Pictures seemed all she had now. Four years ago, all seven of her children lived under the same roof, sharing their lives, both joys and failures, with one another. With her. For better or worse. Now, she was left with only one, and it wouldn’t be so long now before Elizabeth was gone, too. In some ways, she already was.
Her children were scattered now, and this was the first Christmas where they’d chosen to remain that way, instead of rallying around the tree, and one another. The holidays were the one time of year where the family was unified, no matter their rifts or faults. She didn’t know if they’d ever, really, be whole again.
Charles had his own family now, though she guessed he’d never felt lonelier. Her oldest, her larger-than-life firstborn, was reduced to an unhappy marriage and a coming child that may or may not prove to be a blessing. Irish Colleen imagined the cold gift exchange between husband and wife. The lack of eye contact, or the warmth of small talk. They’d retire to their own rooms and fall asleep joyless, loveless. She no longer found comfort in her belief that settling her son was best for him. She knew better now. His changes were not for the good, and she’d set him on this path.
Her second son, Augustus, dropped by with his wife for Christmas dinner. They were more united than Charles and Cordelia, but she detected little in the way of contentment. That Augustus loved her was almost painfully obvious in the ways he doted on her, hanging on her words, watching her actions with cautious love. But Irish Colleen didn’t sense the same from the enigmatic Ekatherina, and she wondered, not for the first, or last, time, what her motivations in marrying Augustus had been. Irish Colleen prayed for a child to bless their house, for she knew a child healed most ailments.
Colleen stayed in Scotland for Christmas. There was no scholastic reason. Classes were on hiatus, the students all gone home to be with their families. So why hadn’t she come home? Irish Colleen couldn’t ask this question of her daughter, for it was her who’d made it clear Colleen’s loyalties to the family were a burden to her. She couldn’t take this back, and while Colleen’s absence was painful to bear, the alternative was worse. When Colleen called, from somewhere in Scotland, with some friend she didn’t name, Irish Colleen heard the first hint of happiness in her eldest daughter. She wouldn’t allow her bruised feelings to get in the way of that.
Evangeline came with Augustus to dinner, and her announcement was surprising, though not shocking. She would be leaving for Massachusetts in the spring, to attend a fancy technical college Irish Colleen had never heard of. Augustus assured her there was no more prestigious institution for someone science-minded, and Irish Colleen declined to remark that there was no future in science, and if they’d spent enough time in church, they’d know that. But one thing was for certain: Evangeline needed a change as much as Colleen had. Whatever her future held, she required a shake-up to find it. Irish Colleen knew when she was outmatched.
She hadn’t spoken to Maureen at all since the courthouse nuptials. She’d called the Blanchard house, and the staff was apologetic in their contrived excuses, but Maureen never came to the phone. Was she hosting her own Christmas dinner? Did her very odd husband even care about such things as tradition? She couldn’t decide if she was more upset that Maureen’s future had taken such a sudden turn, or that her eldest children had made the decision without consulting her.
Irish Colleen blew her smiling picture a kiss, because even though Maureen was out of her house now, forever, it was still their thing.
Only Lizzy needed her now, and even that was up for debate.
Connor had come over that evening, as they were washing the dishes and cleaning the last of the dinner mess. He’d just gotten his driver’s license and was proud to come on his own, swinging his keychain with adorable bravado. By then, Elizabeth had retired to her room, and Irish Colleen started to tell him this when she realized he was someone she needed to see.
“Connor, if something was amiss with Lizzy, you’d tell me, right?”
Connor opened his mouth, then closed it. He said nothing.
“No, dear, of course you wouldn’t.” She swung her dishrag over one shoulder and patted his arm. “But you know, don’t you?”
He still said nothing. He seemed rooted by his loyalty, his silence painful for them both.
“I understand,” she said, to him, or perhaps herself. “You don’t have to tell me. I don’t worry about her much, because of you, you know that?”
Connor tried to smile, but it came out more like a twitch. “Thanks, Mrs. Deschanel.”
“I know if there’s anyone who cares for our Lizzy as we do, it’s you,” she went on. He wouldn’t tell her anything. She’d known that all along. “She’s not been right all year, but you’ve been at her side, and so she hasn’t been alone, has she?”
Connor hesitated before he said, “No, ma’am, she hasn’t.”
“I’m going to venture a guess that what she’s dealing with is more serious than I can imagine, and no, Connor, don’t look so concerned. I won’t torture you for answers, I only want to help.”
“I know,” he said. “She knows, too.”
Irish Colleen leaned in. “How can I help her, Connor? What can I do for my baby that I’ve not already done?”
He shuffled in place as he mulled this over. When he looked at her, he wasn’t so much a boy anymore, as a young man, full of promise and weighted by life. “Give her space."
* * *
Irish Colleen climbed the steps, meandering past the row of empty bedrooms. She stopped at the end of the hallway and pressed on the door to Elizabeth’s room. The creaking sound was the only sign of life in the quiet house. There was no sneaking around up here.
