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“Savages. They are all superstitious savages. ” Mother sniffed, continuing to coddle May.

“And you want me to marry one,” I said.

“There, there, enough of that,” Father droned, his gaze a bit hazy as he pondered the meaning of Ovidiu’s words.

“I wish we would get to the village soon,” May said. “I feel so sick!”

“I hope we never get there,” I said with a pout.

“Please, Glynis, you must be kind to our host. ” Mother reached out to me. “This man is a very respected member of Hungarian Society. Sir Stephen said he has had many dealings with the Count, and he has a very high opinion of him. ”

“But we do not even know him! And I certainly do not remember meeting this Count at any of the dinner parties we attended!” I ignored my mother’s imploring hand and glared at her. I honestly did not recall meeting any such man at any of the events my parents had insisted we attend. Of course, I had deliberately avoided spending too much time with anyone who seemed sincerely interested in me.

I did remember one particular night when I had felt chills down my back and had known someone was watching me. I had never been able to figure out who it had been, but the experience had made me feel horribly uneasy. With my sort of luck, the unknown admirer was the man who had summoned my family to his estate high in the Carpathian Mountains. I was sure it was some disgusting old man who wanted nothing more than a nubile young body to satisfy his lascivious lust. Little did I realize how close to the mark I was in my ruminations…

Mother threw up her hands. “Edric, please deal with your daughter!”

Father reached over and pressed my hand firmly. “There, there, Glynis. ”

I felt a hot anger welling up within me. I hated that my parents dared to believe they could just tell me who to marry and expect me to be agreeable! This Count was probably an ugly old man with no hair and bad teeth. I did not care to meet with this stranger that was so enamored with me. I had not liked his calligraphy: all loopy and fancy. And that ugly seal on the letter disgusted me. A dragon, of all things!

“You would be a Countess if you married this gentleman,” Mother said, attempting to pacify me.

I made a face and pointedly stared out the window at the winding road we were so precariously traveling. I found myself almost wishing we would fall off the mountain. Death must be a lovely, poetic thing. Angels would pluck my soul from my shattered body and fly me up to Heaven. Yes, that would be better than marrying some old, bald, fat Count.

“You must be nice to the Count. You simply must be pleasant,” Mother said firmly. She sounded very desperate. “Please, my darling, please!”

“Glynis, do not aggravate your mother,” Father said.

The carriage lurched suddenly and the horses whinnied. I was pitched over into my mother, and we both fell to the floor as the carriage careened upwards off the road into the brush. We struggled back into our seats as the carriage continued to lurch about.

May swooned in our mother’s arms.

“Edric!” Mother clutched May tightly as we were swung about.

Father leaned out the window and shouted at the driver to stop. He was nearly jolted right out the window by the wild shimmy of the carriage.

I braced myself as well as I could as I wondered if my hasty death wish was about to come true. I was not so certain that I wanted to die in this strange land.

Abruptly, our steep ascent ceased, and we were all tossed into a heap on the floor.

Father thrust the door open and hopped out of the still rocking carriage.

In a loud voice, he demanded, “What in God’s name is going on?”

Our guide, Ovidiu, and the driver were already speaking anxiously in their native language, gesturing wildly.

“Good God, man, did you hear me? What is happening?”

I stumbled out of the carriage and stood next to my father, shaken and tucking my curls under my bonnet.

The swarthy Transylvanian guide dropped down next to Father. His dark eyes looked almost crazed with fear. “The pass to the village has been cut off. There was a big storm. It blew down many large rocks and blocked the way. The only other road leads up into the mountains. ”

“Will it take us to the village? We have a very important connection to make there,” Father said impatiently.

“It is a dangerous road. Very dangerous. ” Ovidiu looked as if he were about to sit down on the ground and cry.

“We have no choice. Take the high road to the village,” Father ordered.