by L A Morgan
Maria giggled. She started to feel giddy.
“That was another fantasy.”
“Do you have many fantasies, Maria?” Steve asked in a low voice.
“I used to.”
“Tell me about them.”
“No. I don’t want to think about that now.”
“Why not?”
Maria heaved out a long sigh, and then replied, “Because somewhere along the line, my dreams became confused with reality.”
“Since you met me?”
The man had pressed her too far. Maria sat up in her chair and looked at him before she set her drink back on the low table between them.
“You lied to me,” she said. “There’s a lot more alcohol in this drink than you led me to believe.”
Steve smiled and looked away.
“It looks like you’ve caught me,” he said.
“Why did you do this?”
“To help you relax. You do feel better now; don’t you?”
“I care less about what I say, but you can bet that I’ll be more careful in the future about taking drinks from strangers.”
“Are we still strangers?”
“More or less.”
“Who are you, Maria?”
This question cleared the vapors away from Maria’s mind. It could be a dangerous question, and she had to answer it carefully.
“I don’t know any more,” she said. “Who are you?”
“You asked me that when we first met.”
“Answer me anyway.”
“I’m your fiancé’s brother; right?”
“That’s what you told me, and I have to believe you.”
“Why should you believe anything I say?”
“Stop asking me so many questions,” the girl replied in irritation.
Steve studied Maria’s face for a moment, and then lapsed into silence.
The woman surprised him by saying, “Let me go, Steve. I want to go home.”
He considered this for a few seconds, and then replied, “You might be home right now.”
Shaking her head, Maria responded, “This is only a dream.”
She closed her eyes. Silently, Steve got up and walked over to stand in front of her. With a soft, smooth movement, he leaned down to place his hands on her shoulders. When Maria did not resist him, his hold on her tightened and he drew her to her feet.
Maria opened her eyes for a second. She felt too mixed up to believe that this could be happening. All of the last two days had been unreal, and if it was not, she did not want to think about it now. She closed her eyes again. Steve stared intently at her face.
“Are you Tienne’s woman?” he asked softly.
“I have to be,” Maria barely whispered.
“That’s a lie.”
The man pulled her roughly against him and lowered his face until his lips met hers. Maria threw back her head, but that was the only movement she made. With one hand, Steve cupped the back of her head and brought her lips back to his.
He plunged down to savor their inviting warmth. Maria sighed as he took control of her mouth. Her body pressed against his, but her mouth did not respond until he touched her teeth with his tongue. This set fire to her dreamlike languor.
With quiet, yet unmistakable passion, Maria reached up to draw Steve closer to her as she responded to his kiss. The man fiercely demanded more, and she did not deny him.
All of a sudden, he pushed her away from him.
“What?” Maria asked in confusion, opening her eyes.
Steve stared at her with an unfathomable look on his face, and then quickly walked though the open doors of her bedroom. Maria stood there, agape, as she heard the door to the hallway slam shut.
The stupor of intoxication left her body. She could not believe what had happened. All she felt now was shame and remorse. It was impossible to move.
To her further amazement, she heard the door open again. Steve stepped back onto the balcony. Maria could not interpret his expression as he looked down at the floor. She waited for him to speak.
“Dinner will be served in the dinin’ room in half an hour,” he said softly, without looking up. “Let’s forget what happened. The drink was a little strong, that’s all. You’ll feel better after you eat.”
Without waiting for her to make a reply, he left again. Maria could only stare at the French doors and wonder how she could have let this happen. A more intrusive question entered her mind.
What would be next?
CHAPTER 5
The dinner was served by a uniformed maid. Maria refused to have any wine when Steve offered it to her. That mint julep had left her with a bit of a headache. After the last exchange on the balcony, an uneasy silence hung between them.
When Maria was done eating, she folded her napkin and placed it on the table. The crawfish étouffée had been delicious, but the spicy Cajun ingredients did not sit well on her stomach.
When she accepted another drink of water from the maid, Steve asked, “Was the food too hot for you?”
“It was good, but I’m not used to that much spice,” Maria replied.
After Steve instructed the maid to bring her a glass of milk, he said, “You have to get used to Creole cuisine. The milk should soothe your stomach.”
“Thank you.”
Maria felt surprised by his keen observation and consideration for her comfort. Steve’s moods changed so frequently that she never knew what to expect.
“Would you like to go back to town and join in the festivities?” he asked.
“Not tonight. I feel rather tired.”
It had occurred to Maria that she would have a better chance of getting away from the man in the crowds, but she knew that he would never leave her side. Besides, all of the emotional turmoil she had experienced that day had left her in a state of mental exhaustion. It would be best to rest now, so she could face whatever new situations arose the next day with greater self-composure.
When Steve invited her to join him on the veranda, she had politely refused. He only nodded when she excused herself and went to her room.
