Chapter 5

Next evening at eight, when Gilberto knocked on Helena door, she was ready. She was chatting with Tina who wasn't fussing anymore over her make-up and Sandra, another Golden Maid resident girl, who had volunteered to do Helena's hair and did a marvelous job.

"You look ravishing, Helena," stated simply Gilberto, very handsome in a traditional black tuxedo. "There will be plenty of beautiful girls at the party, but my girl-friend will outshine all of them. Let's go." He offered his left arm to the blushing girl.

"Have fun, Helena," piped Tina. "You're mean, Mr. Amaro, how come you never invited me or Sandra to a party?"

"Don't sass me, Miss Tina. You're lucky that I can't spare a quarter hour to warm your bottom," laughed Gilberto.

Ricardo, the Golden Maid jack-of-all-trades was waiting for them. One of his jobs was to drive the girls around as very few women and not many men had driving licenses at that time in Brazil. Gilberto owned several cars, he preferred his Kharman-Ghia green convertible, but for this occasion Ricardo would take them in a Rolls Royce limousine, a long silver luxury car that Gilberto purchased recently. After the dealer brought the car and the staff peeked at it from the windows Ricardo told Helena that there were only three other models like this in Brazil.

Gilberto helped Helena to step in and after she settled on the luxurious seat he followed her. She enjoyed the coolness of the soft grey leather seeping at her through the diaphanous dress. The smell of a new car and of the cologne of her companion acted powerfully on Helena's senses. She started to feel like Cinderella going to the ball at the side of her prince. Ricardo rolled up the smoked division and they were alone in the privacy of the rear compartment of a luxury car. She was looking at the beach rolling smoothly along her window when a light touch on her knee sent electric shivers through her body.

"We have a few minutes before we arrive at Baroness' beach mansion, Helena. I have a suggestion how to spend this time."

His lips descended on hers and she opened her mouth. His arm around her shoulders pressed her against his chest and they spent the rest of the short trip necking in the back seat like two horny teenagers on their first date.

The car smoothly arrived to their destiny. Ricardo opened her door and waited while she retouched her make-up using a tiny compact that Tina providentially stuck in her small purse.

When finally she alighted from the car, Gilberto's left arm was waiting for her and the pair entered Baroness's mansion walking the long red carpet between flower arrangements.

"Helena, would you accept being my real girl friend?"

"What?"

Before he could answer her startled exclamation they were inside being greeted by Baroness and her sister. Gilberto graciously introduced Helena to everyone as "Helena Campos, my namorada1, making Helena blush prettily all the time.

Helena still had her misgivings about Nina's reaction to having her attending the party. Although the party was thrown by Baroness, but it was to celebrate Nina's 18 year anniversary, so she could be pissed off for having a common help invited, even if she was Gilberto's beau. She expressed her thoughts to Gilberto as they entered the ball room. Gilberto wasn't worried at all. He should be.

The main ball room had a stage at the far end where a whole orchestra was playing soft classical music. The central dancing area was half-full of guests and around the dancing couples the remaining guests mingled, chatted and helped themselves from the trays offered them by waiters and uniformed maids.

Helena lost the track of the number of important looking people she was introduced to by Gilberto, when suddenly the birthday girl appeared in front of them crying, "padrinho2, I'm so glad you came!" throwing her arms around Gilberto's neck and kissing him full on his mouth. Then she spotted Helena and her smile was replaced by an ugly sneer. "What's this trollop doing here? I didn't invite her! I want her out of here! Go away, strumpet!" And snatching a champagne flute from a tray offered by a maid she threw it directly in Helena's face.

Helena was schooled in street fight; she spent most of her childhood and teenager years fending her ways among hostile youths. She anticipated Nina's move and ducked under her throwing arm. Gilberto wasn't as lucky. The crystal glass struck him squarely in his forehead and drenched his dress shirt, black tie and the front of his tuxedo with champagne, before falling on the floor and shattering in hundred pieces.

Nina had the good grace to cover her mouth with a gloved hand while exclaiming, "oh, 'padrinho' I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Then she squealed as Gilberto grabbed her arm and pulled behind him in a direction of double doors at the side of the saloon. "Wait for me Helena. Nina is in for her birthday spanking."

The crowd parted before the tall man who was dragging the unwilling teenager with one hand and with the other was unbuckling his belt. A servant opened the door in front of the couple, closing it as soon as they disappeared inside the room and stood guard in front of it as if challenging the crowd to try to follow them.

"I'm so sorry, Helena. Are you alright?" Alessandra, Nina's mother was at her side. "Nina can be such a brat at times, since her father died. The only one she respects is dear Gilberto, and now she will really get it."

"And it's way overdue, if you want my opinion, dear sister." The Baroness joined them. "Please accept my most sincere apologies, Helena. I can warranty you that Gilberto will see to it never happen again." Two maids got busy cleaning the floor sweeping carefully the tiny pieces of glass.

The big saloon got reasonably silent since the incident, the orchestra stopped its performance and the crowd was waiting in suspense what transpired from behind the closed doors. When the first painful cry was heard, the Baroness clapped her hands. "Maestro, a waltz please." The orchestra attacked a Strauss tune with gusto and immediately several couples started to swirl. An officer appeared at Helena's side. "We were introduced by Gilberto. I'm his cousin, Captain Albert Amaro. Would you concede me this dance?"