How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
That was Delphine all over. She could tell you so much that you thought you'd heard it all. Her conversation was a lacework fan that opened and closed, concealing and revealing. (4.65)
Delphine is really good at talking and telling everything and nothing at the same time. Not only is she good at it, she really enjoys it; it's like a game she plays to see how far she can go without going too far. Hey, she has to do something to entertain herself in Grand Tower.
Quote #5
Oh, I babbled like a brook and flowed like a freshet. At least I didn't tell her how many seasons had passed since we'd seen hide or hair of Paw. Years, really.
She seemed to hear more than I'd told. I was provoked at myself. Hadn't Mama just warned me to watch every word I spoke? Hadn't she made that crystal clear? (5.35-36)
Delphine's chattiness rubs off on Tilly. Not yet as practiced at concealing and revealing the truth as Delphine is, she tells more than she means to and Delphine can guess the rest.
Quote #6
The boats no longer ran between here and New Orleans, and so there was no turning back for Delphine and Calinda. I wondered what they thought about that, but Delphine would tell you exactly what she wanted you to hear, and Calinda didn't even tell that much. (6.45)
It's hard to really get to know both Delphine and Calinda because Delphine buries herself in words and Calinda in silence. Tilly often has to guess what they're really thinking, and they don't make it easy to find out their secrets.