Vanessa attempts to take Lauren down to the party

"I think we should take you downstairs so you can greet all your guests. It's only the polite thing to do," Vanessa announced grabbing Lauren by the upper arm and began marching her towards the staircase that would take them down to the main hall, where there was sure to be many many people.

"No, no, no!" Lauren whimpered as she tried her best to resist being taken downstairs. Despite her sister's friendly words she knew that Vanessa only wanted to take her downstairs so that she could humiliate her in from of all the guests. She absolutely could not permit that to happen. It would ruin everything she had tried to accomplish since receiving her inheritance. She struggled for all she was worth but had a hard time gaining any purchase because of the slick soled shoes she now wore. She could delay the inevitable by clinging to the banister railing, but against her much stronger sister that was all she could do, delay.

Then when all seemed lost she caught a break... of sorts. Her seemingly futile struggles had aggravated Vanessa to the point that she let go of Lauren's arm for just a moment so she could get a better grip. That was all that **** little Lauren needed to slip free, duck and run the other direction.

"Come back here you little brat!"Vanessa cried and was shortly in hot pursuit. Her grasping fingers continually raked at Lauren's hair and dress as she tried to recapture her.

Lauren saw only one escape option open to her at the moment and wasn't one she much relished. Feinting toward the hallway leading back to the nursery she gained herself a tiny lead on her pursuer and took this opportunity to dive headlong into the old dumb waiter. It went from the basement to the third floor and seemed the only avenue of escape at the moment no matter how silly and dangerous it was.

Vanessa was on her in an instant though and grabbing her by the foot tried to drag her out of the dumb waiter before Lauren could get it going. Thinking quickly Lauren spun around and kicked out with her other foot as hard as she could. Surprisingly she hit Lauren full in the face knocking out one of her teeth and sending her reeling. Taking this opportunity to escape Lauren yanked the dumb waiter door down just as her sister tried to grab her again. Vanessa howled as it came down smashing her fingers and breaking all ten of her long pretty painted nails.

The door finally shut Lauren only had to decide where to go. Downstairs to the 1st floor or the basement or upstairs to the third floor? The first floor was dangerous because it was full of guests, the basement was unappealing because it took Lauren further from where she needed to go and the third floor was questionable as she was pretty sure the door to the dumb waiter had been plastered over up there.