I didn't know it was possible to be this thirsty…. Until the first time I looked at her.
I had just finished reading Uncle's letter to me when her ladyship entered the dining room that morning. I was already in my usual place with a raspberry and custard tart Lord Basset acquired for me. I've only ever heard of one bakery before in England and had no idea where he was finding all this luxurious human food. Of course Lady Danbury noticed right away it was there upon entering. Not smiling she went to take her usual seat across the table from me. I folded up Uncle's letter and neither of us said anything for a moment, this awkward silence filling the hall briefly.
But soon enough, her ladyship waved her hand in my direction. "I don't know why that boy's going out of his way to spoil you. Not that you don't deserve good food, course. But I can't fathom why Simon would do something like that for a guest, let alone a human. He must have ulterior motives," she said the last part while taking a sip of her goblet. I smiled and took a bite from my tart. "I think he's just trying to be nice to me," was my light-hearted venture. Lady Danbury snorted and leaned in a bit toward me. "Simon doesn't do "nice". Trust me on this, my dear. Don't mistake his actions for kindness; there's got to be more to it than that." I didn't say anything, instead glancing sheepishly down at my plate. Her ladyship noticed my demur reaction and thought to change the topic. She had the perfect opportunity to do so when she saw Uncle's letter rest on the table beside me.
"By the way, how's your great uncle doing?" "He's well, thank you! He says he's doing well…. Missing me a little," my eyes lowered a tad, almost in a guilty way. "Hmmmm, well that's not surprising. The man did raise you, after all. One does not detach so quickly as that," Lady Danbury noted. I nodded. "You're right. It's just…. I miss him too, very much so." "Do not worry, child. You'll see each other soon enough. He's coming to visit in June, right?" "As far as I know. I really hope he does come; I really…. really want to see him again," then my lips let out a sigh as I leaned back wistfully in my chair. Lady Danbury watched me intently, almost like she was studying me for a second. She brought her gloved hand up to her chin.
"You really care for your uncle, don't you?" "Oh yes! I love him! I'd do anything for him. I had thought…. Well, I know it's silly and I'm likely to outlive my uncle, but I had thought to leave him my body…. At the time of my death of course!" I was quick to tack on. Her ladyship's eyebrow raised up. "Leave him your body? Oh! So he might drink all your blood then?" "Yes, madame," my head gave a sincere nod. She looked at me again with intensity, her finger brushing across her lower lip in a thoughtful fashion. "But you're going to outlive your uncle?" "Y-Yes… I realized that when I grew up. I wanted Uncle to drink my blood ever since I was a child. But since I'll outlive him… In that case, if I can't give Uncle all my blood I'll leave it to one of my siblings, I guess; with Anthony or whoever owns me at the time permission, that is." "You want to give your blood to a family member when you die?" She asked and I gave another nod. She sat back in her own chair a little, still staring my way.
"Hmmmmm, well that's very noble of you, Miss Bridgerton; very noble of you indeed. And I'm sure several vampires would be clammer to take your offer. But I doubt one of the remaining Bridgertons will drink all your blood after you die," Lady Danbury stated. This made me perk up some. "Why's that?" She waited a second to reply. "Well, as you know, unlike animal blood, human blood remains in a vampire's body forever. That's why the blood of a whole human is the only thing that can truly satisfy a vampire's thirst indefinitely. But it comes at a price. As I'm sure you're also well-aware, any vampire that drinks all the blood of a human loses their memory. They fall asleep, and when they finally reopen their eyes, they have no recollection of who they are or anything from their past lives. Lots of vampires are fine with this, as drinking human blood is potent enough to save them even from an inch of death. But I doubt any of your family members would be willing to forgo all their previous memories just to quench their thirst."
Watching Lady Danbury as she spoke, it came to me that she was right. The Bridgertons were a close-kit family, or at least from what I've heard. It's unlikely that any of them would be willing to give up their memories forever. That's partly why I wanted to leave my blood for Uncle. He wasn't close with the main branch down in London…. That, and it seemed like a loving gesture; a "thank you" for raising me and always looking out for me. But that dream disappeared too the day I understood I would live longer than my great uncle.
Sensing my sudden discomfort with the topic yet again, her ladyship wisely let it drop once more. She instead picked up the paper and began flipping through its pages, all while I stared down at my barely-touched tart. I didn't say a word when she spoke next sometime later.
