Mona and Quinn had already retired into Quinn's bedroom.
It was confirmed that I would take the bedroom of Aunt Queen whenever I visited Blackwood Farm. As for Jasmine, she was so grateful to me for getting rid of the ghost of Patsy that she held me to be infallible and was overjoyed with the arrangement.
It was a sin, my taking that room! But I did it. And Jasmine had already closed Aunt Queen's daytime curtains on the coming sun, and turned down the covers, and tucked under the pillow as always the copy of Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop, as Quinn had said to do.
Enough on that.
I stood alone in the little Blackwood Farm cemetery. Did I like being alone? I hated it. But the cemetery drew me, as they always do.
I called to Maharet, as I had done earlier on this same evening. I didn't even know if it was night where she was. I knew only that she was very far away, and that I needed her. Once again I poured out with all my strength the tale of the tall children and the young ones I couldn't name, and how much I needed Maharet's wisdom and guidance.
As the dawn came near to the moist Louisiana sky, I felt a vague forboding. Find the Taltos on my own? Yes, I could do that. But what would happen?
I was about to retire, so that I could enjoy the process of falling asleep instead of blanking out like a smashed light bulb, when I heard a car turn on the pecan-tree drive and head steadily and confidently for the front of the house.
As I mounted the rise of the lawn, I saw it was an antique roadster, a venerable English MG TD, one of those irresistible cars you don't see anymore except at car shows. Real low-slung, British Racing Green, bumpy canvas top, and the person who pulled it to a halt was Stirling Oliver.
Being only slightly less telepathic than a fledgling vampire, he saw me immediately, and we moved to greet each other.
The morning light was still well behind the horizon.
"I thought you once promised me to keep away from here," I said, "and to leave Quinn alone. "
"I've kept that promise," he said. "I'm here to see you, and if I'd missed you, which I didn't think I would, I would have given this to Jasmine. "
He took out of his linen coat a single folded page on which somebody had written my name.
"What is this?" I asked.
"An E-mail I received for you, care of me, an hour ago. Came in from London. I've been on the road since to bring it to you. "
"Then this means you read it?" I took him by the arm. "Let's go into the house. "
We went up the front steps. The door was never locked. And apparently the lights in the parlor were never turned off.
I sat on the couch.
"Did you read it or not?" I said, staring at the page.
"I did," he said. "That would have been very difficult to avoid. It was also read by our man in London who sent it to me. He doesn't know where it originated, and he doesn't really know what it means. I've bound him to confidentiality. "
"Why am I afraid to open this?" I asked. I unfolded the sheet.
To: Lestat de Lioncourt New Orleans, Louisiana c/o Stirling Oliver Talamasca Hand deliver without delay
My dearest indefatigable one:
If you absolutely must: Private isle, St. Ponticus, southeast of Haiti, once a resort, apparently taken over by those you seek six years ago. Harbor, airstrip, heliport, hotel, beach houses closed to public. Population of those you seek once numerous, cautious, secretive. Heavy human presence from beginning. Present state extremely unclear. Sense conflict, danger, rapid and confusing activity. Approach with
caution from undeveloped east coast. Guard your children. Weigh wisdom of intervention if such is even possible. Ponder question of inevitability. Situation apparently localized. Ands'il vous pla?t, Monsieur, take the time to learn how to use E-mail! Both your young ones possess this knowledge! For shame! Be assured of my love, and the love of those here. M.
I was speechless. I read the letter over again.
"And this, all this confusing information, this is how I reach her by E-mail?" I said, pointing to the other data contained on the page.
"Yes," said Stirling. "And you can reach her instantly. Show this to either Mona or Quinn. Dictate your message to either Mona or Quinn. They'll send it. "
"But why would she betray her location like that?"