Mardi Gras Masquerade (4 page)

Why should she isolate herself from new experiences until her friend’s fiancé sent her back home?
 
By then, it would be too late to enjoy
herself
.
 
Her chance to be daring would be gone.

Yes, she would stay there and wait for the dark stranger to arrive.
 
Once the decision had firmly been made, Maria felt stronger.
 
This was something her roommate would do.
 
Marla would never shy away from anything that might have romantic overtones.
 
She would go boldly into it with laughter and vivacity.

For one time in her life, Maria Jones was determined to act just like Maria Fontaine.
 
Why shouldn’t she take advantage of the situation while it presented itself?
 
For once in her life, she would be the one to have an exciting escapade of her own!
 
She had all of the background she needed to make her dream seem real . . . a suite in a luxurious hotel, glamorous clothing, and free meals.
 
This was something that the model always took for granted.
 
This time Maria would be the one to return home with a story to tell.
 
Marla was beautiful and she had an exciting career.
 
Today, Maria Jones felt beautiful, too, and with the masquerade of Mardi
Gras
to condone her deception, she could also be thought of as a successful model.
 
Why shouldn’t she claim she was?
 
No one would ever discover her deceit.

As Maria filled her mind with the raptures of her daydreams, someone sat beside her.
 
At first, she was unaware of his presence.
 
Then, as she felt his gaze upon her, she turned to look at into the same black mask she had seen the night before.
 
The man looked back at her with the slightest hint of a smile in his dark eyes.

“What were you thinkin’ about, butterfly?” he asked in a lazy drawl.

Maria’s sense of confusion quickly passed.
 
She smiled openly and looked out at the river.

“I was just feeling happy,” she replied.

“I noticed that look on your face and hoped that anticipation of my arrival had put it there.”

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking about you,” Maria quickly corrected him.

“Then what put such a sparkle in your eyes?
 
Do you have another boyfriend?” the man asked lightly.

“No.
 
I was thinking about my career’.”

“Really?
 
It must be somethin’ special to take your mind off Mardi
Gras
.”

“It is!” Maria enthusiastically replied.
 
“I didn’t tell you last night, but I’m a model.”

Even with the mask covering most of his upper face, Maria thought she could detect a dubious frown in his features.

Before he had a chance to say anything, she blurted out, “Don’t you believe me?
 
It’s true, you know.
 
I model high-fashion clothing for a major international designer.”

The fire in the man’s eyes burned even brighter as he said, “Why shouldn’t I believe you, Maria?
 
 
Even with that mask on, I can tell that you’re a beautiful young woman.”

“Do you really think so?” Maria asked a bit too anxiously, the compliment in the man’s words making her momentarily forget her charade.

“Well, let’s see,” the man thoughtfully replied as he steepled his fingers beneath his chin.
 
“Why don’t you take off your mask?”

Suddenly, Maria felt shy.
 
She was afraid he might be disappointed when he saw her whole face.
 
Sensing her reluctance, the stranger reached over and lifted the mask before Maria had the chance to stop him.

When she would have pulled it back into place, he said, “Stop fighting me.
 
You act as though I’m undressing you.”

Waves of crimson rose heatedly through Maria’s face as her resistance subsided.
 
The man left the white mask on top of her hair and stared down at her with a smile.
 
Maria had to look away, flushing again in fear that he would not think she was pretty enough to be what she claimed.

“You’re
blushin
’,” he stated offhandedly.

“What?” she replied in
confusion.

“I said you’re
blushin
’.
 
I thought models were above that sort of thing.”

“I am a model!” Maria stubbornly insisted.

“Your face is too sweet and pretty to take on that expression of hauteur.
 
If you really want to prove it to me, you should get up and display your gown the way you do on stage.”

“What?” the young woman cried out in sudden embarrassment.

“You heard me.
 
Get up and walk back and forth.
 
It should be no problem for you since you’ve done it so many times before.”

Maria would not allow him to discredit her any further.
 
She mustered all of her bravado and stood up.
 
Then, with the same smooth, graceful steps that she had seen Marla take when she was in a show, she walked forward a few steps, turned, posed, and walked back to turn again.
 
She could feel the man’s eyes burning through her poise.

“Very nice,” he commented after she had stopped.
 
“Do it again.”

“Do what?”

