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"Very well, Mother," I said, getting up.
Beau looked at his parents and then hurried to me. "Ruby," he said, taking my hand and speaking loud enough in his formal tone to please his parents and those around them. "
I'm so sorry about Pierre. Please accept my deepest regrets."
"Thank you, Beau. I have to go help Gisselle for a moment. Please excuse me."
"Of course," he said, backing up.
"I'll be right back," I mouthed, and hurried upstairs to find my stubborn sister plucking
chocolates from a box on the night stand beside the bed as she talked to one of her old boyfriends.
"Gisselle!" I cried, anger and frustration flooding my face. She turned with surprise. "Your absence has become an embarrassment for Mother and for me, as well as for Daddy's memory." I stormed across the room and seized the receiver. She screamed in protest when I slammed it down in its cradle. "You're going to put on your black dress right now and come right down with me."
"How dare you!"
"Now!" I screamed, and turned her around roughly in her chair, pushing her toward the bathroom. "Wash off that makeup while I get your dress, or I swear," I said, "I'll push you down the stairs."
She took one look at my infuriated face and gave in. Of course, she was as uncooperative as could be, forcing me to do all the work in removing what she was wearing and putting on the proper dress and shoes, but finally I was able to wheel her to the top of the stairway.
"I hate things like this," she whined. "What am I supposed to do, sit there sobbing?"
"Just let people offer their condolences and sit quietly. If you're hungry, you can eat something."
"I am hungry," she said. "Yes. That's a good reason to go down."
Edgar came up and helped me get her down the stairway in the lift. We got her into the downstairs wheelchair and I rolled her into the parlor. Many more mourners had arrived. Everyone turned our way, some of the women smiling softly and sadly. Those who had brought their children sent them to us to offer their sympathies. Finally Beau joined us, leaning down to kiss Gisselle.
"Well, it's about time," she told him. "And you don't have to kiss me as if I'm someone's old grandmother."
"I gave you the proper kiss," he replied, his eyes full of laughter when they were turned to me.
"I bet you'll give Ruby the proper kiss later," she said.
I saw that Daphne was watching us, nodding with satisfaction.
After a while Gisselle became involved with some of the other young people, and Beau and I were able to slip away. We went out to the gazebo.
"It's been so long since I was alone with you," he said. "I feel a little nervous."
"Me too," I confessed.
"It's so hard to believe that Pierre is dead. I haven't been by for some time, so I didn't see how he had changed, but my father said he just knew something bad was going to happen to him. He always had this tired, troubled look and had lost his mirth. He wasn't joining his gentlemen friends for their usual card games, or attending the theater. They rarely saw him and Daphne out at any of the fine restaurants."
"If only we hadn't been sent away to school," I moaned. "I might have seen what was happening and done something. The last time he called me, he sounded so tired, but he insisted it was nothing."
Beau nodded. "Are you going back to
Greenwood?"
"Daphne insists we do."
"I thought she might. Don't worry. I'll get up there to visit you often now. The football season is winding down."
"At least that will make it more bearable," I told him. "And the holidays are coming in a few weeks and we'll be back home."
He nodded and took my hand. We sat on the bench and looked out at the partly cloudy night that permitted only a few stars to show their brilliance. "Before I leave, I've got to go see my uncle Jean, Beau. He's got to know what's happened to Daddy. He probably wonders why Daddy doesn't come to visit him. It's not fair. Daphne doesn't care to tell him; she says he won't understand, but I've seen him; I know he will."
