“Nash was begging me to be quiet.

“ ‘Deny it, I dare you,’ I said. ‘Say you didn’t come into my very room and drag me from my bed.’

“ ‘Mrs. McQueen,’ he answered. ‘I did not come into this house at any time before tonight.’

“ ‘ “My honored Lord, you know right well you did,” ’ I flashed on him from Ophelia in Hamlet. ‘You came into my room. You accosted me outside. You made threats. You know you did. You come here to torment me. That has to be the reason. You play with me. It’s a game that amuses you. It began with those bodies, dumped in the moonlight, when you knew I stood on the island and saw you there.’

“ ‘Quinn, silence!’ Aunt Queen declared. Never had I heard such a cry from her, such a total command. ‘I won’t have it,’ she said. She was shaking.

“ ‘Let me take my leave quietly,’ said Petronia. She took Aunt Queen’s hand.

“ ‘I am so sorry,’ Aunt Queen said. ‘So dreadfully, dreadfully sorry.’

“ ‘You’ve been very gracious to me,’ she said in the same feminized voice. ‘I’ll never forget it.’

“He turned his pretty face to me, and I saw the woman in him, and then he was gone, with straight shoulders and big long strides, gorgeous hair flying, and I heard the heavy vibration of the big front door.

“All those around me were shocked. Cindy, the nurse, was full of concern. Nash didn’t know what he should do or for whom to do it. And I sat down, knowing I was drunk and that I was going to be sick, and Aunt Queen stared at me with blazing anger and disappointment in her eyes. Jasmine was shaking her head.

“Finally, sinking down into her armchair, Aunt Queen spoke:

“ ‘Do you honestly expect anyone to believe the things you are saying?’

“ ‘It’s all true,’ I said. ‘How in the world could you believe her instead of me? What did she tell you—that she was man and woman, so much of each that she was neither one? You believe that? And that she believes in reincarnation? You believe that? That she made the cameos she gave you? You believe that? And that the mausoleum on the island was made for her great-great-grandmother. You believe that? I’m telling you, she came at me. Or he came to me. And he has the strength of a man, that I can vouch for. And he does read minds and that’s dangerous. And all the rest I’ve said—all along—is true.’

“Aunt Queen couldn’t look at me. Cindy brought her a hot toddy. It sort of sat there in the cup. Aunt Queen asked:

“ ‘Where were you tonight?’