Lady of the House

Dracula

Kelantha�s hand fell into mine, and at once I was admitted into that world�that glorious wonderland of sights and sounds, smells that teased the senses as they wafted away.  The servants were hurriedly putting the final touches on dinner; I could hear the elegant clink of china being taken down and polished frantically.  Someone was laughing in the upper floors, so softly I could barely catch the final strains of it, but enough to discern that the light ripple was distinctly feminine.  The breeze from the courtyard rustled through the open windows, making the gauzy curtains dance in the candlelight; a sight I at once found attractively mesmerizing.  There was such an umistakable warmth in the atmosphere�so thick, it seemed certain I would grasp it if only I reached for it�

But my hand was still retained by Kelantha, whose words I had entirely overlooked in my rapture.  My attention then fell on the room we stood in, a room we shared with two individuals gazing at me most attentively�the elusive parents, I concluded, as the woman so strongly resembled Kelantha, it stilled my breath for a moment.  There was a hardness around her mouth, however, that had certainly not been passed on to my lovely one�then, too, her hair was pulled back in a style considered fashionable several years prior.  Her expression was unreadable, her eyes returning my stare with no warmth.

�Dear,� I heard Kelantha say, softly, �I would be most grateful if you would allow me to introduce you to Se�or Enrique and Se�ora Mercedes Cabrera�my parents.�

It was Enrique who came forward first, although Mercedes was standing closer than he was, and offered the traditional greeting, a firm embrace and even more firm pat on the back, while he stated, �You are very welcome, sir. You honor my house and my table with your presence.�

�I thank you, se�or, but I must assure you the honor is entirely mine. I have quite abruptly stolen your most precious treasure from your household; I could never expect such a reception as this.�

And, in the distance, Kelantha smiled faintly to herself.

�Does your husband care for you, Kelantha, or does he intend to let you stand in your traveling cloak all evening?�  Mercedes spoke at length, never stopping her appraisal of me in the process.

��Mam�!� Kelantha gasped, �Please! I am sure he has no such intention.�

�Nor have I, madame,� I answered cautiously, �I fear my admiration of your lovely home has caused me to forget what is owed to my darling.�

�Don�t trouble yourself,� Kelantha said hastily, unfastening her own cloak in one swift movement, �One of the servants will see to it.� 

She must have seen fit to go off in search of one, for suddenly she was out of the room.  Enrique followed her with his eyes, regretfully.

�Dinner will be served presently, sir. I do hope your travels have not wearied you out entirely,� Enrique ventured, weariness evident in his voice.

�No, we will be very pleased to join you,� I answered.

�Come,� Mercedes said, �I am sure you will want to refresh yourself before then; I will take you to your chamber.�

She led the way in silence, which she broke only to answer my inquiry if it was to Kelantha�s former quarters we were destined.

�Yes, it has been empty since the day she left for London, although God knows she hardly stayed in it while she lived here.�

She faced me then.  �I must confess my curiosity where one matter is concerned, count.�

�And what might that be?�

�What was my daughter doing in Romania this past year?�

I smiled thinly.  �Ah, yes, I understand. It is a bit far from the English capital��

�From her university and her studies also,� she supplied readily.

�I suppose it was my shared fascination of the sciences and unique resources that engaged her interest initially�although, se�ora, I believe her arrival was the answer to the prayer I did not dare whisper.�

Retrieving a key, she unlocked one of the heavy wooden doors in the dim corridor.  Kelantha had already anticipated us, it seemed, and she looked up from her seat at the writing desk anxiously.

�Do try to be on time for dinner, mija,� Mercedes said, closing the door behind her.

�Dinner,� Kelantha echoed, once we were alone and I approached her side, �How many times can I tell them I have no appetite, I wonder?�

�None,� I replied, taking the pins out of her thick, dark hair.  I took the comb that lay on the table and began to run it through her curls gently, pinning her hair up again.  The curls framed her face loosely, and gave her a much softer appearance than the severe bun she usually disciplined her locks with.  �You have only to give the appearance of eating. Put the idea in their minds and they will accept it willingly. Use your fork to push the food around slightly. With your powerful influence, no one will know the difference.� 

She began to rifle through her trunks when a thought came to me.  �Why do you not wear your red gown tonight, Kelantha? No color becomes you more.�

Without an answer, she took one and disappeared momentarily, reappearing only in time for me to escort her downstairs.

She had chosen a black gown.

