“Do you want me to put a curse on him?” Her Mémère’s eyes shone with a sassy gleam. “Maybe give him a wicked itch that’ll keep him busy for a while?”
Simon’s lips twitched and then pressed together in a flat line. He leaned close to Holly and whispered, “Remind me not to make your grandmother mad.”
Holly laughed. “That won’t be necessary.”
Her grandmother gave a solemn nod. “Find the person who isn’t glad you’re back, and you might find who put the doll in your car.”
A shout sounded from the direction of the dock.
Simon, Holly and Madam Gautier turned to find someone paddling up in a pirogue.
Holly’s eyes narrowed. “Is that Lissette?”
“Yoohoo,” a feminine voice called out. The pirogue slid up the bank and came to a stop. As smooth as a dancer, Lissette stepped out, wearing a flowing dress, her long black hair falling down over her shoulders. Beautiful and unruffled after paddling through the bayou, she could just as easily have stepped off the runway at a fashion show.
“Who wears dresses to canoe through the bayou?” Holly muttered.
“Hi, y’all,” Lissette sang as she sauntered up the rise carrying a basket like Little Red Riding Hood come to pay her grandmother a visit.
Only Lissette was more like the wolf than the little girl, always stirring up trouble and dragging everyone else into it.
The last thing she needed was Lissette to insert herself into her search for a cure to her curse.
Holly braced herself for whatever mischief Lissette came to serve up.
Chapter 7
Simon could sense the tension in Holly as her beautiful cousin strode across the grass like a vamp, without missing a step, a smile spreading across her face.
Instinctively, he didn’t trust the woman. Simon moved closer to Holly and rested a hand lightly at the small of her back.
Holly shifted, without taking her eyes off her cousin, and leaned into his hand. He liked that she didn’t pull away. Perhaps she was getting used to the idea of their ruse of being an item.
He was liking it more than he’d expected. House hunting with her had made the process a lot less painful. He’d appreciated her comments and views on the different homes they’d toured and found he’d agreed with everything she’d noted.
They had similar tastes in what they didn’t like. He hoped they were equally matched in what they did like.
Why that was important to him at that time, he didn’t question. He just let it be.
“Ah, my Lissette,” Madam Gautier said with a smile. “What brings you out in the bayou on such a lovely day?”
“You, of course.” Lissette climbed the stairs, dropped a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek and held out the basket. “I brought treats from the Bayou Bakery. I swear, Amelie makes the best eclairs in all of Louisiana. They are like her motto...baked with love.” She folded back a cloth to display half a dozen of the sweet treats. “All for my sweet, little grandmama.”
“You know eclairs are my favorite after Café Dumond’s beignets.” The Voodoo queen patted Lissette’s cheek. “Thank you, my dear. Could you please put them on the counter in the kitchen? Then come join us on the porch.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lissette said with a smile and pushed through the screen door.
Madam Gautier leaned toward the door. “And while you’re in the kitchen, bring the pitcher of lemonade from the fridge and four glasses.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lissette called out from inside the house.
“She always brings me eclairs when she wants something,” Madam Gautier whispered. “It used to be a potion or elixir to cure her broken heart. I’ve made more than a dozen of those for her since she turned eleven. Lately, she wants more than elixirs for a broken heart. She wants me to teach her everything I know about Voodoo and magic.”
Holly frowned. “Is that a good idea? I know she’s family and all, but she’s always been one for stirring up trouble.”
Her grandmother patted her arm. “Not to worry, my dear. I’ve only taught her a few spells to make her laundry smell better. I also showed her how to make salves to ease wounds and pain. I won’t give her secrets that could cause others pain.”
“Gran, you’re a wise and powerful Voodoo queen.” Holly gave her grandmother a quick hug and then stepped back against Simon’s hand. “I’m not one to tell you who you can or cannot teach all you know. I only hope the ones you teach use the magic for good.”