She wouldn’t ask the question. Connor’s reticence, and then advice, was a form of wisdom, and to press Elizabeth for something she wasn’t ready for would risk losing her, too. Instead, she’d kiss her good night, and if after, Elizabeth should want to talk… well, she’d do her best to be there. Tough conversations were not Irish Colleen’s forte, but she’d avoided too many in this family, and they’d paid the price for that silence.
“Lizzy?”
She crept through the darkness, toward the curled lump under the comforter. Elizabeth was rarely asleep so early, though she tried. More likely, she was faking it, or reading with her flashlight.
When Irish Colleen peeled back the covers, though, she was greeted only with the soft snores of Elizabeth’s deep sleep.
Elizabeth was, for the first time in as long as she could remember, already asleep. She hadn’t waited up for her mother’s visit.
Give her space, Connor had said. But what good had space done for Madeline? Charles? Augustus? Evangeline? Maureen?
How, now, was she to know the way, when the path behind was littered with irreversible failure?
Give her space.
Was the wisdom of a teenager better than her own mother’s intuition?
The wisdom of another came back to her.
Her husband. August.
You are the mother of a perfectly imperfect clan, and what will be will be. Do you remember my family’s motto, Colleen?
She hadn’t. Such a thing seemed so far less important than keeping them alive and fed. What good were mottos when Colleen was colicky and Charles suffered from repeated ear infections? When she battled her own illnesses while tending to those of eight others?
The strong shall rise again. Remember that, when you’re carrying the weight of all of them, and afraid of what the future holds. I have lived through things you can’t imagine, dearest. Things I hope die with me. But I know… I know we will always rise. The sun will rise, and we will rise, like a phoenix from the ashes, and nothing, nothing can keep us down. Not for long.
Irish Colleen kissed the top of Elizabeth’s head and let her sleep.
Maureen is a mother now, and her brothers prepare for their own children. Colleen knows her love is real, but equally fears what will happen when he, inevitably, discovers she’s the witch he fear
s.
* * *
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Also by Sarah M. Cradit
THE SAGA OF CRIMSON & CLOVER
* * *
The House of Crimson and Clover Series:
The Storm and the Darkness
Shattered
The Illusions of Eventide
Bound
Midnight Dynasty
Asunder
Empire of Shadows
Myths of Midwinter
The Hinterland Veil
The Secrets Amongst the Cypress
Within the Garden of Twilight
House of Dusk, House of Dawn
Midnight Dynasty Series:
A Tempest of Discovery
A Storm of Revelations
The Seven Series
1970
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1980
Vampires of the Merovingi Series
The Island
Crimson & Clover Lagniappes (Bonus Stories):
Lagniappes are standalone stories that can be read in any order.
St. Charles at Dusk: The Story of Oz and Adrienne
Flourish: The Story of Anne Fontaine
Surrender: The Story of Oz and Ana
Shame: The Story of Jonathan St. Andrews
Fire & Ice: The Story of Remy & Fleur
Dark Blessing: The Landry Triplets
Pandora's Box: The Story of Jasper & Pandora
The Menagerie: Oriana’s Den of Iniquities
A Band of Heather: The Story of Colleen and Noah
The Ephemeral: The Story of Autumn & Gabriel
Banshee: The Story of Giselle Deschanel
For more information, and exciting bonus material, visit www.sarahmcradit.com
The Family
Deschanel Family (Line of August)
The Deschanel (pronounced Day-shah-nell) family are the line of heirs of the great Charles Deschanel of France, who settled the Deschanel dynasty in Louisiana in 1844. All current day descendants of this original Charles are either of the line of August or Blanche. Deschanels are of the line of August, and all others (Fontenots, Broussards, Guidrys, etc.) come from Blanche. August, with his wife “Irish” Colleen Brady, had seven children: Charles, Augustus, Colleen, Madeline, Evangeline, Maureen, and Elizabeth. Madeline, their fourth child, tragically passed in an automobile accident on Christmas morning, 1970.
Irish Colleen was August’s second wife. His first, Eliza, he married for love, but she was unable to bear children and eventually passed away from cancer.
The rights of inheritance of the Deschanels follow the tradition of the eldest son, so Charles, son of August, is the current heir.
August (1905-1961) & “Irish” Colleen Brady (1932-)
* * *
Charles b. 1950
Augustus b. 1951
Colleen b. 1952
Madeline b. 1953
Evangeline b. 1954
Maureen b. 1956
Elizabeth b. 1959
Deschanel-Broussard Family (Line of Blanche)
The Deschanel-Broussard family (pronounced Brew-sard), are cousins of the Deschanel family, equal in wealth and prestige. Where the Deschanels are descendants of the line of August, the Broussards are descendants of the line of Blanche. Claudius Broussard is Blanche’s third husband, and the children from this union are considered her most favored. She also has a son by her second husband, Johnson Guidry, but her relationship with Pierce is fractured.
Blanche did not have children by her first husband, Ellis Kenner. Both Ellis Kenner and Johnson Guidry died of “mysterious circumstances.”
