East of Orleans (25 page)

Jacqueline lay across her bed with her skirts gathered up around her. She felt the presence of someone enter the room and became aware of the sweet smell of tobacco. Jules McGinnis pulled the door shut and smiled.

“What are you doing here?” asked Jacqueline.

Jules laughed. “What am I doing here? This goddamn house is mine and every fucking thing that’s in it.”

“Priscilla! Priscilla!”

“You can call her all you want, but she won’t be coming.”

“What did you do with her?”

“I didn’t do nothing but give her a little money and told her to take the rest of the day off.”

“She’ll come back.”

“So. Undress.”

“I wish you would die,” Jacqueline said, narrowing her eyes.

Jules walked over to the bed and looked into the eyes of the woman who had betrayed him. His intent was obvious. He seemed to take pleasure in her pain.

“I’m bleeding,” her voice begged.

“That ain’t never stopped you before.”

“I’d rather die than have sex with you.”

“I ain’t giving you a choice.”

Jacqueline felt herself sink into someone else. She slowly undressed before the man who held the gun on her. She heard Jules’s clothes hit the floor and she felt the weight of his body roll on top of her. He rode her so hard that she barely felt her fingernails, clenched tight, dig into the palms of her hands. She kept her eyes closed until he demanded that she look at him and she was still looking when he finished. Jacqueline lay there and cried while she bled all over the fine white linen sheets.

Jules got up, dressed, and walked out of the house.

The days that passed seemed uneventful. Jacqueline did not mention a word of what had happened to Patrick. For a short time, she convinced herself that it did not matter, then as the days wore on, she believed that it hadn’t happen. It was a dream, all a dream, and her life was going to be fine. Not all the men that who touched her and paid her mattered; it did not happen, they did not exist.

Patrick moved into the house on Oglethorpe, much to the shock and dismay of the Hancocks and the Bakers. In between his business at the tavern, now renamed Patrick’s, he cooked for Jacqueline, looked after the grounds of the house and tried to make her happy. As happy as Jacqueline could be.

Kate O’Brien opened her mouth wide, but words would not come out. She could not believe what Isabella was telling her. The initial shock of Isabella marrying Jules McGinnis was too much for Kate. Her sad eyes begged Isabella. “Jules is a gambler, Isabella, and he has a horrible reputation with the women, and he is more than twice your age.” Her warnings fell on deaf ears.

Isabella pulled up in a buggy at the front of the church. Never had she felt so all alone. There was no one attending her wedding except the minister and his wife.

When the time came, Isabella handed Elora to Kate, and looked back at Kate when she walked to the door with her bag to meet Jules. He was going to take her to
New Orleans
. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she would not look back, she would not think about it. This was a new life for her and she would be happy. Even if she had to force herself.

“Jesse will be angry when he finds out that you’ve done this and not told him,” Kate said.

“Jesse ain’t much better than he was,” Isabella said. “You’ve seen how weak he is. He ain’t got any say in what I do. Besides, this is best for everyone.”

“Everyone?” Asked Kate.

“That’s right, everyone.” Isabella let out a gasp, ran and threw her arms tight around Kate’s neck and cried.

“If you’re determined to do this, I’ll take care of the baby and Jesse while you’re gone. Just take care of my girl, will you?” Kate broke down in tears and walked out of the room, gently carrying the baby.

Isabella stepped out onto the narrow tabby steps and saw an old woman leaning up against the wall. At first, Isabella thought that she had imagined the woman, but she was still there, an eerie smile on her face.

“Mathilde,” whispered Isabella. “I thought you were dead.”

Isabella ran and looked back. Mathilde had vanished.

She married Jules knowing that he did not love her any more than she loved him. But she didn’t care. The man that she loved would never want her, especially now. Isabella knew why she married Jules, but why he married her was somewhat of a mystery to her. Regardless, if this is what it took to save her mama and granny’s house then she certainly could have done worse. And she also knew that scrubbing floors and waiting tables would never earn her enough money to pay off the mortgage on the farm, not even if she worked until she was a hundred.

