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minute though, it resolved itself down to just a tall man with
bristling grey-blond eyebrows, a slender black woman talking and
waving her hands around, another tall black woman, this one older
and dignified, and two girls of about twelve or thirteen, both tall
and gangly. The girls were talking and waving their hands, too.
Quinn looked small and compact compared to them, more like his
mother, to whom he made a beeline, opening his arms and
gathering her in.
The tall bristling man, who reminded Will of an Airedale, came
over, his big hand outstretched and a grin splitting his face. Well,
37
ANGEL VOICES
then, you d be Will, now, wouldn t ye? His voice had a deep,
rumbling burr that fit his looks completely.
Yes, sir, Will said nervously, and shook his hand. Quinn had
said his family was perfectly fine with his orientation, but he still
couldn t wrap his head around it, and this man looked like he could
crush both Will and Quinn in one massive fist.
The older woman said something to the man in French, and he
responded, the French words sounding peculiar with his Scots burr.
Then he said to Will, Grandmother says I should hug ye, but I
think I ll leave that to Quinn, if ye don t mind. I don t want ye
boltin from sheer terror.
No, sir, Will said gratefully.
These women think that it should all be hugs and whatnot,
Mr. MacLachlan said. Comes of bein part Irish and part French
and all Creole. Huggin and kissin and whatnot. He gave Will a
wink. But I m Scots. We dunna do that.
Me either, sir.
Bebe!
Will turned and was enveloped in a cloud of some lovely
perfume and slender, graceful arms. Quinn s mother was just as
beautiful as he was, with fine, delicate features and silky gold-
streaked hair, like Quinn s. Her skin was a soft nut brown, smooth
and flawless, and her lips soft as she kissed Will s cheek.
Bienvenu, Will, she murmured. His name sounded like Weel.
Welcome. Come and meet the family, and she took his arm as if
they were going on promenade.
The older lady was, of course, Quinn s grandmother, Mrs.
Quinlevan ( Thus the Quinn, Quinn said. I was spared the
whole thing ) and the two younger girls, Siobhan and Saoirse. I
thought you were Scottish, Will asked in an aside to Quinn, and
38
ANGEL VOICES
Quinn said, My mother s a quarter Irish; her father was half Irish
and half French, and she named all of us Irish first names and
French middle names, since we ll all end up with Scottish last
names. It s her idea of compromise, and you see how that works.
What s your middle name?
Quinn made a face. Francois.
Will grinned. I ll remember that.
I bet you will.
In a moment of stillness while the others bustled around the
room getting ready to go out, he found himself seated next to the
grandmother. She regarded him from under a carefully shaped
black eyebrow, and said, Your injuries are healing?
He nodded. Her voice was like the rest of her, serene and
dignified, and with a faint French, or maybe Creole, accent. He
didn t know much about accents, but whatever it was, it made her
eerie and exotic. Yes, thank you.
You are very polite, she said approvingly. Quinn should
only date gentlemen. He is a gentleman himself all my bebes are
well behaved. It is a shame that you should be damaged, but there
are many villains in the world. Best you should learn that young,
and so learn to defend against them. She patted his hand. You
will be good for Quinn, I think. Camille.
She didn t shout or even raise her voice above a
conversational tone but all activity ceased immediately. Oui,
Maman?
My wrap?
Of course. Mrs. MacLachlan brought over a tweed coat and
helped her into it as if it were the finest fur. Mrs. Quinlevan
regarded Will with dark, thoughtful eyes, then took his arm much
as her daughter had done. I like you, she said mildly.
39
ANGEL VOICES
That s a new one, Mr. MacLachlan said with a rumbling
laugh. You must be special, Will. Maman Quin has most of the
city terrorized.
The city ?
New Orleans. Quinn said. In the French Quarter. She lives
there. Her house has been in her family for over two hundred
years.
My ancestress was a quadroon, and clever. Do you know what
a quadroon is? She turned her head to look at Will. Unlike her
petite daughter, she was easily Will s height and could look him
straight in the eye.
Yes, ma am.
She had four children with various lovers. Two married into
the white race, and two married into the black. The white line died
out. She smiled at Will. My line did not. So. We are ready to go,
Camille, Ian. Girls. She raised her head and led the way from the
room with Will, Quinn and the others tailing behind.
