by Byers, Beth
“Sevie!” Florette said excitedly as Severine entered the parlor. Florette hurried forward and pressed her cheek to Severine’s. “I have missed you. Have you been ill?”
Severine pressed her cheek back and squeezed Florette’s hands. It was hard to believe that Florette really did miss Severine. They were merely at the beginning of their friendship, but it was just that—nothing more, not even as family members.
“How are you?” Severine asked.
“So much better than I was with Mama. Am I a terrible daughter? I do hate living with her and Papa—more so with my brothers there. They can do whatever they want and yet—”
“Yet, not you.” Severine understood the idea behind it. She’d traveled home from Austria essentially alone and yet the moment she arrived into New Orleans, everyone expected her to move in with family since she couldn’t possibly live on her own.
“I’m jealous!” Florette groaned. “Sometimes I hate being a woman. Father doesn’t like me staying with Grandmére, so I don’t know how long it will last. He says that Grandmére must bring you home or find a companion, but that I must return to them, and yet—” Florette’s face twisted, and her worry about returning home was palpable.
“I’m sorry,” Severine said and then nodded Fabien in. He rolled the coffee cart into the room. “You’ve become used to being more independent. No one wants to go back to the cage.”
“Just so!” Florette blushed and Severine could tell that her cousin had more going on in her mind than the conflict of moving back home once again. “I wondered if you wanted to join me for a bit of shopping and lunch? I needed to get away and think.”
Severine paused and then agreed. Lisette had disappeared once again, which was worrisome, but Severine could let Mr. Brand know where she was going.
Severine rose to gather her hat and coat, refresh her lipstick, and ensure that they knew where she would be. Severine insisted on leaving Florette’s auto and driving the Phantom. She placed her handbag next to her on the seat and had Anubis behind her. Her massive beast seemed happy enough to leave the house and venture into the world, and Severine could only wish that she felt the same.
“Who is that new fellow working for you? He’s a beast of a man.” Florette’s happy voice chimed. She laughed at Severine’s sideways glance and added, “You must admit that the fellow is huge.”
“He is,” Severine agreed. “Quite large. That was purposeful.”
“Where did you find him?”
“Edmée,” Severine said. At the confused look on Florette’s face, Severine expanded. “Lisette’s grandmother.”
Florette laughed lightly. “You’ll be overrun before long with Lisette’s family.”
Severine didn’t bother to explain despite the tension in the air that seemed to demand an explanation. She asked instead, “And what have you been up to?”
Florette blushed that deep blush again followed by awkwardly shifting in her seat. “Well—I suppose the usual things. Accompanying Grandmére on her visits and spending rather a lot of time with her. And going to parties and the like.”
“Are you going with friends,” Severine asked, guessing that the answer was the cause of those blushes, “or have you a beau?”
Florette could have been mistaken for a cherry, her face was so red. “Well, I suppose I’ve been spending rather more time with someone.”
Severine lifted a brow in question as she parked the automobile near where Meline worked. Meline was the only person who Severine trusted with her wardrobe and this was the only shop Severine regularly frequented.
The idea of a beau was a little shocking. It was mere days since Florette had been half-in-love with Mr. Oliver, Mr. Thorne’s brother-in-law. Florette seemed inclined towards being in love. It was as if she was racing towards being a Mrs. which Sev wasn’t sure was the healthiest. The two of them were barely out of ‘school.’ Florette should be doing other things besides looking for an engagement ring. Maybe traveling to see the world? Severine didn’t know.
In all honesty, Severine hadn’t learned how to relax on her own. She didn’t have hobbies that weren’t chores she had to do at the nunnery. The only thing she could say for certain about herself was that she enjoyed long walks and couldn’t imagine a day when she didn’t have a dog.
