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“I try to be what he needs me to be,” I answered with a wave of my fan.

“My sister is a devout and good wife to Count Dracula. The man is absolutely terrifying, yet she is loyal and loving,” Andrew said with great emotion.

He was quite drunk, I could see now.

“And that she has endured all that she has and continues to be the light she always was in my life speaks volumes,” Andrew continued.

“Yes, I heard of the terrible tragedy of your family,” Ignatius said softly. “I am glad that your husband was able to recover you from the wreckage. ”

I frowned at him behind my lace veil and almost stomped my foot at him. He seemed to love saying the word “husband” over and over again. Most likely to peeve me.

“I cannot remember too much of that time,” I said briskly.

“No, no, of course not,” he answered. “It was a great tragedy. ”

“Greater than you know,” I said, my fan fluttering quite quickly before me. I was nervous, yet I wanted to be alone with him.

“My sister is a good and brave woman,” Andrew said firmly.

“Here, here,” Dr. Emil said, toasting me. “A good fine Englishwoman. May you soon return home. ”

“But are you not home? Is not Buda your home now?”

Ignatius definitely was trying to procure too much information.

“Buda is my home,” I said quickly. “But England is my heart’s home. ”

“Ah, there is Sir Stephen,” Dr. Baum said standing and swaying slightly. “Stephen, Stephen, over here!”

I looked sharply toward the man whose name made my still heart clench. He moved toward us slowly, winding his way through the crowd of guests. I could see he was nervous and I wondered where Vlad was.

“Stephen, you must meet Father Ignatius,” Dr. Baum said as Stephen joined us.

“Father Ignatius?” Stephen asked in confusion.

It was then my brother, Dr. Baum, and I, all realized that Ignatius was no longer among us.

“Oh, he must have slipped away,” Dr. Baum said with some consternation.

Andrew finished his drink and signaled for another. “We are far too drunk to be very observant, Emil. ”

“True, true,” Dr. Baum said with a great laugh.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” I said, then slipped away into the crowd.

I could feel Ignatius' power still in the room. Moving in its wake, I tried to seek him out. My gaze swept back and forth, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was drawn to a door on the far end of the ballroom hidden behind the huge marble pillars that lined the room like sentinels. Hesitating, I laid my hand on the doorknob.

I entered.

The room was utterly dark. When I shut the door behind me, only the moonlight slipping through the curtains gave any illumination. I blinked a few times, then I could see a bit better. I was in need of blood and my vision was poor. Slowly, I realized he was seated in the corner of the room in a chair.

Moving toward him, I suddenly stopped. He was deliberately keeping his face shrouded, but I could plainly see his pale white hands on the arms of the chair.

“You…you…”I stammered. “You were in Bistri?a ! You followed me here!”

“Truly, I was only trying to converse with a lovely young woman after a long journey,” he answered.

“Nonsense! You followed me to Buda. Who are you?”