Lady Danbury and I ate my last and her first meal of the day together. Then she bid me good night and I headed up the main staircase to my bedroom. A candle stick was my only source of light; it was getting dark outside fast. Not that it bothered me. I'd go read in my room a bit before bed. It was all set, in my mind anyway.
It had only been about ten minutes or so since I entered my room. I was sitting in front of the white-wood vanity, dressed in my nightgown and brushing my hair. That's when I thought of something I forgot to ask Lady Danbury at dinner about. Setting down the brush and picking up the candle, I went to the door and out into the hallway. It was quiet but this was nothing new. I'd expect nothing different with just her ladyship and I here. But my feet had only taken a few steps before the sound of the one of the front doors echoed all throughout the manor. I paused, startled that we'd have a visitor so late. Well, perhaps late for me; this was like morning for vampires. Still, I didn't want to show myself wearing nothing by my nightgown to a stranger who might be in the house. I froze, waiting for a second to hear something- anything. It crossed my mind that it might have been Lady Danbury exiting the manor. But she always used the back door, claiming that the front door was too much effort. This theory was dispelled however at the surprising chime of a voice.
A male voice.
"Lady Danbury!" Hurried footsteps followed this coming from inside the manor. They stopped in the same hallway whoever it was was standing in. "Simon!" Her ladyship let out a breathless gasp. My heart skipped a beat; my fingers twitched on their own accord. Simon! Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings! He's here? He's returned to Hastings Manor? Lady Danbury sounded just as floored as I was. Though I couldn't see either of them, still hiding myself now against the wall in the hallway, I could imagine the confused look on Lord Basset's face.
"Good to see you too, malady. My apologises for the unexpected arrival; I just got into London two days ago," he sounded distracted, like he was fiddling with his gloves as he talked. "Y-You can't be here!" Was Lady Danbury's shell-shocked reply. Her saying this made me wonder if Lord Basset was even aware of my staying here. Perhaps he just forgot while journeying from the continent. Still…. My balled hand rose up to my pounding chest. I suddenly felt in danger; not much but enough for all my sensations to be on high alert. Again, I could picture the expression his grace must be giving her right now.
"I beg your pardon? I live here, last I checked," Lord Basset tartly replied. "Have you forgotten, your grace?! You can't stay here! There's a human in the manor!" I heard her ladyship take a step toward him. This was proceeded by a moment of silence. "A human? Impossible; I don't know any humans." "I know! Which is why you have to leave- immediately! You can't be around her; it's not safe." "Her?!" Lord Basset's voice rose a little in surprise. Lady Danbury hushed him, stepping even closer. "Shhhhh, not so loud! She'll hear you!" Oh, the irony of that statement. He, of course, refused to lower his tone however.
"You mean there's really a human in my house?! A human girl?" "Yes! Don't you remember? You told the Viscount Anthony Bridgerton that he may let Hastings Manor to house his sister when their father died. Anthony's keeping her here until they can figure out what to do with her in London." "London? They're going to bring a human to that overcrowded, crime-ridden city?" "Of course not! He means find safe accommodations for her just outside London's border. That could take months, maybe even years, which is why she's staying here. Anthony didn't know who else to leave her with, but that was with the understanding that you would not be here! So you can't stay; not while she's in the manor."
This was proceeded by yet another pregnant pause. "Where is she?" My heart skipped another beat. Oh…. Oh no; this could be bad. Clearly I wasn't the only one who thought so. Lady Danbury banged her cane on the floor. "Are you insane?! You can't meet her! You shouldn't even look at her! One look and you'll be driven mad with hunger and liable to attack." "Oh come now, Lady Danbury. Are these dramatics really necessary?" I could almost feel him roll his eyes at her. But knowing Lady Danbury, her stern, worried expression did not alter. "Yes; yes, they are. You have no experience with humans. I have, and even I struggle to control myself each time Miss Bridgerton enters the room." Wait, what? I didn't know that! She always did such a good job of hiding her thirst from me. But then, when I think back, she did always have a cup of blood in her hand or close by whenever we were together…. Her ladyship continued. "She is young and supple. Her kindness only extenuates her flavour. She is no criminal or human of low birth; she is a Bridgerton, and she carries herself as such. No, you'd have no chance of controlling yourself with her, and I'm not about to see you jailed for attacking the first human you meet, especially under your father's roof."
Yet another, more tense pause. Lord Basset cleared his throat. "Be that as it may, this is my house and she is under my roof. I'll see her if I so please; it's my right as master of Hastings Manor, so long as the girl is on my property." "Did you not just hear me, boy?! Right now you are legally letting this estate to Anthony Bridgerton, who has not given you permission to meet his sister. You have no right to meet her or talk with her or even stay here; not until his lease is up. That is the law, Simon, and there's nothing you can do to get around it. I'm telling you, stay away from her. It's too risky and you'll have no legal protection if anything happens to Miss Bridgerton. Anthony entrusted her to my care and mine alone; he'd come and snatch her up in a flash if he knew you were back." "So Lord Bridgerton really intends to keep his sister, then?" "It would appear that way. He and his mother have already had twenty offers to buy Daphne last week alone; all of which they've turned down." "Twenty?!" Lord Basset and I gasped simultaneously. What?! Mother and Anthony have had twenty offers of purchase? And they've rejected them all? Wow, Anthony wasn't lying when he said the Bridgerton family wanted to keep me with them. I was a little in awe- and horror- just now. Lord Basset seemed more surprised than horrified by his tone of voice following this. "One was from Queen Charlotte herself. She wanted human blood to serve at her centennial ball." Oh my god, the queen?! I never realized just how much Uncle sheltered me from in the past…. I was now hugging myself; my candle nearly burnt out, leaving me in the dark up there by myself.
I'm sure Lord Basset spent the next second straightening up his posture. Maybe he pulled on the bottom of his jacket, as Uncle used to do whenever he caught himself up. He cleared his throat again. "Well, in any case….." "Not "in any case", Simon. You must take this seriously. She does not belong to you; you do not own her. She is Anthony's property. Being near her will only draw your hunger out more, and I doubt you have the self-control to stop yourself." "Lady Danbury!" "I'm being frank with you, your grace. For the final time, stay clear of the human. Miss Bridgerton is going to be staying here for quite some time and she'd be afraid if she knew you were also here."
Yet another pause; they did that a lot. "Very well then. I'll do upmost to avoid Miss Bridgerton." "You can't stay, Simon." "I have some affairs to set in order. I'll house here until I can make arrangements elsewhere. But you need not worry, nor write to Lord Bridgerton about the matter. His sister is safe. So long as I don't see her, it'll be like she's not here. Besides, humans sleep most of the night, don't they? We'll barely have a chance to run into one another." "This is dangerous, your grace," poor Lady Danbury sounded worn out. "Not if we're cautious. But don't worry; I'll be gone before you know it. I'll stay in my bedroom until we know she's asleep. It'll work out fine.
She'll never even know I was here by the time I leave."