followed his manservant out of the room. He wanted to win her approval, not harm her in any way. He was not a fan of violence of any type and frowned down on her father’s treatment of her. Though he did indeed take the man’s advice and lock the door to keep her from running away.
Which is how she found herself still locked in that same room, alternately sobbing, pounding on the door, and begging for release.
Finally, from the other side of the door she heard his voice again.
“You will see that this life is not so bad. I will treat you well. Have I not always been gentle with you when you visited my bank with your father?”
Clarice pressed her hands against the door, as she begged him to understand. “I’ll never be your wife. I’ll never accept any life other than that stolen from me. Please release me!”
Mr. Bienville wasn’t cruel. He’d simply admired the young woman the sweet, young girl had grown into. So when her father had offered her hand in marriage, since he was painfully lonely himself, he’d readily accepted.
“Let me go,” she begged again.
“The only way out of our arrangement is to go to a convent,” he answered sadly, hoping the idea of a chaste, religious life would sway her toward him.
“Accepted. I’d rather live out my life as a nun, than marry any other than the husband I’ve lost. Take me to a nunnery,” Clarice answered, her heart broken, and her voice soft and resigned.
~~~~~
Maman ‘Vangeline spied the unholy girl the moment she set foot on the flagstones running the length of the row of shotgun houses her own home sat on in the red-light district. Maman shook her head — another poor child, lured to her demise by the power that could be got from the religion that had become synonymous with New Orleans.
The demon cohabitating with the girl herself inside the girl’s body felt the power of Maman ‘Vangeline’s eyes as she watched the girl. The demon and the girl, eyes swirling with both their presences, met Maman’s eyes to take measure of the woman, just as she measured them.
‘What a shame’ Maman thought, this girl was too far gone for redemption. She’d been lured by the power the demon had promised, taken it into herself and now they walked as one. There would be no savior for this one. It was simply not possible.
Maman watched as the girl approached, never breaking eye contact with her. Eventually she came to a stop just outside Maman’s front gate. She did not reach out to touch the gate or the hip high fence marking the perimeter of Maman’s small yard. She simply stood there, watching Maman, not moving, not speaking.
Maman regarded the girl dispassionately, forcing the girl and her demon to have to address her first.
Finally the demon could take it no more. “Do you not want to know why I seek you out?”
Maman raised a single eyebrow. “Not particularly.”
“I have come to collect my reward,” the demon said confidently.
“Reward? I owe you no reward.”
“You do! I have held my end of the bargain. Bestowed a gift, even.”
Against her better judgment, Maman decided she wanted to know what bargain the girl spoke of. “It was no bargain of mine. And any gift from you is clearly tainted.”
“I am as powerful as you! I can bestow gifts!”
A slow, sarcastic smile curled Maman’s lips. “If you think so,” she replied, not the least bit concerned.
“I am! And I can!” The girl sneered at Maman. “You studied for years, wasted your life away in search of magics and strengths you now hold. I, on the other hand, made smart choices, joined forces, and now I stand before you, all that you are and more after only a few months.”
Maman nodded. “And therein lies the problem, child. I control my powers, not the other way around.”
The girl’s confidence wavered. “Give me the reward I am due!”
“No.”
The demon became enraged, blustering about and stomping a few feet away from the gate to the middle of the street and back before thrusting her hand out for Maman to see. “Here is my proof. You owe me!”
Maman stared at the cameo ring in the lost girl’s hand, her heart dying a little. She knew it at once as the ring her son had bought for his wife, yet she dare not tip her hand. “Where did you find such a pretty bauble?” Maman asked, forcing her voice to remain steady