#Carfax Abbey

[pommedepersephone]

I abandoned my post as Mom, Guardian of EVERYTHING, and am on a solo trip to Whitby. It is both the home of Whitby Abbey, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Carfax Abbey, and also adjacent to a dark sky preserve. So I am revisiting my first obsession (Dracula) and my current fixation (Good Omens) with some wandering of the coast and some stargazing.

I invite you to join me in enjoying A Night with a Vampire: BBC Radio horror read by David Tennant, and keep an eye out because I think I will actually finish one of the four fics I have in progress this week.

[tiger-moran]

Carfax Abbey - Cry Little Sister

(original by Gerard McMahon)

[vodkaandsnakes]

On this day, March 29, in Type O Negative history:

Repulsion (who will later change their name to Type O Negative) play L'Amour in Brooklyn, NY (1990)

Type O Negative play the Sound Factory with Drain STH, Stuck Mojo, and Latino Chrome in Charlotte, NC (1997)

Type O Negative play the House of Blues with Coal Chamber, Full Devil, Jacket, and The Deadlights in New Orleans, LA (2000)

Type O Negative play the Trocadero Theatre with Brand New Sin and Carfax Abbey in Philadelphia, PA (2007)

[your-friend-bram]

August 17

Oh Mina dear, you'll get some good news soon.

-Bram

[astrangergivingthestrangewelcome]

Me, googling "terrifying Jesus on cross" for reference images for a fic: I'm being sooooooo normal right now.

[theamazingstories]

“MEH” Halloween Movies—THE INVITATION & JEEPERS CREEPERS REBORN (BEAUCOUP SPOILERS, HERE AND THERE!)

“MEH” Halloween Movies—THE INVITATION & JEEPERS CREEPERS REBORN (BEAUCOUP SPOILERS, HERE AND THERE!)

Figure 1 – The Invitation Poster I have to tell you: I love a good horror movie, whether it’s a ghost story (I don’t believe in ghosts), a good vs. evil (I don’t believe in gods, demons, or devils), a psychological horror story, or even—to a degree—an old-fashioned slasher. I don’t even wait for Halloween; when one presents itself I just jump in with both feet—where’s my popcorn?! But this week I…

[see-arcane]

I have been possessed by a stronger than average craving for tinkering with Jonathan Harker's genders (Jonders). Jonathan Harker is undeniably and forever my favorite gothic heroine. But, being that there is so much to chew on regarding his potential fluidity when it comes to gender roles within the story--the classic damsel, the willingly submissive half of the couple, the vengeful berserker, etc--it's got me thinking.

Let's take the metaphor out. What would happen to the Dracula narrative if Jonathan Harker was...

First thing's first--she almost definitely gets shouldered out of the Important Solicitor's position due to reasons of Being Girl. But she still has to get to Transylvania to be menaced by Count Bat Bastard. How?

Hawkins! Johanna is working at the firm as a secretary and personal assistant to a still very paternally mushy old Peter Hawkins. When Dracula's request comes around, he can't give up such a lucrative client over his gout and there's no one he trusts to pass it to. He has to go. And it'd only be right to treat his surrogate daughter to a paid scenic vacation have his aide along on the business trip. Especially when she hunted down Carfax Abbey herself! What a lovely outing they'll have.

...or not.

True to form, Count Dracula is very much not to be trusted around pretty young things of any kind. Considering his canon habits, things aren't about to go any easier for Miss Harker. But at least she has Hawkins watching out for her in-person! It all makes for some very tense talk when discussing anything other than the estate purchase; which Hawkins seems as keen to rush as Dracula is to dawdle over. But at least they'll be out of here soon. What's a couple of awkward nights, right?

One in particular has Johanna nervous as she goes to bed. Hawkins had taken Dracula aside with a hard smile, insisting there was a 'delicate matter' he wished to speak with the Count about. The last time a 'delicate matter' was brought up was when he nearly lobbed a typewriter at one of his ex-solicitor's heads for some distinctly unseemly behavior in her direction. She hopes there isn't a storm brewing under their host's roof. She hopes harder that tomorrow they'll be heading back to the Borgo Pass.

