Dear readers! These are the two new chappiesI have, with a little shot of Dracula! He will be taking more part of the story just a few chapters from now!
to the Widow Dracula: I'm sorry, I could only post these 2 at the end, I couldn't finish teh third one, I'm too tired! get back to me about them!
It was not much earlier, as Count Ferenc Sáradi's coach got round the mansion's gates to the surfaced forecourt. The light brown-haired, moustached young man's dark blue eyes raked the estate, which was so dear to him, thoroughly from the window of the coach. Count Sáradi had his two younger cousins with him, as company; the 23-year-old Richard, who spent his days seducing young women, and mostly doing nothing. He looked quite handsome actually; he had brown eyes, a goatee, and his dark brown hair was a bit longer than average, which made him special in the eyes of women. But his soul was empty, and his nature was disputatious and offensive. The third passenger of the coach was Richard's 15-year-old brother, Marton. He had blue eyes and short light brown hair just like his elder cousin, but his moustache just began to grow. He was an exceptionally clever boy, who was enthusiastic about medicine and healing, and read a lot. All three of them were dressed in delicate suits to make a good impression on the mansion's ladies. As the couch was about to stop in front of the main entrance, Ferenc noticed one of his stablemen as he was holding the bridle of a black horse, and trying to rebuke it with a flog. But the splendid animal just kept on whickering and prancing.
„ Uncle, does he have to beat that animal that hard?" asked Marton in a sceptic tone.
„ Well, I've always known that stableman for his aggressive behaviour, but I have never seen him treating any horse in this ill manner!" replied Count Ferenc „We'll talk to him right away!"
The flog was clashing hardly on the animal's skin.
„Calm down, for bloody hell, you beast!" shouted the stableman. Ferenc and his cousins got off from the coach and started towards the stableman. At that moment a rider showed up at the gates, approaching in a rapid tempo. Richard turned to his uncle:
„ Who in your household can ride a horse so well? Where do the servants learn such a thing?"
„It might be the new stable boy, whom the butler brought here a few weeks ago!" came the reply from the count. Getting closer, the rider's from became more distinct.
„And since when do servants have long hair, and wear cloaks?" asked Richard in a satirical tone, then all three men's gaze got fixed on the rider. The young woman stopped her horse not so far from the stableman, who was concentrating totally on beating the black animal, and taking no notice of the people around him. She jumped off the horse angrily, and started running towards the stableman, without even seeing the three men observing her from nearby.
„ Who could this lady be?" thought Count Ferenc.
The lady jumped between the stableman and the black horse just in time to save the animal form another strike. The flog coiled on her high-held begloved wrist instead. The stableman was surprised when the lady pulled the flog from his hand with such a strength that he almost fell over. Fury was boiling in her eyes, as she tossed the flog aside.
„Touch my horse once more, and I swear I'll break your arm!" she exclaimed assertively „ You behold yourself a stableman? You have no idea of how to treat horses at all! Now get out of here!" she said in a cold tone. The stableman edged off as quietly as he could. The lady started smiling, and turned to the horse, without taking notice of the three men standing agape. She hugged the animal's neck, and scratched his ear.
„ Midnight! I can't believe you came back to me!" she whispered, while burying her face in the horse's mane, and patting his back. The count gave a cough, while moving closer, to draw the lady's attention. The woman looked up suddenly, and started eyeing the count up and down.
„ Good day miss, welcome to my estate! I'm Count Ferenc Sáradi, may I ask who you are?" asked the count politely. The lady gave a smile, took her glove off, and gave her hand to the count.
„ I could hardly wait to meet you Count Sáradi! I'm Agnes Desewffy!"
The count kissed Agnes' hand, but was not able to hide his surprise. Agnes kept on smiling. It was then that Elizabeth arrived and got off her horse in a clumsy manner.
„Ferenc, I'm so happy to see you!" hurried Elizabeth to her love, and hugged him. „ I see you have met my sister already!"
„ Yes, I have." said Count Ferenc, as he and his cousins were eyeing Agnes curiously.
„ Whose is this black horse?" asked Elizabeth. The reply came form Agnes.
„ Let me introduce Midnight to you Elizabeth! Say hello, Midnight!" she said, and patted the horse's neck. Midnight got down on his knees gently, bowed his head, and rose after a while.
„ What are these cuts on him?" Elizabeth asked, pointed to the wounds on the animal's body.
„Those were caused by a dilettante stableman." said Agnes then turned to Ferenc „ I apologise if I hurt you with this, but I suggest you removed this man from your household. I would never entrust him my horses." Agnes jumped on Midnight's back. „ Now, if you excuse me, I will halter Midnight into the stall, and heal his wounds. I will introduce myself to the others as well, later." she finished, then looked at Richard and Marton.
„ Of course, Miss Agnes, but the stable boy can take care of this as well, if you wish!" said Count Ferenc.
„ Thank you, I will settle everything with him personally. Alright, then later. Elizabeth, gentlemen." said Agnes, and nodded, then rode off in a calm tempo. Ferenc was looking at Agnes for a time, then turned to Elizabeth:
„Well, my dear, I have to admit that I imagined your sister to be somewhat like this, but seeing her stand the strike of a flog just to save her horse, was a rather different experience!"
„See, I told you, you will be surprised!" smiled Elizabeth.
„Tell me Miss Elizabeth, how old is your sister?" asked Richard. Count Ferenc knew his cousin too well, and he prevented his further questions.
