“I saw her eyes veer off. She looked at the place where Goblin sat watching her very steadily. She knew he was there, and as I turned to him I saw that he was locked to her.

“She went on, eating tiny bits of chicken daintily as she talked:

“ ‘There are many old stories about Mayfair women having unusual powers—an ability to call spirits, an ability to read minds, to know the future. But more than anything else there is this question of hereditary madness.’

“ ‘Mona can see Goblin, Aunt Queen,’ I said, glancing at him and then back to her. ‘She has that power. Where in the world for the rest of my life will I find a beautiful brilliant woman who can see and love Goblin?’

“I glanced at him again. He stared coldly at Aunt Queen. And she was staring at the spot where he sat. I knew she was seeing something.

“ ‘You know anyone who marries me,’ I went on, ‘is marrying Goblin.’ I took his right hand and squeezed it. But he didn’t respond.

“ ‘Don’t be sad, Goblin.’

“Aunt Queen shook her head. ‘Jasmine, more wine, please, darling. I think I’m getting drunk. Be sure Clem’s on alert to help me to my room later.’

“ ‘I’ll help you to your room,’ I said. ‘Those breakneck shoes don’t scare me. I’m about to be married.’

“ ‘Quinn,’ said Aunt Queen, ‘did you see how they have taken Mona home? Now please forgive my candor, but it seems to me that they are very afraid of Mona forming any alliance that can lead to her getting pregnant.’

“Nash asked if he should excuse himself. Aunt Queen said absolutely not, and I also nodded to it.

“ ‘Nash, if we’re all going to Europe together,’ I said, ‘you have to know who we are.’

“He sat back nursing his soda quietly.

“ ‘Quinn, am I being unfair,’ Aunt Queen asked, ‘if I suggest that something intimate might have happened between you?’

“I was stunned. I couldn’t answer them. I couldn’t tell them all that Mona had told me—the story of the strange child, that it had been a mutation, that it had been taken away. I couldn’t pass on these confidences.

“ ‘Maybe we are crazy,’ I said, ‘both of us. She being able to see Goblin, imagine that. And both of us seeing ghosts. She talked of it all from a scientific point of view. I felt like I wasn’t a freak. I felt like she and I were of the same ilk. And now it seems this person, this precious person whom I so loved is being stolen from me.’

“ ‘Darling, it’s only for one evening,’ said Aunt Queen patiently. ‘You’ve been invited there tomorrow afternoon.’