Through the Storm (32 page)
George smiled. “Yes, madame.”
After George had taken orders for coffee and dessert from everyone else at the table, Raimond asked her, “You know the waiters by name?”
“Yes. I eat luncheon here with Archer most days. This
is
your brother’s restaurant, Raimond.”
Raimond looked over at Louis-Charles Roundanez once again. Roundanez grinned and Raimond smiled falsely in reply. He turned back to his wife, wondering why he was so irritated all of a sudden. He knew she worked tirelessly on behalf of the orphans, but he’d no idea she’d made so many friend in the community or become such a regular public presence. What else did he not know about his wife?
George wheeled in dessert, coffee, and cognac. He placed slices of pecan pie in front of Raimond, Galeno, and Hester, but Sable received something else entirely.
“Sable, what is that?” Hester asked. “It looks wonderful.”
George volunteered the answer. “The chef calls it Strawberries du Sable, after madame.”
Stunned, Raimond asked, “You have a signature dessert?”
“It isn’t something I asked for, but yes. The chef created it one day, and Archer named it for me because he knows how much I love strawberries.”
Raimond could feel how tight his jaw had become. He took a deep breath in an attempt to relax. It would not do to fly into a jealous rage; Sable would undoubtedly consider him insane, and Galeno would laugh so hard they’d have to cart him away. He found Hester watching him intently, knowingly, as if she could see into his heart.
Yes, he was jealous, jealous of everyone Sable had ever spoken to or blessed with her smile. He wanted to storm over and demand Roundanez never buy his wife dessert again. He wanted to punch the chef, and Archer too. In less than two months she’d become so well known and loved, men were buying her dishes of strawberries topped with golden meringue, and he hadn’t known a damn thing about it!
Raimond was beset by such a storm of emotions, he felt in desperate need of fresh air. He stood abruptly and excused himself from the table.
Sable watched him walk stiffly away. She had no idea what he was about, but she assumed his agitation stemmed from her. She looked to his friends, hoping her disappointment didn’t show, and asked Hester about her three daughters. As Hester began naming them, Galeno excused himself and went in pursuit of Raimond.
Alone at the table, Sable and Hester sat quietly for a few moments, each preoccupied with her own thoughts, then Hester asked Sable quietly, “You love him very much, don’t you?”
Sable offered up a bittersweet smile. “Is it that obvious?”
Hester nodded.
“I’d hoped to hide it.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t love me, and probably never will.” She then added, “Since our husbands are such close friends, I assume he has told you the story of our past?”
“Yes.”
“And that he believes I was involved in the theft of General Sherman’s papers?”
“Were you?”
“No.”
Sable sensed Hester believed her, but she didn’t reply. Instead, Hester said softly, “Raimond loves you very much also.”
Sable smiled wanly. “Even though it’s not true, it
is
nice to hear.”
“I’m being truthful, Sable. I haven’t known him for as long as Galen has, but I know Raimond LeVeq in ways Galen does not. Did I mention he’s the godfather of all my girls?”
“All of them?”
“Yes, and I refuse to have anyone else as godfather. Should anything happen to Galeno or me, I know Raimond will see that my babies lack for nothing, that he’ll love them as fiercely as if they were his own.”
“How long have they known each other?”
“Since they were boys here in New Orleans. Before the war they were conductors on the Underground Railroad and led many slaves North. My Galen went by the dashing name of the Black Daniel to mask his true identity. He and Raimond had very large bounties on their heads for what was known as ‘crimes against the South.’”
Sable was impressed. “He’s never told me about that part of his life.”
“Of course they are both prone to exaggeration, but they were very serious about the roles they played in freedom. I’m certain Raimond would tell you his stories if you asked.”
“I don’t know,” Sable said, looking doubtful. “I wonder if we’ll ever be as at ease with one another as you and Galen seem to be. If there were a way to bring Baker here and make him tell Raimond my story, I would.”
“But right now you can’t, so let love build the trust you two need instead. My pride was the obstacle that kept Galeno and me apart, but his love made me set it aside, just as love will make Raimond set aside his mistrust.”
“I’d like to believe that.”