“Turn around and strut back and forth again.”

Maria’s confidence was on the point of shattering.
 
Regardless of her mortification, she would not let this man get the better of her.
 
She would prove out her deception if it was the last thing she did.

As she completed her final turn, the heel of her shoe caught in the hem of her gown.
 
With a gasp, she fell into the man’s immediately outstretched arms.
 
He caught her and brought her unbalanced body to rest across his lap.

“Superb performance,” he said with a wisp of a laugh.
 
“You must sell enormous amounts of clothes if you treat all of your male buyers to such a delightful finale.”

With no sense of composure, Maria scrambled hastily off of his lap.
 
The blush was back as she sat back down on the bench.

“It’s just the gown!” she explained in embarrassment.
 
“This is the first time I’ve worn it!”

“Do you practice
wearin
’ your other clothes before you go on stage?”

“Stop questioning me!” Maria cried out in frustration. “You made me take off my mask; why don’t you take off yours!”

“I didn’t think you were curious enough to want to see my face,” the man blandly replied.

“Well, I am.
 
If you’re going to make fun of me, the least you can do is let me see your face!”

“All right.”

The stranger removed his mask, and then looked at Maria as though he expected her to make some comment.
 
She was too busy staring at his fine, aristocratic features to do anything else.
 
Maria had never guessed he would turn out to be so handsome.

After bearing with her scrutiny for a long moment, he said, “I hope I meet with your approval.”

Maria tried to hide the smile that danced behind her lips when she said, “You’ll do.”

“Bold words, my girl.
 
Would you care to take a little walk along the river?”

“I’ve done enough walking for you.”

“This time, you’ll walk
with
me.”

After saying this, the man got to his feet and crooked out his elbow in invitation.
 
Maria stood up beside him.
 
For the first time, she could see that his eyes were a deep blue color.
 
The glint in them mocked at her for not taking his arm.
 
Maria quickly remedied this situation, and they strolled off to the right along the levee.

Her body tingled where it made contact with the man’s.
 
He seemed to exude a certain vibrancy that pulsed through her like an electric current.
 
In the daylight, she got a better look at his costume, if you could call it that.
 
He wore the same black satin cape he had worn the night before, but beneath it, he wore a plain black business suit, white shirt, and black tie.
 
If he removed the cloak, all vestiges of the masquerade would be gone.

Maria suddenly realized he had been talking to her for several seconds before she caught the gist of what he was saying.
 
She focused in to hear him say, “. . . and this is called
Jackson Square
in honor of President Andrew Jackson, who was also a former mayor of
New Orleans
.
 
Have you heard all this before?”

“No, this is my first trip to
New Orleans
.
 
Please, go on.”

“If you had come in March, you would have been able to see the azaleas in bloom, but I suppose you have azaleas in
Illinois
.
 
You did say you were from
Illinois
; didn’t you?”

“Yes.
 
I guess I did.”

“Do you live near
Chicago
?”

“As a matter of fact, I live in a small community on the outskirts of the city.
 
Are you familiar with
Chicago
?”

“Not really,” the man vaguely replied.
 
“Do you plan to stay here long?”

“I don’t know yet,” answered Maria.
 
“I’d like to see all of Mardi
Gras
.”

“What would prevent you from staying?”

“It’s some business I have to take care of.”

“Here or at home?”

“Here.
 
If things don’t work out right, I’ll have to leave.”

“Is this
modelin
’ business?”

“No.
 
It’s personal.”

“Anything I might help you with?”

“Thank you, but no.”

Maria was becoming discomforted by all of the man’s questions.
 
He seemed to sense this, for he said, “I won’t pry any more.”

Just as the young woman was breathing a silent sigh of relief, he continued, “There is one personal question I’d like to ask you.”

Maria shuddered inside, fearing it might be something she would be unable or unwilling to answer.
 
In spite of her reservations, she said, “What is it?”

“Is Mardi Gras the only reason you wanted to be here?”

“Why else would I have made the trip?”

“That’s what I’m
askin
’ you.”

Now, Maria felt completely flustered, wondering if her face would ever stop burning when she was with this man.
 
She’d always believed that honesty was indeed the best policy, and now it appeared that she had put herself in the position of having to invent one lie after another.
 
How could this have happened because of one innocent, little masquerade?