As the open carriage pulled up to the church hall, Vanessa's pale face stared up the grand entrance stairs. It was the way of all the important buildings in New Orleans, there were stairs that led up to the main door, while inside another shorter set of steps opened into a main room. It was that second entrance that made her nervous, and that second entrance that she knew would bring her new world crashing into her old one. Adam was here...she could feel it in the air.
Adam waited, dressed in his best and masked to hide his entire face, his father was across the room, so as not to attract too much attention to themselves. Ben was speaking with several other community leaders about something, and let out a soft laugh every once in a while. But it wasn't his father that had his attention, Adam's eyes were glued to the stairs leading to the dance floor. Sarah Governs and her breathtaking niece had yet to arrive.
There was a flurry of activity atop the stairs, and then someone appeared at the top of them, and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, your hostess for this evening!" Two women appeared behind him, each wearing a variation of the same cut of dress. It was a silhouette that Adam recognized as becoming popular amongst the ladies, an off the shoulder sleeveless cut that tightened around their waists, emphasizing their trim waists. The skirts were voluminous, and each rustle could be heard as the girls stepped aside as another woman, more obviously the hostess, came into view. She wore a maroon gown that was a bit more stately than her nieces attire, and more fitting someone of her age. Sarah Governs raised her hands to her guests and said grandly, "Enjoy!" The band at the end of the hall struck up a fast number and couples flooded the floor.
Adam watched the first girls descend the stairs and smile broadly at different guests as they passed. The one at the right went towards a small knit of people, quickly disappearing form his line of sight, but the other...the other had Vanessa's hair. She was slowly making her way to the snack table, and took up a small glass of punch. He watched her take a sip, then turn herself back around to watch the dancers. Another woman came up to her, and said something, and Adam watched the first girl smile.
It was Vanessa's smile alright. He'd know that curl of her lips anywhere, even from across the room.
Vanessa turned to look at the girl standing beside her, and laughed, "Jenna, I have no intentions of anything for tonight." she said. The poor woman had suggested that Vanessa pursue her current beau, Ranger Kirkpatrick. He was a widowed father of a young boy, Matthew. His wife had passed away about three years ago from an illness no one could explain, but Vanessa had a tugging feeling that she would have been able to help if she'd been here. Jenna Marcus looked pointedly at Vanessa, "Nessa, sweetheart, admit it. You like him more than you let on." Vanessa glanced to where her cousin was schmoozing with the very man they were discussing. He was taller than Adam by only a few inches, with a thick mop of sandy brown hair and the most delicious brown eyes that Vanessa had seen in years. He was built like a sailor, with thick thighs and calves, and powerful arms and shoulders that reminded her of the cowboys she used to work with back on the Summerset, but that mattered little to Vanessa. He was a good man that cared deeply for his little four year old boy, she could see it in his face whenever he talked about him.
They had been courting on and off for the last year, ever since they'd first met in one of the many bookstores along the southern boardwalks. She had been about to pay for her purchase when he'd slid the money in front of her hand. "I'll cover it." she'd looked up at him, into those puppy brown eyes and was surprised to find herself talking to him. He was a delightful conversationalist that had captured her imagination, and reminded her of Adam.
Adam Cartwright...the devil was in this room, she could feel it in the air. Adam carried a way about himself, an aura that made others take notice. She glanced around the room one more time, but with the years that had passed and the fact that most people on the floor were masked, it was hopeless. But not for Adam.
He smiled to himself, and swallowed thickly, it was now or go home without her.