Mardi Gras Masquerade (9 page)

With trembling fingers, she unpacked her bags and thought about what Marla would say if she knew what had happened.
 
She would undoubtedly be surprised that Maria had not yet made any contact with Tienne.
 
Knowing the model as she did, the librarian expected Marla would be outraged when she heard about her fiancé’s absence.
 
She, herself, would never have tolerated such treatment whether there was a substantial reason for it or not.

As Maria thought more deeply on the subject, she realized that her friend would probably insist on her staying there until her task had been completed, regardless of Maria’s personal discomfort.
 
It was true that the wedding plans had been made, and they did need to be cancelled.
 
While Marla might resent her roommate’s masquerading in her persona, she would have to admit that it would be best to continue with the impersonation until she spoke with Tienne DuPont.

There was always the chance he would call the house and ask to speak to her.
 
If that happened, she would have to make her explanations on the phone.
 
It would be impossible to disguise her voice.
 
That would be good in a way.
 
The truth would be out and she would not have to face the disappointed suitor.
 
Of course, there would be no way to avoid his brother, but that was a trial she would face when she came to it.

In the same vein of thought, Marla would probably try to get a hold of her when she did not call.
 
Maria bit her lip in fearful anxiety when it occurred to her that the model would ask at the hotel for Maria Jones and identify herself as Maria Fontaine.
 
What would the desk clerk think?
 
Would he be at liberty to pass on the DuPonts’ home phone number?
 
What a problem that could present!

Maria could have saved herself all of this dreadful anticipation regarding her roommate.
 
An hour after she had left for
New Orleans
, Maria Fontaine had boarded a flight to
Rio de Janeiro
to enjoy Carnival with her current boyfriend.
 
She never had any intention of waiting around for this situation to explode.
 
It was something she would find to be too stressful.

Instead of telling Maria her plans, she had allowed her friend to think that she had a firm ally back at home.
 
This made Marla feel somewhat guilty, so she had devised a plan to deceive herself into believing she was a caring person.
 
While Maria was at Mardi
Gras
, she would enjoy its Brazilian equivalent, telling herself that this made them closer in spirit.
 
Marla might not have appreciated the fine reasoning behind this willful self-deception if she had known what was occurring in
New Orleans
.

The sunset dinner cruise Steve had mentioned earlier had not been brought up again.
 
Their relationship had altered radically since that last romantic encounter on the levee.
 
Maria wondered if she would be permitted to leave the house at all before she spoke with Tienne DuPont.
 
There was no longer any reason for her to wear her Mardi
Gras
gown, so she changed into a casual blouse and slacks.

After that, there was nothing to do except to wait for someone to suggest something.
 
She did not want to invite further abuse from Steve by making her presence evident in the house, so she went out on the balcony and sat on one of the chairs just outside the door.

The tranquil atmosphere soothed her troubled mind.
 
No other house was in sight for as far as she could see.
 
Maria was alone, but she could not feel lonely while she had such beauty surrounding her.

She watched the birds singing sweetly in the trees.
 
Some of them were of species she had never seen.
 
Others were winter visitors from the North that she would not expect to see in
Illinois
for a few months.
 
Before she knew what was happening, her eyelids lowered and she slept.

A voice intruded on her dreams, whispering, “Maria.”

It was a voice she had come to know.
 
Its deep resonance made her drifting mind think of a happier occasion during which she had responded to it.

In a barely audible voice, she replied, “Steve,” in a tone that indicated her fondness for the speaker.

“Yes.
 
I’ve brought you a drink.”

This last statement did not fit into the pattern of Maria’s dreams.
 
Her eyelids fluttered open as her consciousness returned.
 
The
Mississippi
still drifted along before her, but something about the atmosphere had changed.

As Maria turned her head to the side, she quickly took in her breath when she saw Steve sitting in a chair beside her, observing her with an enigmatic look on his face.

“And I thought you were upset,” he said in a teasing voice. “But here I find you
nappin
’ away as though you don’t have a care in the world.”

Maria hastily shifted her position into a more rigid posture and said, “Don’t you believe in knocking before you enter a lady’s room?”

Steve regarded her coolly as he folded his hands over his waistline.

“Three comments spring to mind,” he replied.

Maria stared at him as if she thought he might pounce on her if she lowered her guard.

“First,” the man went on, “I did knock on your door, but you didn’t answer.
 
Second, you are not
sittin
’ in your room.
 
