The sisters Quincy were anything but a matched pair. Little gray haired Effie wore a perpetual smile on her pretty face, a tad on the silly side but charming nonetheless, in a bewildered sort of way. Her hair was done in a pug, a style not seen by Dean since his childhood. Claire was a peanut butter blonde, gone grey, tall and well dressed, all business and definitely in charge. If she possessed a smile, she never presented it for public display. Dean managed the luggage in three trips from their rental car while Cynthia and Fred handled the paper work and showed the women their quarters. By the time Dean huffed his way downstairs from the last trip, everyone was assembled in the parlor, and introductions were taking place. Gladys had taken over as docent of the domain.
"I'm Gladys Turnbull the author, and this is Donnie who can't speak, and Martha who lives in town." Claire gave a hint of a nod, remaining under the archway to the parlor, as if entering might subject her to some vile disease from these common folk. Effie stood in the middle of the room, as if enthralled and after all the smiles and appropriate handshakes, took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"Yes! Aunt Annie was here!" she announced like a saved soul at a revival. "I can sense it! It's so romantic! Claire, don't you feel it too?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Effie," her sister muttered, but Effie paid her no mind.
"Yes! Yes! I can feel it too!" Gladys replied. "There's such a aura here, such a celestial ambience!"
Claire rolled her eyes and changed the subject. She turned to Cynthia. "You don't have to serve us dinner," she said in sour a tone. "We ate in Montrose."
"We only serve breakfast at Bird Song," Cynthia answered, keeping her voice cheery. "But there are nice restaurants within walking distance for your other meals."
"Is this your first trip to Colorado?" Dean asked, not only trying to be polite but in hopes of dragging the conversation away from the occult, the celestial and the just plain weird.
"I've been to California. Much prettier. Effie has hardly left Boston," Claire answered while Effie and Gladys continued to become soul mates of the supernatural, blabbering away in the corner.
"I'm sure you'll enjoy it here. "There's lots to do. In addition to the scenery, we have a million gallon hot spring pool run by the town. It's out of doors, but even in the winter it's like taking an outdoor bath. Very refreshing."
"No, thank you. When I take a bath, I certainly don't want a hundred lecherous strangers staring at me."