'Nothing. It wouldn't be anything unexpected. I'm sure they were all mumbling complaints about Gisselle anyway. After Daphne's death and Bruce's departure from the house, she became so oppressive and demanding, I felt sorry for them. The fact is, I had to plead and beg with them not to quit.' He paused. 'Gisselle and I took Daphne and Pierre's suite,' he said. 'Might as well make yourself at home,' he suggested.
I took Pearl into my arms again and followed him across the hall. Very little had been changed in the suite. It still had its great canopy bed and elaborate velvet drapes over the windows. However, the vanity table was a mess and there were some garments tossed over the love seat.
'Gisselle wasn't the neatest woman. She didn't respect her possessions because she replaced them so often. We were always arguing about that,' Beau said. The closet door was open and I could see her vast array of dresses, skirts, and blouses, some dangling from their hangers precariously, some actually on the floor of the closet.
'Gisselle's going to have some remarkable character changes,' I said.
Beau laughed. 'Not too quickly, however,' he warned. The phone rang and we both looked at it.
'We don't have to answer it,' he said.
'It might be Paul. I've got to start sometime; it might as well be immediately, Beau. If I can't pull this off, we'd better know right away.'
He nodded and looked apprehensive as I started toward the phone.
'Wait,' he said. 'If it's one of her friends, I'll know which one.' He picked up the receiver. 'Hello.' He listened. 'Yes, she's right here. It's Pauline,' he told me, and held out the receiver. 'She can be very bitchy,' he whispered.
I nodded and took the phone into my trembling fingers. 'Hello.'
'Gisselle? I called the ranch and they said you had left for New Orleans. I thought you were staying another week. I got Peter to agree to go. I thought we were going to have a party,' she whined. 'It's just lucky I decided to call first. I might have driven all the way out there for nothing. What happened? Why didn't you call me?' she demanded angrily.
I took a deep breath, recalled how my sister spoke on the phone, and replied. 'What happened?' I said. 'Only a disaster.'
'What?' Pauline exclaimed.
'My sister came to visit and was bitten by mosquitoes,' I explained as if it were my sister's fault.
'That's a disaster?'
'She came down with . . . Beau, what was that stupid disease again?'
He smiled at me.
'Encepha something,' I said after pretending to listen. 'She's in a coma and I had to take the baby home with me.'
'Baby?'
'My sister's baby.'
'You're taking care of a baby?' she asked, astonished.
'Until I hire someone,' I said petulantly.
'Why?'
'Nothing, except I know what you think of children.'
'You don't know everything about me, Pauline,' I snapped in my best Gisselle tone of voice.
'Excuse me?'
'You're excused.'
'I just meant . . .'
'I know what you meant. Look, I don't have time to waste on the phone with stupid gossip right now. I have some major responsibilities.'
'I'm sorry I won't bother you.'
'Fine. 'Bye,' I said, and cradled the receiver.
'That was incredible,' Beau said. 'For a moment I thought you were Gisselle and I had really taken Ruby back to Cypress Woods.'
Even Pearl was looking up at me with an expression of confusion.
I breathed relief. Maybe, I thought, this wouldn't be as hard as I had imagined. In fact, Beau was so impressed with my performance, he decided we should go to one of the fine restaurants he and Gisselle often frequented and let the New Orleans social community learn the story as soon as possible.
Butterflies beat small wings of panic in my stomach. 'Beau, should we? Maybe it's too soon.'
'Nonsense,' he said with confidence. 'You settle in, choose something to wear, something Gisselle,' he added pointedly, 'and I'll take care of some business. Welcome home, darling,' he said, kissing me softly on the lips. My heart fluttered as he hurried out and I turned to look at my sister's wardrobe.
12
