The Lady in Yellow: A Victorian Gothic Paranormal Romance

Sixteen

 "Are you sure this is a Catholic church?" Veronica asked.

"It's a very old church," said Jacques. "Built by the Normans. Then made more beautiful by our family."

"Is your father Catholic?" Veronica asked, somewhat surprised. She would have pegged him as Anglican.

"Of course," he said. "The very first day Mamma came inside, the steeple was struck by lightning."

Thinking he'd meant it as a joke, Veronica laughed.

Jacques's voice was firm. "Mamma paid for the repairs."

"Well, I guess that puts it right then," Veronica said. Sometimes she felt in over her head with Jack's interpretation of things.

Voices echoed over the lawn. Jacqueline appeared at the top of the rise, spectral in her white dress, a spray of wild lilies in her hand.

"Jacqueline! There you are," Veronica called. "Come on!"

Jacqueline ran down the hill toward them, smiling so happily that Veronica couldn't be upset with her.

"You're very naughty running off like that. Where have you been?"

"Naughty girl," Jacques teased.

"There." Jacqueline pointed back to the wall of trees from whence she came. She held the flowers out to Veronica, "I found these by the little stream that runs through the woods. I plucked them for you."

What could she say to that? Veronica took the lilies, held them to her nose. They smelled fresh and pure.

"They're lovely, Jacqueline. Thank you."

She put the bouquet under the placket of her bodice where they flounced like a white lace neckerchief.

"Do you want to see the church?" Jacques asked. He tugged Veronica's hand to lead the way.

Veronica resisted. "It looks abandoned." she looked around. "Where is the priest?"

"The priest is in the priest house," said Jacques. "Where no one can find him."

"He stays in a priest's hole," said Jacqueline.

"A priest hole? Surely not in this day and age," said Veronica. "They don't persecute Catholics around here, do they?"

"Mamma made him stay there after the lightning," Jacqueline said. "So he wouldn't run away."

"Run away?"

"She made him promise not to tell. She was afraid the villagers would think bad things about her, and try to drive her off."

"That's what he told us," said Jacques.

Veronica had no trouble imagining the kinds of accusations that would fly around in a small village about a lady who brought lightning down on the church. But surely the lightning strike was a coincidence, and could be explained as such.

"So, what happened?"

"The priest gave Mamma a vow of silence. Then he promised to continue priesting as if nothing had happened. But nobody came here any more. Only Mamma," Jacqueline said.

"Then, after we were born, we came as well. There never was anyone else," Jacques said.

"Now nobody comes," said Jacqueline.

"Perhaps the priest can be invited back to serve Mass for us." Veronica said.

Jacqueline looked down as Jacques pushed the double doors open. Veronica followed him into the vestibule of the church.