12
Back in the carriage she instructed Zebulon to take her to the real estate agent's office. She had meant in part what she'd told John that morning. It was time to prepare for what was to come. Pierre Remmel was a lawyer by trade who made spare change selling properties for his wealthy clients. He was most solicitous to Kitty.
"I have a business to sell, and when that is complete I will have around 25,000.00 at my disposal."
"I can show you several properties Madam." He replied. The remainder of the morning was spent with Remmel as he showed her lovely homes he felt might suit her needs.
She mentioned Pierre Remmel to John that night at the supper table. "My dear, I personally feel this is a foolish idea, and I can tick off the reasons on my five fingers, but you are a smart woman and already know that. As a physician I must insist you conserve your strength." He smiled and added, "You're not a spring chicken you know."
She ignored his remark. "I'd like to prevail upon you to use Zeb's services again tomorrow morning."
"Where to this time?"
"The Cathedral of St Louis, I need to be there by 8:00 AM."
GS GS GS GS
If John Chapman found it odd that the saloon owner had suddenly found religion he didn't mention it. To allow her Zebulon's services he himself went to work an hour earlier than usual.
The church was empty when she arrived there at 8:00 AM, the participants of the six o'clock mass had already departed and those coming to a later service had not yet arrived. A middle-aged priest, draped in sacramental robes was walking through the narthex and Kitty stopped him to ask directions, "Could you direct me to the chapel of the Holy Mother."
He had a nice smile, "Through those far doors my child." He replied. Her footsteps resonated against the marble floors, as did the sound of the door when she opened it and let it fall shut. Unsure of her self she made her way to the front of the little chapel. There was one other woman there, kneeling at her pew with beads in hand. Her lips moved but the sound of her voice was absent. Deciding to use this woman as a guide, Kitty sat behind and to the side of her. Awkwardly she removed her rosary from its case, and took out the Holy Card with the prayer written on it from her pocket.
It seemed a strange procedure, but she made an attempt to work both the words and the beads, while keeping an eye on the woman ahead of her. At intervals that lady made the sign of the cross and Kitty tried to follow. Eventually she'd gone through the entire procedure ten times. The lady in front of her had left when she was halfway through. Kitty thought she was alone. As she was about to leave the Priest she'd talked to earlier came to kneel beside her. He folded his hands atop the pew ahead of them.
"Might I presume Madam you are another of our converts from Mam'zelle Marie?"
"I'm that obvious?"
"Let's just say you don't seem completely comfortable with our form of prayer."
"It does feel a little mindless and certainly repetitive."
"It's purpose it to allow the soul to meditate on the great mysteries of the Holy Word."
"I imagine I will get the hang of it." Kitty replied.
The priest was quiet in thought for a little bit and Kitty wasn't sure what she should do, she bowed her head again, not praying but waiting to see if the Holy man would say anything else. He did, "My guess, this is part of a love spell … is that right?"
Kitty nodded her head.
"Might I make a suggestion?"
"Sure."
"While I would never want to do anything to discourage someone from praying the Rosary, it might be more helpful if you were to incorporate a Bible passage into your prayer."
"Really?"
"You know of St. Paul?"
"A little …" she replied vaguely.
"St. Paul was a great missionary, the greatest to ever live, he went to the far corners of the ancient world starting churches in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. He established a great many congregations. As sometimes happens within the churches, even today power struggles began and it seemed to Paul his flocks were losing sight of the greater work of God. Paul began writing letters to his churches offering words of wisdom; these letters or epistles have formed the earliest books of the New Testament, Romans, Corinthians I and 2, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians 1 and 2, Timothy 1 and 2, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews. I believe you will find 1 Corinthians 13 vs. 1-13 to be of comfort to you. Do you have a Bible?"
Remembering the black book, which rested on a small shelf in her room, she nodded her head.
"Good." He replied. "As I said, St Paul's advise might apply to your problem. Tomorrow when you come, I shall pray the Rosary with you if you would like."
"I'd like that fine Father." She afternoon during the heat of the day she retired to her room with the premise of taking a rest. She found the Bible and with much difficulty located the chapter and verses the Priest had told her about.
(1 Cor. 13:1-13)1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 love bears all things, love believes all things, love hopes all things, love endures all things. 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Kitty thought of Matt as her eyes traveled across the words, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." Resentment narrowed her eyes and forced her heart to quicken its beat in anger. She slammed the book shut. `How dare St. Paul make such a pious proclamation!' She held no doubt there were some things love could not bear, could not endure. Suddenly she hated St. Paul, she hated the Priest and she hated anyone stupid enough to believe those words. She took the book and flung it against the wall. Tears filled her eyes; and she fell to her knees sobbing, crying for all she had lost and all that could never be.
She thought twice about returning to the Cathedral the next morning for her resentment of the Priest and his message had not lessened. She rationalized her decision to return fell under the requirements of Marie Laveau's `love spell'.
The priest was waiting for her; he had changed from his sacramental robes and was dressed in a black suit and liturgical collar. She scowled at him and he shrunk back for a moment before asserting his usual calm demeanor. He noticed along with the scowl her eyes were red and her skin blotchy, marking a tear filled night.
"My child, I'm glad to see you have returned. Might I ask? Did you read the passage I mentioned to you yesterday?"
She tilted her chin defiantly, "Yes, I did, and I came to the conclusion St Paul didn't know what he was talking about. Believe me Father, there are some circumstances even love can't cure."
"St. Paul would argue that point. But you have the right to believe as you choose. Come, I will show you how to pray the Rosary."
She was in the mood to argue, but the priest showed no inclination to do so, he kept his kind voice calm as he gently instructed her in the use of the beads in keeping track of the `Hail Marys".
When they had finished he invited her to stay for Mass, which she declined.
"No thank you father, that wasn't part of the deal."
"I understand. Marie has sent many of her … shall we say love clients our way. I'm never sure if she is trying to appease her own soul or offer the solace of God's forgiveness to others. But the Lord works in strange and mysterious ways, his wonders to perform." He looked at her with gentle eyes that acknowledged the torment she was in, "Might I just remind you what St. Paul said, "now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. Keep faith my child, live in hope and believe in the power of love."
She nodded her head, tired of his Holy rhetoric, "Thank you, you needn't feel you must pray with me tomorrow, I think I've got the hang of it."
He realized she'd dismissed him and his services, but he stopped her from moving away so quickly, he raised his hand and began making the sign of the cross, "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His Countenance upon you and give you peace. In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost."
She gave him a long look searching seeking the peace he'd spoken of. It was lost to her. She could only lower her head and walk away. She did not seek him out again. Nor did she notice him watching her every day from the back of the chapel, his lips moving in a silent prayer.