Part 30 (1/2)

” 'You'll forgive my intrusion, please,' he said. 'My name is Stirling Oliver. I'm a member of an organization. It's called the Talamasca. I want to introduce myself to you. We study the paranormal, you see, and I couldn't help but notice your companion.'

” 'You mean you can see him too?' I asked. But I saw at once he was telling the truth, and Goblin's eyes moved to his, but Goblin said nothing.

” 'Yes, I can see him very well,' said Mr. Oliver as he presented me with a little card. 'We're an old, old Order,' he went on. 'We've existed for perhaps a thousand years. We study ghosts and those who can see them. We offer a.s.sistance. We offer information. I am so very impressed with your friend. Do forgive me.'

” 'Goblin, talk to Mr. Oliver,' I said.

”Goblin neither moved nor spoke.

”Aunt Queen interjected. 'I really must ask you to stop,' she said with uncommon force. 'You see, my nephew in spite of his prodigious height is only eighteen, and you really must go through me if you want to establish any sort of relations.h.i.+p at all with him. I don't entirely approve of those who believe in the paranormal.'

” 'But Aunt Queen,' I said. 'How can you say this! All my life I've seen Goblin! Please, I beg you, let me talk to this man.' But it was to the red-haired girl I looked, and then abruptly I rose, excusing myself to n.o.body, and I went to her table.

”She looked up at me with Fr. Kevin's green eyes. The little ribbons held back beautiful tresses of her long thick wavy hair. She smiled. She beamed. She was exquisite.

” 'I want to marry you,' I said. 'I'm in love with you. You can see Goblin, can't you?'

” 'Yes, I can see him, and he's an egregious whopper of a spirit,' she said, 'but I don't think I can marry you.'

”I sat down, probably taking the chair which Stirling Oliver had vacated, barely casting a glance at him to discover he was in fast discussion with Aunt Queen, and only now did I realize that Fr. Kevin and Dr. Winn were both seated at the table facing us.

” 'My name's Mona Mayfair,' the girl said. She had the most crisp lively voice. 'These are my cousins --.'

” 'I know them both. Fr. Kev, please, properly introduce us.'

” 'Quinn, you are so strange,' said Fr. Kev with the flash of a warm smile. ' ” Properly introduce.” Next you'll want me to announce the banns on Sunday. Mona, this is Tarquin Blackwood, he's eighteen, and he takes his familiar with him everywhere.'

” 'That ghost is no familiar,' Mona said. 'He's much too strong for that designation.'

”Oh, I loved her voice, the lilt of it, the easy way she laughed.

” 'I want to marry you, Mona, I know it,' I said. I stammered. I had never beheld anyone as purely lovable as Mona, and I never would, I was totally aware of that. The world hung by a thread, and I had to seize the world and snap that thread. 'Mona, come away with me. Let's just talk together.'

” 'Slow down, Tarquin, please,' she said. 'You're really cut and cute, but I can't just go off with you. I've got so many people watching me you wouldn't believe it.'

” 'Oh, it's the same way with me, every decision is made by committee. Mona, I adore you.' I looked at my hands. What rings had I put on for the odious meeting with the psychiatrists? I had a diamond-studded band on my right ring finger. I pulled it off. I offered it to her.

164.

” 'Quinn,' said Fr. Kevin, 'cease and desist. You can talk to Mona in normal fas.h.i.+on. You don't have to be offering her a ring. You don't even know her.'

” 'And look,' she said, pointing over at the table. 'Your ghost is standing up and staring at you. He knows I can see him and he doesn't know what he thinks about it. Look how he's looking down at Stirling.'

” 'Stirling, the Talamasca, that's what he said, right? I have to learn about it. You know this Talamasca, Fr. Kev?'

” 'About as much as a priest of the Church of Rome can ever know it,' he answered easily.

'Quinn, Stirling's a decent man. I can't endorse the organization, but he's been a good friend to Mona and to me.'

” 'You need somebody like him,' said Mona. 'Not me. I'm too ruined for you.'

” 'What on earth are you talking about?' I said. 'Ruined! You're gorgeous. I want to. . . I'm going mad. I knew I'd go mad today. First it's a panel of psychiatrists, and then it's Goblin acting sullen and weird, and now you're telling me you won't even think about marrying me! Let me just call on you, let me just bring you a bouquet of flowers and sit with you in your parlor with your mother, all right? I swear, I'll be a perfect gentleman.'

”Her smile broadened and I could see the most shadowy humor in her quick green eyes. I could see secrets, I could see cleverness and sweetness.

” 'I wish to G.o.d, if I wasn't who I am --' she said. 'Mayfairs like me always marry other Mayfairs. We have no choice. n.o.body else understands us.' She sighed.

” 'I understand you. You've seen other ghosts, haven't you? You knew Goblin for what he was immediately.'

” 'I've seen plenty of ghosts,' she said soberly. 'Maybe you and I could just play for a while.'

” 'No, I don't think this is a good idea,' said Fr. Kev. 'Quinn, your Aunt Queen is getting pretty heated over there.' He rose to his feet. 'I think it's time for me to step in and restrain Stirling. I've never seen Stirling play it quite this way. I think Stirling thinks you need him, Quinn. And you come back with me now.'

” 'But I don't even know where you live!' I said to Mona.

”I stared at Dr. Winn. His cold blue eyes and impa.s.sive face told me nothing.

” 'Come on, Quinn,' said Fr. Kev.

” 'First and Chestnut Streets,' said Mona. 'Can you remember that? Riverside downtown corner. That's the Garden District --.'

” 'I know it totally,' I said. 'My grandma grew up on Coliseum Street. I'll come to see you.'

”I let Fr. Kev direct me back to my table. Stirling Oliver was in my chair talking heatedly to Aunt Queen.

” 'We only mean to help people,' he said. 'A person who sees spirits can feel very isolated.'

” 'You're right,' I said, 'you're so right.'

”And there stood Goblin staring down coldly on the proceedings and then looking over to the blossom of loveliness that was Mona.

”Stirling rose. He put a white card in my hand. 'Take this. Call me if you feel you need to talk to me. And if your aunt, Mrs. McQueen, will allow it.'

” 'I despise having to be rude,' said Aunt Queen, 'but I do not think this is a very good idea, Mr. Oliver, and I do prevail upon you to leave my nephew to his destiny.'

” 'His destiny,' said Mr. Oliver. 'Oh, but that has such a ring to it.'

” 'Yes, indeed it does,' I said. 'Aunt Queen, I'm in love. I'm in love with that girl. Turn your head. You won't believe your eyes.'

” 'Good Lord,' she said, 'it's a female Mayfair.'

” 'What kind of remark is that!' I said.

165.

”Fr. Kevin chuckled under his breath. 'Now Miss Queen,' he said, smiling, 'you've always tolerated me very well. I know you've had your driver bring you all the way over the lake just to hear me say Ma.s.s at St. Mary's a.s.sumption.'

” 'You do say Ma.s.s with a lovely flair, Fr. Kevin,' she responded, 'and you are a priest of G.o.d, as we well know, and a consecrated priest of the Roman Catholic Church, no dispute on that matter --but we are talking about your cousin Mona, if I'm not mistaken? Yes, Mona, and that is entirely another matter. Darlings, I think it's time for us to go home. Quinn, dear, you've been discharged and your room packed up. Nash, you don't mind too terribly --.”