A Coming Evil by Vivian Vande Velde Page A

Josephine's niece, or Mademoiselle LePage, or what?"
    "My name is Lisette."
    Madame Dumont left the cigarette in her mouth and extended her hand to shake Lisette's. "Now, Lisette, are you going to go in and bolt the door behind you, or are you going to invite me in?"
    So she had tried the door and seen that it was unlocked, Lisette decided. Had she seen the children? Had the children seen her? Were they safely down in the basement where they belonged or were they lurking in corners, ready to be discovered if she let this woman in?
    "My dear," Madame Dumont said in exasperation, "eventually you are going to have to make a decision about something."
    Presumably Madame Dumont had knocked when she first came. If the children hadn't hidden then, it probably meant that they were making too much noise to have heard. And if they were making that much noise, then Madame Dumont had no doubt already heard them. Since she hadn't mentioned hearing noises from the supposedly empty house, maybe all was as it should be. Lisette went to open the door, saying: "I'm sorry. I'm from Paris and I'm not used to country manners." It was both to explain her hesitation and to warn the children that she was coming in with someone.
    Madame Dumont snorted before crushing out her cigarette.
    The house was totally still, the front room empty.
    "Would you like to wait here, Madame Dumont?"
Lisette asked, raising her voice as much as she dared, a final warning that she wasn't alone. "Or would you like to come into the kitchen?"
    "I'd like something warm to drink," Madame Dumont said, raising her voice to match Lisette's, "if you don't mind."
    Lisette felt her cheeks grow pink. Either this woman knew exactly what was going on, or she thought Lisette was a total fool.
    Passing the staircase, she glanced up. No sign of anybody there.
    In the kitchen, all was as it should be. Lisette put the flowers she'd gathered on the table then set the kettle on the stove.
    Madame Dumont sat down at the table and lit another cigarette.
    "Let me fetch a vase for these flowers," Lisette said. She opened the basement door and was relieved to see that the flashlight was missing from its niche.
Thank you,
she mentally told God. At least the children were where they were safest. "No, wait," Lisette said out loud, "I think she keeps the vase under the sink."
    She found a white vase that was a bit too small but she crammed the flowers in it.
Hopefully they don't have any bugs,
she thought as she set the vase on the counter.
    "We don't have any coffee left," she told Madame Dumont. "My aunt has been using bouillon."
    "That's fine." Madame Dumont was putting the
ashes from her cigarette into her left hand, which hurt just to think about.
    As far as Lisette knew, Aunt Josephine didn't have any ashtrays, so she got out a bowl for her visitor to use. She was just passing the porch door when she heard a faint thump from there.
Oh, no,
she thought. Out loud she said, "Here you go, Madame Dumont." She put the bowl on the table, making as much noise about it as she could.
    Had Madame Dumont heard? She gave no indication that she had.
    From the porch came a noise as though someone was dragging something. What was the matter with them? Didn't those children have any sense at all? "So," Lisette said as brightly and as loudly as she could, "Madame Dumont. Would you like a cup or a mug?"
    "A cup would do nicely."
    Another thump.
    Lisette slammed the cup down on the table.
    Madame Dumont glanced from her to the porch to the cup and back to the porch.
    From which came the definite sound of something moving.
    Lisette leaned in close to demand Madame Dumont's attention. "Do you think you want a saucer, too?" she shouted at her.
    "My dear," Madame Dumont said, "I think we should see what's rattling around on your aunt's porch."
    "Porch?" Lisette asked.
    Another thump, and the sound of glass breaking.
    "Porch," Madame Dumont said.
    "I'm sure everything's fine there," Lisette said. "You know how old