“Oh, we just stirred up the ghosts and sent them whispering through the castle,” I said gleefully.
“Glynis!”
I grinned at my mother before rising to sit next to my father at the table.
“There are no such thing as ghosts. We are quite beyond that sort of thinking,” Father said to me.
I shrugged lightly and leaned over to study his papers. “What are you reading?”
“Prince Vlad left these for me to look at. They are papers describing his financial holdings.”
“Is he wealthy?”
“Very wealthy indeed, Glynis.”
“Father, you are not going to make me marry him, are you?”
He smiled at me tenderly. I knew he could see the desperation in my eyes and I felt as if I had paled a bit. He placed his very warm hand over mine. “No, my dear. I am not going to make you marry him.”
“Edric, but you said-“ Mother said sharply.
He cut her off. “Yes, we have discussed this all morning, but the truth remains this. Look at this castle. Yes, the furnishings are lush and quite beautiful, but very old.”
“Every family of old nobility has such things,” Mother said. She looked so anxious and desperate, her hand flying to her throat.
“Antoinetta, the castle is falling apart in some places.”
“But he says he will repair it…” Her voice floundered, looking at me rather sadly.
“Do you really want her to marry so badly that you would wish her to remain in this place?” Father said it all so gently, but his eyes were determined. “Think, my wife, are you so desperate?”
“Edric, she is nineteen years old!”
“My love, I know that in your heart you want what is best for our daughters, but this is not best for our eldest. Yes, according to these papers our host, Prince Vlad Dracula, is a man of wealth, even prestige. Perhaps he could repair this castle and set it right once more, but think beyond that. He is a foreigner.”
“As am I.” Mother’s voice was bitter.
“And that is why Glynis must marry well in our own country. I do not wish for her to suffer as you have. If she were to marry the Prince, he would be an outsider with strange ways. Glynis would have to live on the outer fringes of high society. I realize, my dear wife, that you are Italian, a woman of deep emotions, but after living so many years in England, do you not see that this man cannot give your daughter the life you wish for her? Neither here nor in England?”
My mother’s beautiful eyes filled with tears and I found myself looking everywhere but at her. I could feel her pain, her desperate love for me, and her desire to see me safe and secure in the lifestyle she deemed suitable for me.
“Buda is quite lovely,” Mother said. A tear slipped down her cheek, and I could not help but move to her side to wipe it away.
“Yes, Buda is a very lovely and modern city, but Glynis would be the outsider here if we left her as his wife. Can you do that with good conscience?”
My mother’s posture relaxed and her gaze fell to the floor. “You are right, Edric. I have been so consumed with my desire to find our daughters good husbands that I have not considered all that you have.” She took my hand and kissed it softly. Looking into my eyes, she said, “I have already dealt with the stigma English society places on foreigners who marry into their world. I do not want that for you.”
“Oh, Mama!” I threw my arms around her with relief and clung to her. I may have had a difficult relationship with her, our wills may have clashed often, but in the end I loved her very much. “Thank you, Mama, thank you!”
My mother hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek, then released me, trying to regain her composure. “I will find you a better husband.”
I pouted at her as May rushed over to hug me. “Oh, Glynis, I’m so happy for you. You can come back to England and marry there.”
I sighed quite dramatically, but my father gave me a warning look and I was silent.
“What will we tell the Prince?” Mother asked.
My father carefully stacked Prince Vlad’s business papers in one corner of the table, his expression deeply thoughtful. “I suppose we could say that we feel Glynis should marry in England and that when he arrives there we can perhaps discuss things further.”
I immediately stomped my foot in protest. “Father!”
“By the time Prince Vlad travels to England, you shall be married, young lady, or I will have to consider the Prince.” My father rose to his feet and held out his hand to me. “Come, be reasonable. You do not want to be a spinster.”
I started to open my mouth to tell him that was certainly fine with me when I realized how deeply upset both my parents were. The castle was dreadful and our journey had been long. Now was not the time to fight with them over my future.
I sighed, letting him take my hand to draw me to his side.
“Now, dear Glynis, I know for a fact that the young Lord Nigel is quite fond of you. But you put him off when you would speak over him to his friends about issues a young woman need not concern herself with. Before we left Rome, his mother sent us a kind letter saying that she missed us and pointedly wrote that Nigel has been asking when you would return.”
“Oh, please! He is such a horrible bore!”
“Glynis, he is not really all that bad. He does have lovely eyes. He is rather nice,” May said.
I shot her a particularly nasty look as my father turned me about to face him.
“Glynis, for my sake, for your mother’s sake, for your own sake, please, please, when we return to England, let Nigel court you. Then when Prince Vlad does arrive, you will be nicely married.” He tucked his fingers under my chin and raised my eyes to his. “Please, Glynis.”
I wanted to argue, but I realized that if I truly wanted to return home and have any hope of constructing my own life, I would have to capitulate at this moment. So I nodded my head, saying softly, “Yes, Father. I will do as you ask.”
“Then it is settled! Good! Finally!” My mother looked close to tears once more. She flung her arms around me and hugged me tightly. “Now we can go home and begin to plan the wedding!”
May clapped her hands together. “Oh, I am so happy!”
“Of course, you, my dear May, are next in line to be married.” My mother gave her a sly smile.
“Oh, dear.” May widened her eyes at us. “Oh, dear!”
My father laughed heartily and kissed her cheek. “Your mother is a persistent woman.” He hugged me warmly and whispered, “Thank you, my darling daughter.”
I whispered back, “I do not want to be here. I want to go home. I cannot bear the thought of staying here.”
