Chapitre 2

The Next Day-

"Ow! Not so tight Mina!"

"Sorry Miss!!" She loosened the strings of my corset as I got changed behind a silk screen, which was decorated with birds of paradise and rare plants. Mina finished tying up my corset and pulled the dress over my head, adjusting it to make sure it fitted well. The dress was a pretty shade of silvery blue, the sleeves were long and reached a little over my hands, the gentle curve of the neckline gave nothing away and was very modest and the skirt was long and trailed the floor slightly as I turned around making sure that everything was stitched up nicely.

"Now Miss, I think that the diamond studs you have would go wonderfully with this, as well as the diamond bracelet your father bought you last summer." Mina said while rummaging through one of my many jewelry boxes. Putting the earrings in and putting on the bracelet she sat me down at my gold embellished vanity and started on my hair.

"Mina, do you know anything about who else is coming to the party tonight?" she pulled some strands out of my face and fixed my hair so it curled around my shoulders and fell naturally to my waist.

"Well, I know most of the Lee family will be there and mostly their friends like the Reinfels and the Harvenheights, that's all I know of Miss."

"So I'll take it that Drake will be there." Mina sighed.

"Unfortunately so Miss." I frowned and sighed.

"Great, the last person I want to see." Mina put my brush down and picked up a bottle of perfume, spraying my neck lightly before fixing my make-up, dusting my eyelids with silvery powder and applying mascara and eyeliner.

"How many marriage proposals from him has it been so far?"

"13 and still counting." I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror.

"Oh Miss, you look wonderful." She handed me my matching purse.

"ARE YOU DONE YET YOU STUPID GIRL?!" I heard Lottie shriek from the entrance hall.

"WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE AND IT'S GOING TO BE ALL YOUR FAULT!!!" I gave Mina my thanks and hurried off, walking into the entrance hall, Step-Mother, Lottie and Father were all there waiting for me. Lottie in a new dress of dark purple with several chunky diamond bracelets and a new diamond necklace, Step-Mother in a simple dark green dress but with lots of heavy rings on her swollen fingers and Father in a simple grey suit.

"Ah Estelle, you look stunning, don't you think so Agatha?" Step-Mother gave a little grunt as a reply and Lottie rolled her eyes and strutted to the carriage. Piling in, I was crushed against the seat as I was sitting next to Lottie who took up nearly the entire carriage. After several excruciating minutes we finally arrived at the Lee's house, the doors were open and the entrance hall glittered with gigantic ice sculptures of swans, stags and people in artistic poses. Father and Step-Mother wandered off to talk to Drake's parents (Stephan and Helen) and Lottie found her demonic little clique of friends and was chatting in the corner. I drifted off and grabbed a glass of champagne, wandering amongst the crowd, people chatting amongst themselves, immersed in their conversations and friends.

'Ah I wish Mina was here, and then I would have someone to talk to.' I sipped my drink, wandering over to the balcony where nobody was standing.

"Este! Este! Over here!" I nearly choked on my drink, champagne doing down the wrong way. I looked over my shoulder; he was pushing his way through the crowd towards me.

'Oh perfect! Drake!' I ran over to the edge of the balcony and hid in the dark. Drake ran out onto the balcony, his short brown hair flopping around and his dark brown eyes were looking for me. He looked around, shrugged and went back inside; I stepped out of my hiding place and walked back inside, the ballroom was decorated in shades of white and silver, the walls glittered with silver silk drapes and the floor was covered in glitter. Couples were already dancing on the floor, I smirked when I saw Father and Step-Mother dancing, and I brushed a stand of hair out of my face and turned around. My blood ran cold when I saw it, Lottie dragging Drake towards me, a smug smirk on her face.

'Oh God! She knows how much I hate him!!' I fled, walking swiftly through the colorful crowd, bumping into people but them not noticing. Stopping at a tall ice sculpture of a doe and a fawn I felt something missing from my wrist.

'My bracelet!'

"Did you drop this?" A deep, seductive voice said from behind me. I turned around; the man was tall and draped in a black suit. He had light blue skin with a goatee and long dark blue hair that had a certain elegance and curl to it that not many men could pull off. What drew me in the most were his eyes, one was honey gold and the other was blood red, he seemed to stare deep into me, swallowing me up in his gaze. In his gloved hand was my diamond bracelet, glittering and sparkling in the light of the chandelier.