Darkness had fallen, but it was still relatively early. Maria considered the possibility of looking for a telephone, and then put if off it for another time. She had had enough intrigue for one day. After changing into her nightgown, she stepped out onto the balcony to take a final peak at the Mississippi in the moonlight. It was chilly outside, so she had been forced to put on the satin robe which Marla had given her for Christmas.
The stars in the clear, crystal sky joined their light with that of the waning moon to cast sparkles on the water. There were a few dim solar-powered lights in the garden beneath her, but the huge, old Southern oaks and willows near the river’s edge were silhouetted in darkness.
Maria looked out at the enchanting scene and her emotions were conflicted. On one hand, she was sorry she had ever given in to Marla’s manipulation and then undertaken this foolish masquerade. On the other, Maria knew that she would never have been able to come to this land of dreams if she had not done so now. The cold winters of Illinois had never set her heart on fire as this place had.
And then, there was the man . . . Steve. He had stepped right out of the pages of her imagination, the tall, dark stranger, compelling in his strength. From the first time he had come to her rescue, she had felt drawn to him. She had also feared him, but that had only lent strength to the fantasies she had created in her mind.
It was a sad trick of fate that he had turned out to be Tienne DuPont’s brother. Just as she had started to like him, all of the amiability between them had been shattered. And it was all needless, ridiculous really. It was her own fault for pretending to be someone she was not.
It was useless to think about things that could never be. Maria focused again on the river. A chill went down her spine when she saw a figure detach itself from the somber darkness of the willows.
Maria’s heart beat faster as she watched the featureless silhouette continue to move along the riverbank.
It was a man, and he hunched forward as he walked, as though he was deep in thought.
It was Steve. There could be no mistaking his tall, broad frame and imposing build. Unconsciously, Maria let his name slip softly off of her lips. There was no danger of him hearing her; he was too far away.
She continued to watch him until he was lost from sight. Maria shivered involuntarily, and then went back inside. She would seek release from her troubles in slumber.
* * * * * * * * *
When Maria awakened the next morning, she was told at breakfast that Mr. DuPont had already left for work. He would join her later in the day for dinner. Maria felt that she could use this time to her advantage if either Tienne or Marla called. Steve DuPont would not hear of her impersonation until after she had gone. It would be best that way . . . no unpleasant scenes, no goodbyes. Only regrets; and Maria knew that she could not escape from those.
After breakfast, she wandered about the house, supposedly admiring its large and handsome rooms, but in reality searching for a telephone. She looked around to see if anyone was watching when she spotted one in the study. When she was certain that the coast was clear, she went in and closed the door behind her. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number of her apartment. The phone rang and rang, but there was no one there to answer her call. It surprised her that Marla had not left her a message on the answering machine as was her custom, but Maria remained hopeful.
She quickly dialed the number of the modeling agency for whom her roommate worked. The girl was dumbfounded when the receptionist told her that Maria Fontaine had gone away on vacation for an unspecified period of time.
This left Maria in a fit of nervous agitation until she thought of a possible rationalization for this behavior. The model probably did not want to be available if Tienne DuPont called to confront her with his anger after he learned that their engagement was over. That would be just like Marla. If something in life would not make her happy, she did not want to know about it.
Maria hung up the phone, filled with the determination to reach her friend later. She would try to call the apartment again before Steve got home from work. All day, she waited for one of the maids to tell her that there was a call for her, but none came.
Just before five o’clock, she stealthily made her way back to the study. As she looked carefully from side-to-side, she stepped into the doorway, but her ingress was stopped by the imposing form of Steve DuPont.
“Lookin’ for me, butterfly?” he asked.
Maria’s face displayed all of the surprise and frustration that she felt.
She attempted to cover this up by saying, “Who else would I be looking for?”
“No one, of course. It’s obvious that your happiness hinges on my presence.”
Maria smirked and replied, “Aren’t you home early?”
“It could never be soon enough to see your welcomin’ grimace.”
The woman attempted to turn the frown into a scowl, but the disbelieving look on Steve’s face made her feel the absurdity of the artifice, and she ended up suppressing a smile.
The man eyed her curiously, and then said, “You’d be amazin’ on the stage. Such theatrical talent is a rare commodity. Broadway calls to you, darlin’.”
“As long as you play the villain, I have no objection,” Maria teasingly returned.
“Oh, so you’d like to play with me.”
“What?” the woman exclaimed. “I never said . . . I never meant . . .”
“Why don’t you just say never mind and get this over with,” Steve replied with finality. “I’ve arranged a special treat for you this evenin’.”
Maria frowned and fearfully blurted out, “Has your brother come home?”
“No, my dear, he hasn’t. I hope, when he does, you have a warmer welcome planned for him than that execution order tone in your voice.”
Recalling herself, Maria replied, “As you put it once before, that will be between your brother and me.”
“I’ve noticed that you rarely refer to him by his first name. One might almost think that you hardly know the man you’re going to marry.”
