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"I beg to differ, ht You seem determined to shock us all with your behavior It is tia lady ready for e and a family"

"I will not marry this horrible count!"

She fluffed lares "Glynis, your father told hest praises for our host It is only right and proper that we allow our dear host to show us all he can offer to you"

"In other words, as long as he is rich and well-titled, he is a good husband" I stomped my foot "I will not marry that terrible man He even haunted ing intolady when he is with you I will have none of this behavior He is a prince A respected land? Is that not what you wanted? A husband with standing in society? So I would not be the outcast you were!"

I instantly regrettedher It had never been easy for her being a foreigner in British society She was dark and exotic con, ht as well have slapped her

"I want the best for you Is that so wrong?" Her voice trembled with a mixture of emotions She dreay frohter My blood! I want you to marry well and have children"

"But what if I do not want that?" I could not help myself I truly could not I wanted her to understand that ht them to be I wanted to be free of the society she had tried so hard to be part of

She threw up her hands "I do not knohat to do anymore, Glynis I want you to be ht your father and an our travels This ht I was overcome with the journey and the storm I realize I must as least consider Prince Vlad and treat him with the respect he deserves"

"Then you consider hiood , does this castle seeht of day? Yes, there are areas in desperate need of repair, but what has been restored is quite pleasant It will one day be a lovely home"

"It’s horrible and I hate it!" I ran to theand stared out at the broken battlements of the ancient castle "Look at this place! It is horrible! How could you wish htly "Please, Glynis, you must be kind You must be respectful and you must act as a lady I insist on it As your mother, I insist"

I whirled about and said, desperately, "How can you wish this of land You would be a princess should your father agree to a e contract"

"That is little consolation when faced with the fact that I cannot marry who I wish! If I choose to marry!"

"What other life would you live? Do you wish to be an old woman with no children to co to be rather rude and tell her I had no need for human spawn, but my eyes fell on her face and my words died I could see fear o ofher eyes on the wondrous beauty of the landscape beyond er frory

"Are you so desperate to haveher hands over her face as she sobbed, "Yes!"

I instinctively reached out and laid my hands over hers "Please do not cry!"

"What do you expect ood life and you fight an to protest that I was not as difficult as she said when the door opened My father entered the roorandly at us Either he did not see the tears on nored them He, too, looked tired, but he smiled at reeted hi snored our flushed faces and kissed us both on the cheek "Noere we speaking of?"

"Nothing at all,"from him, I strode to theacross the ancient stone floor I did not like this place, and I would not stay In all honesty, if I had my way, I would never marry Instead, I would be the mistress of someone exotic, like Lord Byron I hadOf course, if my mother knew that I had chatted with hiain

"Really? It did seeress,"a tantrum," my sister said froht sht in the corridor Her fair hair was piled on her head and she looked her usual delicate self I had aher to see if she was alive

"Oh Glynis, I could not sleep a wink," she said "I kept hearing these strange whispers inquite contrary and disagreeable I pretended to look worried

"Really? It sounds as though you ht be mad! The journey has driven you to insanity perhaps"

May’s eyes widened "Do you really think so?"

I giggled at her innocence, relented, and kissed her cheek "Of course not! Don’t be silly"

My fa our father and hters I have to ad what to say to the Prince to shock hi roo the table while the old woman named Ilona looked after them She seemed to sense our presence and turned toward us with a toothy smile

"Ah, co?" My father gaveroo on business He assured ypsy woman motioned to a chair "Please sit down Eat! He wishes for you to relax and enjoy his hospitality"

"Damn," I whispered under htly, then flopped onto a chair I was not sure what I would have said to the Prince over breakfast, but I was quite sure I could have thought of so Father was obviously disappointed that our host had departed for the day and he keptthis under his breath Mother lectured me endlessly about proper etiquette and how to be a proper young lady All the while, May sat picking at her breakfast, staring warily up at the paintings hanging on the walls I sat primly in my chair and tried to look as bored as possible as my mother droned on and on

As soon as we could, I escaped with May into the castle on an exploring expedition May was surprised to be invited, and I felt badly for leaving her out ofto rush off on soht she looked particularly ly, she said yes

With an ad in our ears, we began to explore the decrepit, yet fascinating castle