Napoleon's Gift (20 page)

“And the tally?” Charles asked, she
wrote a figure on a piece of paper, then moved the paper towards him. Charles looked up at her frowning.

“Fine, ye shall send the bill to me, not him.” He hissed, then snatched her towards him, to drive his point home.

“Fine.” Madame spat, he released her, then left the establishment.

***

Once outside, Charles frowned deeper.

Why that little bitch!

Acting as though she belonged to no one!

She was his,
from the day he laid eyes on her.

S
he would not get away with this! To sully herself with that English bastard!

He hissed to himself, then called Varney for his carriage.

They would both pay!

***

Madame looked towards the door, then frowned again.

She had just lost her pot of gold. However would she retrieve it, or at least monies she was due for her time. If there was one thing she knew, it was money. Neither of them would best her, she promised herself. She needed to find someway to protect herself, for what she was about to do.

Marié’s bastards would no longer continue to prosper, if she had anything to do with it. Madame would not allow it as her mother did years ago; Soleil was not her mother in any way. Belle Jean St. Clare was a foolish woman, who believed in a time and place for everything, however, what had that gotten her
; consumption, pennilessness, and death. Madame would not be a repeat performance of her mother.

Madame hurried from the room, grabbed her money purse, then had Harvey carriage her to Madame Voule. She would have her revenge, because a woman had not much else.

Madame frowned as she climbed into the carriage. Although not African by direct decent, most of the people, who knew her did not know of her great-great grandmother Hilda who was an African priestess, who practiced the arts. Only Madame Voule knew this.

Voodoo was brought to the French colony Louisiana from Africa, as well from the Haitian exiles after the Haitian revolution. From 1719 to 1731, the majority of African captives came directly from
the West of Africa, bringing with them their cultural practices, languages, and religious beliefs rooted in spirit and ancestor worship. Their knowledge of herbs, poisons, and the ritual creation of charms and amulets, intended to protect oneself or harm others, became key elements of Louisiana Voodoo. The slave community quickly acquired a strong presence in Louisiana. The colony was not a stable society when slaves arrived, which allowed African culture to maintain a prominent position in the slave community.

Another component of Louisiana Voodoo brought from Africa was the worship of ancestors and the subsequent emphasis on respect for elders. For this reason, the rate of survival among elderly slaves was high; further
“Africanizing Louisiana Creole culture.

Because of the fusion of
Francophone
culture and voodoo in Louisiana, many Voodoo spirits became associated with the Christian saints that presided over the same domain. Although Voodoo and Catholic practices are radically different, both saints and spirits act as mediators with the
Legba
presiding over specific activities. Early followers of Voodoo in the United States adopted the image of the Catholic Saints to their spirits. Other Catholic practices adopted into Louisiana Voodoo include reciting the Hail Mary and the Lord’s Prayer.

Madame smiled, as she jumped down from the carriage, and Madame Voule opened the door for her.

“Hello chil, what can I do for you?” She asked as she welcomed Madame Soleil in, and she handed Madame Voule the money purse.

“I need a protection spell.” Madame Soleil replied, and Madame Voule frowned.

“From what
chér
?”

“Come, and I shall explain.” Madame Soleil smiled as she tugged her great-
great aunt to the back of the establishment.

Haven

Plantation…

When I reached home, I climbed down from the carriage somber. As I walked through the door, the tears came, and I
could not stop them.

There was n
o,
“where has my chér been,”
nor any,
“Come in file, I’ve made something special for you,”
nothing.

I wailed, as if I were a dying woman.

How would I go on without my Marié?

I curled
into a ball on the floor, and just wept.

What would I do now?

***

Benjamin frowned as Abel placed the breakfast plate before him. He shook his head, then pushed it away from him.

What he
required, food would not suffice.

How on earth, could he get her to
converse with him?

He frowned to himself, as he thought about her working for Madame’s establishment.

Thank God, he had been her only client.

However, it still pained him that she would rather work for Madame, than come to him. Had she truly been hurt that deeply, that she would rather this, than trust him again.

He sighed, placed his balled fist to his forehead as he bent his head into it closing his eyes. What he felt for her ran deep, even then. He had no clue what love was at the time, however with the barrage of women he had been through since then, he knew now, because she held the only spot in his heart, and had ceased to vacate it.

He had to
contemplate something to secure her; she was massacring him, pride and all!

He vowed, then looked up startled as Bartholomew walked into the dinning room.

“There ye are. I have been searching for ye for hours. Ye made no mention that ye were going out?” Bartholomew cried as he took his seat. “I daresay in yer condition, it isn’t wise mate.”

Benjamin just looked at him, then rose and went to the bar.

“Tis still quite early on for that chum.” Bartholomew smiled, then frowned as he watched as Benjamin turned the glass up, then poured another.

Benjamin left the room then.

“Whatever is the matter?” Bartholomew asked himself, then frowned up at Abel as he sat the breakfast plate before him.

Ab
el shrugged, then went back to the kitchens.