“Well, we haven’t really known each other that long.”
“Long enough to get engaged.”
“It was one of those spur-of-the-moment things. You know what I mean.”
“Actually, I don’t. Tell me about how Tienne proposed to you.”
“Didn’t he mention it?” Maria asked cautiously.
“Men don’t usually discuss those things. You tell me.”
Maria cleared her throat to give herself a moment to think and finally, said, “We were having cocktails on the top of the EiffelTower.”
“The EiffelTower, you say. It must have been very romantic.”
“It was.”
“What did you have to drink that evening?”
“Uh . . . I don’t quite recall.”
“What? Do you expect me to believe you don’t remember every detail of such an important occasion in your life?”
“It was champagne,” Maria quickly improvised.
“Go on.”
“Let’s see. We made a toast . . .”
“To what?”
“To Paris. All right?”
“I have no problem with that. You were sayin’ . . . ?”
“And then, your . . . I mean, Tienne, asked me to marry him.”
“What were his exact words?”
“Really, Steve. Some things are too personal to discuss. What was that special treat you mentioned?”
“At this point, I hesitate to tell you. Not with cocktails on top of the EiffelTower as my competition.”
Maria crossed her arms and tapped her foot in annoyance.
Steve gave her one of his winning smiles and said, “How does a dinner cruise on a paddleboat strike you?”
“It couldn’t compare with Paris, of course, but it might be nice.”
Steve could not fail to note the gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
She said, “When do we leave?”
“As soon as you put on that lovely red dress you were wearin’ when I met you.”
“I’ll be right back,” Maria lightly replied as she veritably skipped back to her room.
“I’ll be waitin’,” the man called after her.
All thoughts about making that phone call to her friend were gone as Maria hastily dressed. This was an event she had been waiting for. After applying some lipstick, she ran downstairs to join Steve in the front hall. He had changed into a black tuxedo.
“You are fast,” he commented.
“I didn’t have much to do to get ready.”
“I thought you models always wore a lot of cosmetics.”
“Let’s just get going,” Maria replied as she walked toward the door.
“With that radiant face, you don’t need any makeup anyway,” Steve commented as he followed her.
Maria sent him a smirk as they passed through the doorway. The white limousine was waiting for them by the front door. This time, Maria felt entirely different as she rode in it. It was impossible for her to hide her enthusiasm as she chatted on with Steve during their ride into the city.
They had to walk a short distance to get to the boat. Just as she spotted it, its steam-powered horn gave out a long blast that sent thrills throughout her body. Sensing her excitement, Steve patted the delicate hand he had drawn through the crook of his arm.
The streetlights reflected on the water as they boarded the paddleboat. A throng of happy party-goers joined them at the railing to wave to the crowds on the levee. Maria felt completely exhilarated.
With a final blast of its horn, the giant wheel on the back of the boat began to turn forward, throwing up a spray of water in its wake. Very slowly, it started to move away from the dock and up the Mississippi River.
Maria could not absorb enough of the experience. The sights, the scents, the sounds, all filled her with a sense of elation she wanted to carry with her forever. All of her
troubles fell away from her.
“Are you happy?” Steve asked unnecessarily.
Maria did not even hear him say this. Her mind was too absorbed in making a lasting memory of the moment. The man observed her for a while, and then looked out over the water.
By the time the paddleboat had established its running speed and course on the river, dinner was served. The couple sat at a window table in the dining area. Since Maria’s attention focused more on the outside views than the food, their conversation was limited. Steve gave up trying to ask her questions, and a look of curiosity settled on his face.
As soon as they were done eating, Maria wanted to walk out on the deck. The sky was filled with stars as a Dixieland jazz band began to play some old, familiar tunes.
Holding Steve’s hand, Maria swiftly led him to the back of the boat. From there, she watched the giant paddlewheel turn, illuminated by the ship’s lights. The sound of the band, the wheel’s splashing, and the throb of the engine provided a harmonious background for the setting, as they both gazed at the receding lights of New Orleans.
As Maria leaned on the railing to look out at their wake, she said, “I love this.”
“You’re very easy to please,” commented Steve.
“I am. I don’t need anything spectacular to make me happy, although I would call this very close to spectacular.”
“It’s only a paddleboat ride, Maria.”
“I know, but I’ve always dreamed of taking a ride on one.”
“How would you compare it to the EiffelTower?”
“The EiffelTower?” Maria absentmindedly replied as she gazed over the rail.
“Have you forgotten your engagement already?” Steve pointedly asked.
Maria sent him a frown, and then looked back at the river.
“I haven’t forgotten,” she said in a low voice, “but, I like this better.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m living it here and now.”
“I like your sense of enthusiasm. You have a way of making a common thing seem extraordinary.”
“But this isn’t a common thing for me, Steve.”
“You make it sound as though you haven’t had much excitement in your life.”
“I haven’t.”
