Pearl in the Mist (Landry 2)

husband to bury. I don't have time to be a nursemaid to spoiled, defiant young girls. Just do what I say. Do

you hear!" she shrilled.

I sucked in my breath, turned, and walked out

slowly, my stomach feeling as if I had swallowed a

gallon of swamp mud. When I got to my room, I

threw myself on my bed and sobbed. I realized I

wouldn't be able to help Uncle Jean; I couldn't even

help myself.

"So where did you go?" Gisselle asked from the

doorway. I turned slowly and wiped the tears from my

cheeks. "Over to Lake Pontchartrain?" she asked, a

smile of lewd suggestion washing over her lips. "To

neck?"

"No. Beau took me to see Uncle Jean," I said,

and described what I had found. "And so she's had

him moved into a ward where he has only his bed and

a beat-up metal locker," I concluded.

She shrugged, barely showing any interest. "It

doesn't surprise me. I told you what Daphne was

capable of doing, but you just don't listen. You think

the world's all birds and roses. She's going to cut back

plenty on what we get too. You'll see," she said. She

wheeled herself closer and lowered her voice to a

whisper. "It's better that we stay here rather than

return to Greenwood. Put your brilliant mind and your time to figuring out a way to get her to let us stay,"

she said.

"Let us stay?" I laughed so madly I even

frightened myself. "She can't stand the sight of us.

You're the one who's dwelling in a world of illusion if

you think Daphne would even consider having us