The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Flavia says the de Luce family has been Roman Catholic since ancient times, but her family regularly attends St. Tancred’s, a bastion of the Church of England and the only church in Bishop’s Lacey. Her father and the vicar both went to Greyminster, and her father considers it an acceptable place of worship: “St. Tancred’s, he said, had been a Roman Catholic Church before the Reformation and, in his eyes, remained one” (114). Some years ago, congregants complained about a Catholic family being in attendance, but proper donations to the church took care of that.

As they sit in church while the General Confession from the Book of Common Prayer is recited, Flavia notices that both Dogger and her father are mouthing the words, which is very unusual. Flavia admires the stained glass, knowing the chemical compositions of the different colors. Because of their identity as Roman Catholics, Flavia imagines that St. Tancred, who has a pleasant face in his stained-glass panel, must favor her family.

Flavia realizes that the vicar is praying for the dead man in the garden, revealing that Mrs. Mullet was gossiping in town. With a bang, Miss Mountjoy leaves her kneeling bench and rushes out.

Flavia tells Ophelia that she feels nauseous, so Ophelia lets her slide by.