The first sign of trouble came after Uncle Greg congratulated Judy on her decision to go to medical school.

She’d gone into Marion’s study to find a picture of Gwennie at her school recital grandma wanted to show to Cousin Derek. She’d found it on Marion’s writing desk, and was turning to take it to Grandma, when Uncle Greg came in, smiling.

“What is this I hear from your Tante Laurette about there soon being a doctor in family?” he asked her.

Judy steeled herself for more comments about her cleverness in going to medical school to find a husband, and then he lowered his voice and said, “Don’t let them marry you off before you finish. Everyone will try, you know. They’ll have you in an apron making Island Perlow for some cardiologist if you let them. Stick with it and become Dr. Judith Scardino, not just Doctor so-and-so’s missus.”

She was so relieved she laughed. “Uncle Greg, I promise, I have no plans to get married anytime soon.”

And… thank you. It’s always good to know when someone approves.”

“Approve? Cherie, I am delighted!”

“This is a sad time, you know, and at my age, it’s nice to be reminded that life is going on, good things are still happening. Medical school won’t be easy of course, but you probably know that. People will say all kinds of nonsense. But a lady doctor will shake up this Island, and I say hats off to that. By the way, it’s not a secret, yes? I can mention it to Liana, yes? I think she’ll be very pleased and want to talk to you about it.”

“I’d love to! As soon as she gets back from The Castle I’ll…”

“WHAT?”

Uncle Greg had actually paled a little.

“She is… She has gone to… that place?”

“I’m sure it’s all right!” Judy said, baffled. For a moment she wondered if “The Castle” were some old family euphemism for something terrible. “You know, it’s just out on Pity-Me island. She said she’d be back very soon. I’m sure she just wanted to check on…”

“Excuse me.” He turned and walked quickly out of the room.

The picture was still in her hand. She carried it to the living room and handed it to Grandmother, who was sitting next to Uncle Derek. “There, you see?” Grandmother said, pointing to the picture. “I had the costume ready for her in two nights, and she looked so absolutely adorable…”

“Judy…” Uncle Leon was in the foyer, putting on his hat and coat. “tell Marion I’m running Artiste and Laurette home, would you?”

“Yes, Uncle Leon,”

He lowered his voice slightly. “So far, so good, eh?” he asked.

“So far,” she said, as he turned to open the door.

The pounding of running feet made her turn in time to see Elisha, grinning, being pursued by Gwennie who had her hands up, her fingers curved into mock claws. “RRRRRAWRRRRRR,” Gwennie roared, as they made a quick circuit around the room, then out into the hallway where she heard them running up the stairs.

When she went into the kitchen, she found Uncle Greg talking to Laney. “Oh Poppy,” Laney was saying, “Please don’t make a fuss.”

“I am not making a fuss,” He said in the even, obviously controlled tones of someone who wanted everyone to notice that he wasn’t making a fuss. “I am calmly asking you what has possessed your mother to go sneaking off…”

“She did not sneak!”

“Yes, Elaine, she snuck. She knew exactly how I would feel about her going there, so she snuck.”

“Is something wrong?” asked Marion.

“Judy told Poppy that Mother went to The Castle.”

“And how long has she been there?” he asked, his voice icy.

“A little more than an hour, I think” Marion said.

“Oh no, not quite that!” Laney said.

“POW! POW! POW!” Gwennie yelled from upstairs. “I got you!” There was the sound of something heavy hitting the floor and Elisha let out a long wail that caused Uncle Greg to stare at the ceiling, his mouth open in shock.

“Ya got me!” Elisha shouted, “Ya got me ya dirty varmint!”

Greg muttered something in Ong-ong Judy couldn’t catch.

“It’s just the children,” Marion said.

Greg turned around and walked out of the room, shaking his head. Judy heard the lid to the icebucket on the dining room breakfront and then the tinkle of ice falling into a glass. Laney turned, looked at them both, then rolled her eyes, spreading her hands in a what-can-you-do gesture before following him out.

“Marion,” Judy said. “Please tell me what just happened.”

“Oh, Greg has been feuding with his mother for years,” said Marion. She patted Judy on the arm “It’s not your fault, sweetie.” She glanced at the ceiling. “Could you go check on the children? See if you can get them to play a little more quietly?”

At the foot of the stairs, Judy stopped to listen.

It sounded as though the game overhead had paused for a moment. And was that an adult voice she heard? Now she heard running feet, but this time it was punctuated with strange hisses, the occasional thud and what sounded like a muffled gurgle.

Someone was coming down the stairs. Cousin Derek. He smiled. “If it’s about the noise, I just offered a few helpful suggestions and I think it’s been taken care of. For now, anyway,” he said.

