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Hillingham estate

"A Prince, no less?" Lucy Westenra sounded less than impressed. "He must have been fooling you."

Mina sighed. "Probably." Her thoughts were lingering in Vlad, more than she understood herself. He reminded her of something...

The castle towering above the mist-shrouded spruce forest, a land beyond the forest...

Lucy threw a low-cut red dress on her bed. A matching choker covered her neck. "I will wear that at the party."

"It´s quite... unfashionable." The dress was gorgeous, of red velvet and artificial roses, fragrant of cleanliness and flower perfume.

"It is not my fault that juvenile minds are in the sewer." Lucy stressed slightly the word "juvenile."

"Lucy all grown up?" Mina smiled a bit.

"Very much," red-haired girl said, her gaze lingering in the mirror. "Mina..."

"What?"

"Nothing. What you are going to wear?"

.

Vlad recognized Mina at once. She was standing near the window; she was wearing a blue silk dress, trimmed with white lace, and her golden hair, tinted with red, was combed up. She was watching the dancers and smiling.

"We will meet again, Miss Mina."

Mina turned and saw Vlad. He was wearing gorgeous, wine red velvet coat with a golden dragon embroidery in the both sides of the collar.

"Are you telling me we have royals in Hillingham?" Mina blurted.

Vlad smiled a bit. "I have bought Carfax estate. I am basically your neighbor. Miss Westenra´s mother invited me here."

"I´m sorry..." Mina began, understanding that she had insulted her guardian´s highborn guest.

"There is no reason for it. A stranger telling to you that he is a prince, a sheikh..." Vlad offered his hand, when the harpist began new melody from The Mikado, the popular Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. "May I get this dance?"

Mina smiled. "Yes."

When they swirled in the floor, Mina found out that her partner was excellent dancer.

"You told that we have met years ago," Mina said. "When? I don´t remember you."

"I want you to remember it." Vlad looked suddenly very serious.

Mina laughed. "Give me a hint."

"Lucy!"

Mrs Westenra´s scream made Mina to turn. Lucy had fainted and her dancing partner, Dr Seward, was rising her from the floor. Mina hurried to her friend´s side. Lucy was flushed and breathed heavily. Her eyes were closed.

"I will carry her to her room," Seward said to Mrs Westenra. "Mrs Westenra, send the guests away. Miss Mina, stay with your mother."

Mina wrapped protecting arm around Mrs Westenra´s shoulders.