Page 71 of The Unforgiven
“What about my house?” Quinn asked.
Gabe knew she loved her little converted chapel. It was her home, her sanctuary, the one place where she felt completely at peace, even when she was alone. “That’s up to you, but you won’t have much use for it once we move. The four of us can hardly fit into one room.”
“In the Middle Ages, there’d be a dozen of us, and we’d have all our domestic animals living indoors with us,” Quinn replied. Only a fellow historian would see the humor in that, and Gabe chuckled at the image that sprang to mind.
“We can try it out, but I don’t think the reality would be nearly as ‘glamorous’ as the fantasy. So, you would consider moving?” he asked carefully. “Mum would love to help us with the children. It would give her something to do to keep her mind off Dad.”
“Gabe, if we have to move to Berwick-upon-Tweed, then we will move. I wouldn’t dream of forcing you to sell your ‘ancestral stronghold.’ Hey, do you think they buried any treasure or the bodies of their enemies on the property?”
“Anything is possible. They were a bloodthirsty lot. We can start digging anytime you like,” Gabe promised, enjoying the banter. He felt lighter than he had in days, and it made him hope that in time, he would learn to live with his loss.
“That’s what I like to hear. Imagine if I were marrying an accountant,” Quinn quipped. “My life would be so dull.”
“Good thing you’re marrying a college administrator then. Imagine the adventures we shall have,” Gabe replied, making her laugh. “If you prove yourself worthy, I might even trust you to file some budget reports.”
“You’re all heart, Dr. Russell.”
“I am, and it belongs only to you,” Gabe said simply. “Are you feeling well?”
“I’ve actually felt a bit off, so Kathy—that’s Seth’s ex-wife—took me to see a friend who is an obstetrician. She said all is well,” Quinn assured him. “She did a scan and I saw our baby. It’s so perfect, Gabe. I think it was waving at me. She asked if I wanted to know the sex.”
“Did you find out?” Gabe asked, trying to keep the pang of hurt out of his voice.
“No, of course not. I wouldn’t want to find out without you there.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. Can you forward me a picture of the scan?” he asked, desperate to feel a part of what Quinn was experiencing.
“Of course. It’s a bit blurry, but you can see still it,” she replied. “And you can’t guess at the sex because it has its legs crossed, the little devil.”
“I don’t want to know the sex.”
“Neither do I. Everyone says it’s a boy anyway.”
“Who’s everyone?” Gabe asked. Only his mother had tried to guess the sex of the baby, as far as he knew.
“My grandmother,” Quinn replied, her tone becoming heavier. “She has Alzheimer’s. She was lucid the first time I met her but couldn’t remember me when she saw me again on Saturday.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. At least I got to speak to her once. It felt surreal, knowing I’m directly linked to this little old woman of whom I knew nothing my whole life. Even being with Seth is still strange.”
“Quinn, when are you coming home?” Gabe hated the desperation in his voice, but he missed her the way an amputee missed a limb.
“I’d get on a flight tomorrow if it wasn’t for Rhys,” Quinn complained. “Jason forwarded the footage we shot, but Rhys has a few requests and wants us to get more coverage of the bayou and the slave quarters.”
“How do you feel about the episode focusing on your family’s past?”
Quinn was silent for a moment. “I’m not sure. On the one hand, I want to resurrect Madeline. I still don’t know what became of her, but I’m pretty sure she didn’t live happily ever after. On the other hand, it feels awfully personal. Even though I’ve just found out about this branch of the family and have no real connection tothe South, I feel strangely responsible. It shames me that my American ancestors owned slaves.”
“Quinn, during that time, many Brits owned slaves as well. It was a different world, so you can’t take their transgressions upon yourself. It’s history, and it’s up to you to tell it. That’s what we do as historians.”
“Easy for you to say. Your whole ancestral line is nauseatingly heroic,” Quinn replied, only half joking.
“Hardly. I have no doubt that my ancestors raped and pillaged with the best of them. That’s what conquering armies did, after all.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. Look, I’ve got to go. Jason is picking me up in a few minutes and we’re off to the swamp again. That place scares me. It’s like entering some cursed kingdom that’s been slumbering for hundreds of years, but it’s not really asleep, just pretending, and waiting to pounce when you least expect it.”
“I’ve never heard you speak this way about any other place.”
