Chapter 6

The funeral over, it was two weeks to Christmas. Delia hadn't given the festival a thought since before Hallowe'en – too much had been happening. Dulcie and Peter had, of necessity, but the four weeks leading up to Christmas are a 'penitential season' in the church – like Lent – with purple the colour of the season. (No need to get into fine details like, some churches use 'rose' on the third in Advent). It's a time of preparation for the coming of the Saviour at Christmas. Anyway, life returned to something like normality, except that Delia found that she was drawn into the fellowship. The Sunday after the funeral, she was approached after the morning service by one of the older ladies who asked her to sit and talk to her. It turned out that she was a neighbour of Bert's and had seen Delia coming and going from the house; her name was Edna Brown. She pointed out various people and named them, but commented;

"Don't worry about remembering names, it'll come, but I'll give you a start. Mind you," she indicated a thin, sour-looking woman across the Octagon, "That's Edith Spurgeon. She's a neighbour, too. Keeps herself to herself, though. I gather you did some cleaning and such for Bert."

"Why, yes, I did. Just to help out, you understand."

"I was wondering ... whether you might do a couple of hours a week for me?"

"Oh ... I don't know. I hadn't thought about it."

The woman's face dropped. "Pity ... I hoped..."

"No, it's not that I ... I mean, I really hadn't thought about it. I honestly don't know what I will be doing. I'll give it some thought, though. Perhaps I could pop in to see you later in the week."

She brightened immediately, "That would be lovely, dear."

Dulcie approved of Delia doing some housework for Edna. "I think the Court will approve of some constructive use of your time and it'll be a social service as well. If it's only a temporary thing ... well, I think it'll be good. Edna ... several of the others, in fact ... can afford to pay a bit. Don't forget, though, most of them will ask more for the company than for the work, so don't be afraid of sitting with them for a cup of tea."

"I hadn't thought of that."

It didn't happen all at once. In fact, Delia only had two 'customers' until well after Christmas; Edna, of course, and Edith Spurgeon. Delia had some reservations about Edith, who she thought was not going to be a particularly congenial employer, to say the least. Her first few visits to Edith, however, were neither particularly negative or positive. She entered the house, was told what needed doing, and she got on and did it. Edith didn't offer her a drink or say anything beyond her requirements and handed over cash when she'd finished. Edna was much more sociable and Delia spent, as Dulcie had suggested, longer chatting over tea or coffee than she had cleaning or shopping. Delia did, however, set up her own bank account to keep her affairs separate from those of her husband's and matters which were of joint responsibility.

Gerry Westwood stayed in Maldon for a few days after the funeral setting up provisions for what was needed to deal with Bert's estate. He arranged with a local solicitor to handle the legalities, and with his bank to pay utilities by direct debit and Delia a small stipend for house-sitting. He then returned to his unit, his thoughts frequently turning to the woman he'd just met.

Edith Spurgeon's house was ... aseptic. Impersonal. Most houses, if not all, had something indicating the approach of the season of good will, if it was only a few cards on the wall. Hers, had nothing. Delia fetched shopping – extra to account for the holiday – and there was nothing in the order to suggest anything special for the festival. Delia didn't comment. She didn't ask Edith if she was going anywhere for Christmas, or having visitors, and she didn't share any information. Delia began, just a little, to feel sorry for her...

There were a number of 'singles' in the church and surrounding community who had no-one to share Christmas with, and the church arranged a Christmas dinner – turkey with all the trimmings – for anyone who wished to come. Mainly it was elderly folk, but the age range was from a six year-old boy brought by his single mother with one or more representatives of all other age-groups. Dulcie asked Delia, firstly if she wanted to be a part of it and secondly if she wanted to help. She agreed with enthusiasm; she had not been looking forward to being on her own and was embarrassed to seek alternatives. The meal was a success and Delia thoroughly enjoyed herself. As they were clearing up afterwards, helped by Emma and Rosie and a few other younger folk, Delia commented to Dulcie,

"I thought Edith Spurgeon might have come."

Dulcie shook her head. "That's a very unhappy woman."

Epiphany... 'Twelfth Night'... 6^th January ... is the day the Church remembers the visit of the Magi to the Christ-child, and marks the end of the Christmas season. Robes, cloths and hangings change from white to the green of an ordinary season and life returns to something like normal for ministers and their families. It is a chance to relax a little and unwind after a frantic time during which there is a danger their families might be neglected.

For Emma and Rosie, it was probably the best Christmas they'd ever had. Carli and Jen, too, were very happy. For Sasha, it was bliss, marred only by her awareness of Jeanne's and Malcolm's lingering guilt and sadness over Percy Stevenson's actions.

For Dulcie Hanson, it meant anticipation of her visit to Whitemoor to try to free Jack Cooper from his spiritual chains, if not his physical imprisonment. She arranged with Harry Banks to take rooms in a bed and breakfast in March, so they could go to the prison relatively rested and ready for what could be a very demanding day. So it was a Wednesday morning in the middle of January that they were checked in to the prison at nine-thirty and accompanied Bill, the chaplain, Zack, the psychiatrist and two burly male nurses to the prison chapel.

At Dulcie's request the doctor had ensured his nurses were both practising Christians. He himself confessed that he had been brought up as a Lutheran but that his faith was only nominal. He agreed, however, to participate in a short Communion service before they began ministry to Jack Cooper. She and Harry hoped that they were all as protected and prepared as was possible in the circumstances ... the room was monitored by closed-circuit t/v and Zack had ensured the session was recorded.

She looked at Harry, who nodded soberly and they approached the bed. Beginning to pray, they held their hands over Jack's head, but as they got closer he began to move. Stiffening, his body arched back; his head moved away from them, down the bed and his body formed a backward arch as he also began to growl. None of them – including Harry, the most experienced person present – had seen anything quite like it. In fact, the doctor would have said it was impossible, especially for one who had been immobile in bed for a couple of months and had no training, to hold such a position...