However, afraid that Daphne would return to her domineering and restrictive ways, Gisselle was a perfect little lady at dinner that night. I never saw her so polite and charming. She spoke about Greenwood as if she loved the school and bragged about my artwork as though she were a proud sister. Daphne was very pleased and rewarded us by permitting us to be excused as soon as the dinner ended, so that we could call our friends and make plans to invite them over. Daphne, truce, and the Cardins were adjourning to the parlor for after-dinner cordials, but as we all started to leave the dinning room, Daphne called to me.

"I just want to speak with Ruby for a moment," she told her guests and Bruce. "I'll be there momentarily." She nodded toward Bruce and he led the Cardins out. Gisselle wheeled herself into the corridor, peeved at not being part of the conversation.

"I'm very pleased with the two of you," Daphne began. "You're accepting the new order of things sensibly."

Apparently Mrs. Ironwood had not informed her of the hearing or the circumstances surrounding it; or if she had, Daphne was ignoring it since the outcome was favorable, I thought.

"If you mean accepting that Daddy is gone, that's something we have to accept."

"Of course it is," she said, smiling. "You're smarter than Gisselle is. I know that, Ruby, and I know that your intelligence permits you to make the wiser decisions. That's why I always agreed with Pierre that you should be the one to look after Gisselle. I will be giving the two of you more freedom than I usually do because of the holidays, but I will be depending on you to make sure everyone behaves."

"I thought I was the hot-blooded Cajun," I replied.

Her smile faded and her eyes narrowed for a moment, but then she smiled again. "We all say things we don't mean when we're angry. I'm sure you understand. Let this be a real new year, a real new beginning for all of us," she said. "We'll wipe the slate clean and forget all the bad episodes in the past. Let's see if we can all get along and, who knows, be a family again. Okay?"

Her changed attitude bothered me. I sensed she was conniving, preparing us for something, and I couldn't help being anxious.

"Yes," I said cautiously.

"Good, because anything else would just make life unpleasant for us all," she concluded, the veiled threat clear.

I watched her leave and then followed. Gisselle was waiting in the corridor.

"What did she want?" she demanded.

"She wanted to tell me she hoped we would all have a new beginning, forget all of our past mistakes, and love each other like a family again."

"So why do you look so unhappy about that?"

"I don't trust her," I said, looking toward the parlor.

"You would say something like that. You're always imagining the worst. You're always looking at the dark side, almost hoping things will be terrible, just so you can be miserable. You like suffering. You think it's noble," she accused.

"That's ridiculous. No one likes to suffer and be unhappy."

"You do. I heard someone say your paintings show your melancholy. Even the birds look like they're about to burst into tears. Well, I'm not about to let you put a cloud over my sunny sky." Then she wheeled herself off to call her girlfriends and start to make her holiday plans.

Was she right? I wondered. Was I prone to sadness and melancholy? How could anyone like that? It wasn't that I wanted it; it was that I was so used to hard rains, I couldn't help expecting a cloudburst every time something nice happened and sunshine beamed down over me. But perhaps I should try to be a little like Gisselle, I thought, a little more carefree. I went up to my room and waited for Beau's phone call. When it came, it was so good to hear his voice and know he was so close.

"My parents are resigned to the fact that I will be seeing you," he said. "Apparently they spoke to Daphne, and she was more reasonable about it. What's going on?"

"I don't know. She's acting different, but . . ."

"But you don't trust her?"

"Yes. Gisselle thinks I'm being unnecessarily skeptical, but I can't help it."

"I don't care what Daphne's motives are as long as I can see you," he said. "Let's not even think about her."

"You're right, Beau. I'm tired of being unhappy anyway. Let's just enjoy ourselves."

"I'll come by after breakfast," he said. "I'll spend every possible waking moment with you, if you like."

"I'd like nothing better," I told him.

The days before Christmas were full of fun and excitement. As soon as I could, I told Beau all about Louis and played the symphony for him. I didn't want Gisselle planting any bad thoughts in his mind. He was understandably jealous, but I assured him Louis was someone whom I had just befriended and who had befriended me. I told him about Mrs. Ironwood's expulsion hearing and how Louis had testified on my behalf, even though it meant he would be in the doghouse with his grandmother and cousin.

