Lechance

Sunday morning dawned grey and wet. Still warm, which was something strange to Effie, to feel warm rain. It made the day seem heavy, slow, and the air harder to breathe, weighted down with water. Still, Sunday was Sunday, and meant gathering her prayer book and hymnal and walking over to the cathedral with Ms. Sheedy and several other Beloveds who chose to attend morning service.

The service was a gentle one, on the parable of the talents, and Effie had quite forgotten the rain by the time she stepped outside again. She had a rapid reminder, though, at the sight of small clumps of people gathered talking under umbrellas around the path, and moved back into the porch, tucking her books under her cloak with one hand while reaching for her hood with the other. It was too warm for the cloak, really, but she had no umbrella.

After a moment or two, she became aware of someone else taking shelter in the porch, and offered a shy smile. "I had begun to wonder if it ever rained here," she confessed.