At that moment the moving line of marchers ground to a slow stop. Just ahead was a float, standing still as its driver waited for the parade to move again. Looking up at the float, she saw Louise Curtin, wearing a white silk dress and a black lace mantilla over her dark hair, sitting on a throne of red and white flowers and waving to the people below her.
“Louise! Louise! It’s me! Vicki! Right here below you!”
Startled, Louise looked all around and then finally saw Vicki’s upturned face. She waved and shouted a greeting.
“Louise! Your mantilla! May I have it please?”
Louise didn’t seem to understand. “My—my mantilla?”
“Oh, please, Louise!” Vicki reached up pleadingly. “I need your mantilla! Quick, Louise! Oh, please!”
Louise’s eyes widened at the urgency in Vicki’s voice and the expression on her face. She whipped the lace from her head and handed it down to Vicki’s waiting fingers. Vicki quickly wrapped it around her bright blond hair and looked again, desperately, for the man in the black cloak. He was nowhere in sight, and her heart sank. Then, far up ahead, she caught sight of him. She elbowed her way through the stalled crowd, drawing angry glances from people that she was pushing rudely aside.
She clutched the mantilla tightly around her throat as she ran and stumbled forward. No need to worry about Raymond Duke following her now! With the red dress and black head covering, she looked like any one of the thousand other girls in the great crowd.
Once she saw the masked man turn hurriedly around and peer in her direction. Did he see her? With her identifying blond hair covered up, she didn’t think so. If only she could manage to move faster! One thing she was pretty sure of. He would stay in the parade. The heavy mass of costumes would be his best protective cover. Walking up one of the side streets by himself, he would be much too conspicuous.
Then, once again, she caught sight of Duke’s tall figure. He was peering all around. But under the protection of her black mantilla, she felt safe. She turned her head away and plunged on.