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"That night the chane flowed in Aunt Queen's suite Nash, who had drunk far too ement, proposed toast after toast to the lady he lovedToe thirteen by a matter of thole days, stood up to read a poe hiuardian and inspiration, nephew Tarquin Blackwood Only I failed to co with the occasion I could only slass and say how very happy I was that ere returning home at last, to take stock of all we'd learned, and to all those we had

"The fact was, a multitude of worries and apprehensions had a Byronic hold uponthem But I was also obsessed with Petronia, that she was occupying the Her of Goblin Was I fool enough to believe that Goblin would not show himself to me as soon as I came within the orbit of Blackwood Manor? I was not

"And so the three-and-a-half-year intermezzo was ended

"The following ht to take us immediately to New Orleans "

Chapter36

36

"CLEM AND JASMINE BOTH GREETED us at the airport and I burst into tears elad was I to see them; and never before had Clem looked so handsome in his chauffeur's black suit and official hat, and never had Jasray wool and her signature blouse of white ruffled silk, her blond Afro full and shaped and her tears flowing freely

"Cheerful old Allen had also coe in the pickup and I fell to e him, but then came a moment of truth when Terry Sue appeared in a candy pink suit,over three years ago, with a new baby on her hip (the last one had not been fathered by Pops); and To her

"It took a ed girl beside her, and then I realized it was Brittany

"To him aside, asked what I should have asked before we had come to this juncture: 'What do you want?' 'To stay with you,' was his answer

" 'I then went to Terry Sue and put it to her that Tommy wanted to finish out the trip with a spell at Blackwood Manor if only she would allow it, and I told her and Brittany hoonderful it was that they had come to the airport I slipped Terry Sue all the twenties I had in my wallet, and that was plenty

" 'All right, you behave yourself, To kiss

" 'Brittany, I'll call you tonight,' he said to his sister

" 'You've grown up to be a beautiful girl,' I told her

"Of course Aunt Queen was showering her with compliments, and had even taken off her cameo -- one of the new ones froiven it to her