“That may be true. Still, there is, as this man says, a great deal of money. She would be—”
“Yes. She would be the only living child of Ives and would stand to inherit under Louisiana law,” Lady Maria said, her eyes fixed on Leonie.
“I do not care about the money,” Leonie said firmly. She held her head high and said, “None of you, perhaps, understand what it is to have no family, to be completely alone. That’s been my life. The sisters were kind to me, but all my life I dreamed of having a family. When Monsieur Mignon came to me, that was what thrilled me.”
“So you’re willing to give up the money?” Zara said quickly. “It means nothing to you?”
Leonie turned to face the young woman. “I understand little of legal things, but if I were taken into the family as the daughter of a man I can’t even remember, I would promise that there would be no contention about money. If I were to inherit, all would inherit. All I want is to find my people and to love them.”
“I suppose you learned all those noble sentiments from the sisters?” Zara sneered.
“I learned a great deal from them. Every one of those sisters gave up everything in order to serve Jesus. I would certainly give up anything to find a family.”
“We mustn’t be too hasty about giving up anything,” Blaise said abruptly. “Time enough to settle that when the case is clear.” He glanced at the two cousins and smiled, “I am sure that you would be well provided for, regardless of this young lady’s status.”
“I have decided what must be done.”
Instantly every eye in the room went to Lady Maria. She was sitting bolt upright, and her mouth was drawn into a fine line. Her chin was held high, and her eyes were locked with those of Leonie. “I cannot say that I am totally convinced, but I cannot ignore even circumstantial evidence. If this is the child of my son, Ives, she is my granddaughter. I cannot ignore that.”
A gust of relief ran through Leonie. “Lady Augustine,” she said, “do you believe it is possible that I am your kin?”
“I cannot say, but I will know soon. Ives had certain qualities. I would see these things if you lived here. Therefore, you will come and stay here.”
“Under what circumstances?” Blaise said quickly, his eyes sharp.
“For a time, as a guest. She will be expected to live here, to share in some of the duties perhaps, and in time I will know for certain. I must pray about this, Monsieur, you understand.”
“I understand,” Leonie said eagerly. “I will be happy to come. But I have a cat.”
“You may bring your cat.” Lady Augustine stood, and everyone rose with her. She walked over to stand directly before Leonie. Leonie’s eyes were wide, and the older woman studied her. “Julius will come for you tomorrow morning.” She gave Leonie the locket.
“Yes, Madam.”
“Do not sever all your connections. I am not welcoming you into the family. I am saying we will look into this.”
“Yes, of course,” Leonie said.
Maria turned and faced Blaise. “You need not return anytime soon, Monsieur Mignon.”
Blaise shrugged. “It shall be as you say, Madam. Come, I will take you back, Leonie.”
After the two left the room, a battle of voices erupted in protest. Zara and Lowell were the loudest, but Julian Harcourt echoed them by saying, “It is a dangerous precedent. The law might come to believe that you are recognizing this girl as your grandchild.”
But it was Hugh Langley’s voice that prevailed. He went to Maria, put his arm around her, and said quietly, “You have done the right thing, my sister. I see Ives in her.”
“I’m glad you approve, Hugh. I’ve always trusted your judgment.”
“Why should you trust the judgment of a man who can’t even stay sober?” Zara asked furiously.
“She has a point, I’m afraid,” Hugh said, his eyes sad. “It is all a feeling with me.”
Maria Augustine stood in the small circle, but her thoughts were on the young woman who had stood before her. “She looks so much like Ives,” she whispered. “We will see if she has any of his goodness in her.”
Pulling up in front of Madam Honore’s shop, Blaise said, “You have said hardly a word all the way back.”
“I’m afraid I’m a little bit overwhelmed, Blaise.”
“You have a right to be.”
“I don’t know what to make of it all. I understand the enmity of the young woman and her brother. They think they will lose money. Why is Mr. Harcourt so much against me?”