~

At the center of the dining room, aglow with light, was a majestic table so heavily laden with numerous platters and dishes, I idly wondered whether the entire neighborhood would be invited.  The energetic flow of activity halted when Kelantha and I arrived in the doorway, and at once she was surrounded, flooded with the loud, affectionate exchange of embraces and kisses.  Somewhere amidst it all she managed to introduce me, prior to Mercedes none-too-subtly suggesting we sit down before the food froze on our plates.  Kelantha�s brothers�both younger than she�were present; the eldest, Javier, sat with his wife, Cristina, at one end of the table; while Manuel sat beside Kelantha and left his fianc�e, Marisol, to converse with her future father-in-law.  Kelantha stiffened slightly and did not exactly appear pleased, but turned her attention to taking her fork and creating little rivets and pathways in her rice.  We had almost commenced peacefully when Enrique suddenly mentioned, �Don�t disappear after dinner tonight, Kelantha, someone is most anxious to see you.�

�I cannot imagine who you mean,� Kelantha answered, �Anyone who would wish to see me is seated here already.�

�Graciela was beside herself with joy when she heard you were returning,� Enrique pursued, observing his daughter with a gentle smile.

Mercedes tapped Kelantha�s wrist.  �Take some meat; it will put color in your cheeks. You are so pale�doesn�t your husband feed you?�

Exasperated, Kelantha put her fork down.  �Graciela is coming here? Tonight? She did not marry someone with almost enough money to support her expense tastes�and take her away somewhere?�

�No, but you will never guess who she did marry,� Javier teased, grinning at his sister.

�Who, then?�

�Juan Carlos Torres!�

�What!�

I had begun to feel utterly and truly lost, when Cristina leaned over and said confidentially, �Se�or Torres once courted our darling Kelantha.�

�I see. And Graciela�?�

�Was once my friend,� Kelantha supplied, seizing her fork again and taking to the vegetables with a vengeance.

�I don�t think he ever forgave you for going to England,� Mercedes said, furtively glancing at her daughter.

�Perhaps I never forgave him for lying to me for months.�

�Really, Kelantha, I hardly think that was his intent��

�I understand you are from Transylvania, count!� Cristina interrupted brightly, �You must tell us about it; we were all so intrigued to read Kelantha�s letter.�

�Yes, none of us imagined Kelantha marrying so soon. Manuel and I were debating whether she had a heart hidden beneath that prickly exterior of hers,� Javier said good-naturedly.

I raised my glass to my lips and smiled over the crystal rim.  �It is her heart, her grand passion for life, that I admire most in her.�

Marisol, who had remained quiet all this time, whispered something to her fianc�; when he made no response, she addressed me eagerly, her voice almost like a child�s.  �And do you truly live in a castle?� 

�The grandest you ever saw, Marisol,� Kelantha replied, �So large, you would be lost in it within five minutes.�

�I am sure I should,� she acquiesced, �Are they any particularly ancient cabinets or wardrobes?�

�Marisol, have you been reading those horrid books again?� Cristina chided affectionately.

�I come from a very old family, se�orita, most of the furniture would seem particularly ancient to you.�  I answered.

�How long have you lived with your family in Transylvania, count?� Enrique inquired.

�Regrettably, I am the last of my line�but we have inhabited the country since before the era you would call the Dark Ages.�

�Remarkable!� Marisol breathed.

�And my little Kelantha is now truly a countess, the mistress of the castle?� Enrique said with wonderment.

�And the queen of my heart,� I affirmed, clasping my hand where that venerable organ should have been.

Kelantha folded her napkin.  �Would you excuse me, please?�

�Do you need anything, dear?� Cristina asked, rising instantly.

�Nothing at all,� she called over her shoulder.

I placed my napkin down, too.  �I think I ought to inquire after her, in any event.�  Enrique smiled approvingly.

I had followed her into the parlor when something of a shriek pierced the tranquility of the evening.  Before another moment had passed, Kelantha was enveloped in a frenzied embrace and subjected to more ecstatic exclamations.

��Que tal, chica!� the young woman cried, �Away for so long�married, even!�and not once did you write! Where is he!�

�What can you mean?� Kelantha asked, rather stiffly removing the slender arms from her sides.

Her companion sighed in exasperation.  �Your mysterious, rich, foreign nobleman of a husband!�

Nothing was said, yet two pairs of dark eyes turned to me at that exact moment.  Graciela (for so I knew her to be) took a sharp intake of breath, and gripped Kelantha�s hands more tightly.  She glanced at her former friend curiously, and when Kelantha gave a slight nod in response, approached me.

�Buenas noches, se�or,� she said with a slight curtsy.  �I must confess, I did not realize Kelantha�s husband would be so very handsome.�

�Nor did I realize she would have such charming acquaintances,� I rejoined, bowing in turn.  Graciela laughed delightedly.

�You will excuse me, I trust, my love�I am sure you ladies have much to regale each other with, and the night is still young. I believe I shall take a short walk.�

Murderous.  I believe that is the best way to describe Kelantha�s face, an expression of perfect horror, at the thought of passing the evening t�te-�-t�te with her former companion.  But I merely smiled at her and swept past them both.  The night was fresh, and it beckoned.  Beyond the iron gates lay a grand city waiting, simply begging, for the monotony of their comfort to be shaken, for their blood to be stirred�

How could I disappoint them?

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