by L A Morgan
Halfway back to the house, Steve pulled the car over to the side of the road and parked it beside an extensive patch of woods that abutted the river. He stepped out and walked over to the bank without saying a word.
Maria would have been content to sit there and wait, but she knew that he expected her to join him. While she dreaded what he would have to say to her, she wanted to get this encounter over with so she knew where she stood. With a sense of humiliation, she got out and moved slowly to join the man.
They stood on the embankment for a while, each rapt in personal thoughts, looking out over the river.
Steve finally broke the silence by saying, “No apologies? No goodbyes? I turn my back for an instant and you disappear without a word.”
“How did you find me?”
“When I called the house to tell you I was coming home early, Mrs. Grey told me you went out for a ride. Knowin’ you as I do, I knew you’d head straight for the airport.”
Steve waited a moment, giving Maria a chance to speak. When she didn’t, he went on, “Why did you do it? After I warned you, how could you do that?”
His eyes were still focused on the water.
“I had to, Steve,” Maria softly replied.
The man’s face grew stern when he said, “You didn’t have to do anything but to stay put and be happy. Was this your way of gettin’ back at me for what happened last night?”
“No. It wasn’t that at all.”
“Then, what was it, Maria? Why did you try to run out on me when I told you not to?”
Maria’s voice choked in her throat. She looked up at the man with pleading eyes.
“Answer me!” he shouted, finally turning to her. “I want to know what goes on in that calculatin’, little mind of yours.”
Maria put her hands over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head.
“I couldn’t stand it any more!” she cried out. “It was just too much for me! I had to get away.”
Steve ripped down her arms and pinned them behind her back as he pressed his body against hers. Maria’s eyes opened to stare up at his face in fear and hopelessness. The man returned her look with unrelenting anger.
“I didn’t follow you back to the house last night,” he replied in a barely controlled fury. “I didn’t force you to do anything!”
“I couldn’t stay,” was all that Maria could manage to say in return.
After a moment, Steve said, “I saw through you right from the start, you foolish girl. I knew you didn’t want to marry Tienne. That’s why I brought you to the house. You came down here feelin’ no regard for his feelin’s at all, and you thought I would let you get away with that? Well, I won’t. You’re going to stay here and get married if I have to tie you up until the weddin’! Do you understand me, Maria? I won’t let you go!”
Maria trembled, but he held her fast. It was too late to make any explanations that Steve could possibly believe, so she gave him a piece of the truth.
“It’s not your brother that I’ve fallen in love with.”
“Oh, I see. You think that you can soften me up by pretendin’ to be in love with me. Is that it?”
“No,” Maria replied, with tears of fear and humiliation streaming down her cheeks. “You have this all wrong.”
“Your denials mean nothing to me. If you loved me, as you would have me believe, you would never have tried to run away from me.”
“That was probably a mistake.”
“Enough! You’re comin’ back to the house with me now, and you are goin’ to go through with the weddin’ as planned. At this point, I don’t know why Tienne has such regard for you, but I won’t allow you to break his stupid heart.”
Steve released Maria’s hands to grab her arm and lead her back to the car. They drove in silence until they reached the house.
Stopping before the front door, Steve hissed out, “Not a word of this to the servants. You’re going to look exhausted, like you got lost somewhere along the road and I found you. Isn’t that right?”
Maria nodded slightly, and Steve continued, “You’ll go straight up to your room. I’ll have your dinner sent up to you later. You’re not feelin’ well and you want to rest. Got that? This isn’t over, Maria. Tomorrow, you’ll have to pay for your transgression.”
CHAPTER 8
After one of the servants set Maria’s dinner on the table in the corner of her room, she said, “There you go, Miss. I hope you’re feeling better.”
Maria realized that Steve must have told his staff that she was feeling ill to explain why he had driven her home.
As the woman turned to go, Maria asked, “Is Mr. DuPont in the dining room?”
“No, he had to go out to finish his business at the office. You can call him there if you want to speak with him.”
“No, thank you,” Maria replied. “I was just wondered where he was.”
When the servant was gone, she sat down at the table, but she had no appetite. All of the anxiety she had experienced that day had left her feeling too upset to eat. Steve’s angry words still burned in her mind. It troubled her to think of what punishment he might have in store for her.
Without doubt, he had instructed the staff to see to it that she did not leave the house. Now that she had tried to escape and failed, greater precautions would undoubtedly be taken to keep her there. There would be no way that she could satisfactorily explain anything to Steve while he was in such a temper.
Maria idly wondered if he had made plans for them for the evening. Even if Steve got back within a reasonable amount of time, he had made it clear that he did not intend to entertain her that night. What a mess she had made of the whole situation!
Would Steve ever forgive her for trying to escape? Probably not, and any cordiality that might them would be gone. Maria could not decide if this would make her plight worse or easier. Sadly, it still hurt her to have the man she loved believe she was a bad person.