“Because, my dear, he hopes to marry Zara. The Zara he hopes to marry, in his mind, is the heiress and the mistress of Belle Fleur. If you are who you say you are, she is merely a poor relation. Quite a different thing.”
“But I’ve said I don’t care about the money,” Leonie said. “I would share anything I received, in ample measure.”
“That’s a discussion for another day,” Blaise said quietly.
“I don’t know what to make of Lady Augustine.”
“She has had a hard life. Her husband was not an easy man to live with,” he said, shaking his head. “She has to make up her mind about you, and I’m afraid you must expect a hard time.”
“I don’t mind that.”
Blaise got down, walked around the carriage, and handed her down. They went to the door, and Madam Honore opened it before they could knock. “Come in,” she said. “I want to hear what happened.”
The two went in and sat down in the small parlor. Madam Honore fixed tea for them and listened intently as Blaise told the story.
“I’m very glad for you, Leonie,” she said, her eyes on the young woman.
“They don’t love me,” Leonie admitted. “Only one, the man Hugh Langley, seemed to have any warmth at all.”
“Then they will have to learn,” Madam Honore said firmly, “and they will. I have something to tell you, my dear.”
“What is that, Madam?”
“As I told you might happen, I am leaving New Orleans. I have sold the shop. I simply can’t sew anymore.” She held up her arthritic hands and stared at them. “I really don’t have any choice.”
“I’m so sorry, Madam.” Leonie looked sadly at her first kindly employer, her close friend for two years.
“I hope to leave in a few days. Now that you have a new home, I feel much better.”
“They may not keep me,” Leonie said.
“Don’t talk like that,” Blaise said. “It’s going to be all right. I was watching the old woman, and I know her pretty well. She’s hard and tough, but she’s fair. And as I’ve told you several times, she loved her son dearly.”
“We will pray that you will be accepted by your family, will we not, Monsieur Mignon?”
“Prayer is a little out of my line,” Blaise said. He shrugged. “I will hope, and you may pray.”
“That’s the best: hope and prayer,” Madam Honore said.
“Will I ever see you again, Madam? You’ve been such a friend to me.”
“Baton Rouge is not a long journey. I think we will meet again.”
“I hope so. I do not have so many friends that I can afford to lose one.” Leonie tried to think of what life would be like at Belle Fleur, but she could not. Finally she said quietly, “It is all in the hands of God.”
“Everything is,” Madam Honore smiled. “Is it not so, Monsieur?”
“That is what I am trying to find out,” Blaise said. “Maybe this will be the time for me as well as the time for this young lady.”
Chapter ten
Leonie heard the knock at the door. When she opened it, she found a very tall, strongly built black man whom she recognized as the Augustines’ groom. He removed his hat and said, “Mademoiselle Dousett?”
“Yes. I am Mademoiselle Dousett.”
“My name is Julius. Lady Augustine says I am to take you to Belle Fleur.”
“Yes. I’m all ready, Julius. Would you help me with my trunk?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Except for my cat, but I can carry him.” She picked up Louis and put him in his basket, ignoring his protests. “If you’ll go to the carriage, I’ll be there in a moment. I just want to say good-bye.”
“Yes, ma’am. I will be waiting.”
Leonie went to Madam Honore’s door and knocked. When the door opened, she said, “It’s time for me to go. A man has come for me.”
Madam Honore embraced Leonie and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re going to be fine. I’ve been praying much for you.”
“You’ve been so kind to me.” Tears came to Leonie’s eyes. “I’m going to miss you greatly.”
“And I shall miss you. You must write me regularly, and I will answer, and we will find a way to meet again.”
Leonie hugged the older woman and said, “Good-bye for now.” She turned and left the shop. She went down the stairs and found Julius standing beside a very large carriage. “All ready, Mademoiselle?”