“It’s Andre, Sevie,” Florette announced. Severine’s head snapped to look at her in shock. She met Severine’s gaze for a moment and then flicked her eyes away. Shame was palpable between them, but the sort of shame that was also defiant. Florette knew exactly how Severine would feel. Perhaps it was only Severine who was surprised by the hurt and the sickness that filled her stomach.
Severine hesitated, trying to contain all of her feelings and focus on what mattered. She was half-in and half-out of her auto, and Anubis pressed his nose against her hand. Slowly, Severine put both feet on the ground and turned to face her cousin. “What are you doing?”
“He didn’t mean to hurt you.” The lie was embarrassing for both of them. Severine could guess that Florette didn’t know about the last incident, and she didn’t realize why Severine had hired a massive man, who was discreetly armed, for the front door. Florette did know, however, that Severine had been shot by Andre. When Florette’s attention was on Mr. Oliver, she’d seen Andre and his behaviors, and she hadn’t been pleased.
Severine stared and the blush intensified, but Florette held Severine’s gaze. “I love him.”
“It wasn’t so long ago that you had feelings for Mr. Oliver.”
“But he’s married,” Florette snapped. “I do not want to go home. I can’t, Sevie, you don’t understand.”
Severine took a slow breath in and her gaze moved over Florette. She was beautiful. She was charming. She was happy and bright. She had money on her own through her family, and she was smart when she bothered to engage her brain. Severine just didn’t understand this desperation.
“I—” Almost absently, Severine let Anubis out of the back of the auto and placed the lead on his collar. She let her hand rest on the dog as she faced her cousin. “Are you talking about marrying him? Surely not.”
Florette avoided Severine’s gaze and didn’t answer.
“You should think about that again.”
Florette’s face screwed up in anger. “I hoped you could be happy for me.”
“I can’t pretend for you, Florette,” Severine countered. “He shot me. My arm still aches at times. Then he broke into my house with criminals.”
Florette’s face closed off as if she’d been prepared for that accusation, and Severine sighed. She anchored herself with a touch to Anubis and she tried for gentle. “I’m sure you know that I can’t feel comfortable with you wanting a life with the man who hurt me.”
“He’s your brother,” Florette said. “Maybe I’m being stupid, but—”
“You deserve better,” Severine told Florette flatly. “Far, far better.”
“I—” Florette blinked rapidly and then said, “Let’s go shopping.”
Severine followed Florette into the shop and noticed that Meline wasn’t laying out dresses and arranging things as she usually was.
The new girl was platinum blonde with spots along her chin. Severine approached idly. “Oh hello there. Are you new?”
“Yes, miss,” she said. Her gazed moved over Severine’s black dress, lingered on her brick red lips and then her long, loose curl,s and she failed to hide a frown. The frown only deepened when she took in the sight of the very well-behaved Anubis.
Severine smiled smoothly. “Where is Meline? A day off?”
The girl shook her head. “Meline doesn’t work here any longer, miss. I can, however, find you something.”
“When was she let go?” Severine demanded, feeling horrible for the girl who had helped Severine just after she’d arrived in New Orleans and had been the one who had introduced Sev to Lisette.
“Just this morning.” The girl didn’t look at all sorry for Meline and Severine turned. Any desire to
shop had faded with Meline’s absence.
Florette was holding a soft pink dress against her body and she caught Severine’s eye. The blush hadn’t faded and Severine could see that Florette wasn’t really looking at the dress. She was blinking rapidly to keep the tears from descending.
Was Severine’s opinion so very important to Florette? Severine couldn’t see why. They hadn’t been close as children, and Severine had only been back in the city for a short time. Their friendship had been blossoming, but they weren’t exactly bosom friends. What, then, was bringing Florette to such tears?
“Would you like to just go to lunch instead?” Florette’s voice cracked on the last word and Severine realized she had this instinct to apologize, to say she was sorry. She wasn’t, but how did she convey that she wasn’t sorry about her feelings, but she was sorry that Florette was so unhappy?
Rather than dealing with any of that, Severine nodded that she wanted to go to lunch, and they moved towards the door of the store.
