0425273059 by Miranda James Read Free Book Online Page A

the aisle with Terence Delevan twenty-three years ago.” Thurston bent forward slightly to look down the table at Sondra.
    “The wedding will be lovely,” Mireille said. “I’m so pleased that Sondra has agreed to wear her great-great-grandmother’s dress and pearls for the ceremony. It has been a tradition for several generations of Champlain women, and it means so much to me that my lovely granddaughter will be a part of it on her wedding day.”
    Dickce leaned forward slightly to see An’gel’s expression. Her sister was as surprised as she was over Sondra’s capitulation. Dickce wondered how on earth Mireille had prevailed in this, because Sondra had seemed determined not to wear the antique gown. She was surprised that An’gel didn’t ask right then and there.
    Estelle bustled in at the end of Mireille’s remarks, with Jackson the butler trailing behind, both carrying trays. They started removing the first course, a delicious French onion soup, and worked swiftly and competently.
    “As long as you’re happy, Grand-mère , that’s all that matters,” Sondra said, her expression mulish.
    “There’s bad weather coming,” Estelle announced suddenly. “It’s going to be storming the night before the wedding, and that’s a bad omen.” She removed An’gel’s soup service and set it on the tray. “It’s bad luck for brides in St. Ignatiusville, and I am going to be praying that nothing terrible happens.”
    “Estelle, I’d rather you didn’t talk about such superstitious nonsense.” Mireille sounded outraged, and Dickce was a bit surprised. She had never heard her cousin speak in that tone to the housekeeper.
    “Ain’t superstition,” Estelle said as she set the tray on the table and glared at her employer. “You know as well as I do what happened to Melusine Devereux on the night before her wedding. Sondra never should have picked the same date as Melusine did. I told y’all it was courting disaster.” She shook her head. “And now there’s a storm coming, just like when Melusine was fixing to get married.”
    “Estelle, that’s enough.” Mireille stood, her face contorted with anger. “If you utter one more word about that old wives’ tale, I swear I will throw you out of this house myself.”
    Dickce didn’t like the thick air of tension that suddenly seemed to fill the room. She thought Estelle was not only rude, but stupid to talk like this in front of her employer’s family and guests. If Estelle had worked for her and An’gel, she would have been out the door years ago. Dickce and An’gel never could understand why Mireille had put up with the woman for so long.
    Estelle seemed taken aback by Mireille’s threat. She picked up the tray with trembling hands and scurried out of the dining room, leaving Jackson to clear the rest of the table. The elderly butler shook his head and continued his work.
    Mireille dropped abruptly into her chair. “You must all forgive me, and Estelle, too. I don’t know what brought that on. Please, pay no attention to that absurd idea of hers.”
    Thurston reached over and clasped one of his hostess’s hands in his. “It’s a silly old story, and there’s probably no truth to it. Don’t let it upset you, my dear.” He laughed.“Everybody in St. Ignatiusville has probably heard that story, but no one believes it really happened.”
    “Course not.” Horace Mims shook his head. “I been telling you for the past three years, Mama Mireille, you ought to get rid of that old witch. She’s a misery, and that’s the plain truth. I’ll tell her to get out of the house if you want me to.”
    Mireille smiled faintly as she pulled her hand free from Thurston’s grasp. “Thank you both, but I will deal with Estelle in my own way. Now, let’s forget about all that nonsense. The next course will be here shortly.”
    Dickce had never heard the story of Melusine Devereux, at least not that she could recall, and now she burned with curiosity to know