„Please Richard, would you just put your Don Juan manner aside for tonight, and not to behave foolishly!" said Ferenc, and went on a bit later „ I suggest we went inside, it is getting colder out here each minute!" he said, then offered his arm to Elizabeth, who accepted happily, and all set off towards the fancy main entrance.
Much later in the evening Elizabeth knocked on her sister's door, along with Julia and a few tire-women.
„ Come in!" came the reply form inside. Three maids were carrying the satin night-blue dress and its accessories. But the dress' owner seemed to have forgot about the ball, which was to start in a few hours. To everyone's surprise she was sitting by the table in a mere shirt, cleaning her sword and daggers. Elizabeth stamped her foot indignantly.
„This just cannot be true! The ball will begin in just hours, and you're sitting here, being preoccupied with your arsenal!"
Agnes smiled, finished her work, and put her weapons away.
„ Now, how hot-headed you are!" she noted, then stepped to her little sister „ You're only 18 years old, you didn't miss anything yet! Why is the hurry then?" asked Agnes with a provocative smile on her face.
„ Yes, that's true, but you're 20 already, and you haven't even tried your beautiful new dress on!" stroke Elizabeth back. Agnes was looking at her sister lovingly, as Elizabeth was standing with arms akimbo, trying to look serious.
„Oh, let me introduce you to my lady-companion! This is Julia!" said Elizabeth.
The thin, grey-eyed woman stepped forth to Agnes. She was wearing a simple apple-green dress with a white collar.
„ Agnes Desewffy, glad to have met you!" nodded Agnes.
„ Julia Hadfalvi, at your service, miss!" bowed Julia her head „ You will come to the ball, won't you miss?" Everybody is so curious about you!"
„ Are they?" asked Agnes, raising her eyebrow, and looking at her sister.
„ Yes, I have rung it in to everyone already! Please tell me you will come!"
„ I have told you, that I wouldn't miss this ball for the world! I have always loved balls, you know that! I have a passion for music and dancing!"
„ You probably didn't go to many balls in the past years! But now!"
„ You're really a ball heroine" laughed Agnes "But don't think I have missed balls! I took part in balls at the English royal court, a French mansion, and an Italian villa.. And they were all fun! So ladies," turned Agnes to the tire-women „ will you help me put this lovely dress on? I see it has a corset in it as well."
„ Sorry, father didn't mention that you don't wear corsets!"
The tire-women and Agnes went behind the folding-screen, and Elizabeth turned to Julia.
„ Well, what do you think of her?"
„ Well, she is not like anyone else I know, but I must admit she is very beautiful! Probably all the men will like her at the ball! Come to think of it, are you not nervous about the intentions of young Lord Richard?" asked Julia with worrying eyes. Elizabeth smiled.
„ Yes, I'm worried about Richard, but rather himself, not his intentions. He should look out for himself, if he wants something with my sister! Hardly anyone can deceive her! Moreover he can prepare for a lost battle of words! I have never met anyone more sharp-tongued than my sister. She is even worse since she came back! And Richard does not like smart women, like Agnes!"
„ It is not a very polite thing to talk about somebody behind his back!" came Agnes' voice form behind the folding-screen, and her tall figure appeared soon as well. The night-blue dress with white silk-flowers by its shoulders and short black gloves made of lace, really matched Agnes. Her hair went down to her waist in smooth waves, but Elizabeth was already racking her brain on how to pile it on top of Agnes' head.
„ This gown is really beautiful, I see you have a good taste Elizabeth. Thank you very much for this gift! Although the gloves could have been a little longer!"
Elizabeth looked at her sister's arm curiously, and noticed the scars on both of Agnes' wrists. She tried to hide her consternation.
„ Well, really, it was nothing..." stammered Elizabeth „ I want to thank you for returning home!"
„ Don't think that I came to visit you without bringing anything! I almost forgot to give it to you!"
said Ages, walked to one of the cupboards, and took out something wrapped in paper. She put it on the table, and started unwrapping it. Julia and Elizabeth stepped closer with curious eyes. A beautifully embroidered silk scarf and a book turned up from the package. Agnes gave both of them to her sister.
„ They're yours! I got both in Syria. I had to fight with the previous owner of the book, he said he wouldn't sell it to just anyone!"
Elizabeth took a look at the silk scarf at first, and then took the leather-covered book in her hand. She discovered a wonderful world between the two covers: the book was full of crooked Arabic letters, along with amazingly drawn pictures on every second page. Behind the last page, Elizabeth found the Hungarian translation written on small papers with Agnes' small letters.
„ 'Tales from the Arabian Nights' „ Elizabeth read it out loud" This is really wonderful! You're the best sitter in the world!" she said, and hugged Agnes" I will read it tonight"
„ And what about the ball?"
„ You're right, I almost forgot about that! I have to get prepared too! The dress will be fine for you, won't it?" asked Elizabeth, but Agnes saw that her thoughts were running on something else by that time.
„ Yes, it is just perfect, along with the shoes!" she said, and looked at the dark-blue shoes near the table. Elizabeth's enthusiasm affected the maids as well, and they all started talking about something.
„ Alright, we'll meet at the ball then!" said Elizabeth and started towards the door, along with Julia and the maids.
„ Goodbye miss!" they all said, as the noisy little group left Agnes' room.
„ My flighty little sister" thought Agnes as she watched Elizabeth disappear outside. Then as she was alone she started looking for a suitable glove among her gear.