Instead:

Oh.

Oh no.

Between this and one requisite nightmare-week in which the joys of womanhood come and go--let's leave it unspoken whether her set of bloodstained cloths stay in her possession or not--Johanna gets put through the wringer. Per usual. But eventually..!

Yeah. No shock there. Deep calming breaths, Jack. Don't let the wonderful diary concuss you.

Part of being one of two (gasp) G I R L S in the Scooby Gang, Van Helsing and company vote Johanna and Mina out of the dirt hunt. Except. Well. Johanna is still necessary to have on the ground here. She's the only one with the location intel--and a surprise willed gift of inheritance and the firm from poor Hawkins, who the Transylvanian locals all vouch for as being 'slain by wolves,' leaving Johanna free of blame--so she's still running around for the crew.

Even so, odds are high that she initially gets sidelined with Mina. Which isn't overly awful. It is good to be side-by-side in this timeline! No needless sequestering from each other! Johanna is already planning to see Mina back to their new house before they have to sleep another night in an asylum.

And then comes the 3rd of October.

Van Helsing: "Madam Harker, is it not somewhat attention-catching to wear trousers in public? We are meant to be unremarkable while we wait on th--"

Johanna, has already smoked through two cigars, kukri in her lap, playing a game of chicken with God: "Do you think I scaled a mountain in three layers of skirts, Professor? No? Then I will not do the same if the rancid bastard tries to escape out the window."

Van Helsing, aside: "Friend John, can you speak sense to her?"

Jack, melting off the side of the bench: "I think I hauve consumption"

Anyway. She very much does get to the Dracula head chopping. And there will be much rejoicing. BUT all that grimdarkness aside, there are other, more hijinks-flavored opportunities to think of with this particular set up. If only because I genuinely believe that Lucy and Art, having two spare best friends on hand and a general vibe that radiates 'ooooh what if triple wedding???', would come up with the following master plan. Some truly Shakespearean folly kind of shit:

Thankfully, Johanna and Mina nix the idea pretty quick. Case in point:

And, last but not least, my final word on the range of Jonders that exist within my very best gothic heroine friend:

ha ha I do that

[strugglingwriterwattpad]

Walter Deville teaser

As she tightly gripped the entrance door, her heart skipped a beat as the melodious sound of her mobile ringtone echoed in her ear. With a sense of intrigue, she glanced at the screen to find an unfamiliar number glowing brightly. Without hesitation, she swiftly answered the call, her voice filled with a hint of curiosity. "Miss Stoker speaking," she uttered, her hands instinctively seeking warmth within the comforting embrace of her coat. “good evening, Miss Stoker. I am calling on behalf of my employee Lord Deville. The Lord has taken quite a liking to your recent paintings and would request to purchase every single one of them.” As she received the quick and emotionless request, a chill ran down her spine, sending shivers of anticipation through her entire being. It was a request that held the power to ignite her creative soul. Each and every painting from her recent collection flashed before her eyes, their gothic designs and dark colours dancing in her mind's eye. The numbers representing their worth swirled around in her head, filling her with a sense of exhilaration and joy. “Sir apologize for the silence. But I you sure you have the right artist. My pieces aren’t exactly the most popular pieces on the market.” She stuttered finally having the strength to enter the gallery and head to her office.

“ I am very sure mam. Lord Deville has been captivated by the pieces for some time now and has sent over a contract to your public email address.” (Y/N) eagerly unlocked her laptop and dove into her overflowing inbox, her heart pounding with anticipation. And there it was, like a beacon of hope, the subject line that caught her attention, illuminating the screen with its splendour. As her eyes met the dazzling digits of the price, a surge of excitement coursed through her veins, causing her sparkling eyes to widen in sheer delight. “this all seems too good to be true sir. I will have a read through the email and get back to the lord as soon as I'm done.”

