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" 'What's his full name?' I asked 'You can tell me, can't you?¡¯

" 'Please do tell us his full name,' asked Aunt Queen with a decisive nod

" 'Tommy Harrison,' said Grady 'Harrison is Terry Sue's last naitiitimate ¡¯

"My ht Who was I to judge the ht have done otherwise? Who was I to judge him that he had left little Tohed on hed on me that Patsy's character had perhaps been shaped by her lifelong struggle against a man who did not believe in her

"Our farewells were being exchanged

"I had to come to the surface And off ent to lunch with Nash at Blackwood Manor

"As we came out of the office Goblin appeared, attired as I was, ain, but dour as he had been in the hospital, though not sneering, only solemn if not sad He walked beside me to the car, and I felt that he knew my sadness, my disillusionment, and I turned to hiood

" 'It's changing, Quinn,' he said to me

" 'No, old buddy, it can't change,' I said in his ear

"But I kneas right I had things to do now Places to go And people to meet "

Chapter23

23

"WHAT BROUGHT ME out of my daze about the newfound uncle and Pops' wealth was the view of all the old wicker, painted white and grouped on the side flagstone terrace to the right of Blackwood Manor, just as it had been in my dreams of Rebecca This was furniture I'd requisitioned from the attic, but the task of restoration had been completed while I lay in the hospital, and Iof couches and chairs just as it had been when Rebecca served me her mythical coffee

" 'Mona's going to understand,' IOliver, he'll understand, and then there's Nash, Nash who seeave e time with some equanimity ¡¯

"But when he entered the front hall I was stunned to see a pile of luggage by the door, and Nash, in a blue suit and tie, with a hand out for my shoulder