Ruby (Landry 1)

grand French palace and gardens.

"Where is Mademoiselle Gisselle, Edgar?"

Beau asked.

"She's still upstairs," Edgar said.

"I knew she would be pampering herself

forever. I'm never late when it comes to escorting

Gisselle anywhere," Beau told me. "Especially a

Mardi Gras Ball. To Gisselle, being on time means

being an hour late. Fashionably late, of course," he

added. "Are you hungry, thirsty?"

"No, I had half of a poor boy sandwich not so

long ago," I said, and grimaced with the memory of

what had nearly happened to me.

"You didn't like it?" Beau asked.

"No, it wasn't that. Someone. . . a stranger I

trusted, attacked me in an alley on the way here," I

confessed. "What? Are you all right?" he asked

quickly.

"Yes. I got away before anything terrible

happened, but it was quite frightening."

"I'll bet. The back streets in New Orleans can be quite dangerous during Mardi Gras. You shouldn't have wandered around by yourself." He turned to

Edgar. "Where is Nina, Edgar?" he asked.

"Just finishing up some things in the kitchen." "Good. Come on," Beau insisted. "I'll take you

to the kitchen and Nina will give you something to

drink at least. Edgar, would you be so kind as to

inform Mademoiselle Gisselle that I've arrived with a

surprise guest and we're in the kitchen?"

"Very good, monsieur," Edgar said and headed

for the beautiful curved stairway with soft carpeted

steps and a shiny mahogany balustrade.