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Chapter 7
The church of St. Mary's was filling up fast. Word had spread quickly of Robert Foxworth's miraculous return and everyone was trying to get a glimpse of the heir to the Foxworth estate. Lazarus and the Metcalf's had found themselves a seat in one of the churches box pews and although Lazarus did not know the man, he was also fascinated by his presence.
He had dreamed of the Virgin Mary statue which stood atop the graves of this mans parents and although he knew there was some connection between them and him he just couldn't remember what. He wanted to march up to Robert Foxworth and ask him but he couldn't do that, it wasn't the done thing in polite society. Foxworth had spoken to him but didn't seem to recognise him, so for the moment he decided to let it rest.
The congregation around him was buzzing with quiet conversation. When the vicar started to walk down the naïve, with the verger carrying the cross in front of him, the noise ceased and everyone settled down. The vicar, who was called the Reverend Anthony Parks, welcomed everyone to the service and had an extra special welcome for Foxworth.
"It is truly miraculous" he started, "that this young man, who left Stelling Minnis 12 years ago, under, let us be honest, a dark cloud, and we all thought he was dead, has returned to our village."
Lazarus wondered to himself what the 'dark cloud' he had left under was, but from what the Minister had said, it was clear that all had been forgiven. The vicar announced the opening hymn and everyone, Lazarus included, started to sing. He was half distracted though, he couldn't get Foxworth out of his head and whatever link there was between them was in his head somewhere and was hidden just below the surface. He decided to refocus his attention away from the other new arrival in town and focussed on the other people in the church, just in case there was anyone else here who would trigger sparks in his memory.
The Rev. Parks was standing in the pulpit and was singing with gusto. He seemed the polar opposite of Jacques, the priest who had given him his life back, who was thoughtful, quiet and approachable. This man seemed brash and loud and although not unfriendly, he seemed distant from his congregation. Lazarus remembered how Jacques was always there when a member of his flock needed help or religious guidance. Jacques who took in a foreign stranger and nursed him back to health. He was unsure if this man would have done the same.
He looked around the church and studied the other faces. He saw the Constable, Mr Spring, and he nodded a greeting. It seemed to Lazarus that the whole village had come to church and it was hard to see anyone clearly. A couple of faces perked his interest however. An elderly woman, who was being held up by another younger woman was standing almost opposite him. Lazarus guessed that she was in her late 70's and she looked very frail. Her eyes however told another story. They were sharp and intelligent and she saw everything. These eyes, the look on her face, seemed familiar to him, and she was looking at him. It could have been genuine curiosity as to who he was. Any new face in a village this size was sure to attract attention, but this was something more. He decided that after the service he would definitely want to say hello to her.
The hymn, which had moved into its third verse, continued and Lazarus, who had not really been concentrating, had lost his place. He glanced behind him and a few rows back he saw another face, another woman, this one much younger. She was closer to his age and she had blond curly hair which peeked out from beneath a black bonnet. She was dressed almost completely in black, which indicated that she was in mourning. Next to her was a young boy about 7 or 8 years old. He was small and thin and had short, jet black hair. He was wearing a very worn looking jacket that had been patched and repaired and an almost clean shirt. He was fidgeting and fussing the way small boys the world over do when they have been dressed in their itchy church clothes.
Lazarus suddenly realised he was staring at the woman so intently that she had noticed him looking and began to stare back at him. She seemed to turn pale as their eyes met and she had to reach out with her hand to support herself by grabbing the pew in front of her. Lazarus looked away, he hadn't expected to get such a strong reaction. The hymn was coming to an end and when it did the reverend asked everyone to sit.
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