With such thoughts to keep her company, it was a long and bitter evening for Maria. After a restless night, she awoke late the next morning. When she finally went down to the dining room, she was informed that Mr. DuPont had waited for her as long as he could, but he had been forced to go out on business twenty minutes ago. He would be back later in the day.
When the woman asked her if she would like to have her breakfast served to her in her room, Maria politely refused, saying she was feeling much better.
What was left of the morning dragged on for Maria. While she was afraid to see Steve, she also wished she could get this anxious waiting period over with. Her nerves were starting to crumble under the suspense.
In the early afternoon, the dress designer’s assistant delivered her freshly pressed wedding gown. That was the only incident to break the tedium of the day. After the dress was carefully stored in her closet, Maria sat down on her bed and wondered what she could do.
Then, it occurred to her that it was Saturday. Her roommate usually did not work on the weekends. Marla might be home if she tried to call her.
Maria walked to the study with quick steps that defied anyone to stop her. She dialed the number of the apartment and waited for her friend to answer the call, wondering what Marla would say when she told her that she still hadn’t had the chance to deliver her message to Tienne.
She let the phone ring for a full five minutes. No one answered. Apparently, her friend had turned off her answering machine and voice mail. Once again, she had come up against a blank wall.
In weary resignation, she walked back to her room and on out onto the balcony. It was a clear and lovely day, but it held no joy for Maria. She sat on her chair and watched the waterborne traffic make its way along the Mississippi.
A little after four o’clock, she was startled to hear footsteps approaching along the balcony. It was Steve, and his face showed no welcoming warmth.
“I wondered where you were,” he said without preamble. “You’ll be goin’ out with me in about half an hour, so do
what you need to get ready.”
“Where are we going?” Maria asked hesitantly.
“You’ll find out.”
“But I need to know so I know what to wear.”
“What you have on is fine. Bring a jacket.”
Without saying another word, Steve walked away. Maria stared after him in alarm. Where could he plan to take her, wearing slacks, a plain, cotton shirt, and a pullover sweater? Such casual attire might be appropriate if they were only going to Mardi Gras, but if that was their destination, wouldn’t Steve have suggested that she should wear one of her costume gowns? It made no sense.
After shaking her head, Maria went inside. She brushed her hair and applied fresh lipstick. As she glanced down at her rubber-soled running shoes, she considered putting on something else, but then changed her mind. Steve had said she should wear what she had on. If he felt differently when he saw her, he would say so.
After slinging a jacket over her arm, she picked up her purse and went downstairs. Steve was waiting for her in the front hall.
He eyed her carefully from head-to-toe, and then commented, “Something’s missin’.”
“What?” Maria inquired as she looked down at her apparel.
“Can’t you guess?”
“No.”
“You seem to have forgotten your engagement ring.”
“I left it in the room,” Maria explained defensively. “After what happened yesterday, I didn’t think you would want me to wear it.”
“Come on,” Steve said in a commanding tone, as he grabbed her hand and led her back upstairs.
Once they were in her room, he looked around and spotted the ring on her vanity table. Without a word, he dragged her forward to get it.
Maria was tempted to protest against this rough treatment, but she held her discomfort inside. After picking up the ring, Steve lifted her hand to thrust it back on her finger.
“Don’t take it off again!” he warned her harshly.
The man did not release her hand as he pulled her along behind him down the staircase. Instead of walking directly to the front door, as Maria had expected, he turned and walked toward the garden door through which Maria had made her escape the day before. It felt eerie for her to pass through that doorway again under such different circumstances.
As they strode on through the garden, Maria could not help asking, “Where are you taking me?”
“For a ride. “
“But the car is in the other direction.”
“We’re not takin’ the car.”
The sun was nearing the horizon as Steve walked on toward the river. Maria had no choice except to follow him. His hand held hers in a strong grip that would tolerate no defiance.
As they approached the water, Steve veered off to the left. As they walked past a clump of weeping willows, Maria saw a dock that extended out into the water. Beside it was a boathouse. She had noticed it once before on one of her afternoon walks.
As they came closer, Maria noticed that a small motor boat was tied to the dock. A dark-skinned man, who was bare to the waist, was standing in it, watching them.
Steve did not speak as he pushed Maria in front of him to step into the boat. The man offered her his hand for assistance in stepping down into the small craft.
Maria thanked the stranger for his help, but her eyes looked up to plead with Steve for information about what was happening. His stony face told her nothing. Once she was settled on one of the wooden benches, he jumped down and sat beside her.
The other man swiftly untied the ropes that held the boat against the dock, and then moved to the stern to start up the engine. With sinuous ease, the craft glided out into the current.
Maria immediately noticed that they were going upstream. There was another far larger craft out across the water, but it quickly outdistanced them. Then, they were alone.
Steve remained silent, looking forward as they pushed on through the muddy waters of the Mississippi. His shoulder touched Maria’s slightly. She would have moved away to break the physical contact if the boat had been wider, but as it was, she was afraid to do anything to upset her balance and topple over into the cold waters.