“Nor could I bear to think of leaving you here.”
I felt so overwhelmed that I began to cry. “Thank you, Father, thank you!”
He smiled and patted my back lightly. “There, There.”
Chapter 4
Unfinished Letter
To Sir Andrew Wright
From Lady Antoinetta Wright
June 9
My dearest son,
It is with greatest relief that I can write we are soon returning to England. Your headstrong sister has finally decided to be sensible and allow herself to be courted by that lovely Lord Nigel. It has been a daunting task reining in your sister. At times I thought the cause was lost. You know better than most how she can be. But at last she has heard reason and we can finally leave this place.
I am sure this country is quite beautiful in its own way, but I long for our home in England. This place…this place…
Journal of Lady Glynis Wright
10th of August, 1819
It has been difficult to put pen to paper since my last long bout of writing. I had not expected to become so utterly overwhelmed by the memories. I can remember so distinctly that afternoon in the library and the great hope I had well inside of me that soon I should see England again and my home.
What follows is hard to write, yet I find myself wanting to relive it. Wanting to find solace in the last moments my family spent together.
Oh, dearest diary, how sad I am to write what happens next, but I must write it. I must.
That night, after our conversation in the library, I found myself sitting primly next to my mother, dressed in my finest pale green gown, my red hair drawn up into an elegant style. Mother looked very lovely in her sapphire blue gown as she sat reading her book. May and Father stood near the fireplace, attempting to ward off the drafty chill that haunted the library. We were all quite relieved with our decision to return home, yet anxious.
The sun had barely set below the mountains when Ilona announced that dinner would soon be ready and that the Prince had returned. So far, the mysterious Prince Vlad had yet to make an appearance and I was quite relieved. I was not looking forward to seeing him after the nightmares I had experienced.
I plucked absently at the lace of my dress, my thoughts turning to the journey home. I was desperate to see the old house nestled among the lovely green trees. I wanted to see Andrew and his beautiful wife rush out to greet us and feel their embrace. Perhaps they would throw a lovely party for us. That would be so grand. I would wear my new gown that Mother had bought me in Paris. The dark green one with the flouncy ribbons. Of course, I would have to make a point of acting charitable around Nigel. It would be hard, but I would do anything to escape marrying Prince Vlad. I could perhaps find a way to avoid marrying altogether if I was clever enough. For now, I had to convince my family I was sincere. Perhaps I would write Nigel.
The door swung open and Prince Vlad swept into the room clad all in black, his long reddish hair hanging over his shoulders. Again, I was struck by the intensity of his green eyes. He immediately settled his gaze on me, smiling.
“How beautiful you look, Lady Glynis, on this most lovely of nights,” Prince Vlad said.
“Thank you, sir,” I responded automatically.
“Prince Vlad, we are so glad to see you,” Father said as he swiftly placed himself between the Prince and me.
“Earl Wright, good evening. Good evening Lady May, Countess Wright.” Prince Vlad greeted them all as a true gentleman should. “I am so sorry I was called away early this morning. I meant to be here to show you my castle. Some of the areas of my home are quite beautiful and rich with history.”
“We did look around a bit,” I said rather lightly.
Again those bright green eyes settled on me. “Did you? And did you like my home?”
I felt unnerved by his tone and almost could not look him in the eye. I forced myself to raise my chin. I felt so bare and exposed under his gaze. “Yes, I suppose. There were many interesting…things.” I thought for a moment of the presence I had felt dwelling in the bowels of the castle and felt a chill down my spine. I immediately dismissed these thoughts, afraid to study them any further.
“Yes, many interesting things. This castle holds a great history within its walls. And a great many ghosts.” He smiled at us and disregarded Father’s skeptical gaze.
Prince Vlad was such an impressive figure, tall and strong, all dressed in black with his long flowing hair. He seemed almost inhuman: like a god. And like those gods of old, his mouth had cruelty to its curve that frightened me. When he spoke, his voice seemed to vibrate through me.
When I had met Lord Byron, I had felt a great attraction to the poet and had behaved outrageously girlish. With Prince Vlad, I felt an overwhelming magnetism that seemed to pull on me, yet at the same time repulsed me whenever I drew too near to him or felt his gaze upon me.
“Dinner is ready. We should go and sit down before it begins to cool. Ilona and her helpers have worked hard all day to make you a feast.” Prince Vlad motioned us toward the door. “Come, come, all is ready.”
Again, I tried to linger and be the last one to depart. I did not want to go near the Prince. My father realized my discomfort and tried hard to keep the Prince distracted. Inevitably, his green eyes seemed to constantly find me.
As we walked along the corridor, there was a metallic clatter upon the stone floor. Prince Vlad bent down to retrieve what had fallen. My family had already passed on through the doors into the dining room, and I hurried to pass the kneeling Prince. As I neared him, he looked up at me and his gaze caught mine.
“Glynis,” he whispered.
I stared down into his eyes and saw the passion burning in them. The passion he had for me. The deep dark desire that hungered deep inside of him. The intensity of his gaze burned into my soul, and I stood there transfixed.
“Do not be afraid,” he said as he slowly stood. In his long hand was a golden chain on which a gold dragon dangled from the links.
I gasped, unable to understand how something from my dreams had entered reality.
Vlad’s sensuous mouth spread into a smile as he held out his arm to me.
Feeling beguiled, I slipped my hand into the crook of his arm, allowing him to lead me into the dining room. As we entered, I could see the shocked expressions on my family’s face. I slowly withdrew my hand from the Prince’s arm. I recovered myself and slid into the chair he drew back for me. I was seated next to him, of course.