East of Orleans (21 page)

“I’m afraid I cannot leave you,” Patrick said as he stared at Jacqueline.

“I’m afraid you have no choice,” said Jacqueline with a smile.

“Miss--?”

“Rousseau.”

“Miss Rousseau, there is always a choice. The question is whether or not you’ll act on it.” Patrick checked his pocket watch and shook his head. “Oh well, it’s time to go. Maybe some other time.”

“Maybe,” Jacqueline said with a seductive gaze.

That night Jules got out of the bath, looked over his shoulder and called for Jacqueline. Jules walked nude into her bedroom and called her name. She didn’t need to respond. A gentle breeze blew in from the open French doors. Jules walked out onto the balcony.

“There must be something awful interesting in that park,” said Jules.

Jacqueline was startled. “You’re nude,” she said.

Jules eyed her. “That’s never bothered you before.”

Jacqueline looked around. “Jules, put some clothes on. You know we have those two nosey biddies that live up the street.” Jacqueline felt a squeeze on her right breast. She moved his hand.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Jacqueline hesitated. “No, of course not.”

Jules looked skeptical. He put his mouth to her ear and moved her close to him. “Come on baby, let’s go inside,” he whispered.

The park was lit with an apricot glow. Jacqueline looked back out the French doors from the corner of her eye.

Hours later, Jules left Jacqueline asleep, lit a cigar and took a walk through the park. A dark haired man sitting beside the fountain caught Jules attention. The stranger’s eye sharpened. “Jules, Jules McGinnis?”

Jules was surprised. He peered at the man. “Well, I’ll be damned. Patrick O’Brien. I wouldn’t have known you.” Jules extended his hand and Patrick gave Jules a firm handshake.

Patrick removed a silver flask from his shirt and held it out to Jules. “You want a drink?”

Jules chuckled and slapped Patrick across the back. “Hell, son, you ain’t changed a bit. What are you doing now?”

“My folks have asked the same thing.” Patrick laughed. “Well, I was all set to come home and practice law and then McGillivrary’s came up for sale. Sure was bad about Lettie and Red. Were you in town when it happened?”

Jules looked at Patrick with a puzzled face. “You mean you hadn’t heard?”

“Nah, what happened?”

“I took that little gal staying at the tavern over to Red and Lettie’s to get her baby. About the time we got there, Lettie set the place on fire.”

“The hell you say,” said Patrick.

“Hell, yeah, and then I had to go into the damn house and take the baby away from Lettie.”

“Shit. Are you kidding me?” said Patrick with genuine awe.

Jules shook his head. “I wish I was.”

“You get the baby out alright?”

“Yep, but there were a few minutes that I didn’t think we were going to make it.” Jules paused. “I’ve been meaning to get in touch with you. You still interested in buying the place?”

“Yeah, I been over to the bank. I got most of the money, but they’ve agreed to loan me the rest.”

“If you need me, let me know. I promised that little gal that I’d help her. I’ve been paying her and the other three salaries since Lettie and Red died.”

“That’s awful good of you,” said Patrick.

“Well, hell, that gal’s got that baby and she ain’t got no husband.”

“That’s what Ma said. Wonder what her story is?”

“I don’t know, but it ain’t good.” Jules slapped Patrick on the back. “Good to see you, son. Tell your mother and daddy I said hello.”

“Will do, Jules; see you around.”

Patrick looked to the street and saw a dark shadow run around his carriage. “Hey, Jules, if you don’t mind, walk over to my buggy with me. I think some low-life trash is about to try and steal it.”

“Hell, let’s go,” Jules said. The two men walked quickly in silence. They approached the carriage and saw a figure go down beside the carriage.

“Get the hell up from there before I shoot you,” Jules shouted.

The old woman with wiry gray hair rose up. She wore a black dress buttoned up to her throat. When she ducked down a multitude of cross necklaces clanged together. Jules eyed the woman. “Hell, that’s Mathilde, the old conjure woman who used to work for Lettie.”

Mathilde’s lips curved a slight smile. “Remember dis night.” She picked up a brown burlap bag, took out what appeared to be small animal bones mixed with dirt and threw it at the two men. She looked at Jules. “You helped kill Lettie.” She turned to Patrick, “And you took her carriage.” She kept her eyes on both men as she spoke.

Jules laughed. “You’re a damn crazy woman.”

Mathilde wrinkled her nose and chewed on tobacco. Patrick examined the old woman’s face. He narrowed his eyes and whispered, “I know you; I remember seeing you as a child.”

Mathilde grabbed Patrick’s arm with her dry wrinkled hand. “I’m glad that you remembered me. Now, I will leave you never to forget me. If you don’t see what you have done, you will soon see.” Mathilde grabbed her black burlap bag and ran into the night.

Jules lowered his eyes and laughed. “Hell, I don’t believe it.”