"I wouldn't blame him if he did fall in love with you," Beau said.

"He asked me if I loved someone else, and I told him yes." Beau brightened.

"And he understands," I added.

Confident now that Gisselle couldn't plant any nasty seeds of doubt in Beau's mind, I relaxed and enjoyed our time together. Beau and I went for rides, took walks, and spent hours cuddling on the sofa talking. We had been separated by time and distance and events so long, it was as if we had to get to know each other again, but if it was possible to fall in love with the same person twice, I did.

At first I thought Gisselle would be envious, since she didn't have a steady boyfriend. But most of her old friends were drawn back to her, parading in and out of the house day and night. She had private parties in her room whenever Daphne left. I knew they were smoking pot and drinking, but as long as they kept the door closed and didn't bother any of the servants, I didn't care.

Daphne went out every night to parties and dinners with Bruce, but on Christmas Eve we had a special early dinner for just the three of us because Daphne was going to a Christmas party in the French Quarter.

"I thought we would have a quiet family dinner together to celebrate the holiday," she declared at the table. She was radiantly beautiful in her black velvet dress with her diamond brooch and matching earrings. Her hair had never looked softer or richer. She had planned our menu for our Christmas Eve dinner herself, asking Nina to prepare trout amandine. The dessert tray was filled with delectable choices, including tarte aux pêche, banana nut bread, lemon mousse, and chocolate rum soufflé. Gisselle sampled everything, but Daphne barely nibbled on some lace cookies. She had often told both Gisselle and myself that a lady leaves the table a bit hungry. That was the way to keep your figure.

"Well, what have you two decided to do for New Year's Eve?" she asked.

Gisselle looked at me and then blurted: "We'd like to have a party here for just a few friends." She held her breath, expecting Daphne to reject the idea.

"Good. I'll feel better knowing you two are safe at home and not riding around the streets of the city."

Gisselle beamed. Daphne had permitted us to have friends over this night too.

Why was she indulging us so? I continued to wonder, but, like Gisselle, I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

After our Christmas dinner, Bruce arrived to escort her to the party. He brought gifts for both of us and placed them under the tree.

"It'll take you two hours tomorrow morning to unwrap everything you've been given," he declared, gazing at the pile. I had to admit it was overwhelming.

"Enjoy your evening, Mother," Gisselle said as they started to leave.

"Thank you, dear. You two enjoy yours. And remember, everyone leaves by twelve," she said.

"We'll remember," Gisselle replied, then looked conspiratorially at me. The truth was that there were only two people coming to our house for Christmas Eve: Beau and Gisselle's newest boyfriend, John Darby, a good-looking dark-haired boy whose family had moved to New Orleans just this year. He had been on the football team with Beau.

Before they arrived, Edgar informed me that I had a phone call. I went into the study to take it. It was Paul.

"I was hoping you were home so I could wish you a merry Christmas," he said.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Paul."

"How are things there?"

"Something of a truce has been declared, but I keep expecting my stepmother to pop out of a closet with a whip in her hand."

He laughed. "We have a houseful of people for dinner."

"I bet you have beautiful decorations and a nice tree."

"We do," he said wistfully, "as always, but . . . I wish you were here. Remember our first Christmas together?"

"Of course," I said sadly. "Do you have any friends over, any special friends?"

"Yes," he said, but I could hear the lie. "Anyway," he added quickly, "I just wanted to wish you a quick holiday greeting. I've got to get back. Wish Gisselle a merry Christmas and happy new year for me."

"I will," I said.

"I'll speak to you soon," he promised, and hung up. I wondered if the telephone wires could withstand all of the laughter and tears, the happiness and sadness that would pass through them this night.

"Who was that?" Gisselle demanded from the doorway.

"Paul. He wants me to tell you merry Christmas and happy new year."

"That's nice, but why do you have that gloomy look on your face? Wipe it off," Gisselle ordered. She had a bottle of rum in her hands and she smiled, holding it up. "We're going to have a good time tonight."