Mardi Gras Masquerade Read online

  MARDI GRAS MASQUERADE

  By L. A. Morgan

  © 2011

  CHAPTER 1

  The Café Du Monde was very crowded, but that was to be expected. Mardi Gras had begun, and the streets of the French Quarter of New Orleans were filled with throngs of revelers. Maria Jones sipped her café au lait as she watched the multifaceted party unwind around her.

  It was exotic and exciting, but there was a certain element of danger, very much like the situation in which Maria had placed herself. As she took a small bite of a beignet, she thought about the strange circumstances that had brought her to this place at this time.

  It had always been Maria’s dream to go to Mardi Gras. As a librarian in a small town on the outskirts of Chicago, she had never been able to afford such a costly vacation. When her roommate, Maria Fontaine, had first suggested that she should go there in her place, she had adamantly refused. She had never traveled so far away alone before, and besides, there were other factors to consider.

  It was a complicated story. In high school, Maria had felt drawn in friendship to the only other girl in school who shared her first name. In spite of their basic differences, the girls became close. Classmates would refer to them as “the Maria twins,” even though they looked nothing alike.

  Maria Fontaine, was a tall, willowy, blue-eyed blonde. Her extraordinarily stunning looks and dynamic personality had propelled her into a modeling career directly out of high school. Although Maria Jones was pretty, it was in a more subdued way. She was of medium height and had long, wavy auburn hair that accented the green in her hazel eyes. She did not wear much make-up and preferred more conventional clothing. Her friend was outgoing and flirtatious, while Maria was rather shy and dated infrequently. She found her enjoyment through reading and sewing.

  The girls kept in touch when Maria Jones went to college to get her degree in Library Science. To some the friendship might have seemed strange, but the girls did not consider their differences to be a limiting factor. It was those very differences that drew them together. Maria Fontaine felt the need for the stability and homey attributes that her friend provided; Maria Jones lived vicariously through the model’s exciting career and social life.

  Shortly after Maria Jones got a job in the local library, they decided to share an apartment. Neither of them had sisters, so they provided a family atmosphere for each other. Maria Fontaine had never found such comfortable compatibility with any of her previous roommates. There had always been clashes, some created by personality and lifestyle differences, others based on ego.

  Maria Jones did not mind doing the cooking and cleaning. In this respect, she took after her mother, a rather old-fashioned woman. There was only one thing about her friend that bothered her, and that was Maria Fontaine’s phobia about cell phones. She believed they caused cancer. Not only did she refuse to use one, but she’d made Maria Jones get rid of hers before she moved into the apartment.

  Whenever the model came home from her high-powered parties and business trips, Maria was always eager to hear the details of her friend’s escapades. In fact, it was one of these very escapades that brought Maria into her present predicament. It all started when Maria Fontaine came back from Paris two months earlier.

  She was wildly exuberant over having met “the man of her dreams” there in the City of Lights. When she told the librarian about her whirlwind courtship with Tienne DuPont, a wealthy American exporter of shellfish who was there on business, Maria listened with rapture.

  “What was he like, Marla?” Maria had asked, using the nickname she had given her friend after a typing error in high school.

  “Tall, dark, and handsome, just like I always dreamed he would be,” the other girl enthusiastically replied. “It was like a story-book romance. I met him at this little cafe on the Left Bank after I finished a showing, and as soon as I looked into his eyes, I knew he would be the one. You wouldn’t believe it, Maria. He’s so strong and mature, a real man in every sense of the word.

  “How did you become engaged so quickly?”

  “We went everywhere together while I was there. He was so gorgeous, I could hardly stand it. And he bought me everything I wanted. Could it possibly get any better than that?”

  “I guess not. Tell me how he asked you to marry him.”

  Marla had to shake her head quickly to clear away the intoxicating vapors of memory that almost prevented her from being able to speak about her happiness.

  “It was the last night I was there,” she finally said. “We were having cocktails on the top of the EiffelTower . . .”

  “The EiffelTower,” Maria repeated with a sigh, picturing it all.

  “Yes, and then he asked me. Naturally, I said yes.”

  The ramifications of these circumstances slowly began to dawn on the librarian.

  “Will you be moving to Paris?” she asked.

  “Of course not. He owns one of those fabulous old mansions near New Orleans. I can’t wait to see it.”

  “Then, you’ll be living in Louisiana?”

  “No way! He’ll have to get a place up here. I’m not going to give up my career.”

  “But, what about his business, Marla?”

  “If he can take the time to run around Europe for six weeks, then he can go wherever he likes.”

  “When will I be meeting him?”

  “That’s the catch. Now, tell me if this isn’t romantic. Tienne has to finish his business in Europe. Then, he’s going to be involved in setting up a new line of fishing boats in Florida. He told me that he’ll be too busy with business to give me the proper attention I need, but wait ’til you hear this. His family has a suite at one of those lovely, old hotels in the French Quarter of New Orleans. They keep it for friends and business associates who come to visit. Well, he’s going to have it all ready for me so I can go down there during Mardi Gras! Won’t that be incredible?”

  Maria was surprised by this news.

