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We are the world to each other; we are the sun for

each other; we are the stars."

It was wonderful to surrender myself

completely and feel him submerge his identity

completely into me. We were, as the poets say, one. Afterward we lay beside each other, tingling,

still touching each other with our lips as well as our

fingers.

"This is our secret place," Pierre said. "No one

must know. I will come to you as often, as many

times, as I can for as long as I am able," he promised. "But how, Pierre? You are married."

"My wife and I live separate lives right now.

She is content being the queen of the block, one of

New Orleans's royalty, a princess of the city. Her

friends are not my friends. I do not enjoy the affairs she attends and the people with whom she surrounds herself. They are all . . . fops, dandies, artificial men and women who lie to each other and to themselves continually and then whisper behind each other's backs. But Daphne enjoys the games, enjoys being the center of things, being kowtowed to and catered to

and treated like the blue blood she believes she is." "But, Pierre;is it not sinful what we are doing?"

I couldn't help thinking about Mama now and all her

warnings. "Tell me that love makes this all right," I

moaned, the tears burning beneath my eyelids. "Shh." He put his finger on my lips and then

kissed the tip of my nose and smiled. "Yes, darling

Gabriel. Love does make this all right, especially a

true love, for love like ours must be divinely inspired,

blessed. It's too wonderful to be c

reated by the devil

and it's too pure. I love you without lust, but with

affection; I love you without selfishness, but with

only the hope to make you happy."

"But what if you're eventually discovered here?

What if . . ."

"I would risk everything I have a hundred

times," he pledged, "because what I have means