Rapture's Rendezvous

Alberto grabbed her by the shoulders and began shaking her violently. “No,” he screamed. “No. No. It just can't be. You . . . wouldn't. . . .”

Mama Pearl pushed Alberto away from Maria and stood with hands on hips between brother and sister. “I don't think ah'd lay anothah hand on Mastah Hawkins's bride, suh,” she said firmly.

Maria moved to Mama Pearl's side and took a hand in hers. “Mama Pearl, this is my brother Alberto,” she said softly. “Please don't fret over me. My brother has reasons for such anger.”

“This is ya'all's brothah?” Mama Pearl said quietly. She frowned toward Alberto. “And why didn't ya'U tell me earlier? All the othah times ya'll came knockin’ on this heah door?”

Alberto's hands went to his whiskers and began to caress them. “I didn't think it . . . uh . . . wise,” he stammered.

Maria spoke again. “You see, Alberto and my Papa work in Nathan's coal mine. Alberto feared . . . Nathan“

“Feahed . . . Mastah Hawkins . . . ?” Mama Pearl whispered. “How can anyone feah Mastah Hawkins? He has always been so kind to me.”

“To hell with you,” Alberto exclaimed, glaring. “It is Maria whom I am so concerned about. Maria? Tell me. How could you do this? Have you lost all love and respect for Italians? You know how badly Nathan Hawkins treats all of us.”

Maria felt tears surfacing. Alberto looked so tired. His dark eyes were heavy with sadness, and his face was lined with coal dust. His clothes were even dirtier than when he had worn his chimney sweep costume. Maria's heart ached so, knowing even mpre now that Alberto hadn't bettered himself by traveling to America. “Alberto, there's so much to tell you.” she said, reaching for him.

Mama Pearl stepped away from them both, watching silently as brother and sister stood arguing with one another. Mama Pearl didn't understand any of this. Hadn't Maria willingly married Mastah Hawkins? Had he forced her . . . ? She knew that he had done this many other times before. Lawdy, she had learned to keep her mouth shut about things. She had no other choice but to. . . .

“Tell me then,” Alberto shouted. “Maria, tell me. Now!”

Maria looked at Mama Pearl who still stood glowering, ready to pounce on Alberto if he made another approach toward Maria. Maria didn't feel free to talk while in Mama Pearl's presence. She knew that anything they said would more than likely be repeated to Nathan. Mama Pearl appeared to have great loyalty to her . .. master.

Turning with wavering eyes, Maria whispered, “Alberto, I cannot tell you now. Please. . ..”

Alberto's rage increased. His eyes bulged as he yanked Maria into his arms and kissed her strong and hard on the mouth, feeling an inner excitement at such softness against his lips. He knew that he was swelling beneath his breeches, and felt shame, utter shame and contempt for himself, not having been able to control his feelings for Maria any longer. But love had almost become the same as hate, as he now realized what she had done. She had betrayed him. She had given herself to a man who was no better than a snake in the grass.

He clung to her for a moment, feeling his heart pound wildly inside him, then released her, watching her expression turn to one of mortification. He then rushed from the porch to the wagon and shouted loudly to the horse, anxious to get away from what he had just revealed to his sister. He now even knew the cause of his being incapable of making love to another woman. All along, it had been because of his secret passion for his lovely Maria. Tears burst forth from his eyes as he slapped the horse with the reins, yelling loudly into the wind. He knew of only one place to go. He couldn't face his Papa. Not after what he had just done.

Maria lifted a finger to her lips, stunned. She raced to the edge of the porch and watched as Alberto grew dim in the distance. Why had Alberto done such a thing? Had his hurt caused him to become suddenly deranged in the head? Then she remembered. The blow to his head on the ship. Was it still causing him trouble? She vividly recalled how worried she had been about him for so long after he had supposedly recovered. And now? To kiss her? As a man kissed a woman . .. ?

Lowering her eyes, she rubbed her lips furiously. Her brother. Her own flesh and blood. Now what was she to do?~

“Sweet Baby,” Mama Pearl said, moving to Maria's side. “Your brother. He has taken leave of his senses.”

Maria swung around, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I must go to him,” she said. “I have to talk with him. There's so much that needs saying. But my clothes. I can't go dressed so expensively. You did say that my clothes had arrived … ?” She paused, then added quickly,.”! need to change into something less fancy to go to my Papa's house.”

Mama Pearl moved toward the staircase, motioning for Maria to follow after her. “Yes, ma'am. Ah've already placed a few things across the bed for ya'all. Ah'll take ya'all to the room that's to be yours.”

Breathless, Maria lifted the skirt of her dress and climbed the staircase. She couldn't help but let hereyes wander around her, seeing the greatness of all that she continued to find in this house. The staircase led upward to a hallway of many rooms, and as she passed each, she peered into the rooms, seeing many styles of decorated walls and draperies. The furniture was all large, comfortable pieces, and the floors shone back at her as though never walked upon.

“In heah. This is your room,” Mama Pearl said, stepping aside. “Do you want me to assist you change ya'all's clothes? Or do ya'all want to be left alone?”

Maria stood wringing her hands. “Please leave me be, Mama Pearl,” she murmured. “Please go on about your duties.”

“Now you just quit frettin’ ovah things. Don't ya'all know things will work out? Mastah Hawkins will see to it. He's a kind man. Sho nuff is.”

In anger, Maria closed her lips tightly together. Then she said, “Please, Mama Pearl.” .She moved toward the bed. “Please. I'd rather not speak of Nathan at this time.”

“If ya'all needs me, ah'll just be down the hall.”

“I will be leaving as soon as I change,” Maria said, already unbuttoning her dress. “And please don't tell Nathan. He wouldn't approve. I am sure of it.”

“If that is what ya'all wants,” Mama Pearl said, shrugging, then left Maria standing alone in a room totally unfamiliar to her, though she knew that it now by legal standards was hers.

As she stepped out of her dress and began to unlace her corset, her gaze traveled around her. A great mahogany bedstead sat against a far outside wall beneath a window. The drapes hanging at the one window of the room and the bedspread covering the bed were of pale orchid velveteen. The bureau and night table were of a matching mahogany, as were the carvings of the legs of two velveteen-covered chairs.

Seeing herself in a pier glass that was set into the wardrobe's door. Maria quickly shook her hair to settle around her shoulders and down her back. Then she slipped into a full-length, black serge skirt and white shirtwaist, feeling now more ready for her first appearance in Hawkinsville since she had been forced to wed the man whose name the town bore.