“All ready.” Julius handed her in, and she took her seat. When Julius got in and spoke to the horses, she turned and took one final look at the place where she had spent two years, happy ones at that.
“You’ll be living at Belle Fleur, Lady Augustine tells me.”
“Yes,” she said, “at least for a while.”
“I add my voice to welcome you, Mademoiselle.”
“Why, thank you, Julius.”
Leonie did not speak for a time, and finally when they were getting to the suburbs and the open country was beginning to appear, she said, “Have you been at Belle Fleur long, Julius?”
“Oh yes, ma’am. Many, many years.” He turned and smiled at her. “I belong to Lady Augustine, but she allows me to be the pastor of a small church for my people.”
“You are a minister?”
“One of God’s poor servants.”
“Is your church large?”
“About forty souls, ma’am, when we’re all there.” He was silent for a time, then he said, “I heard your story. Servants hear almost everything. I just wanted to say while we’re alone, I remember your father very well.”
Surprise swept across Leonie’s face. “You knew my father?”
“Oh yes, Miss. I was just a boy, but I remember him well. I used to go with him and carry his gun when he went hunting. And more than once I paddled the boat when he fished in the bayou.”
“What was he like, Julius?”
“Oh, Miss, he was a very fine gentleman. Fine-looking—everyone commented on that.”
“I have a picture of him.” Leonie took out the locket, removed it from her neck, and opened it. “See?”
Julius took the locket and stared at it for a long time. “It’s him, Mademoiselle. He’s just like life.” He looked at her and smiled. “You have some of your father’s looks.”
“That’s what Monsieur Mignon says.”
“But it wasn’t his looks that drew me to your father. It was the way he cared for people.”
“Tell me all about it, Julius. Everything you can think of.”
“Well, he was very kind to the slaves, to all of us. He was the one member of the family we could go to and be sure we’d get a fair hearing. And . . .”
Leonie listened with pleasure. She could picture her father based on his picture, and as Julius spoke and as she kept her eyes on the miniature, he seemed to come to life. “I wish I could have known him.”
“I wish you could, too, Miss. He would have been mighty proud of you, I can tell you.”
“Did you know my mother too?”
Julius nodded and straightened up in the seat. “I saw her twice,” he said. “He brought her to Belle Fleur once, and then once when I went to carry a message to him.”
“A message from whom?”
“From your grandmother, Miss. She sent a letter by me. You understand that Mr. Ancel, he was a very hard man and would have nothing to do with anyone who crossed his will. Hard man, indeed, but not your grandmother. She’s very different.”
“She’s not sure that I’m her granddaughter.”
“No. She’s a careful woman, but she’s a kind woman.”
All the way to Belle Fleur, Leonie listened as Julius told her tales of her father’s youth and young manhood. The groom had indeed been very close to him, and by the time they had arrived at Belle Fleur, she felt she knew her father much better. “It’s so kind of you to tell me all these things.”
“Why, it’s my pleasure, Mademoiselle. Your father was very kind to me, and the least I can do is to be kind to his daughter.”
Ten minutes later they arrived at Belle Fleur. Julius stopped the team, got down, and said kindly, “I will bring your trunk in, Mademoiselle.”
“Thank you, Julius.” Leonie picked up Louis’s basket, got out of the carriage, and walked up the steps to the front door. She remembered how frightened she had been on her previous two visits and admonished herself, Really, Leonie, you must have courage. She knocked on the door, and Mrs. Danvers stared at her. “Come in, Mademoiselle.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Danvers.”
Mrs. Danvers merely nodded. “I will show you to your room.” She lifted her voice and said, “Hurry along with that trunk, Julius.”
“Yes, Mrs. Danvers.”
“Come this way.” Mrs. Danvers walked down the foyer to a staircase, and without a word she led Leonie and Julius up. At the top of the third flight she turned right and stopped before a door painted pure white. “This is your room.”
She opened the door and Leonie walked in, curious as to where she would be staying. “What a beautiful room!” she exclaimed.
