Free Forever by Margaret Pemberton Page B

detail. Gussie’s birthday party was going to be the most memorable event of the year – apart from her wedding. There were going to be no hired, second-rate musicians playing at his daughter’s big day. He’d paid for the best there was, and it had cost him. He didn’t care. He puffed on his cigar contentedly. He’d gone as far as Houston for the experts who were mounting the firework display. Gussie had gone to Paris with his sister Tina for her dress. He smiled a rare smile. Tina had spent even more than Gussie on their whirlwind trip across the Atlantic. Invitations to the party had been practically begged for by the most elite of New Orleans. The guest list had been ruthless, composed almost entirely of families whose names went back to the days of the Battle of New Orleans. Gallatins and St Clairs; Lafittes and Delatours. Far-flung Lafayettes were going to meet together for the first time in living memory. Cousins and second-cousins, uncles and great-uncles, aunts and nieces had been summoned from every corner of the globe, their travelling expenses paid for by himself, and all had eagerly accepted. It was going to be a party to end all parties and Augusta was going to look magnificent. He rocked back on his heels in satisfaction. His little girl. She’d looked like a fairy princess at Mardi Gras. She would look like a dream come true on the night of her birthday. Cigar smoke wreathed his head. Nothing had ever blighted Augusta’s life. Nothing ever would. He wouldn’t allow it. Not as long as he had breath in his body.
    He turned once more and sat at his desk. The flower arrangements for the house and garden still had to be decided upon. For dramatic effect he had stipulated that every bloom must be white. It would be a stunning contrast to the more usual riots of colour.
    â€˜I had to practically plead with Daddy to allow Eden and her parents to come to my birthday party,’ Gussie said happily, her arm wound through Bradley’s as they strolled through City Park. She giggled. ‘He actually referred to them as upstart Yankees, and they’re French Canadians. Can you imagine how mad Mr Alexander would be if he knew? Daddy also allowed invitations to go to the Jeffersons, although he wasn’t happy about it. Mrs Jefferson isn’t his favourite person, but he was very nice about it, considering …’
    â€˜Considering what?’ Bradley asked, gazing down at her with amusement.
    The smile faded from Gussie’s face and a troubled expression touched her eyes. ‘Oh, he’s never liked the fact that Mae is my closest friend.’
    Bradley raised a querying brow. ‘Why? The Jeffersons are pillars of New Orleans society and have been from time immemorial.’
    â€˜I know. It’s silly.’ Her arm tightened around his waist. ‘It’s just that years ago Mae’s grandmother and mine were as close as sisters and …’
    â€˜And what?’ Bradley asked tenderly.
    She gave a little shrug. ‘Mae’s grandmother went dotty and lives all alone, way out in the bayous and my grandmother …’
    Bradley waited expectantly.
    Gussie forced a smile. ‘My grandmother died young.’
    Committed suicide: drowned herself. Should she tell him? Would he think her grandmother as crazy as Mae’s?
    To tell him now would spoil their sun-filled afternoon. She would tell him later. Bradley wouldn’t mind. He loved her too much to mind about a thing like that.
    The shadow touched her lightly, the whisper barely audible. She swung round swiftly.
    â€˜Hey, what is it?’ Bradley asked, steadying her. ‘You’ll twist an ankle doing that.’
    â€˜Did you see it, Bradley?’ she asked urgently, all thoughts of her grandmother vanishing, her face strained. ‘It’s gone now, but it was there, I swear it was!’
    Bradley frowned, circling her shoulders with his arms and feeling her tremble.