  “Mardi Gras?” she said. “That must be two months away. You won’t see him before then?”

  “We’ll keep in touch, and, of course, I have my own commitments. But, isn’t that the most romantic thing you ever heard? Can’t you picture me staying at a luxury suite right in the middle of all that excitement? It’s probably the biggest party in the world!”

  “Is that when you plan to be married?” Maria asked, not fully understanding how her friend could bear to be separated from her fiancé for so long.

  “That’s what Tienne said. He’s a very commanding man. I think that’s one of the reasons I was so attracted to him. I’d never met anyone who was that forceful before.”

  “I didn’t think you liked forceful men, Marla. Are you sure this is what you want?”

  “Absolutely!” the model replied, as her thoughts drifted away to a high plateau of romantic intrigue.

  This confirmation did not assure Maria at all. She knew her friend far too well to believe that she could ever enjoy being dominated by a man. Marla liked to have her own way, and that was that.

  In a hesitating voice, she asked, “Who’s making the wedding plans?”

  “I don’t know and I don’t care,” the model indifferently replied. “I’m living my dreams. Tienne will take care of everything.”

  Not long after that, Maria’s concerns began to deepen. When Tienne DuPont had first called Marla to discuss their plans, her friend had been as enthusiastic as before. After a few weeks, her fervor started to flag somewhat.

  It seemed that her fiancé had gotten the impression that she was going to give up her career and come to live quietly with him in Louisiana. Apparently their brief acquaintance had not given them enough time to truly get to know each other. They had a horrible fight on the phone.
When the model’s anger turned to tears, her fiancé had consoled her with the idea that they would discuss the matter further when she came to New Orleans.

  Then, there was the problem of the engagement ring. Marla wanted a new, fabulous diamond affair, while Tienne had planned to give her an heirloom that had been passed down through his family for generations. The model adamantly refused to wear a ring that had been worn by someone else.

  The dissension grew, but there had been the hope that it all would be resolved when they met at Mardi Gras. The model became less and less satisfied with the arrangement. The strength she had admired in Tienne only weeks before now repulsed her. Suddenly, he was the most hard-headed man she had ever met. How could he possibly think she was going to give up her career to live in some old house in the swamps? Didn’t he realize she needed excitement? She would not put up with this treatment!

  Not long after that, Marla met another man. He was so sweet and sincere, and he liked her just the way she was. He was not as handsome as Tienne DuPont, but he was every bit as wealthy.

  Only a week remained before the time that had been set for her to meet her fiancé in Louisiana. The model had always been selfish, and she did not deviate from her former patterns now. She refused to take any calls from Tienne, and this put her roommate in the unenviable position of having to say she was not there when his secretary called for him. Maria Jones had to marvel at the ease with which her friend tossed aside one wealthy suitor to take on another.

  The situation rapidly degraded when Marla got her final communication from the man she had promised to marry. It was a brief note that read, “Maria, in spite of our obvious differences, I still expect to meet with you as planned. This must be dealt with face-to-face. I’ll be waiting for you in New Orleans. Tienne.” Marla shrieked when she read this.

  “Can you believe the arrogance of the man?” she shouted as she tore the note to shreds. “As if I would meet him in New Orleans just because he demands I should! Well, Mr. DuPont can sit there and wait for me until his teeth fall out!”

  “You can’t just stand him up like that!” the librarian replied in a horrified voice.

  The model looked at her in surprise, and then slowly sat down on the couch.

  “You’re right,” she said in a thoughtful voice. “I can’t do that.”

  “It would be a nasty thing to do,” Maria stated, sitting down beside her to wrap a reassuring arm around her friend’s shoulders. “You have to be reasonable about this.”

  “I’m thinking about it,” Marla replied with a look of intense concentration on her face. “I can’t stand him up like that.”

  “That’s right. The only sensible thing to do is to go down there and settle this with him in person.”

  Marla, still distracted, did not appear to hear her friend’s advice.

  “I can’t just leave it like that,” she continued, “because he’ll come here to confront me. I could never stand that.”

  “What?” Maria asked in confusion.

  Her roommate turned her face to stare at her, and her expression became devious.

  “You’ll have to go down there and explain it to him for me,” she said in a tone that indicated she had no doubt about her roommate’s compliance.

  “I can’t do that!” Maria replied in horror.

  “You have to! You’re my friend, and you know just what to say all the time. It will be perfect.”

  “It would be awful! He’ll be furious!”

  “Good. Let him rant all he wants.”

  “But I don’t want to be there to see it.”

  “Oh, come on, Maria. If you got into the same fix, I’d take care of it for you. Just do this one, little thing for me.”

  The model’s face was so pleading that Maria found it hard to resist.

  “Even if I go, it won’t satisfy him,” she said in a timid voice. “You know he still expects you to marry him. He’ll come after you anyway.”

  “No, he won’t. Not if you explain it all to him.”

  “I can’t,” Maria replied, shaking her head. “I don’t want to do anything like that.”