“Then do. He stomped out of here because he’s jealous of all the attention people are showering on you. He’s in love. Build on that. Seduce him in a dark carriage—that always works with Galeno. Tempt him, make him so wild for you that he thinks of nothing but you. Both of our men are very—shall we say—talented in the bedroom, but they are also very playful, like tiger cubs or puppies. Play with him. Galeno and I make mudpies.”
“Mudpies!”
“Yes. I’d never made them before Galen showed me how. Now making mudpies is a very important part of our marriage.”
Sable echoed, “Mudpies.”
“Yep,” Hester summed up proudly.
“When we make mudpies we leave the worries of the day behind. We play, talk, even argue on occasion, but it has become our special time to be close and alone with each other.”
They were interrupted by the newspaperman Roundanez, who’d come over to meet Sable’s guest. She introduced him to Hester, and both ladies invited him to sit and chat.
Outside, Raimond pulled in deep draws of the night air and wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Roundanez was a friend, Archer was his brother, yet he was so jealous of both men he could hardly see.
Galeno walked up to him and in all seriousness asked, “Are you ill,
mon frere
?”
“No. I am losing my mind.”
“Love will do that to you.”
Raimond sighed with impatience. “Has a man ever sent your wife dessert?”
Galeno chuckled. “Not and lived, no.”
Raimond knew Galeno didn’t really mean that, but he allowed himself a small smile. “This is absolutely maddening. Just looking at her makes me ache.”
“She’s your wife, Rai. She’s supposed to turn you inside out. I don’t know why you’re struggling to keep her at bay—she’s intelligent, beautiful. It’s apparent she loves you, so what is your problem?”
“Can I trust her?”
“Oh.”
Silence settled as both men stood in the darkness.
Galeno finally said, “Personally, after being with her tonight, I can’t picture her as anything other than a victim of circumstance.”
“And if she wasn’t?”
“Then she’ll break your heart.”
“Exactly.”
The two had been through a lot together, but love was proving to be a far more treacherous journey than any of their previous adventures. “So is this how you felt when you were pursuing Hester?”
“Yes, and as I remember you weren’t very sympathetic.”
“My deepest and most sincere apologies. I had no idea.”
Galeno grinned. “So what are you going to do about the lovely Sable?”
“Surrender. It’s all I can do, truthfully. I just pray I don’t discover later that I’m mated to a black widow.”
Galeno patted him on the back. “Everything will work out. You’ll see.”
Before they could head back inside, Archer walked up to them and drawled dryly, “While you two old goats are out here debating Lord knows what, the wolves are inside circling your ladies like spring lambs.”
Raimond looked over at Galeno. “How about we vow that he’ll be next?”
“Next what?” Archer asked.
“Next to be impaled on Cupid’s arrow.”
Archer started laughing. “Oh, no. There isn’t a woman alive who can make me give up my mistresses. One of my lovelies works roots, and she makes certain I stay immune.”
“Out of the mouths of babes—” Galeno said.
Raimond added, “And brats. Let’s go clear the wolves from the pasture.”
Archer’s description proved to be accurate. Hovering around the table were most of the eligible and in some cases not so eligible men in the room. Since Archer’s restaurant catered only to the wealthy and powerful members of the elite, the wolves were prominent citizens. There was the newspaperman Louis-Charles Roundanez, of course, and next to him, the Bazile brothers, Albert and John, joint owners of the largest and most profitable cigar-making business in New Orleans. Also
competing for the ladies’ attention were Jacques LaMotte, an architect making a small fortune helping to rebuild the city; pharmacist Joseph Bowman; and an intense young man Raimond did not know.
“Gentlemen, may we rejoin our wives?” Raimond’s polite but firmly spoken request parted them like the Red Sea.
“Thank you.”
As Raimond and Galeno took their respective seats, the pharmacist Joseph Bowman said, “Good to see you out and about, LeVeq. We were beginning to wonder if you were really married to our lovely Sable. We rarely see the two of you together.”
Raimond assessed the tall, thin man before replying, “That’s a perception I will certainly remedy from now on.”