“very well mam. We hope to hear from you soon.” As the old butler hung up the old-fashioned phone he looked back at his master with a poised nod. “it is done, my lord. Miss Stoker will read over the contract now.” In the dimly lit confines of Carfax Abbey's office, a solitary candle cast eerie shadows upon the vintage desks. The lord of the manor, an enigmatic figure, sat upright and impassive, poring over the printouts of (Y/N)'s website. “is it really here sir? Has our lady finally returned to us?” the butler spoke still keeping his emotions locked away. “it would seem so Mr. Fields.” the lord muttered. Finally, his old laptop flashed with a new email from the woman he had longed to see for centuries. “dear lord Deville. I am very pleased with the proposal sent to me. Unfortunately, the pieces have one more day in my personal gallery, but I can assure you after tonight’s event, I will have them sent of to your manor as soon as possible. I will send you over delivery reports once sent over. Warm regards Miss Stoker.” As Lord Deville's eyes scanned the message, a sly smile crept across his face. His heart, once as cold as ice, began to thaw with excitement. However, he knew better than to reveal his emotions just yet. He would keep his composure until he had his beloved back in his arms, where she belonged. As he sat in the dark, his fingers gracefully twirled the golden ring, its presence on his long finger a testament to his patience. With each rotation, the jewel embedded in the ring shimmered, mirroring the sparkle that once danced in her eyes, a memory etched in his heart.

[slasherbog]

Renfield from Dracula can be faster than a car and I have evidence.

Carfax Abbey is in London. (marked red)

Seward Sanitorium is in Whitby. (marked purple)

It is a plot point (at least in the 1931 film) that Renfield escaped the sanitorium and fled to London, where he knew Dracula would be. These locations are estimated to be 231 km apart. It would take about 5-6 days to travel this distance, though he seems to end his journey within mere hours. It is presumed he didn’t use a carriage. The trip, car or train interchangeably, is roughly 5 hours. Let’s assume his journey to return to Dracula was 3 hours. 231 / 3 = 77 km/h.

Renfield’s running speed can reach up to 77km/h or higher (we don’t know what he’s capable of)

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Wow, today’s (August 20) Dracula Daily entry really shows how much Stoker messed up his timelines! He wanted Renfield’s condition after Dracula’s arrival in Carfax Abbey near London to continue for a week, but he didn’t plan out the timing so the entry instead comes a day after yesterday’s! The second problem is a more fixable error - the latter portion of today’s entry, the part saying it has been three days and they are going to let Renfield escape as an experiment -

…Three nights has the same thing happened—violent all day then quiet from moonrise to sunrise. I wish I could get some clue to the cause. It would almost seem as if there was some influence which came and went. Happy thought! We shall to-night play sane wits against mad ones. He escaped before without our help; to-night he shall escape with it. We shall give him a chance, and have the men ready to follow in case they are required....

- should be listed as being written on the evening of August 22nd. That would have Renfield let out of the straightcoat on the night of the 19th/20th, and the ‘three days’ being the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, which fits with the report of the ‘experiment’ being on the 23rd. That’s why you won’t be seeing that entry today, as you would expect.

That also gives me the impression that Lucy’s entry about being in Whitby and feeling well for the last week (August 30) may not be intentionally Stoker having her put on a brave face to Mina, as it seems when read chronologically. The book places it separate from, and before, Lucy’s 24th-25th entries where she is near London (in Hillingham) and unwell, so Stoker likely intended it in connection with Seward’s August 20th entry - indicating Dracula had been away from Whitby for a week and therefore Lucy was doing better there, before coming to London and becoming his target again - but didn’t manage to make the dates consistent. That lines up with the sequence of the entries in the book, ignoring dates: Lucy saying she has been well in Whitby for a week, followed by Seward saying Renfield has been upset for a week and then or three days, followed by Lucy being near London where Dracula is and becoming unwell again. I think that is Stoker’s intended sequence of events.

