Read Landry 05 Tarnished Gold for Free Online Page B

everything that we've done," Yvette said petulantly.
"Nothing.we've done nothing," I insisted.
They laughed.
"Liar."
"You better tell us, Gabriel Landry or . . ."
"Or we'll make something up and tell everyone tomorrow before graduation," Evelyn announced. Yvette nodded, happy for the plan. "We'll claim you told us in secret. Everyone will believe us because they know we're friends and we talk on the way home from school every day."
"That's right," Yvette said. "If we both swear to it, everyone will believe it."
"But there's nothing to tell. I . ."
"What?" Yvette demanded. She put her hands on her hips. Evelyn stared, anticipating. I took a deep breath. If they spread rumors about me tomorrow, they could ruin graduation for Mama.
"All right, I'll tell you, but you've got to swear to keep it secret."
"We'll swear," Yvette said.
"On Saint Medad. Swear."
They did and crossed their hearts.
"Well?" Evelyn said.
"Sometimes in the afternoon I pole my pirogue deep into the swamp to a small pond I've found. No one else ever goes there. I take off my clothes and go swimming."
"Naked?" Yvette said, her eyes widening. I nodded. They drew closer to me.
"What happened?" Evelyn asked breathlessly.
"One afternoon about a week ago, I was sunning myself at the pond and this handsome young man came poling along. I didn't hear him."
Yvette's mouth opened.
"You were naked when he appeared?" Evelyn asked. I nodded. They held their breaths.
"I opened my eyes and found him staring down at me and smiling. I was terribly embarrassed, of course, and reached for my dress. But he . ." "What?"
"Sat on it."
"No!"
"What did you do?" Evelyn asked.
"I said, please, monsieur, you have me at an unfair advantage. He agreed."
"And gave you your dress?"
"No. He took off his clothes so he would be naked, too."
"You're lying," Evelyn said.
"You asked me to tell you. You swore you would keep it a secret. I'm telling you and you're calling me a liar," I said. "I kept my part of the bargain." I started to turn away.
"I believe you," Yvette declared. "Tell us the rest." I hesitated.
"All right. I do believe you," Evelyn relented.
"Go on."
"He was very polite. We spoke softly. He had the deepest blue eyes I had ever seen. I think he hypnotized me with those eyes. In fact, I'm sure he did."
"What do you mean?"
"The next thing I knew, he was kissing me."
"And he touched you?"
"Everywhere," I said. "I couldn't resist." "And then?" Yvette said with impatience.
"I don't know. I just . . . woke up and he was gone."
"Gone?" Evelyn grimaced with disappointment. "You must have just dreamt it, fantasized," she added contemptuously.
"No, I know I didn't dream it. He had left a beautiful red rose at my side."
"A red rose? In the swamp?" Evelyn asked, smirking. "That's how I knew I hadn't dreamt it."
The two studied me a moment in silence.
"All right. So what did you do then?" Yvette asked.
"I was so frightened I got dressed and went home as fast as I could. I told my mother."
"You did? Everything?"
"Of course."
Evelyn was impressed. "What did she say?"
"She asked me to describe the young man, and after I had, she sat down with a look on her face like I had never seen. She was quiet for the longest time. Finally I asked her what was wrong, and she then told me the story of the young fisherman who was thought to be the handsomest young man in the bayou. She said young women would swoon at the sight of him, but she said he was too handsome for a man to be and he knew it. No one was more arrogant about his looks.
"One day he went into the swamps to fish and never returned."
"Are you saying your mother said the man who kissed you was a ghost?" Yvette asked. I nodded.
"It's why I never heard him approaching. He glided on the air, I think."
Neither Yvette nor Evelyn spoke for a moment.
"Did he feel like a ghost when he kissed you?" Evelyn inquired skeptically.
"No. He felt real, very real."
"Did you ever see him again?"
"No, but sometimes I think I sense him."
"You still go out alone?"