“Oh, miss, are you leaving?” the shopgirl asked. “I have just the dress for you.” She held up a pale blue dress with fabric rosettes that went from shoulder to waist. “It’ll be just the thing.”
Severine paused in shock. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen a more reprehensible dress, and it was the opposite of what she wanted to wear.
Florette gasped and shook her head. “No, no. Not for Severine. She’d look foolish after perfecting her look.”
“But she’s so dour,” the girl countered, as if Severine wouldn’t be offended by that statement. To Severine, the shopgirl said, “You’re young. Embrace it. A flower in your hair, rouge on those pale cheeks, perhaps you could color your hair. With the right combination of bleach and peroxide with a few other things, you could be blonde.”
“No,” Severine said. Her hair might not be the popular color, but it was shining and healthy, and the long, dark curls framed her pointed face well. “Lunch?” she said to Florette. “I find myself dreaming of gumbo.”
“Gumbo?” Florette asked, ignoring the shopgirl who seemed offended by Severine’s sharp ‘no.’ “A lobster salad, perhaps.”
“Oh, lobster chowder,” Severine suggested, trying for patience or forgiveness. The awkwardness hadn’t faded even if Florette had jumped to Severine’s defense with the shopgirl.
It felt a bit as though this were the end of their budding friendship, and Severine wasn’t sure how to convey that truth. She didn’t want to tell her cousin what to do. Severine respected a woman’s right to make her own choices. She just needed to say, I don’t get a vote in your life, and I understand that, but you can’t be part of my life married to my brother who shot me and is willing to sacrifice me for his debts.
Instead, Severine said nothing at all.
Chapter 6
When they asked for seats in the garden, Severine imagined a pretty little table for two where they could whisper back and forth and yet be protected by the presence of others. Something that would maintain a measure of privacy given the presence of others and let them talk. She had a measure of hope that they would be able to bare their souls and find a common ground, or at least, know where they stood in the end.
Instead, what she found was Aunt Delphine and Florette’s brother, Henry. They were clearly waiting to meet them with sweet teas ordered for everyone, a tray of nibbles on the table, and Henry with those roving eyes that bypassed her status as his cousin. She shivered, slightly nauseous at the mere idea of any other relationship with him, and then she glanced at Florette with accusing eyes.
She had engineered this, but no. That blush said she didn’t find it any more palatable than Severine did. “Bullied into this madness?”
Florette nodded only the slightest bit and then hissed, “I’m sorry.”
“You have to learn to set boundaries,” Severine whispered, “and then refuse to be moved.”
“You have Mr. Brand backing you up,” Florette whispered back, neither of them following the maitre’d. “It’s not the same for me. It’s just a question of who will be pulling my strings.”
Severine’s gaze searched Florette’s before she whispered back, “Then find a chump.”
Florette’s brother had risen, waiting to hold out their chairs, and the pressure of manners was pulling them in. She crossed to the table and allowed Henry to seat her. He leaned towards her and sort of half-nuzzled her ear and she jerked her head away. He laughed low and she paused, realizing his silent bullying was just as effective as his more overt bullying of Florette.
Severine slowly turned her head and met his gaze, lifting a brow. As she did, she reached out to Anubis, and he growled low. Henry lifted his hands, before seating Florette far more roughly.
“I can’t believe you take that dog with you everywhere,” Aunt Delphine said and Severine was snapped out of her revelation and back to the very distasteful present.
Severine’s polite smile felt like a grimace, and she guessed it was closer to that grimace than the smile based upon Henry’s reaction. “Mama, leave her be.”
As though she’d forget his little move a moment before with the lazy defense. A charming smile followed by the stark demand in his gaze told Severine that despite being her first cousin, he was willing to set all of that aside for her money.
She nodded at the waiter who offered her something other than sweet tea, and she ordered gumbo, biscuits, and a salad. Then she leaned back and waited. Henry ordered crawfish despite his mother’s disgust and then Florette ordered the lobster salad she’d wanted.