If her day was weakened by uncertainty, it was strengthened by the beauty of her dress. Never had a wedding gown been more magnificent. Jules had purchased the gown himself even though a few last—minute alterations were needed. The cream-colored gown was made of layers of pleated silk organza that lay on top of a heavy ivory satin. The neckband was appliquéd lace and finished with pleated organdy ruffle, as were the sleeves. The back of the dress boasted an enormous tournure that was lightly embroidered with pearls and satin bows. A of pleated lace was attached under the train with streamers of pearls and waxed lilacs. She wore a long veil of silk tulle and had a sixpence in her ivory satin shoe for good luck.

Isabella McGinnis stared out the train window as she and Jules rode to
New Orleans
. Jules talked and she smiled a little. He told her of things he had done as a young man, the war years, and his lucrative cotton business. She couldn’t have cared less, but she guessed it was important for a woman to learn what her man had done, especially if that man was her husband.

During the long train ride to New Orleans Isabella wrote a letter to her mama and granny telling them that she had married Jules.

Dear Mama and Granny,

I’ve news that I can’t wait to tell both of you. Today at the
First
Baptist
Church
in
Savannah
, I married Jules McGinnis. I know this comes as a shock to both of you, but please understand I did this for the good of us all. Besides, Jules is a kind and generous man and I know he will be good to me. I wish more than anything that you could have been here for the wedding, but know I was thinking of you. I love you both more than anything.

Isabella

That night Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis dined at the famous Bourbon Orleans on shrimp creole, rice and praline peach ice cream. And drank fine champagne.

“Tell me everything about you. Your dreams, all you’ve ever wanted to be,” said Jules.

Isabella lowered her eyes. “I can’t say I have any dreams. After my daddy died, it was enough just to be able to eat and stay alive.”

Jules listened to every word and nodded sympathetically. “Did they ever find out who killed your daddy?”

Isabella said softly, “No.”

The candle on the table flickered between them. Jules reached for her hand.

“Darling, I can’t take the place of your daddy, but I will make you a good living.”

“Do you love me?” asked Isabella.

His eyes met hers. “Darling, you know this marriage ain’t about that.” There was silence for a moment. An expression of concern came over his face. “I care for you. I have ever since the day I saw you in Ellen Scarborough’s hat shop.” He smiled and reminisced, “Never could get you off my mind, and who would have ever thought here we are now.” Jules thought for a moment. “You still have that note I wrote you when I sent you that bonnet?”

Isabella nodded slightly.

That night Isabella took forever preparing for bed. Jules had left her to go downstairs to the hotel saloon to play a hand of poker. “I will leave you to have some time for yourself,” he told her and then kissed her on the cheek.

When he returned he sat down on the bed and pulled her next to him. They lay face to face, just staring at each other, not sharing anything but the quiet of the night and the flicker of a candle.

“What do you want from me?” Isabella whispered.

“That’s up to you.” Jules pulled down the straps of Isabella’s ivory satin gown. “Mrs. McGinnis, you are a beautiful woman,” he whispered in her ear.

His interest was intense now.

Isabella fought back the tears.

Jules McGinnis was a man of the world, but never had he been seen with a grin on his face like the one he had the next morning. Jules left the room early to let Isabella sleep. He was sitting at a table in the dining room, reading the paper when his new wife entered to join him for breakfast. His face was amused as he watched her sit down next to him. His watched her looking at the platters of fried bacon, sausages, and poached eggs going by. The smell of hot croissants and chicory coffee filled the room.

“How are you this morning, Mrs. McGinnis?” he said with a slow grin.

“I can’t complain none,” Isabella replied, never looking at him.

“There’s one thing I forgot last night,” Jules said. Isabella took a deep breath and gave him a nervous look. Jules laughed. “I have a little gift I bought for you.” Jules reached inside his vest pocket and removed a small blue box. He handed it to Isabella. She opened the box and saw a brilliant three-carat, rose-cut diamond ring set in platinum.

Isabella’s eyes widened and she smiled. She placed the ring on her left ring finger.

“You like it, honey? You ought to; it cost me a fortune,” Jules said as he lit a cigar.