The Twisted Way Read Online Free PDF Page B

dark green leaves and filled the church with a mixture of light floral scents.
    A tiny brown bird darted suddenly through the church doorway and it took at least half an hour for the church wardens to drive the frightened creature outside again, but not before the bird made a mess down one of the church columns.
    ‘That’s a good luck omen,’ said the superstitious Pat, but the verger was not so sure as it would be his job to clean the stone later.
    ‘I could have done without that,’ he grouched, looking at the nasty white mark with distaste. ‘It spoils the look of the place!’
    Nobody in the congregation noticed. They were waiting with unconcealed enthusiasm to get a glimpse of the bride and groom. The old carved pews were soon packed with friends and family ready to follow the wedding service and sing the chosen hymns with gusto. Hymn sheets rustled as heads turned to watch the lovely young bride walk up with aisle with her father. The congregation wore their Sunday-best clothes and listened intently as the vicar pronounced Janet and James husband and wife. A sea of voile hats that had not seen the light of day for several years bobbed up and down like puffs of coloured cotton wool, though a few of them emitted a strong smell of mothballs. There was a hush when the congregation listened to the words ‘I do’ from each of them, words that would bind them together in holy matrimony. Tom stood close to Janet and felt as though he would burst with pride. He had never been to a wedding before and he thought Janet, his adopted sister, looked perfect, so pretty; he was the luckiest boy alive.
    The sun shone through the old leaded paned windows, though the red, green and white glass on which were depicted various religious scenes: Jesus, the shepherd and his sheep, the disciples and other biblical characters, beautifully painted and donated by past village squires and other local benefactors. The church became alive with light and hope.
    ‘What a wonderful service, they are such a lovely couple. It was perfect,’ the locals were saying as Janet and James left the church.
    James’s parents were dead but his sister Anne, her husband Richard Brown, their two small children and several friends, including the best man John, represented the Anderson family. Tom looked at Anne’s children, Felicity and Ronald, with interest. He supposed that they were now part of the Merryweather family so in a way part of his family too. The girl Felicity he guessed was about two years old. She had fidgeted and scowled throughout the service. He did not think she looked very nice with her unattractive odd blue eyes and mousy blonde hair. The baby boy of only a few months was pale and quiet. Tom had no idea about the part these children would play in his future.
    Alicia and her friend Ada had worked hard. They had scrounged ingredients from various friends to produce a cake and refreshments for the guests to enjoy in the Merryweathers’ home after the service. The icing was amateurish, hard and crumbly in places and the bride and groom dolls on the top were oddly dressed but Janet thought it was the best wedding cake she had ever seen and her excitement escalated. Fortunately she, like Tom, had no inkling of the sorrow that was to come. The small cottage and garden were filled with friends and family. Trestle tables and chairs had been borrowed for the guests from the village hall, but nobody minded the lack of space, they were too busy nibbling the cake and refreshments to care. It was a rare treat and they knew it. Tom sank his teeth into a slice of iced cake, the unaccustomed sweetness filled his mouth and he thought he was in heaven. How lucky he was to be billeted with the Merryweather family.
    The bride and groom were toasted with wine that had been given to the Merryweathers by their old friend Michael Cross, who had been the proprietor of the local pub, the Green Man, for more years than they could remember. ‘It’s my