“Haven’t you heard of Mathilde?” asked Patrick.

“Sure I have, but that don’t mean that I am believing any of her nonsense.”
Patrick shrugged, “I was always taught that anyone who had any sense kept away from her.”

“You believe in that nonsense?” Jules asked.

“Nah, mostly what you hear is old slave stories. I just figure whatever happens, happens.” Patrick turned and looked at the carriage. “Maybe I ought to paint it haint blue.” Both men laughed.

That night Jacqueline awoke from a bad dream. Dogs were chasing her, she fell and the dogs bit her face. People watched and they were laughing at her. When she got up, she saw Jules and Patrick They, too, were laughing at her. Jacqueline sat up in bed and gasped. She rose and walked over to the French doors and out onto the balcony. She stood in the still of the night, staring out at
Forsyth
Park
. She wondered if she would see Patrick again. She turned and looked at a sleeping Jules. A chill went through her.

Jacqueline went back inside and lay down in the bed. She rolled over and looked at Jules.
She thought to herself, I have no husband, no baby, and he ain’t never going to marry me.

Jacqueline lay there until dawn and thought about her life. There had been enough tragedy and sadness in it. Things were going to be different; she was going to make it different.

She made a decision; she was going to be a wife and mother. No matter what it took.

Jules awoke, kissed her and rose from the bed. He began to get dressed. “Are you going to play poker again tonight?” Jacqueline asked.

“Yeah, sugar, you know I play poker every Thursday night. Guess what?” Jules said with a smile. “I went for a walk in the park last night.”

Jacqueline’s eyes widened. “You did, when?”

“After you fell asleep. Anyway, I saw someone I hadn’t seen in a while. It was a good thing, too, because I had some business to discuss with him. When we started to leave, he thought somebody was trying to steal his buggy. We walked over to it and, hell, there was that old Gullah conjure woman that’s been around for years. I thought she had died a long time ago.”

“Hmmm, that’s interesting,” Jacqueline said, not really paying attention. She took a deep breath. “Jules, I want to ask you something.”

“Darling, what is it?”

“Are you ever going to marry me?” Jacqueline eyed him carefully, studying his face.

“Honey, why you asking me a thing like that? Aren’t you happy? Don’t I give you everything you want? Hell, Jacqueline, just look around this goddamn place. You live like a queen.” Jules walked over to the bed and leaned into her. He pulled his mistress to him and kissed her on the mouth. She pulled away.

“I’m not finished. You never listen to me.”

“I always listen to you. Go ahead, I’m listening. What else?”

“I want to have a baby.”

“You’re joking?”

“No, I’m not joking.”

“Can’t you just let things be? There ain’t no point in complicating our lives.”

Jacqueline’s eyes were now a deep emerald, filled with tears. “Jules, I want to have a baby and if you love me, then you will let me. Do you love me?”

“Love you? Hell, Jacqueline, do you think I would have spent a damn fortune on you if I didn’t love you? Hell, I could have bought a whole harem of women for a fraction of what I’ve spent on you.”

Jacqueline’s eyes blazed. “Are you telling me no?”

Jules looked confused. “Yes, I’m telling you no. A baby ain’t going to make us any happier.”

“And what about marrying me?” Jacqueline demanded.

Jules looked at her in amazement. “What in the hell’s gotten into you? All of the sudden you’ve turned into a demanding bitch!”

“Do you have any idea what you are doing to us?” Jacqueline shouted.

Jules shook his head. “I know I ain’t going to be forced into doing something that I ain’t sure I want to do.”

Jacqueline took a deep, defiant breath. “Then maybe I ain’t sure I want to be here anymore.”

“Hell, leave then, goddamn you! Go back to where I found you. I’m leaving.” Jacqueline had never seen Jules look so furious as he stomped out of their bedroom.

Jacqueline ran after him. “You will be sorry, you just wait!” Jules walked out and slammed the door. Jacqueline ran out on the verandah and screamed, “I hate you, I hate you, Jules McGinnis!”

Jules turned before getting into his buggy. “It ain’t the first time a woman has felt that way and I doubt it will be the last!” he yelled back.

Jacqueline picked up a clay pot filled with pink geraniums and threw it at Jules. The pot shattered on the front lawn. Crying, Jacqueline hurried back inside.

At just that moment, Annalee Hancock and Lucy Baker were emerging from the front of Lucy’s house. Both women saw Jacqueline throw the clay pot at Jules. “Did you hear what she said?” asked Lucy.

“Yes,” Annalee said. “I hate you, Jules McGinnis.”

“And what did he say?” asked Lucy.

“He said, “You are not the not the first woman to feel that way and you will not be the last.”

“Well, Annalee, have you ever?”

Annalee closed the gate. “No Lucy, I have never.”

Both women shook their heads and looked down the street.