“Oh. Thanks Derek.”

“It was no trouble. You’ll have to think of something next time, though.

On her way to the kitchen, Judith noticed Uncle Greg standing at the same window where she’d noticed Lee. He was sipping a drink and staring intently out at The Castle.

***

“And of course, those mainland sharpies want to put a high rise — a high rise I ask you!– right on the beach,” Dad shook his head. “The Island Council quashed it, of course. Even Mayor Abbot — and believe me, that woman never met a developer she didn’t like — was shaking her head over it. She said guests would have a lovely ocean view from the top floors of the surge as the next hurricane rolled in.”

They’d gone out to the inland deck so Dad could show Derek all the changes in the downtown skyline. Judy kept hoping Mother would say something, join in the conversation, show some sign of her old, opinionated self, but now that Grandma had dozed off in the living room, she was listlessly and silently trailing after Dad. At present she sat at one of the outside tables, looking out out at the city lights.

Derek was telling Dad how that kind of insanity was everywhere. “Do you know how many wealthy idiots on the Coast build mansions practically on the brink of sea cliffs? And we may not have storms, but we do have earthquakes. That’s one thing I won’t miss. Give me a good Island storm any day…”

Was a storm coming in?

When they’d stepped out there had been a pleasant breeze, but Judy noticed now the air had grown strangely still. She looked up. The night sky was perfectly clear.

Then she heard a familiar voice behind them in the living room.

“You have to see it, sweetheart! It’s… well, really, there are no word that do it justice. It’s almost awe-inspiring!….”

Cousin Lee was back.

Uncle Greg had apparently known before Judy. He stood just on the periphery of the conversation, not so much listening as watching it.

“No roof to crowd you in,” Lee was saying. “Just stars, Laney. Just stars! It’s amazing, absolutely amazing, and you really have to experience to truly understand, it, to truly get what she’s done.” she smiled at Greg. “Papa,” she said, just a little too brightly, as if she’d just noticed him. “I was just telling Laney about The Castle. Have you seen it?”

“No,” Greg said to Lee. “I have not. And I have absolutely no desire to see it.”

Laney stepped around him, caught Judy’s eye, and smiled. “Papa tells me you’re going to medical school,” she said.

“Yes,” said Judy.

“Why?” Greg asked. He sounded at once angry and pleading. “Why did you go there, Liana? I thought we’d talked about this. I thought you understood.”

“I’m especially interested in pediatrics,” Judy said, trying to sound as engaged as possible.

“Oh, for pity’s sake, Papa,” Lee was saying. “She’s an old, old woman. She’s my grandmother. She’s just lost her son. Yes, yes, I went to check on her. Guilty as charged.”

“Better you than me,” Laney was saying. “I graduated last year, thank God…”

“But you were there for over an hour. Almost two! Liana, ma fille, please, listen to me…”

“…my mother is not what she pretends to be,” he said. “She is doing exactly what she did all those years ago. Don’t you remember?”

“The very idea of another five minutes in a classroom still makes me shudder,” Laney was saying.

“Now, Papa, be reasonable. We’re moving back here this summer…”

“…and I don’t think it’s some terrible sin for me to renew a relationship with Grandmere in her declining years.”

“…of course,” Laney continued “I might reconsider if I knew I would be spending that time in a classroom filled with handsome medical students!”

“Don’t you ‘Now Papa‘ me!”

Greg sounded so angry even Laney’s head turned.

“We talked about this when you told me you were moving back. We talked a long time. And you promised me…you promised…” Uncle Greg looked furious, but his voice was shaking.

“I finally said ‘yes,’ to whatever you were saying after you spent half an evening berating me!” Lee snapped.

“That was a promise you bullied out of me, Papa, and it was wrong. It was cruel! You should have seen how excited Grandmere was to see me. You should have seen how eager she was to show me around. So pitifully proud of that house, which is a beautiful house, a powerful house, an extraordinary house by the way, and an accomplishment she should be proud of, an accomplishment this whole family should be praising to the skies!”

“Oh Papa, Papa…” Lee was suddenly smiling, conciliatory. “Grandmere has changed. She wanted to know all about how you were doing, what your health was like, what you were getting up to. She’s not angry at all with you any more. She wants you to come see her. ”

Greg did not raise his voice, but he let out what sounded like a curse in ong-ong just as a gust outside made the windows rattle. Yes, a storm was definitely rolling in. Judy wondered if she should get Mother and Dad inside.

“You know nothing,” Greg said.

“Nothing. You have learned nothing…”

“You’re moving back?”

Mother and Dad and Derek had come in.