As she looked over the side, Steve suddenly said, “Don’t think about jumpin’ overboard. If the current doesn’t drag you under, the snakes and alligators will get you.”
Maria stared at him in wide-eyed terror. What could he mean by frightening her like this, by taking her on this strange, perilous boat ride?
“Why won’t you tell me where we’re going?” she asked.
“Do you remember I told you I was going to punish you for what you did?” Steve said with an expressionless face. “Well, this is it.”
Maria could not believe the cold dispassion in his words. She had never seen him as forbidding as this. A quick glance behind her showed her that the strange man took no interest in their conversation. His attention appeared to be focused on piloting the boat. It was easy to see that she would receive no help from him.
Maria wondered about the curious necklace the man was wearing over another chain that held a cross. It was a grisly-looking affair that seemed to be made up of some kind of bones. Human finger bones, perhaps? She shuddered and looked away.
“Put on your jacket,” Steve said, as he pulled on a leather one.
“I’m not cold.”
“Don’t be stubborn. I felt you shiver. It’s colder on the water.”
Maria fumbled with the garment, trying to maintain perfect balance, until Steve leaned over and helped her. There seemed to be little gentleness in his gesture. Maria nodded, but did not speak her thanks.
They moved on into the dusk. When the boat slowly turned off into a barely perceptible waterway on their right, Maria’s tension grew. The narrow, sluggish stream was overhung by large, ancient trees and vines.
The way was dark and forbidding. Jungle-like bird calls arid rustlings sounded all around them. After some soft words from the man that propelled the boat, Steve got up and stepped forward to light the lantern that was suspended in the bow. Its light did little to push back the ever-narrowing darkness.
As Steve sat back beside Maria, she could derive no comfort from his expression. Her fingernails slowly dug into the palms of her hands as she speculated on what he planned to do with her. Why all this mystery and secrecy? What could he have in mind by taking her on this gloomy journey?
Maria’s ruminations grew more ghastly as she wondered if her behavior had driven Steve into wanting to do away with her. If that was his plan, he could not have chosen a more desolate place or a more reticent accomplice to execute his intention. Had she proved herself to he such an unworthy wife for his brother that he might resort to murder to rid the DuPont family of an undesirable addition?
Maria kept these terrifying thoughts to herself, but she could feel her skin crawling. She knew it would be useless to ask either of the men any questions. It was plain that they would not answer her.
The boat wove its way along the winding bayou. Its pace was slowed only to circumvent obstacles. The darkness of the swamp became complete.
The woman waited in tense expectation of the time when they would pull in next to the shore to finish their grisly deed. This did not happen. Neither of her companions made a move in her direction to grab her or throw her’ overboard.
At first, Maria thought it was only her imagination when she heard the sound of distant drumbeats. They seemed to weave in and out of the drone of the boat’s engine. When they began to grow stronger, she felt her heart accelerate to match their tempo.
The boat rounded a corner of the swamp and the drums became louder yet. Through the silhouetted mesh of the trees, Maria could see a number of torches burning off to the side ahead of them.
Who was waiting there?
Steve’s face revealed nothing, so Maria turned to look back at the other man. He returned her fearful stare with a wide, toothy grin. This made everything seem worse than ever for Maria. That man was so
cold-hearted that he could actually smile at a time like this. Her imagination had run away with horrifying thoughts.
As the boat moved closer to the fire, Maria could hear a weird chanting sound that accompanied the drums. There was a rumble of low-pitched men’s voices and a high wailing cry of a woman. Unconsciously, she moved closer to Steve.
The trees began to thin as they approached a clearing in the undergrowth. Revealed before Maria’s disbelieving eyes was the strangest scene she had ever beheld. Several crude huts provided a backdrop to a primitive spectacle, the likes of which she had seen only in movies.
A number of dark-skinned men sat in a circle while two women danced in undulating patterns in the opening before them. They were painted in eerie white designs, while barbaric-looking necklaces and bracelets adorned their bodies. Two of the men beat on hand-carved wooden drums with sticks.
Maria stared on in awe. When the boat pulled in to brush against the shore, she let out a small gasp. She turned to Steve, who was closely watching her reaction.
“What are you going to do with me?” Maria asked in a dread-filled voice.
A hint of a smile crept into the man’s eyes as he replied, “Introduce you to a little voodoo magic.”
“To kill me?” the woman blurted out.
The smile now touched Steve’s lips.
“What an imagination,” he commented. “Okay, butterfly, I think you’ve suffered enough. This is one of those unpublicized voodoo encounters that are designed to appeal to tourists. Normally, you would be sharin’ the excitement with several other thrill seekers, but just to amuse you, I gave the folks here a little something extra to get a private performance.”
Maria’s mouth hung open. She could scarcely believe what he had told her. It had all been a monstrous joke to scare her.
“You’re the most contemptible man I’ve ever met!” she exclaimed.
“Come on,” Steve said with a short laugh, as he took her arm and maneuvered her out of the boat. “The show hasn’t even begun yet.”