In case you didn’t notice, this balcony connects all of the rooms on the second floor.”

When he paused and gave no indication that he was going to go on, Maria said, “And the third?”

“It has something to do with your reference to a lady, but I don’t think you really want to hear it.”

“How dare you!” Maria responded with flaming cheeks.

“Oh, believe me, I dare.
 
This is my house, and I’ll say anything I please while I’m in it.”

“You have no regard for anything, Steve DuPont!”

“Come now, you know that’s not true.
 
If I wasn’t a gentleman, I would have explained my last comment.”

“You said enough.
 
Your implication was obvious and uncalled for.”

“I could go into this further, Maria, but the afternoon is so pleasant, and I don’t want it spoiled by your indignation.”

“Why didn’t you just say righteous indignation and admit that you’re an arrogant ass.”

“Well, well.
 
The butterfly has claws.”

“That’s right, and you’d better remember it before you make any mistakes about approaching me any closer.
 
I noticed there’s no lock on my door.”

“Do you honestly think you need one?”

“Considering your presumption, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“That nap did wonders in restoring your confidence.
 
You should nap more often.”

“So you like it better when I stand up against you,” Maria replied with a hint of a question in her tone.

“I like spirit in my women.”

“I’m not one of your women!”

“As long as you’re in my house you are.”

“This is your brother’s house, too.”

“Tienne, as you might have noticed, isn’t here.”

“Are you saying that you would . . .?”

Maria was forced to break off her sentence for its implication was too fantastic for her to speak.

“I would do anything I pleased, my dear.
 
You’re not in the North here.
 
It is an old, ingrained custom in the South for a man to be lord and master of his own household.
 
And while I like spirit in women, I wouldn’t press the point too strongly if I were you.”

Maria jumped out of her seat to face her antagonist from a stronger standpoint.

“Well, I’m not you!
 
You’re not my lord and master!” she said in a fervent voice.
 
“This is the 21st century, Mr. DuPont, and women are no longer treated as chattel, in case you didn’t notice.”

The man smiled as he clapped his hands in mocking applause of her performance.

“Very well done,” he said in a voice that nearly made Maria choke with fury.
 
“For a minute there, you almost had me
believin
’ that you’re as bold as you pretend to be.”

Maria’s defiance nearly folded as she realized how close Steve had come to the truth.
 
It was not like her at all to express her opinions so strongly.
 
This man had uncovered unknown depths within her with his constant prodding.

The energy once again surged through her as she realized that she could be a more aggressive person.
 
Steve forced her to find strength she never knew she possessed.
 
Well, she knew that now, and she would use it.’

“This is no pretense, Mr. DuPont,” she said in a confident voice, as she placed her hands on her hips.
 
“If you have any intentions concerning me, I want to hear about them right now.”

The man’s expression was indifferent, but there was ice in his tone when he said, “Are you
suggestin
’ that I would force you to submit to my lust?”

For an instant, Maria’s new-found sense of self-assurance was undermined by his bluntness.
 
It took a few seconds for her to regain her bravado.

In a less belligerent voice, she replied, “If that’s what you’re planning, I want you to know that I will not hesitate to bring legal action against you.”

“Oh, sit down, Maria,” the man responded, dismissing the issue with a wave of his hand.
 
“Even if I did want you, I would not resort to such barbaric tactics with my brother’s fiancée.
 
I don’t need to and I don’t want to.”

His air of finality deflated Maria’s sense of moral indignation.
 
His words humiliated her.
 
It was appalling to think she was so insignificant that he did not even want her.
 
Maria sat back down in her chair and looked away from him.

“Here,” said Steve, as he pressed a tall glass in her direction.
 
“Drink some of this.
 
It might cool you off.”

Unwillingly, Maria looked back to see what he offered.

“What is that?” she asked.

Before he could reply, she reached over to remove the glass from his outstretched hand
  
It chilled her fingers as she held it before her.

“It’s a mint julep,” Steve finally responded to her question.
 
“Have you ever had one before?”

“No.
 
Is there alcohol in it?”

“Not enough to do you any damage.
 
Try it.”

Maria brought the glass to her lips.
 
The refreshing scent of mint allayed her fears of the drink’s alcoholic content.
 
She took a small sip.

“What do you think?” the man asked.

“Not bad.”

“Have some more.”

Against her will, she followed Steve’s suggestion.
 
The mint julep was tasty, and it did cool her anger as it slid smoothly down her throat.
 
She took a few more sips.