Pearl in the Mist (Landry 2)

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.