"Y-yes, thank you." He smiled and reached out and took my hand, his gloves felt soft and gentle against my bare hands. He attached the bracelet back on my wrist with care but didn't let go of my hand.

"May I have a privilege of knowing you name my dear?"

"Estelle, Estelle Cutter, Monsieur." He bowed low before me and kissed the top of my hand, lingering longer than usual.

"Miss Cutter, would you honor me with a dance?" I felt my face flush three different shades of red; he smiled at me, showing his teeth that were a little longer and sharper than a regular persons. I nodded as I couldn't get my mouth to work and he held my hand atop his, escorting me to the floor, I looked around, people were muttering amongst themselves pointing at me and the man, some of them scowling and some of them (Mostly women) giving me painful glances of jealous fury.

"Don't worry about them; keep your eyes on me." He led me to the centre of the floor and a waltz came on, leading me around the floor.

'I haven't danced in so long, I'd almost forgotten how.' I though as he spun me gently, as though afraid of hurting me. As the two of us moved around the ballroom, I saw Lottie and Drake staring at me, their mouths wide and Drake looked as though he might kill the man, his eyes furious that he was dancing with me. It felt like a beautiful dream, his touch was so careful and tender, moving me with the slightest effort around the floor, twirling me, dipping me, like a puppet under his powerful command. I felt my heart flutter in my chest like a trapped bird, every step we took together took my breath away.

'I have never felt this way before.' I thought happily. He stopped, I looked up at him, I was about the same height as his chest, and our eyes locked in an unbreakable gaze. He clasped his soft hands over mine and whispered into my ear, his hot breath against my neck which sent chills up my spine.

"Thank you for the dance Miss Cutter." He turned and left, leaving me alone in the centre of the dance floor. I stared after him, everyone was silent then the gossiping started, like a buzz of angry bees. I felt something sharp in my hand, looking down; a perfect blue rose was in my hands, I felt my face turn pink. A hand clamped down on my shoulder.

"We're leaving Estelle." Step-Mother said, looking around at her, her face was hard and emotionless but a terrible fury was dancing in her eyes. Lottie was storming towards us Father walking up behind her. The Lee family walked over to us, Father stepped forward to address them.

"I'm so sorry Stephan, we have to leave early. Goodnight Helen, Drake, hope the rest of the party goes well." As Step-Mother forced me towards the door, Drake shot me an icy look and sneered at the rose in my hands. Snatches of gossip ringed in my ears as I was forced into the carriage.

"-did you see them?!"

"Why would he dance-"

"-doesn't deserve him-" The ride back to the house was silent, the only noise was the clopping of the horses hooves on the road. As soon as the door to the house was closed, Step-Mother exploded.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO THAT MAN IS??!" Her red face shrieked at me, her hair falling out of her bun.

"Of course she doesn't! The stupid girl has no idea who he is!!" Lottie shouted in agreement, the two of them glared at me. Father walked over to me and looked at the rose I clutched in my now shaking hands.

"Estelle, I'm so happy for you. It is very rare that he takes an interest in a woman." He smiled warmly at me but the other women in the room turned white with anger.

"The Count deserves better! The Count of Monte Cristo deserves better than this common girl!!" Oh my God, I had heard a rumor of the Count from outside Lottie's closed doors. Whispers of his origin and wealth, supposed to be the wealthiest man in the universe and possibly and alien, vampire or some kind of cruel creature. I took a breath and walked off to my room, passing down the halls Mina stepped out, a smile on her face.

"So how'd it go? You're back very early." I showed her the rose and she fell silent, her eyes wide in shock.

"Miss! T-this is from-"

"The Count, I only just found out who he was." I opened the doors to my room and collapsed on my bed, I handed the rose to Mina.

"Can you get a vase please?" She hurried off and arrived back with a thin, golden vase. She placed it next to my bed before sitting down next to me.

"Miss, I know it's not my place but just be careful around him. Many people say that he can be a generous but very cruel man, or he may not be a man at all!" She cried, I rolled over and stared at the ceiling, which was painted with the night sky and the constellations which glittered down on me.

"I know Mina; I probably won't see him again anyway. He has much more important things to do other than court me or any woman." I thought glumly, letting Mina silently change me into my nightdress and leave me to sleep. My head swam with thoughts of the strange Count that night, whether he and I shall meet again and what tomorrow morning would hold for my fate with Drake, Step-Mother and Lottie.