Prologue

The dry heat of the mid-day sun blazed down onto the delicate skin of a young girls back as she sat outside in her garden under the shade of her pretty white laced parasol. She sipped at pink lemonade and ate a slice of lime cake as her father trimmed the plush green of their lawn with his trimmers. Her big bright green eyes scanned the contents of her yard as she stared blissfully at the white fluffy clouds in the ever blue sky.

The girl about to blossom into a woman, held back listless wisdom in her glassy orbs unlike others her age. Rimmed with long, thick eyelashes casted a shadow on her cheeks when fluttered. Eyes wide and worldly they held every green imaginable in them making her look more like an antique porcelain doll rather than a seventeen year old girl.

Named Cordelia after her long deceased grandmother her hair was the deepest gold in the sunlight, adorably framing her small angular face and chin. Her mother's natural hair color was unknown to her, but Delia's was a soft pastel blonde which she had gotten from her father. Much to her mom's preference her hair had remained untouched by harsh dyes and never cut farther than her shoulders.

Though on her crown wispy bangs gently blew in the summer breeze as her wavy golden hair fell to her midsection. The ends naturally darker than the rest of her hair held light streaks of blonde that seemed to glow pink in the sunlight. It was as soft to the touch as a feather and always laid untangled and un-frizzed even in the southern heat. Just like her grandmother Cordelia's facial features were soft, she had a small button nose and a proportionate heart shaped face. Surely under all her mother's makeup, she probably looked the same. Makeup forbidden at her young age she was left to rely on what she already had. Large pink lips and flawless skin Cordelia looked as if she had been blessed by the angels. She was a true southern beauty.

She wore her Sunday best having just come back from church; an enormous cathedral in the center of town. Much like Norte dame it was a great example of french gothic architecture. With its flying buttresses, pointed arches, and rib vaulting it was one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in town. As any good catholic her mother had dressed her up like a doll. Modestly presented for Sunday church, she had on a long white sun dress with lace frills and floral ivory buttons. It went up to her neck and covered her arms to protect her from the harsh rays of the sun, but it was also thin enough that she wasn't too hot.

Idly, she embroidered a silk handkerchief with various flowers, cutting yet another slice of soft lemon drizzle and digging in with a small desert fork. On her feet were simple heel less ballet slip ons. Being a young unmarried woman, she wasn't allowed to wear heels. A Roman catholic community such as this in the 1920's had its restrictions.

"Darlin' cut me a slice of that cake, will you? And grab me a beer from the bucket while your at it. This heat is nothing like the summers we use to have back in Virginia- if it weren't for your mama' I'd still be there now..." Back a year ago her mother had the fun idea of moving to the outer banks due to loss of work. For years she had complained about the cold winters and lifeless land. Mother had always wanted to live near the ocean and what she wanted, she got.

Cordelia smiled. "Well it is what it is. Besides I've got another cake in the oven, so if you can wait a while longer I can get you a fresh slice- this ones a little dry..."

"That would be lovely darlin." She chucked him a beer from the ice cold bucket beside her feet and giggled as he struggled to catch it.

Her mother thundered down the dusty dirt driveway, easily recognizable by her blonde hair that frayed towards the end due to excessive dye; her natural roots coming in. Familiar overly plucked and drawn eyebrows were sharply arched in anger. Cordelia's father frowned knowing he was going to get scolded for leaving early with her and avoiding the gathering at church. Oh mama- She hid her face in her white dress- here we go again...

Cordelia and her mother never quite got along. Possibly because they were polar opposites, both in personality and appearance. Her mother Sheila had always prided herself in her daughters physical appearance rather than actually showing her affection.

As she frowned Sheila's crimson lipstick stuck out on her thin lips making her daughter cringe. "Richard LaLaurie-! You listen' here, I have had it up to here with you! Not only did you leave early and miss the towns weekly gatherin' you missed the one day where Mr. and Mrs. Van Rensselaer were in town!"

Cordelias eyes shot up in surprise- she had lived in this town- her very own Beaufort, for nearly two years, but she had only seen the Van Rensselaer family two times. They barely came to church and the only time she had encountered them was when Mrs. Rensselaer had come to Beaufort's only grocery supplier to get some food for what she assumed was a special occasion.

With a family name like theirs she would've assumed the old barons wife would've been quite the socialite like her own mother. Yet they seemed to never come a few miles past their vast property. Cordelia supposed they were just busy with their business and shipping out their goods to the Beaufort harbor- That or they were snobs. "That's right Richard! You heard me- and guess what, not only were they there- but Mrs. Van Rensselaer- or Molly Mae, that's right, we're on a first name basis now- had a conversation with me!"

"Honestly Richard, not only are you a bad Christian but you missed the only opportunity to make some more friends in this town. You've been here for a year and the only man you know is Ralf down at the hardware store- and you!"

She turned to her daughter and she cringed- here comes the final blow. "Cordelia Evangeline LaLaurie- you are a young girl! Your reputation matters in this town, you should know better than to skip church! How are you ever going to find a husband if your don't go out to gatherings?! But it's quite alright- I was talking about you- to Molly Mae of course- and I mentioned your famous apple pie, she said she'd love to try some so I need you to be a good girl and head on up to the Van Rensselaer property for me and drop one off-"

"But mama-" She groaned. Please, mama, don't make me go all the way to the outskirts of town just to deliver an apple pie.

"No buts- if you had stayed at church today we wouldn't be having this conversation. Your daddy will take the truck and drop you off and then come to pick you up in an hours time-"

"Now who says I'll be takin' her anywhere? Maggie Smith LaLaurie." He replied, mocking her as Cordelia hid her giggle in her handkerchief and gazed at her parents.

"Don't take that tone with me honey- unless you want your little girl to walk five miles you're drivin' her and that's that."

"Now wait a minute- I ain't takin' her to no damn stranger house." Of course father would object this. The Van Rensselaer family had three sons and there was no way he was gonna leave his young daughter there without supervision.

Her mother just shook her head. "We'll see."

Cordelia sighed. Now that she was about to become an adult her mother had gotten even more pushy on the topic of marriage. Being an only child she was being pushed towards it even harsher than other girls her age.

How was she every going to tell her mother that she wanted to be a nun?

The news would be heart breaking to the woman. Ever since Cordelia was a young girl, she had always admired the women at the local annex. They always went throughout the community helping others. Even as young as she was the girl would mimic their acts by going to the library every Thursday and reading to the children; using her spare time to do whatever charitable acts she could. But most of all-

They were free.

Free to do whatever they wanted with no constrictions. They could go to college, continue their education and buy their own homes. Marriage was great and all but women in the family had no power. They could do nothing without permission. Besides if she was unlucky enough to end up in an unhappy marriage or bonded to a horrid unfaithful man, she wouldn't be able to divorce him. Once married a woman was forever bound to her husband by gods law. There was no such thing as divorce for Catholics. To her, that was just to much of a risk to take.

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to be continued...