* * * [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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minute though, it resolved itself down to just a tall man with
bristling grey-blond eyebrows, a slender black woman talking and
waving her hands around, another tall black woman, this one older
and dignified, and two girls of about twelve or thirteen, both tall
and gangly. The girls were talking and waving their hands, too.
Quinn looked small and compact compared to them, more like his
mother, to whom he made a beeline, opening his arms and
gathering her in.
The tall bristling man, who reminded Will of an Airedale, came
over, his big hand outstretched and a grin splitting his face. Well,
37
ANGEL VOICES
then, you d be Will, now, wouldn t ye? His voice had a deep,
rumbling burr that fit his looks completely.
Yes, sir, Will said nervously, and shook his hand. Quinn had
said his family was perfectly fine with his orientation, but he still
couldn t wrap his head around it, and this man looked like he could
crush both Will and Quinn in one massive fist.
The older woman said something to the man in French, and he
responded, the French words sounding peculiar with his Scots burr.
Then he said to Will, Grandmother says I should hug ye, but I
think I ll leave that to Quinn, if ye don t mind. I don t want ye
boltin from sheer terror.
No, sir, Will said gratefully.
These women think that it should all be hugs and whatnot,
Mr. MacLachlan said. Comes of bein part Irish and part French
and all Creole. Huggin and kissin and whatnot. He gave Will a
wink. But I m Scots. We dunna do that.
Me either, sir.
Bebe!
Will turned and was enveloped in a cloud of some lovely
perfume and slender, graceful arms. Quinn s mother was just as
beautiful as he was, with fine, delicate features and silky gold-
streaked hair, like Quinn s. Her skin was a soft nut brown, smooth
and flawless, and her lips soft as she kissed Will s cheek.
Bienvenu, Will, she murmured. His name sounded like Weel.
Welcome. Come and meet the family, and she took his arm as if
they were going on promenade.
The older lady was, of course, Quinn s grandmother, Mrs.
Quinlevan ( Thus the Quinn, Quinn said. I was spared the
whole thing ) and the two younger girls, Siobhan and Saoirse. I
thought you were Scottish, Will asked in an aside to Quinn, and
38
ANGEL VOICES
Quinn said, My mother s a quarter Irish; her father was half Irish
and half French, and she named all of us Irish first names and
French middle names, since we ll all end up with Scottish last
names. It s her idea of compromise, and you see how that works.
What s your middle name?
Quinn made a face. Francois.
Will grinned. I ll remember that.
I bet you will.
In a moment of stillness while the others bustled around the
room getting ready to go out, he found himself seated next to the
grandmother. She regarded him from under a carefully shaped
black eyebrow, and said, Your injuries are healing?
He nodded. Her voice was like the rest of her, serene and
dignified, and with a faint French, or maybe Creole, accent. He
didn t know much about accents, but whatever it was, it made her
eerie and exotic. Yes, thank you.
You are very polite, she said approvingly. Quinn should
only date gentlemen. He is a gentleman himself all my bebes are
well behaved. It is a shame that you should be damaged, but there
are many villains in the world. Best you should learn that young,
and so learn to defend against them. She patted his hand. You
will be good for Quinn, I think. Camille.
She didn t shout or even raise her voice above a
conversational tone but all activity ceased immediately. Oui,
Maman?
My wrap?
Of course. Mrs. MacLachlan brought over a tweed coat and
helped her into it as if it were the finest fur. Mrs. Quinlevan
regarded Will with dark, thoughtful eyes, then took his arm much
as her daughter had done. I like you, she said mildly.
39
ANGEL VOICES
That s a new one, Mr. MacLachlan said with a rumbling
laugh. You must be special, Will. Maman Quin has most of the
city terrorized.
The city ?
New Orleans. Quinn said. In the French Quarter. She lives
there. Her house has been in her family for over two hundred
years.
My ancestress was a quadroon, and clever. Do you know what
a quadroon is? She turned her head to look at Will. Unlike her
petite daughter, she was easily Will s height and could look him
straight in the eye.
Yes, ma am.
She had four children with various lovers. Two married into
the white race, and two married into the black. The white line died
out. She smiled at Will. My line did not. So. We are ready to go,
Camille, Ian. Girls. She raised her head and led the way from the
room with Will, Quinn and the others tailing behind.
* * * [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]