  “But, you told me you always wanted to go to Mardi Gras!” Marla exclaimed with a brilliant smile. “It will be like a free vacation! You’ll have the plane ticket he sent me, the hotel suite, and all the room service you want, and it won’t cost you a cent! And after you tell him, you’ll be free to enjoy Mardi Gras. I know that’s what you’ve always wanted. Tienne is rich. He can afford it, and he wouldn’t dare turn away any friend of mine.”

  “How can you ask me to do this?” Maria asked with a gulp, as her resistance began to break down. “I’ve never even met the man. I wouldn’t know what to say to him.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that at all. I’ll tell you exactly what to say.”

  And that was exactly what Marla Fontaine had done, as she wore away the remainder of her friend’s opposition to the scheme. Before Maria could fully comprehend what was happening, she was on a plane to New Orleans. As a final incentive, the model had thrust the masquerade costume that she had intended to wear into Maria’s suitcase. The bright red, glittering gown had been several inches too long for her friend to wear, but she had had it secretly altered to fit Maria a few days before she left.

  The hotel suite had been all prepared for her arrival, or rather, her roommate’s. Two large bouquets of flowers graced the rooms with their beauty and heavenly aroma. Chilled champagne and a basket of delectable treats had been placed on the table by the couch.

  When she had told the desk clerk she was there to take Miss Maria Fontaine’s suite, a note had been presented to her. It read, “Maria, darling, I’m detained by business. Please, make yourself comfortable. The room service menu is in the top drawer of the desk. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Maria felt out of place and heartily ashamed by all of the luxury that was not meant for her. About fifteen minutes after she had settled into the room, she had received a call from the hotel manager. The staff had already assumed that she was Maria Fontaine, so she now felt compelled to go ahead with the pretence. Everything could be rectified later.

  Yes, she was Maria Fontaine. That’s what she said. The manager then told her that Mr. DuPont had called shortly after her arrival and left a message for her. He apologized again for being detained, but he would not be able to meet her before ten o’clock that evening. She should order dinner from room service if she liked, and then, occupy herself with the festivities as long as she desired. He would contact her later.

  Maria had accepted this information with as much grace as her throbbing nerves would allow. On a sudden inspiration, she told the manager that when Mr. DuPont called back, he should tell him that she would see him tomorrow. At this point, she felt unprepared for an encounter with the formidable exporter. She needed some free time to compose herself before she delivered her friend’s message.

  In order to assure herself of this essential time alone, she immediately dressed in her roommate’s glamorous costume and left the hotel. If Tienne DuPont decided he did not want to wait to see his fiancée, he would not be able to find her. He would be forced to wait another day before he received the fatal blow to his engagement.

  Before Maria had left Chicago, she had researched the web to learn all she could about New Orleans. She had studied the information carefully, especially the map of the French Quarter. The Mardi Gras celebration was in full swing, and the streets were alive with activity.

  She was thrilled by a parade of elaborate floats, passing along on Bourbon Street. Golden coins and strings of beads were tossed out to those who clamored for them on the sidewalks. Maria had been prepared for this, but the crowds were much thicker than she had expected. The week of celebration had just begun.

  By this time, all of her worries had fallen away. It was all so exciting, the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. The exotic aromas, the color, the life, the flamboyance of the people who had come there to enjoy themselves. It
was a kaleidoscope of bustling activity, and yet, the jostling of the crowds unnerved her in a way she might not have felt if she had someone to share her enthusiasm. It was almost too much for her to comprehend.

  That is how Maria Jones came to be sitting by herself in a chair at the Café Du Monde, shifting the red-feathered Mardi Gras mask onto her forehead as she sipped the rich New Orleans coffee. Her feeling of mortification at being an imposter at the hotel had lessened as her excitement with the events around her had grown.

  When Maria finished the delicious coffee and pastries, she wanted to linger a while and watch the passing masqueraders, but people were waiting to take her table. She left a tip and walked back into the noisy throng.

  Tonight was hers to enjoy as she wished. Tomorrow might bring sorrow to a man she had never met, and he might send her on her way home. That would be all right. The director of the library had been sympathetic about her need for a sudden vacation, and she was sure he would find no problem if she decided to curtail it. This might well be her only night to enjoy the fun of Mardi Gras, so she would enjoy it while she could.

  A short distance away was the stairs that led up to the levee which bordered the Mississippi River. Maria was filled with a childlike excitement as she viewed the mighty river for the first time. Ever since she had read Mark Twain’s tales of the Mississippi, she had longed to see this magical water that flowed down from afar to visit the land of dreams.

  All of the noise around her faded into obscurity as she looked across those darkly turbulent waters. Lights from the opposing bank sent shimmering patterns across the water. A number of ships passed in the night as they made their way to their various destinations. Not far away, a paddleboat’s horn blared out its strident message against the muted murmur of the Mardi Gras’ cacophony.

  “I’m here!” Maria called out, feeling new joy in being alive.

  “And what can I do for you?” replied a raggedly clad man who came out of the darkness beside her.

  Maria shrank away from him in sudden fear. She looked quickly from side-to-side, but the levee held only two passersby, moving in the opposite direction. The man stepped closer to her. His face was a grinning mask of sensuality.