here felt ashamed when he understood what you told us."
His hair was such an unusual color, not carroty red but closer to auburn. Really, he was most agreeable for an Americain .
"You don't seem to be a barbarian, docteur," she said, then, catching sight of Annette Louise's blue dress, lowered her lashes and smiled coquettishly up at the tall Americain .
Let Philippe make what he would of that!
Guy was waiting for her when the quadrille ended. When Doctor Kellogg introduced himself, he acknowledged the American stiffly.
"You will excuse my sister and myself, doctor?” he said. "We must leave."
As soon as Guy joined Madelaine in the carriage, he began scolding her. "Making a spectacle of yourself, whatever possessed you?"
"Someone had to do something," she protested.
"Not that." His tone softened. "Ah, Madelaine, I was proud of you up there in the loge. A true La Branche, fearless and outspoken. It was a dangerous chance to take, but how can I be angry when you were so brave? No, that's not what I speak of at all. This Doctor Kellogg—I don't want to see you dancing with Americans. They're not like us, will never be like us. Your reputation can't fail to be seriously harmed by any association with one."
"You work for General Wilkinson."
"That's business. Besides, I'm a man."
"I see no harm in Doctor Kellogg. His profession is honorable and I'm sure he is as well."
"You didn't see how he looked at you. I won't have my sister's name bandied about in the coffee houses. You will not accept any more invitations from this man or from any other American, Madelaine. I mean what I say. In any case, I shan't take you to a public ball again until the city settles down. Next thing you know we'll have army patrols at all our dances to keep the peace. Disgraceful."
Madelaine said nothing but her jaw was set. I won't promise, she said to herself. Mon Dieu ! The Americain was far more courteous than some of Guy's friends when they dance with me. No nonsense about letting his hands wander or pressing against me as if by accident.
"Your little friend Annette Louise is turning into quite a beauty," Guy said.
"I don't care to discuss her," Madelaine said coldly.
"You saw her with Philippe Roulleaux, then. Of course you can't approve. I understand. If they marry you'll lose her friendship, it could be no other way. It's a sad thing to lose a lifelong friend."
Madelaine gritted her teeth. She mustn't say anything, certainly not the furious words that welled up in her. She wasn't angry with Guy now, but with Philippe. Tears gathered in her eyes. Oh, Philippe, she thought, how can you be so cruel?
The next day Guy moved them back to La Belle. "I've been gone far too long," he said. "Fortunately the sugar grinding went well, even though I wasn't here to supervise."
Day after day Madelaine rode to the secret spot where she and Philippe had arranged to meet, but he was never there. She had no way of knowing if she'd missed him by a few minutes or if he'd never come at all.
He can't love Annette Louise, she assured herself. He loves me. Me!
At the plantation house she was sulky and restless.
" Mon Dieu , Madelaine, can you settle to nothing?" Guy asked her. "Where is your embroidery, your fancy work?"
Upstairs, Odalie took her to task. "You be sickening for something, look like, the way you be acting."
"I'm perfectly fine," Madelaine snapped.
"Seem like you ought to smile and be glad your brother be taking a bride soon. She be company."
Madelaine sighed. "Senalda thinks I'm too impetuous. She plans to change that, I'm sure."
"Seem like you be better off do you think about getting your own self married."
Madelaine bit her lip. "I do think about it. The trouble is . . ."
Her words trailed off. Philippe's name couldn't be shared with anyone at La Belle, not even Odalie, whom she trusted with everything else.
Odalie nodded wisely. "That no good."
"He's not a no good!" Madelaine balled her fists and glared at Odalie, then
His hair was such an unusual color, not carroty red but closer to auburn. Really, he was most agreeable for an Americain .
"You don't seem to be a barbarian, docteur," she said, then, catching sight of Annette Louise's blue dress, lowered her lashes and smiled coquettishly up at the tall Americain .
Let Philippe make what he would of that!
Guy was waiting for her when the quadrille ended. When Doctor Kellogg introduced himself, he acknowledged the American stiffly.
"You will excuse my sister and myself, doctor?” he said. "We must leave."
As soon as Guy joined Madelaine in the carriage, he began scolding her. "Making a spectacle of yourself, whatever possessed you?"
"Someone had to do something," she protested.
"Not that." His tone softened. "Ah, Madelaine, I was proud of you up there in the loge. A true La Branche, fearless and outspoken. It was a dangerous chance to take, but how can I be angry when you were so brave? No, that's not what I speak of at all. This Doctor Kellogg—I don't want to see you dancing with Americans. They're not like us, will never be like us. Your reputation can't fail to be seriously harmed by any association with one."
"You work for General Wilkinson."
"That's business. Besides, I'm a man."
"I see no harm in Doctor Kellogg. His profession is honorable and I'm sure he is as well."
"You didn't see how he looked at you. I won't have my sister's name bandied about in the coffee houses. You will not accept any more invitations from this man or from any other American, Madelaine. I mean what I say. In any case, I shan't take you to a public ball again until the city settles down. Next thing you know we'll have army patrols at all our dances to keep the peace. Disgraceful."
Madelaine said nothing but her jaw was set. I won't promise, she said to herself. Mon Dieu ! The Americain was far more courteous than some of Guy's friends when they dance with me. No nonsense about letting his hands wander or pressing against me as if by accident.
"Your little friend Annette Louise is turning into quite a beauty," Guy said.
"I don't care to discuss her," Madelaine said coldly.
"You saw her with Philippe Roulleaux, then. Of course you can't approve. I understand. If they marry you'll lose her friendship, it could be no other way. It's a sad thing to lose a lifelong friend."
Madelaine gritted her teeth. She mustn't say anything, certainly not the furious words that welled up in her. She wasn't angry with Guy now, but with Philippe. Tears gathered in her eyes. Oh, Philippe, she thought, how can you be so cruel?
The next day Guy moved them back to La Belle. "I've been gone far too long," he said. "Fortunately the sugar grinding went well, even though I wasn't here to supervise."
Day after day Madelaine rode to the secret spot where she and Philippe had arranged to meet, but he was never there. She had no way of knowing if she'd missed him by a few minutes or if he'd never come at all.
He can't love Annette Louise, she assured herself. He loves me. Me!
At the plantation house she was sulky and restless.
" Mon Dieu , Madelaine, can you settle to nothing?" Guy asked her. "Where is your embroidery, your fancy work?"
Upstairs, Odalie took her to task. "You be sickening for something, look like, the way you be acting."
"I'm perfectly fine," Madelaine snapped.
"Seem like you ought to smile and be glad your brother be taking a bride soon. She be company."
Madelaine sighed. "Senalda thinks I'm too impetuous. She plans to change that, I'm sure."
"Seem like you be better off do you think about getting your own self married."
Madelaine bit her lip. "I do think about it. The trouble is . . ."
Her words trailed off. Philippe's name couldn't be shared with anyone at La Belle, not even Odalie, whom she trusted with everything else.
Odalie nodded wisely. "That no good."
"He's not a no good!" Madelaine balled her fists and glared at Odalie, then
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