The walls were adorned with light purple and white wallpaper, the three large windows were covered with white, airy curtains, and the ceiling was painted pure white. The furniture was all highly polished rosewood, the bed having a canopy with ornate carvings on the posts and deep purple bedding and bed curtains tied back with white lace ties. The armoire was very large and was decorated with the same carvings as the bed. There was a desk between two of the large windows with paper and pens and books arranged neatly on the top and with a beautiful tapestry-covered chair on one side. A large, snowy-white area rug was centered in the middle of the room, and pictures of flowers and family members in gilded frames were arranged on the walls.
“Julius, put the trunk there,” Mrs. Danvers said. When Julius put the trunk down, he smiled and said, “Welcome to Belle Fleur, Mademoiselle,” and left.
“Lady Augustine is waiting for you. Come. I will take you.”
“I hope I won’t be any trouble to you, Mrs. Danvers,” Leonie said as the two made their way. “I’ll try not to be.”
“That would be convenient.”
The woman seemed continually angry, and Leonie made up her mind to make a friend of the woman. “I would be glad to help with any work that you find for me.”
The offer caught Mrs. Danvers off guard. She gave the girl an astonished look. “You’re here as a guest.”
“I wouldn’t be happy unless I had something to do. I’m a good seamstress. Anything you want mended, please bring it to me. Really, I want to be helpful.”
Mrs. Danvers studied her briefly, and then nodded. “That may be,” she said. “Come this way.”
They found Lady Augustine alone in her bedroom. She was sitting beside the window as the two entered and did not get up. “Thank you, Mrs. Danvers,” she said, dismissing her. “Come in. Come over here, Mademoiselle.”
“Please. Everyone at the convent called me Leonie.”
“Where did you get that name?”
“It was the name of the mother superior’s sister. She named me after her.”
“It’s a most unusual name. Sit down.”
Leonie took the seat but felt stiff and awkward.
“Do you find your room satisfactory?”
“Oh, it’s a beautiful room! Mu
ch too nice for me.”
“I’m glad you like it. You’ll be expected to take your meals with the family.”
“Yes, ma’am, of course.” Leonie said, “I would like to be able to help with anything I could. I’ve worked all my life, Lady Augustine.”
“There are always things to do in a place like this. I have a considerable correspondence.”
“Oh, I would be glad to help with that! My handwriting is not as good as it should be, but I will do my best.”
“Very well. Also, there are some small markets close by. You can help with that, I’m sure.”
“Thank you, Lady Augustine.”
Maria studied the young woman. She had slept little since this situation had exploded in her life. She saw the girl’s innocence and humility, but still it frightened her to think that she might be Ives’s daughter. She could not think why she should be afraid, for she had loved Ives deeply. Suddenly she said, “You understand, Leonie, I must be certain that you are Ives’s child. We never had any word that Ives and his wife had a child.”
“Oh, I understand that perfectly well. Do I really look like him, Lady Augustine?”
“There are several portraits. I will show them to you. You look very much like him, but that could be a coincidence.”
“I will serve you as best as I can, Lady Augustine.”
Lady Augustine looked at the young woman. “We will see about all this. We must get to know each other. Tell me again about yourself. Do you like to read? Have you been to the theater? I need to know as much as I can.”
“There’s really not much to know, but I will be glad to tell you, ma’am.”
Later that afternoon, Leonie took a walk around the grounds. She had been introduced at the house to some of the servants, including Olan Winters, a short, strong man who served as overseer. She encountered him directing the digging of a ditch. “Hello again, Mr. Winters.”
“Bless you, miss, it’s just Olan.” He was a balding man with a pair of sharp, hazel eyes.
“You’ve done a marvelous job on the grounds.”
“Well, I’ve been here a long time.”
“What’s the ditch for?”
The Creole Historical Romance 4-In-1 Bundle Page 86
