A BRIDE IN BLACK

doors

portrait - had no windows. The only light came from

up. The flame ins

ws we freed t

ed her back against the closed white door. "Sh

ep under the door. Not clear water. Bl

his house wasn't built on debt. I

in the lake to marry Margaret. Margaret drowned him to keep the house

ck dress, knelt and touched the black water. It

vangeline whispered. "

n its surface, Clara saw not her

floor, backs to each other, heads bowed. Their hair covered the

et Vale - the old woman from the miniature, but yo

and spoke, her voice ca

ng night. If the black bride will not wear white, then the whi

amp down and

en in white

d. She knew

leanor Vale, who d

Eleanor Vale wh

d exactly

the first Clara b

tearing, the girl screaming, not from pain but from

r. "Put it on! Put on black and hate he

ack, shaking. The moment it tou

he same to the

bring me the black bride. Bring me Clara Eleanor Vale

ow, but black that was wrong - black that had been for

a's real ankles rose

ng white brides wear black so they can touch you. A true black brid

oor. Blue flame spread across the wood, and th

he sh

dor was flooded now too, black water to their knees. White dre

"The cellar stairs! This

e rain still fell through the roof though the sky outside was clear. T

ed it. It d

he had given her hours a

airpin from her own ha

e of Margaret Vale - still in Adrian's pocket - and

screamed

llar. It was the lake t

on two stone slabs, lay the two Claras, now dressed

lack mourning dress that had nev

iv

host. Alive, though she

smiled. The same smile

er. "I have been waiting for you since 1861. You are the last. The sevent

ater, scissors in hand, silver

aring white,

's smile

You are alread

looked

rom her mother's curtains, the one she

rfect, s

ot seen i

, Evangeli

TURN A

turned

her, reflected, stood the th

nly a white dress

ting for a Clara wh

houted h

wer. The white dress wa