doors
the oak door
this is the story of melanie acostaas incredible odyssey when she stows away on a ship bound for africa from colonial louisiana in the early 1700s . in it she falls hopelessly in love with the shipas captain is befriended by a missionary priest and is swept up in adventures that take the characters to the caribbean islands france africa and finally to their home in louisiana . the story is rich with historical fact surrounding the political realities of that part of early america and the time of the louisiana purchase . a dark mystery is ultimately revealed which gives meaning to the title .