothing to shield her from the mighty and fortified defense of these four daunting women. Her best alternative was to bow out as gracefully as her mother would allow. She knew what her mother was capable of and was grateful that the chastisement had not been more severe. She could have been banished without a penny but so far her mother had only disinherited her not disowned her. As for money, she had her father’s inheritance which was substantial and would allow a life of luxury in the states or Europe should she decide to return to her home in London.

Peggy had said that she was doing this because she loved her. She was trying to teach her daughter a moral lesson. Helena wasn’t high on morality but she understood enough to realize that she’d greatly disappointed her mother, she’d hurt people out of spite, and played with people’s lives just for sport. As it were it would take a lot of redemption to get back into her mother’s good graces so it was in her best interest not to antagonize the situation any further.

As she slowly rose from the table and made her way to the stage Helena feared all eyes were on her. She couldn’t help but feel that her wickedness lay bare to the scrutiny of this discerning crowd. Helena reached the podium and stood to her mother’s left. Bette’s table was to the right of the stage and she was seated in a position where she was facing it. Bette and Helena’s placement to the right and left of Peggy Peabody might not have been intentional but the irony was not lost on any of them as to the suitability.

Generally speaking the right side signified favor, principled integrity, and conforming to a standard of truth and justice; everything Bette embodied and none of which Helena possessed. Her ill-conceived notion that she could somehow enact reprisal on either Bette or Peggy for a perceived wrongdoing had proven to be self-defeating.

Helena stood on the stage and looked out into the audience with trepidation but with as much confidence in her stance as she could muster. She tried to catch Tina’s eye as she felt she was her only ally in a room full of mostly unfamiliar faces. Peggy took hold of Helena’s hand in a comforting gesture and held it tightly as she faced the riveted audience who waited silently for her to begin talking.