"Ah, would you look at that! There's reports of even more highway men roaming this side of the country again. They robbed two carriages last month alone. Those lowlife, thieving scoundrels. They'll steal anything that isn't chained down. Just imagine what they would do if they ever got their hands on cargo like you? Do be careful when you go out into the garden by yourself, my dear. Oh, don't worry! You're perfectly safe out there, but all the same. You never know who's crawling around on the other side of the wall," she said in rapid succession. Not really paying attention to her just then, too busy thinking about my uncle and how much I wished I could see him again, I simply nodded my head.
Lady Danbury began to adjust her sleeping schedule, trying to stay up later and spend more time with me; something I appreciated. It was nice not to be so alone during the day. Over the weeks we had gotten into sort of a routine. We'd eat together, followed by a few hours in the parlour. Sometimes I'd read to her from a book or she'd read the newspaper to me, but usually I'd play the piano while her ladyship sewed or did something else nearby. I'd pause from my playing and glance back at where she normally sat over my shoulder. She'd then smile at me and I'd smile at her. Then I'd continue whatever melody I originally started. We'd go hours without uttering a word but it was such an intimate bonding time for the both of us. I certainly enjoyed it, and I'm pretty sure Lady Danbury did as well.
On this particular occasion I was in the middle of playing my favourite Beethoven piece. Lady Danbury had been sitting on the sofa by the fireplace writing some letters; I knew not to whom. Eventually though she stopped and made a motion to me. I also paused, spinning in my seat toward her. "Your ladyship?" "I'm a little thirsty, my dear. Allow me to go get myself a drink. Then I'll come back and you may finish your playing before I go to bed." "Yes, madame," I flashed her a contented smile.
I wasn't looking at the door when her ladyship opened it to leave, but when she did her voice echoed all throughout the manor. "Good lord, boy! What on earth are you doing standing out here?!" My back arched, my fingers twitched. I didn't hear Lord Basset's response as the door promptly shut after this. But I sat there, staring down at the piano keys in utter awe and shock.
Lord Basset! He was standing outside the door just now? Why? Why would he do that? Unless…. Wait! Was he listening to me play?! Did he come so to hear me play the piano for Lady Danbury. The very notion, even it were not true, made my cheeks sizzle a deep red. The only vampires who ever heard me play before were Uncle and Lady Danbury. Playing was such an intimate act, Uncle used to say. Maybe that's why her ladyship had to go fetch herself some blood every hour or so when I played for her. But to think that his grace heard me just now… My heart was pounding so hard that my hand lifted up to it. He likes my music….
He likes to hear me play.
Since then, after I was sure Lady Danbury had gone to bed, I'd go into the parlour and play the piano on my own. He didn't come the first time but soon enough I heard hushed footsteps in the hallway. They'd stop right outside the parlour door and would remain there until I finished playing. Sometimes, while being careful not to interrupt my rhythm, I'd sneak a peek at the bottom of the door out of the corner of my eye. The shadow of two feet could be seen there, standing very near the slit. Of course I wouldn't exit the room myself until I heard Lord Basset walk down the hall again, so we never actually saw each other. But that was the closest we've gotten near each other since he arrived.
No, the first time we saw one another happened later that week. It was a bright sunny day and I was out in the garden. By now the wildlife had come to trust me and always came around whenever I was outside. Today some deer came to visit me, as well as the usual bunnies and birds and whatnot. They allowed me to feed them from my hand, with me humming softly to myself. The deer I was feeding let me pet its nose. It seemed happy, which is why it was so surprising to me when all the animals suddenly tensed to full alert. They all unexpectedly looked frightened, like a predator was nearby. Alarmed, I petted the deer more in an attempt to calm it down. "What's wrong?" But it would not be calmed; none of the animals would be.
I don't know what possessed me to look upward back toward the manor, but my head instinctively moved in that direction. Once I looked up, my heart froze, my eyes enlarged to the size of dinner plates. There, in the balcony hidden in the shadows! In the balcony stories above me was a vampire! A male vampire! It didn't take me more than a second to realize that's him. It's him! The Duke of Hastings and the master of Hastings Manor. There he stood perfectly still, staring down at me with even more intensity than I was. His hand rested on the railing, as if to steady himself.
Neither of us did anything; we simply ogled each other in sheer awe. Well, it was pure awe on his part. From the moment he clapped eyes onto me, I knew he'd never seen a human before in his life. Lord Basset's expression made that obvious. It's not I felt in danger immediately, more so surveyed like a living portrait or statue, if that makes any sense. He way he looked at me as I stood there basking in the sunlight, with flowers all strown about my hair, and the gentle spring breeze swaying loose strands….. I have no idea how I knew it at the time, but in that very instance I knew….
I already knew that my life would never be the same.