A BRIDE IN BLACK

y door w

empty, dark except for the single candle Clara

the mirror

ed the room in two strides and slammed

er?" Clara's v

es

n the mirror a

," he said. He was breathing hard again. "In the mirror o

rules ar

n I have

the desk and relit it. His

he said. "Now. Be

lo

minutes after midnight. After a

s after twen

looked at her for the fir

o hear your

the silver

one leached the heat from her feet. She passed the chained archway - the sheet still cove

id no

closed it. The fire had burned low. The white nightgown

trunk wa

, bound with rusted iron, pushed against the far wall under the window. She

Adrian gave her

folded black cloth

sors, heavy an

tle, its pages filled with the sa

ack wedd

, a hundred years old. The lace had yellowed, the hem was stained with mud and so

hem, barely visibl

was a layer of letters. Dozens of th

ra Elea

d the top

r Cl

o not trust the maid in white. She was not always a maid. Do not e

a, 186

as she opened

in the mirro

.

s newer. The ink wa

ut on the white dress herself because she thought it wou

. No matter what

. V

nge

s. The dress slipped fro

made her

holding a tray. On the tray was a steaming bowl of

ace so white it

eth. "I brought you something proper to wear. The mas

The lace at its throat seemed t

ra said. "I have

up, Clara could see her white apron was not white at all. It was stained

. "Just try it. You will see how beautif

k corridor, Clara heard bar

's smile

said happily. "She's

the scissors f

aid l

cannot cut white w

her hand were now white. Pure white

nd the maid, slowly be

e had looked, a cold, white hand re