Ruby

'Really, Pierre,' she said, 'I haven't seen you this exuberant about anything for years.'

'Well, I have good reason to be,' he replied.

'I hate to be the one to insert a dark thought, but you realize you haven't spoken to Gisselle yet and told her your story about Ruby,' she said.

He seemed to deflate pounds of excitement right before my eyes and then he nodded.

'You're right as always, my dear. It's time to wake the princess and talk to her,' he said. He rose and picked up my picture. 'Now where should we hang this? In the living room?'

'I think it would be better in your office, Pierre,' Daphne said. To me it sounded as though she wanted it where it would be seen the least.

'Yes. Good idea. That way I can get to look at it more,' he replied. 'Well, here I go. Wish me luck,' he said, smiling at me, and then he went into the house to talk to Gisselle. Daphne and I gazed at each other for a moment. Then she put down her coffee cup.

'Well now, you've made quite a beginning with your father, it seems,' she said.

'He's very nice,' I told her. She stared at me a moment.

'He hasn't been this happy for a while. I should tell you, since you have become an instant member of the family, that Pierre, your father, suffers from periods of melancholia. Do you know what that is?' I shook my head. 'He falls into deep depressions from time to time. Without warning,' she added.

'Depressions?'

'Yes. He can lock himself away for hours, days even, and not want to see or speak to anyone. You can be speaking to him and suddenly, he'll take on a far-off look and leave you in midsentence. Later, he won't remember doing it,' she said. I shook my head. It seemed incredible that this man with whom I had just spent several happy hours could be described as she had described him.

'Sometimes, he'll lock himself in his office and play this dreadfully mournful music. I've had doctors prescribe medications, but he doesn't like taking anything.

'His mother was like that,' she continued. 'The Dumas family history is clouded with unhappy events.'

'I know. He told me about his younger brother,' I said. She looked up sharply.

'He told you already? That's what I mean,' she said, shaking her head. 'He can't wait to go into these dreadful things and depress everyone.'

'He didn't depress me although it was a very sad story,' I said. Her lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. She didn't like being contradicted.

'I suppose he described it as a boating accident,' she said.

'Yes. Wasn't it?'

'I don't want to go into it all now. It does depress me,' she added, eyes wide. 'Anyway, I've tried and I continue to try to do everything in my power to make Pierre happy. The most important thing to remember if you're going to live here is that we must have harmony in our house. Petty arguments, little intrigues and plots, jealousies and betrayals have no place in the House of Dumas.

'Pierre is so happy about your existence and arrival that he is blind to the problems we are about to face,' she continued. When she spoke, she spoke with such a firm, regal tone, I couldn't do anything but listen, my eyes fixed on her. 'He doesn't understand the immensity of the task ahead. I know how different a world you come from and the sort of things you're used to doing and having.'

'What sort of things, madame?' I asked, curious myself.

'Just things,' she said firmly, her eyes sharp. 'It's not a topic ladies like to discuss.'

'I don't want or do anything like that,' I protested.

'You don't even realize what you've done, what sort of life you've led up until now. I know Cajuns have a different sense of morality, different codes of behavior.'

'That's not so, madame,' I replied, but she continued as though I hadn't.

'You won't realize it until you've been . . . been educated and trained and enlightened,' she declared.

'Since your arrival is so important to Pierre, I will do my best to teach you and guide you, of course; but I will need your full cooperation and obedience. If you have any problems, and I'm sure you will in the beginning, please come directly to me with them. Don't trouble Pierre.

'All I need,' she added, more to herself than to me, 'is for something else to depress him. He might just end up like his younger brother.'

'I don't understand,' I said.

'It's not important just now,' she said quickly. Then she pulled back her shoulders and stood up.

'I'm going to get dressed and then take you shopping,' she said. 'Please be where I can find you in twenty minutes.'

'Yes, madame.'

'I hope,' she said, pausing near me to brush some strands of hair off my forehead, 'that in time you will become comfortable addressing me as Mother.'

'I hope so, too,' I said. I didn't mean it to sound the way it did—almost a threat. She pulled herself back a bit and narrowed her eyes before she flashed a small, tight smile and then left to get ready to take me shopping.

While I waited for her, I continued my tour of the house, stopping to look in on what was my father's office. He had placed my picture against his desk before going up to Gisselle. There was another picture of his father, my