Sable looked up from the young poet kneeling so devotedly at her side and assessed her husband. He was still tense with suppressed emotion, but now there was a hot light in his eyes, a flame that singed her in places only he had touched.
The other men took turns expressing their pleasure at seeing Raimond again. Most knew Galeno also and shook his hand to welcome him home. After offering their good-nights, they drifted back to their own tables—all except the young man still kneeling at Sable’s side. He was scribbling hastily on scraps of paper and handing them to Sable to read.
Raimond watched and waited for a few moments, but when Sable’s attention continued to be monopolized, he called softly to her, “
Ma reine
…”
She looked up immediately. He’d never addressed her as “my queen” in public before, and it made her a bit breathless.
“Who is he?”
The young man stood and declared, “I am Gaspar Cadet, and I am in love with your wife. A woman as
fine as Labelle Sable has no business being with a husband as inattentive as you, monsieur.”
Sable gasped. “Gaspar!”
He cut her off. “No, Sable, he doesn’t deserve you. Choose your weapon.”
Galen had begun laughing about halfway through Gaspar’s impassioned soliloquy and by now he had tears in his eyes.
Hester appeared to be as shocked as Sable.
Raimond took in the poet’s earnest young face and without raising his voice said, “I advise you to take your pencils—and your papers—and leave before I stand up. Because if I get up, you will need something far more dangerous than a weapon to keep me from tossing you out in the streets on your arse.”
Gaspar’s eyes widened. He was obviously beginning to understand that the man he’d challenged so flippantly was truly dangerous, because he didn’t utter another word. Instead, he bowed in Sable’s direction and hastily made his retreat.
Galeno used his napkin to dry his eyes. “This has been the best trip we’ve taken in a long while,
petite
. When’s the second act, Rai?”
Raimond could only smile in response to his friend’s enthusiasm. He then asked his wife, “Where in the world did you meet Gaspar the Brave?”
“At the orphanage my first day there. I had no idea he harbored such strong feelings for me.”
“Poets are often impassioned,” Hester offered.
“Well, his impassioned plea almost got him hurt,” Raimond cracked. “Choose your weapon, indeed. Do you believe that, Galeno?”
Galeno began chuckling again. “The look on your face was priceless,
mon frere
, priceless.”
Raimond ignored that and turned to his golden wife. “How many more court jesters am I going to have to banish before my throne is secure, Sable?”
Unable to resist teasing, she drawled, “Hundreds.”
He grinned. “What was he scribbling?”
“Love poems.”
“Let’s hear one,” Raimond invited.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want poor Gaspar to be hung by his toes.”
“I promise to control myself.”
Sable picked up one of Gaspar’s scraps and read: “Thy beauty blinds my soul. I am breathless at the sight of thee, staggered by thy smile; come with me to paradise and I will treasure thee as mine.”
“I think that’s beautiful, even if the meter is a bit off,” Hester said, breaking the silence. She turned to Galeno. “Why don’t you ever write me love poems?”
“Because you prefer mudpies…”
“How right you are, forgive me.”
Sable, sensing the desire sparking between the Vachons, asked Raimond, “Do you want me to read another?”
“No.” Raimond had no desire to hear another man’s words echoing the feelings in his own heart.
The evening eventually drew to a close, and tight farewell hugs were exchanged by both couples. Since Galeno and Hester were guests of Archer’s hotel, they had to go no farther than the stairs to reach their suite of rooms. They were going to be in Louisiana for at least another week, and the Vachons and the LeVeqs vowed to get together again the next day.
R
iding home in a hack they had hailed outside Archer’s hotel, Sable glanced over at her silent husband and considered the advice Hester had given her. Sable had to admit that seducing him had already crossed her mind once before—but on that particular night, she’d wound up being seduced instead. Not that she had any complaints—he could seduce her any time he desired, a small voice crooned inside. Sable put away her yearnings, chastising herself for being such a wanton, and settled in for the return to Juliana’s.
But it appeared they were headed elsewhere. She knew the city well by now, and when the driver did not turn onto the street he should have taken, she asked her husband, “Where are we going?”
“I promised you a bath,” he replied in a voice that stroked her senses. “Remember?”
