cemetery and talk all day?"
"Follow us to the house," I told him, joining Gisselle. "He looks very handsome," she whispered after we were seated. Daphne just glared at the two of
us.
"I don't want any more visitors in the house
today," Daphne declared when we turned into the
Garden District. "Visit with your half brother outside
and make it short. I want the two of you to start
packing your things to return to school tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" Gisselle cried.
"Of course, tomorrow."
"But that's too soon. We should stay home at
least another week out of respect for Daddy." Daphne smiled wryly. "And what would you do
with this week? Would you sit and meditate, pray and
read? Or would you be on the telephone with your
friends, having them come over daily?"
"Well, we don't have to turn into nuns because
Daddy died," Gisselle retorted.
"Precisely. You'll go back to Greenwood
tomorrow and resume your studies. I've already made
the arrangements," Daphne said.
Gisselle folded her arms under her breasts and
sat back in a sulk. "We should run away," she
muttered. "That's what we should do."
Daphne overheard and smiled. "And where would you run to, Princess Gisselle? To your halfwitted uncle Jean in the institution?" she asked, glancing at me. "Or would you join your sister and return to the paradise in the swamps, to live with
people who have crawfish shells stuck in their teeth?" Gisselle turned away and gazed out the
window. For the first time all day, tears flowed from
her eyes. I wished I could think it was because she
really missed Daddy now, but I knew she was crying
simply because she was frustrated with the prospect of
returning to Greenwood and having her visit with her
old friends cut short.