for Clarice. What has become of her? Has he harmed her, too?” Samuel asked worriedly.
“I’ve not seen, nor heard from Clarice. I came here straightaway after dealing with those who cursed you to this spot. I will go in search of her, but for now, I’m more focused on you. Tell me, Samuel. Tell me every single thing you remember from last night. I need to know every single thing, from the moment you were waiting for Clarice, until her father arrived, until you ended up here. Leave nothing out, no matter how painful.”
“But Clarice…” he started.
“I cannot free you until you help me see everything that happened last night. Then we can both go after Clarice.”
Samuel nodded. “Yes, Maman,” he finally agreed resignedly.
Hours later they’d exhausted every single thing they could find to say to one another, with Samuel reliving the previous night over and over again, until ‘Vangeline was sure she’d not missed a single word. Samuel begged her to honor just one request. Find Clarice.
“I know you can’t free me yet, Maman. It’s not what I wanted, but I can live with that as long as you can make sure that Clarice is safe. Please, Maman, be sure she is safe, and tell her that I don’t regret a single moment. Tell her that I love her, and even if I’d known the outcome, I’d have loved her still. Tell her not to be sad, tell her to find a way to live her life and not to look on our time with sadness.”
“I’ll try to find her, Samuel. I’ll do my best, and I’ll keep searching for a way to release you. Don’t lose heart, my son. I’ll be back soon.
Samuel nodded, the wisps that made up the form of his body, floating here and there with every movement of his head. “I’ll be right here, Maman,” he said sadly.
~~~~~
Clarice was sitting peacefully before the altar in the private nave of the church only accessible to the nuns of the small cloister she lived with. She sat, silently reciting the prayers that ran through her brain nonstop. Each of them a plea for Samuel’s soul.
She was startled by a voice behind her. “Sister Clarice, you have a visitor.”
Sister Clarice turned and looked at the Reverend Mother with curiosity. She gestured to her mouth and shook her head.
“I know. You speak only the prayers necessary for praise and worship of our Lord. But nonetheless, you have a visitor. Perhaps you should receive your visitor before you decide not to speak to her as well. She awaits you in the public chapel near the entrance to our abbey.”
Sister Clarice thought of not going, but her curiosity got the better of her. There was no woman who’d call on her. Her own mother was long dead. She had no sisters or family that would even care that she was missing. She crossed herself, rose from her kneeling position, then hurried to the chapel.
Clarice peeked through the stained glass windows to try to get a glimpse of the woman waiting to see her. Clarice recognized her on sight. Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears. It was Evangeline Dupont, mother of her beloved Samuel. In effect, her mother-in-law. Quickly she ran around to the front door of the chapel, and pulled it open. She ran inside, stopping only when Evangeline stood to face her.
Evangeline smiled sadly at the girl, now obviously a nun. “Hello, Clarice. I’ve searched for you for a long time.”
“Ms. Evangeline!” Clarice said on a whisper, that carried on it so much pain despite the fact that it was only a whisper. “I’m so sorry I didn’t come to you. At first I wasn’t thinking straight, and then, I thought surely I was the last person you’d want to ever lay eyes on.
“There is no apology needed. And just ‘Vangeline is fine. I’m more concerned with the here and now. How are you, dear?”
Clarice dissolved into tears. “Devastated. I’m shattered.”
“Because of the death of your father?”
“No, ma’am. That news brought me the only bit of joy I’d had in almost a year. I’m devastated because of the loss of my Samuel.”
“You are aware that your father’s death has been long coming. All his illnesses, all his suffering, they have not been a coincidence,” Maman ‘Vangeline said firmly, waiting to see how the girl would respond to the news that she herself was responsible for his death.
Clarice bravely met ‘Vangeline’s steady gaze. “I’d