“Did I hear this right?” Mother asked Greg. “You’re moving back to the Island?”

Greg only glanced at her for a moment, then back at his daughter. “I am not,” Greg said. “Derek and Liana are moving back. And Laney.”

Mother turned towards Lee.

“Really?”

Mother’s eyes weren’t wet and vague any more. They were Mother’s eyes again, sharp, focused, slightly angry.

She smiled at Lee.

“Well,” she said. “That is a pleasant surprise. Welcome back.”

“Derek,” Grandmother’s eyes were open. “Can you bring the car around? We’re going home.”

“No, please, ‘Sha,” Greg said, “not on my account. I’ll be good. I promise I won’t wave my arms around.”

She shook her head. “I’m tired, darlin’.” Marion was already at her side, helping her out of the chair.

“I’m ready to get back to my own house, to my own bed.”

“I’ll bring the car around,” said Derek, his voice light with relief.

***

The goodbyes were said, coats and hats gathered. There were the sounds that signal the end of a party, doors closing, voices outside fading as everyone walked to the car.

Leon came in.

“Timing perfect as usual,” said Mother dryly, as he hung up his coat.

“Did I miss something?” he asked Marion.

“Nothing important,” she said.

The adults settled in the dining room for one last drink. Gin and tonics for Leon and Dad (“mostly tonic for me, please,”Dad said.) Port for Marion, Mother and Judy. Someone commented for what Judy thought must be the tenth time that day that life, does go on, and everyone nodded.

Dad mentioned he was worried about Artiste, “who just looks awful,” and Leon said he didn’t think Tante looked very good either. He was worried about both of them and Judy said she agreed. Marion said she wished they weren’t living in that awful, damp, little house.

They would need to get out of there soon, before Artiste was completely incapacitated. Judy said she was trying to check on them at least twice a week, and Kitty was often there visiting. Leon said, well, it was a mercy Lee and Derek and Laney were coming, so there would be more relatives to step in and help out if need be…

“Oh really? Is that why they are moving back?” asked Mother.

“To take care of Tante Laurette?”

“It could be part of it,” said Leon. “You know, Lee sees Tante as a second mother. After Aunt Felda died…”

“I was there, thank you,” said Mother. “Remember? I need no lesson in family history. I am painfully, excruciatingly familiar with it.”

For a moment, everyone was quiet.

“All right, Bridge,”

“What is it?” Leon’s voice was resigned.

“It’s typical. So typical that Grandmere builds this enormous house with God knows how many bedrooms, and just a few years after, Liana Tesange announces she’s planning to descend upon the Island with husband and daughter in tow.

“And, of course, Great Grandmere herself gives Lee a tour of the place. Heavens, I don’t remember having such an honor conferred upon me. Or any of my children.”

“I showed you around that time on Gwennie’s birthday.”

“Yes, you did. Not Grandmere. You know and I know as far as she’s concerned she’s never had but one grandchild, and that’s Lee. Look me in the eye, Leon, and tell me her plans for that house don’t involve Liana.”

“Look at me and tell me that when she finally dies it’s not going to go to Lee Tesange.”

“Oh my God,” muttered Marion.

“Bridge,” said Dad, “Come on, now’s not the time…”

“Oh no, Bill, no,” said Leon. He smiled. “Now is exactly the time. Why shouldn’t we be like any other family when there is property to be divided?” Leon stared at Mother. He tossed back some of his drink, set it down, then shook his head, still gazing at her.

“Let me make sure I am hearing this correctly,” he said.

“You — my sister, Brigitte Duday Scardino Quiller — you are upset because the house Grandmere designed, the house where she has been living for the past few years, the house that’s covered with Grandmere’s fingerprints, Grandmere’s footprints, and has been made exactly the way Grandmere wants it — you are upset because you believe that house is going to go to Cousin Lee when Grandmere dies. And not you. Cousin Lee — not you — is someday going to walk its hallowed halls. And that makes you angry. Is that right? Have I summed it up?”

“You now perfectly well what I’m talking about, Leon.”

Leon shook his head. “No, actually, I don’t. Why the Hell should it matter to you what Grandmere plans to do with the Castle?”

“It’s the principle of the thing.”

Judy had heard stories about Uncle Leon’s temper, but had never actually seen it for herself aside from his occasional flashes of anger with Gwennie. Now, she suspected, she was about to. It wasn’t just that his eyes had gotten larger and changed color, gone from brown almost to gold– it was that he had gotten very, very still. Judy was reminded of a cat she had seen once, crouched, motionless just before it leapt.

Leon’s voice was at first so deep, so low that Judy had to strain to hear it. “Did you, or did you not announce, the night before you married Manny Scardino, that you wanted as little as possible to do with this family?”

