Helena thanked Ramona and asked that she please see her guests to the sitting room and offer them a drink or coffee or whatever they desired. She told Ramona to let them know that she’d be down to greet them in a few minutes.

A while later the three friends sat in comfortable leather sectionals and enjoyed cocktails and finger foods while Helena filled them in on her horrendous day ending with telling them about Peggy’s speech denouncing her, and her theory that Peggy knew something of what they were up to.

“So you’re sure she knows” asked Kelly

“She has to know. Otherwise she would never have broken her promise to not humiliate me in public. She was talking to the audience but she was sending a clear message to me. She would never do anything to embarrass herself and she always says that whatever I do reflects on her. What she did tonight would be more damaging to her than me. Hell the people in that audience didn’t know me from Adam. I doubt if they even knew of my existence before tonight. These are her peers; her friends; her so-called family; her associates. These people know Peggy intimately. They travel in the same social circles. I’ve only been in Los Angeles for a few weeks. I’ve never met most of them and I’m not likely to ever see any of them again.

Granted my feelings were hurt and maybe I’m the laughing stock but that’s nothing compared to the hurt and humiliation I’m sure my mother suffered at her own hands. That could only mean that her not revealing me would have had worse consequences. Knowing what we have planned would be the only thing to provoke that reaction from her. She broke down in tears in Bette’s arms when she got back to her table. I saw her go off to the ladies room with your mother and Allyn Barnes. She wasn’t in the ballroom when I left.”

“OK I admit maybe she’s got an inkling but she can’t know the extent of it or else you wouldn’t have gotten off so easily. Maybe if we act fast we can still do some damage before she can stop it.”