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“And you shall be,” Emil assured me, then glanced about. “So despite your family taking over their ancestral home, your father and Sir Stephen were good friends. ”

“Amazingly enough, yes they were. Stephen used to come and stay at the estate on school breaks with my father. I have never heard of any sort of inference that they were anything other than fast friends. ”

“Well, Stephen seems to have done well here. ” Emil dug into his coat pocket for a handkerchief with which to wipe his brow. “And we must be grateful to him for taking care of Glynis. ”

“Actually, Glynis is not here,” Maria said as she re-entered the parlor.

A servant girl followed close behind with a tray of delicate pastries and another with a tea service.

“I understood from a letter sent to me by Count Dracula that he was arranging to have Glynis moved from his country estate to your home in Buda,” I said, my brow furrowing. “It was insinuated in his letter that he felt she should be closer to good medical care. ”

Maria nodded her head as she clasped her hands to her breast. “True true. Stephen told me Glynis was going to come and live with us here. But then something rather wonderful happened. ”

“And what was that,” I said a tad impatiently.

“She married Count Dracula,” Maria exclaimed with delight.

“What?” I stood up sharply and before I realized what I was doing, I had taken hold of Maria’s shoulders. “What are you saying?”

Maria smiled up at me, patting my arm. “Calm down, dear sir. Your sister fell in love with Count Dracula and he asked her to be his wife. They were married nearly a month ago. They are at his home here in Buda right now as we speak. ”

“I must go there immediately,” I said shortly.

I could not believe my ears. I had come to retrieve my sister and take her home if she was well enough. There was no way on God’s green earth that I was going to leave her with a man I had not even met. “This is impossible. ” I turned on my heel to see a tall, extremely slender man with a bland face enter the parlor.

“Ah, Andrew, I am Stephen, your father’s friend. I only just now arrived home from my office. I am glad to see that you arrived safely. ” Sir Stephen extended his hand to me.

I was far too upset to be cordial. “What is this about my sister marrying Vlad Dracula. There was no inkling whatsoever in any of her letters of impending nuptials. ”

“It was unexpected, I admit, but it worked out rather well. She is happy with him as he is with her,” Stephen assured me.

“This is preposterous!” I declared.

“Andrew, Andrew, calm down. Calm down,” Emil said softly, taking hold of me. “You are distraught and exhausted from the journey. This has been a shock to you. ”

“I want to see Glynis. I want to see her now!”

“Andrew, the dear girl is disfigured and does not like to venture out in the daylight,” Maria said soothingly. “You must understand her predicament. She will come this evening to see you. ”

“How badly is she disfigured?” I asked with a sob in my voice. My legs felt leaden and I stumbled backward into a chair. “What is wrong with my sister?”

Maria drew in a sharp breath, looking toward her husband. Stephen sat down next to me and leaned forward, his expression full of sympathy.

“Andrew, your sister was badly mangled in the accident. The carriage plummeted off the pass into the river. Glynis was thrown free, but her face was badly torn by the jagged rocks in the river. She has healed, but her face is disfigured. She insists that no one can look upon her face but Count Dracula. He takes very good care of her and she loves him for it. When she comes tonight, she will be heavily veiled. You must not try and raise the veils or she will become very irate. ”

His words horrified me and struck a knife deep into my heart. I felt tears come to my eyes and I covered my face with my hand. Emil leaned over me, patting my shoulder in an effort to comfort me.

“I am sorry to tell you of this unfortunate news, but you left England before Count Dracula had a chance to fully inform you of her condition. Glynis was reluctant to let you know the full extent of her injury. She has been very distraught over her appearance,” Stephen continued.

“But she is a fine, strong young woman,” Maria assured me. “She needs your love, not your pity. ”

“Have you seen her?” I asked, looking up at them.

Maria shook her head, her long hair falling about her face prettily. “No, no, my husband visits with them, but I have yet to see her. My husband has told me all that has happened and my heart breaks for her. But do you not see? She has found some measure of happiness with the Count. ”

“Yes, yes, Andrew, we must be glad for that,” Emil said quickly. “We must be glad for any happiness she may have now. ”

I nodded, my reddened eyes rising up to stare into the gentle expression in the eyes of Maria Ramsay. “She will come here tonight?’