“Leon…” said Marion.

“Did you, or did you not tell Papa, and I quote because he told me about it more than once — ‘I am not going to be a Duday any more. I do not want to be a Duday any more.’ Did you or did you not announce to Papa, just before he walked you down the aisle, you didn’t want any of your children to be Dudays?”

“And when have I ever been one of you?” Mother’s voice was hard with contempt. “It was made very plain to me from the time I could understand anything, that I was second best as far as the great and talented Dudays were concerned.”

“And no, I didn’t want my children treated as second best either. Does that sound strange to you?”

“Second best?” Leon let out an angry bark of laughter. “Oh, that’s rich, that’s truly rich coming from you! You deliberately made us all feel, here on this tiny island, like you were a thousand miles away. You swanned around with your high society friends, Bridget, passing yourself off as an Englisher and rolling your eyes at your oh-so-humble origins as if the rest of us were still a bunch of greenhorn Frenchies sleeping on floor pallets.”

“And now you imagine you would want that house? My God, Brigitte, have you truly lost your mind? Would you want to spend even one night in that place? You imagine it would be safe for Lish? Or even for Judy? No, it is not for you, and it is not for me. It’s beautiful, but I don’t want it. Marion doesn’t want it. And I wouldn’t let Gwennie near the place on her own.”

Mother was on her feet. “No, Leon. No. Don’t pretend you and I are the same as far as the Dudays are concerned!”

“Maybe we were once, a very, very long time ago, but that changed after you…”

Leon had also risen, he stepped towards Mother and stopped, as though he were waiting, daring her to continue.

Marion’s chair scraped the floor so loudly, Judy wondered if the rug had torn. She stood, looking down the table at Leon and his sister, her face white with anger.

Leon and Mother looked at her, then silently settled back down in their seats.

“I am a Duday,” Marion said. “I might not be talented, or well-educated, but I am enough of a Duday to understand:

There. Are. Rules.”

“In this house,” Marion continued, her voice even, “those rules are obeyed. One of them is that we do not raise our voices to guests, and on behalf of Leon, I apologize, Brigitte. But I think you know what those other rules are and I am asking you, whether you consider yourself a Duday or not, to respect them. Always.”

“Marion, ma femme, tu a raison,” Leon said coolly, his eyes on his sister.

His lips curled in a smile that was almost as strange as his eyes. Judy had never noticed before how white, how long Leon’s teeth were.

“Je suis desolee, Brigitte.” His voice was oddly hoarse, almost gravelly. “J’ai parlé trop vite.”

Mother’s face was cold, expressionless. Everyone was looking at her, waiting.

Then Elisha erupted into the room,

his feet pounding as he ran once around the table, followed by Gwennie. “Pfffffffff!” She hissed, as she mimed shooting an arrow. “Pfffffff!”

They dashed out towards the parlor, and then a final “PfffffffTHTHTHTH!” came from the living room followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor so loudly everyone rose from their seats.

When they got to the living room, Elisha was supine, writhing on the floor, clutching his chest, mouth open, eyes bulging.

“He’s dying!” announced Gwennie. “I shot him with an arrow!”

“Grrrrrrrkkkkkkk!” Elisha gasped, his heels kicking the floor as everyone watched, frozen.

He let out one last horrible, liquid gurgle, coughed once, then his eyes closed and he went limp.

“Now he’s dead!” Gwennie said triumphantly.

“Elisha,” Mother snapped. “Get up this instant!”

Elisha’ eyes opened. “I’m…..dead….” he gasped.

“Get up off that floor now!”

He rose to his feet. Judy turned to Gwennie. “What are you two playing at?” she asked.

“I shot Matt Dillon with an arrow,” Gwennie said. “Arrows are better than dinky little bullets. Cousin Derek told us so!”

“That’s right!” said Elisha. He turned towards Dad. “They go into the lungs, see, so you can’t breathe! All you can do is go “huuhhhhhh!” he wheezed painfully “Huhhhhhhnnn!”

“Ah, the charming play of children,” sighed Leon. “The patter of little feet, the screams of the dying…”

“No, no, Daddy, you aren’t listening,” exclaimed Gwennie. There aren’t any screams. Derek told us so! He said all that comes out are weak gasps and a bloody froth!”

“That’s right. BLOODY FROTH!” Exclaimed Elisha. He looked around at everyone, his face bright, and Judy realized, wth a sinking heart, he’d discovered some new words they were going to be hearing for the next few weeks.

“Bloody froth,” he murmured again, as if trying them out.

Dad sighed. “It’s been a long day, folks,” he said.

“I think it’s time for us to go home.”