A BRIDE IN BLACK

wer," Adria

head was almost touching hers. In the dark study, wit

e knocking came agai

e? Your white

ed like Clara's own voice when she w

is head once,

lowed. "Wh

red. "Or what lives in

oor turned. It turned slo

made a small, di

in a different voice - an older woman,

rom the chair, toward the far corner of the s

it do this?"

ight. Somet

happens at

not a

on the other side of the d

Clara, clos

cold, the n

white dress,

sleep, it's t

ees weaken. "My m

," Adri

u didn't kno

ason to protect them. I know everythi

om the door - bare feet, soft on stone - and

her and unlocked the desk drawer. He took out a small s

both in

is t

droom. The paper is what my great-g

he handwriting was f

one in black. Remember this. Remember thi

ale. The first

ight she fell from th

laras died before twen

ped. She wrote this at midni

the silver key.

he first week. After that, you will

he other

ther b

it still covered the mirror an

ara Elea

pen, dipped it,

u writing?"

n for three other w

, his ha

Still l

lott

" she

write it, it m

re went out as if someone had blown on it. The study fell into comp

back against the bookshelves, his arm around her s

t," he w

rom the east win

eal scream, full of pain and terror.

ched Adria

that?" s

nto the dark. "1880-1899. She s

abruptly, as if it

k into the house,

ing so hard he

clock struck twelve times

saw that the mirror above the

r and Adrian, was a woman in

face. But her eyes

turned

g was

, the woman was still there, and s

hh

oor, which Adrian had lo