* * *
Blanche Deschanel (b. 1906) & Johnson Guidry (1890-1930)
Pierce b. 1926
& Claudius Broussard (b. 1900)
Eugenia b. 1940
Pierce b. 1926
Cassius b. 1942
Wyatt (1943-1955)
Noble (1944-1955)
Guidry Family (Line of Blanche)
The Guidry family are those descended from Pierce Guidry, first son of Blanche Deschanel-Broussard. Although the first son is the heir on the Deschanel side, Blanche does not recognize Pierce as her heir. Instead, she sees her second child and eldest daughter, Eugenia Fontenot, as her heir. Pierce represents his line of the family as one of the seven Deschanel Magi Collective Council. His two daughters, Pansy and Kitty, are also on the Council.
Of Pierce’s children, only Pansy, so far, is married.
The Guidrys, for no reason other than Blanche’s disdain for her second husband, Johnson, are considered the black sheep of the clan.
* * *
Pierce Guidry (b. 1926) & Winnifred Babin (b. 1926)
Pansy b. 1949
Alton b. 1950
Kitty b. 1954
* * *
Pansy b. 1949 m. Placide Lafont b. 1945
Rex b. 1973
Fontenot Family (Line of Blanche)
The Fontenot family are those descended from Eugenia Broussard-Fontenot, second daughter of Blanche Deschanel-Broussard. Although Eugenia is a second child, and a daughter to boot, Blanche recognizes Eugenia as her heir. Eugenia is married to Wallace Fontenot, and they have three sons. Eugenia represents her line of the family as one of the seven Deschanel Magi Collective Council.
The Fontenots are well-respected in the community, with a similar prestige as their Deschanel cousins.
* * *
Eugenia Broussard (b. 1940) & Wallace Fontenot (b. 1939)
Luther b. 1962
Llewellyn b. 1963
Lowell b. 1964
Broussard Family (Line of Blanche)
The Broussard family are those descended from Cassius, third child and second son of Blanche Deschanel-Broussard. Cassius is married to Helene Barrow, and they have two children, a son and a daughter. Cassius represents his line of the family as one of the seven Deschanel Magi Collective Council.
The Broussards, like the Fontenots, are well-respected in the community, with a similar prestige as their Deschanel cousins.
* * *
Cassius Broussard (b. 1942) & Helene Barrow (b. 1944)
Jasper b. 1963
Imogen b. 1965
Sullivan Family
The Sullivans are one of the oldest and most trusted families in New Orleans. A family of attorneys, a majority of Sullivans, most notably males until recently, join the family law firm, Sullivan & Associates, which has been a New Orleans staple since 1839. The family came up through the ranks, by their bootstraps, with humble beginnings as Irish immigrant laborers. The Sullivans are both the attorneys and friends of the Deschanel Family. Like the Deschanels, the designation of heir follows the eldest son, and so Colin Sullivan Sr. is considered the head of the family. His father, Patrick, still lives, but in quiet retirement.
* * *
Colin Sullivan Sr. (b. 1932) & Josephine Bartleby (b. 1931)
Colin Sullivan Jr. b. 1950 (m. Catherine Connelly b. 1948)
Rory Sullivan b. 1952 (m. Carolina Percy b. 1953)
Patrick Sullivan b. 1953
Chelsea Sullivan b. 1956
Sullivan & Associates
Sullivan & Associates is a family-owned law firm, and one of the oldest and most trusted in New Orleans, founded in 1839 by Aidan Sullivan. Comprised mostly of Sullivans, the firm is considered something of a birthright for any Sullivans looking to go into law. They have represented the Deschanel interests for over a century. Charles Deschanel’s best friend, Colin Sullivan Jr., as well as Colin’s two brothers, Rory and Patrick, all plan to join the family firm one day. Colin Sullivan Sr. is the current Senior Partner, following the retirement of his father, Patrick. Colin Sr. and his brothers, Jerome and Jamie, are the figureheads of the firm.
Homes & Properties
Oak Haven
The old Victorian mansion Irish Colleen and seven used to live in, on Chestnut and Sixth in the Garden District, just
beyond Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. Although there are larger (Magnolia Grace) and more storied (Ophélie) homes in the family possession, August Deschanel chose this particular property to raise his family in with the thought of giving them a more “normal” upbringing than he had.
The Gardens
The colossal mansion of Ophelia Deschanel at Jackson Ave., taking up an entire square block between Coliseum and Prytania in the Garden District. The Gardens also houses the cavernous chambers where the Deschanel Magi Collective and the Collective Council meet to discuss family business. The architectural style of the estate is Italianate, and the most notable feature is the extensive, exotic garden wrapping around the property, shielding the home from outside view. This house will be inherited by the future Deschanel Magi Collective Magistrate.
Ophélie
A large plantation and surrounding lands purchased by Charles Deschanel I, built in 1844, and currently occupied intermittently by the Deschanel family. Charles will inherit the property as the heir to the estate. Located near Vacherie, an hour west of New Orleans, the Greek Revival ivory mansion on the Mississippi River is secluded from the road by gates and foliage. The estate has forty-five rooms and large ornate gardens, as well as two hundred outbuildings from when the property was a working plantation. Charles, as the heir, has inherited this property.
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