Chapter Two

Hallo, Goodbye, Hallo, Goodbye

The next morning, he awoke to find the smell of breakfast drifting up to him.

Oh great he thought happily, just what I wanted.

He dressed and went down stairs to find Misha sitting in the breakfast room, eating some toast and drinking some coffee, as he came in she stood up and said: "I hope you don't mind mister Van Helsing, I took the liberty of getting myself some breakfast"

"Oh no, not at all" he said. "Help yourself to anything you like"

"Thank you" said Misha. "You really are too kind"

"Don't mention it" said Van Helsing. "Would you like me to send a message to your father, He must be quite worried by now"

"Oh yes if you would" she answered. "But I doubt he has even missed me yet"

"Oh really, why?" said Van Helsing.

"Because I am usually up early and out riding around by this time" answered Misha.

"Instead of a message" said Van Helsing. "Would you like to ride back?"

"Oh really, could I?" She asked. "You have horses then"

"Yes, a big stables round the back" he answered. "I'll just go and have some breakfast, why don't you go and put on a riding habit, you'll find one in the wardrobe of you room"

Misha rushed up stairs and into the room he had given her, and sure enough there was a beautiful tan coloured satin riding habit there, this she put on and the boots and feathered hat that went with it, she turned and looked at herself in the mirror, she really did look lovely, her hair smoothed sleekly back from her face, platted and pinned in a elegant bun on the back of her head.

She went quickly down stairs and found him waiting for her, clad in high riding boots, a trench coat and a cowboy hat.

"You look exactly like one of those cowboys from the books" she said upon seeing him.

"And you look exactly like one of the women from those books" said Van Helsing. "Lets go, the horses are waiting"

They went out into the back yard and found two horses waiting for them, one was a smooth chocolate brown and the other was black.

"This is yours" said Van Helsing pointing to the brown mare."She's called Delilah and this is Jet Black, but we just call him Jet for short" he pointed to his black stallion

"He's really lovely, is he a thoroughbred?"

"No he's from Transylvania, one of there race horses I believe"

"Really, I've herd that there speed is unrivaled in the racing world"

Easily she slid into the saddle, though she was not used to riding side saddle, she could still ride that way.

They trotted off in to the grounds and then onto the open fields, it was a beautiful morning with the wonderful smell you get after a rain storm, she breathed in deeply and smiled, life really was worth living.

"Shall me gallop" said Misha. "This ground is so lovely for it and it's quite dry"

"Yes lets" he said spurring his horse faster.

Together they galloped through the countryside and across the heath till they could see the little village in the bottom of the valley, Misha made to dismount but Van Helsing stopped her by saying: "she is your horse if you want her, she is hardly ever ridden and I don't have guests that ride her often"

"Really" said Misha.

"Yes, if you like" said Van Helsing.

"Could you keep her for me?" Misha asked. "We only have a small stables and all the stalls are full"

"Sure" said Van Helsing. "Come round whenever you like and ride her, she's yours"

"Oh thank you so much" said Misha dismounting. "You are so so kind"

She turned and ran down into the valley and out of sight calling: "Goodbye and thanks again"

Two days latter they were riding together again but this time it was much more comfortable and friendly, Misha had turned up not in a riding habit as he had expected, but in riding breaches and a long trench coat like his, her hair was loosely held back in a pony tale at the back of her slender neck and curly strands framed her face.

My God, he thought, she really is a beauty.

It was a lovely spring day and the country was full of life, the new green on the trees and the lambs in the fields were just a few of these things and all the fields were full of flowers.

They talked as they rode, getting to know each other and finding out what the other was like.

This went on for some time as they found they had much in common and then as the summer break came near, she didn't come and ride for some time.

The weather was hot, in the country and the town alike, this surprised Van Helsing a lot as usually English summers were wet and cold, not the almost continental weather that they were experiencing, Misha

Van Helsing had received a note from the Vatican about some new monster that was terrorizing Spain, some young scientist had been experimenting on animals and atoms and had created a shape shifting monster that murdered and stole every thing it came across, this Van Helsing decided did not have priority and he went to London instead, thinking about why Misha hadn't come riding with him recently.

When he saw her again and when he did it was the least expected place, he had gone to London to buy some stuff and he caught sight of her coming out of an expensive dress shop, not at all what he would have expected from a simple parsons daughter like her, she was wearing an elegant rust velvet and satin dress and a black fur cloak, when she caught sight of him she waved him over and introduced him to her friends, Olivia Grey and Corinthia Merola, Olivia was tall and slim, with silky flaxen hair that was smoothed back and tied in a tight not, she had silver grey eyes and a pale heart shaped face, Corinthia was smaller and slightly buxom, she had long curly chestnut hair and a tanned face with amber eyes.

They were both high bred and very proper about everything which unnerved Van Helsing to some extent.

"I haven't seen you for a while Miss Korona" he said as they walked down the street.

"Oh" she said. "I was with my aunt and cousins in Somerset, the weather down there is so nice and we went sea bathing and rode horses along the beach, it was brilliant"

"Sounds nice" said Van Helsing. "I can't blame you, it has been very hot recently"

"I look forward to riding with you again" said Misha. "I missed your company"

"And I missed yours" said Van Helsing. "Are you staying in London at the moment?"

"No, I go back tonight" she answered

And so it went on they roded and dined together and one night as they came back from a moon lit ride and he took her to her door they kissed, it was not like his rushed impassionate kiss with Anna, it was gentle and mutual and it felt like the world had slowed down for them, it had been almost to easy to forget Anna in her presents, she captivated him in every way, being with her was like being in a wonderful dream and soon they were engaged to be married, the time passed so quickly and they were both so happy together that he forgot his job and Anna in time, Misha was the only thought in his head and the only person that mattered, his love for her was so strong that he thought it could never waver or stop, nothing could come between them.