“Severine, darling, this is an…an…it’s a coming together of worry and concern for you,” her aunt said when the waiter had left. “Think of it as intervening on your behalf. It’s not good for you to be on your own.”
“I’m not,” Severine told her aunt.
Delphine had crossed the line from young and beautiful to older and elegant. Her golden hair had faded to a softer color and it was streaked with white. Her pretty blue eyes were as sharp as ever, and they were fixed on Severine. “Your mother was my best friend, and we both know black servants don’t really count. She wouldn’t want this for you.”
Severine snapped her mouth shut on the comment that occurred to her. She breathed in slowly and then released it nearly as slowly. When she gathered the shreds of her control, she said, “My house is full and my guardian lives in the home across the street. Providing protection and yet respectability.”
She didn’t mention how they both knew what Flora DuNoir thought of her daughter. Instead, Severine glanced around her. All around the upscale little hotel patio eatery were rich women and their rich men, and the servants flit among the tables unnoticed unless they didn’t do something exactly right. How many of them were happy, Severine wondered, in their unaccountable luxury?
Did they realize how lucky they were to not worry about food? Or where they would stay? Did they realize how lucky they were not to think of whether they could afford to go to the hospital? Because that auburn-haired woman across the patio with the smooth looking gent sitting across from her didn’t seem as though she realized.
The nuns had been happy, for the most part. Severine hadn’t been, however, no more happy than the auburn-haired woman, and she wasn’t sure she was happy now. She realized that she had been adrift in her life since her parents had died. The realization spread through her. The apathy building inside of her had grown and ruined her appetite for life. It wasn’t that she wanted to die, she was just…full of ennui. She had been lost for so long; maybe she’d always been lost, and as she returned home with the mission to find the person who had killed her parents she’d felt as though she’d been thrown a lifeline. With the nuns, Severine had loved them, and she’d been loved by them, but they had all always known that the day would come when Severine would leave.
She was adrift, and she needed to find something to anchor herself beyond the need to find the murderer. She looked around the table and realized the answer wasn’t here.
&nbs
p; “Florette,” Severine said, cutting her aunt off from her low-level tirade. “I’d like to be here for you.”
Severine’s gaze flicked to her flabbergasted aunt and her cousin. “Henry, you are handsome and strong and charming, and my cousin,” she added pointedly.
To her aunt she said, “I would like to believe the fairytale that you’re spinning about my mother, but I remember her.”
Aunt Delphine gasped and placed her hand over her heart. Her eyes filled with tears. She did this little half-moan, half-cry, and then her fingers fluttered to her mouth. Severine didn’t believe for one second that her aunt genuinely cared about her. That was the point, wasn’t it? None of them had written to or checked in on Severine, not once in the years she had been gone.
Severine rose. “It has been a pleasure,” she lied.
She didn’t provide additional explanation and left her food for her family to pay for. She hurried towards the exit with Anubis at her heels and she breathed shallowly in when she escaped. It was her hand on her chest this time, and she was half-gasping, half-moaning as she hurried down the street.
When Henry exited the restaurant behind her, Severine darted into an alley, through it, and then out the other side. She glanced around, breathed in when Henry didn’t appear, and then thought, I need to find something that I love. Something that isn't my dogs. Another anchor to keep me from drifting away into lifelessness.
Before she could think of a solitary thing, she saw Lisette. Their eyes met across the street; Lisette quickly shook her head and then ducked back into an alley. Severine gasped, but she didn’t cross the street. Instead, she pretended she’d seen nothing and looked around to see if someone was following her friend. There was a music store on the corner, and Severine went into it slowly enough that Lisette could not miss where she had gone. Hopefully, her friend would come to her.
“Hullo, little love,” the man behind the counter said.
Severine looked around helplessly. She had no purpose in being here, not really.