Cattails

Bayou…

As I glided across the river, I frowned, because I had not been to see Onrey in a very long time. As the boat floated to the other side of the river, and I looked up at the shade of age-old cypresses laden with Spanish moss, I realized I missed Onrey terribly. I had not seen him once since Benjamin arrived, and I was quite ashamed of that.

As I saw the long
-legged waterfowl, poised patiently, waiting to scoop up their dinner with long, pointed beaks, I smiled again, because this was what Louisiana swampland was all about. I side stepped the snake, then realized it was not poisonous with a sigh. The lumbering nutria, which we call the cousin to the more familiar American muskrat, moved lazily along his way, and I was equally surprised to see the raccoon and swamp deer at this time of year.

When I walked into the yard, Mrs. Bushé smiled, and I laughed to
myself, as I smelled the catfish on the cast iron potbelly stove. Mrs. Bushé was a hardy stout woman, who must have weighed nearly as much as Benjamin. As well, she stood nearly as tall too. Her deep auburn hair was pulled back from her face, the freckles more visible throughout her entire face. She was strong, but a very delightful woman; not to mention, one of the best cooks I knew besides Granny and Ms. Millie.

“Well hello
chér
, I am so sorry to hear bout yo
Grandmier
.” She wailed, and I smiled as I blinked back the tears.

“Thank you.” I called, and she nodded.

“She was an amazing woman, and I shall miss her dearly.” She called back, and I nodded. “So chéri, what chue doin hur?” She asked smiling, and I smiled back as I came into the yard.

“I was wondering if Onrey were about?” I called, and she frowned for several moments, then shook her head.

“No such luck today
chér
, I believe he be in the swamps till supper time. Can I give him a message for
chér
?” She asked, and I shook my head.

“No ma’am. I just wanted to
inquire of him about Gonrey.”

“That boy aien’t no
kinda good
chér
, you
stey awey
from him, ya hear?” She hissed, and I nodded.

“But I will tell Onrey you were here.” She smiled, and I frowned slightly.

Her entire person changed at the mention of Gonrey’s name. It confirmed my suspicions; Onrey knew absolutely, what his brother was up to. However, I would never ever believe that Onrey was capable of such a vile act.

“Thank you Mrs. Bushé, please do.” I said waving as I climbed aboard
the boat, then rowed myself back across the river.

When I reached the house, I went in search of Ab
el. He would certainly know what the devil was going on.

Chapter Eight…

Haven…

An entire week passed of me avoiding Benjamin. I would go to Ms. Millie’s, from there to town for anything, that Abel needed, then I would lock myself in the house and mostly just sleep. Since I no longer worked for Madame, I was not exactly sure what I was to do with myself, especially without Granny there to direct my time. He would summon me, but I would refuse to go. He would then arrive unannounced; I would bolt the door and decline to receive him.

If he were not able to see that this was a mistake, then I would have to be the one to show him.

I sighed as I walked from the garden towards Claudette’s home.

She had
been acting very odd lately, and I could not understand why. I assumed from the way she spoke of Benjamin, she had no strong like of him, but I could not understand why. He had never darkened her doorway, nor treated her in a manner, which befell her hatred of him.

If I
had not known better, I would declare it was jealousy; however, I pushed it from my mind as I approached the house, and she smiled at me from her garden. I waved to Mr. Bonaparté as he waved from the terrace.

I wondered if he knew of his daughter’s taste.

“Hello
file
, where have you been.” She cried as she got up, embraced me, then kissed both my cheeks.

“Trying to contain myself with gardening, just as you are, so that my
jumbling of thoughts should cease. Unfortunately, I have had no such providence.” I said as I took up the next row of Basil.

“Come, we shall not do this today. I have
pined for you so.” She smiled as she tugged me into the house.

She handed me a glass of sherry, but I refused shakin
g my head. When she tried to kiss me, I drew back, then frowned.

“What?
Qu’at-il fait pour vous
?” What has he done to you? She shouted, and I sighed placing my head in my hands.

“
Rien cher
.” Nothing darling, I replied softly, but she threw the sherry glass into the fireplace.

“
Menteur
!” Liar, she shouted, and I was surprised at her fierceness.

“I do not!” I countered, and she placed her hands on her hips to glare at me.

“
Vous êtes en amour avec lui!
” You are in love with him? She accused yelling, and I frowned looking up at her.

“
Non
!” No! I shouted back, and she came to me.

The kiss she gave
me ordinarily would have been felt in my toes, but I felt much of nothing now. There was no reaction in my senses, and I was quite confused as to why.

“
Il est comme je l’ai dit, même mes baisers ne rien faire pour vous maintenant
!” It is as I have said; even my kisses do nothing for you now.

“Claudette…”

“
Non…laissez-moi!
” No…leave me! She shouted and I went to her.

She wrestled herself away from me, then ran up the stairs sobbing.

I sighed; blinking back the tears, as I quietly left the house.

What else in my li
fe could go this terrible wrong?

Granny was
departed, Claudette decline to converse with me, and I was in love with a man I knew I could never be with.