Moreover - just figured this out - Renfield is quiet during the three nights because Dracula is away from Carfax feeding on Lucy, because after one week she returns from Whitby! The reason I could never figure out, last year, how Renfield’s behaviour lined up with Dracula’s location, was because Stoker’s dates were inconsistent!

So, in sum, I believe the intended chain of events is:

For a week after Mina’s departure, Dracula is in Carfax Abbey, Renfield is in a passion and restrained in the straightcoat, and Lucy (with Arthur) is in Whitby and recovering.

Lucy returns to Hillingham near London and Dracula preys on her. He is away from Carfax during the nights, and Renfield grows quiet at night and is released from the straightcoat. He becomes wild at dawn when Dracula returns.

Lucy grows weaker and more unwell; Stoker wants to build this up but gives the wrong dates, so that her diary entries precede the one at Whitby where she felt well. By August 31st Arthur is horried enough to write to Seward about her health, and then the dating of entries gets back on track.

[pinkiepiebones]

Seriously 1931 Renfield is just. He must have reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally needed that land lease deal or something.

Dracula: "Hey I want to lease this property you have, Carfax Abbey"

Renfield: "Oh splendid"

Dracula: "But I can't visit your office to sign anything you gotta come here"

Renfield: "sure"

Dracula: "And tell no one you're coming. I mean it- not your business partners, not your wife. No one must know."

Renfield: "Of course?"

Dracula: "Awesome I'll have a carriage pick you up from this pass that all the locals are scared of around midnight. And again- no one can know you're coming."

Renfield: "I see no reason to be suspicious!"

Dracula: "I'm also going to drug you and feed you to my three weed-smoking wives"

Renfield: "I'm sorry what was that"

Dracula: "I said I'm going to drug- you know what, nevermind, you'll find out when you get here"

*Renfield arrives*

Dracula, thinking: "Oh no he's so cute and stupid I can't NOT thrall him"

[holmesillustrations]

Vote for your favourite, the top 9 will proceed in the bracket. Since theyre all different shapes and sizes, make sure to click into the full views!

Paget Eliminations // Other Artist Eliminations

Full captions and details for each illustration below the cut:

"In the light of the lantern i read, with a thrill of horror, 'the sign of the four'." HM Kerr, Sign of Four (1890 Spencer Blackett Novel) Characters: Watson, Holmes, Batholomew Sholto

[Holmes and Watson hiding on the train platform] Harry C. Edwards, Final Problem (McClure’s) Characters: Holmes

"You infernal spies!" the man cried." FD Steele, Priory School (Collier’s) Characters: Holmes

"The lady lay back exhausted upon a couch enveloped in a loose dressing-gown of blue and silver." FD Steele, Abbey Grange (Collier’s) Characters: Hopkins, Holmes, Lady Brackenstall, Theresa, Watson

"Halloa, Watson! What is this?" Arthur Twidle, Bruce-Partington Plans (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes

"What has happened to the Lady Frances? Is she alive or dead? There is our problem" FD Steele, Lady Frances Carfax (The American Magazine) Characters: Watson, Holmes

"Mrs. Douglas turned, and in an instant her arms were round him. Barker has seized his outstretched hand." Frank Wiles, Valley of Fear (The Strand) Characters: Cecil Barker, Douglas/McMurdo, Mrs Douglas, Holmes, Watson

"This quiet house is the center of half the mischief in England; the sporting squire the most astute secret-service man in Europe!" FD Steele, His Last Bow (Collier’s) Characters: Baron von Herling, Von Bork

"Dog and man were rolling on the ground together, the one roaring in rage, the other screaming in a strange shrill falsetto of terror." HK Elcock, Creeping Man (The Strand) Characters: Prof Presbury, Trevor Bennett, Holmes, Watson

"In the great drawing-room a lady awaited us, demure and remote as a snow image on a mountain." JR Flanagan, Illustrious Client (Collier’s) Characters: Violet deMerville

"I gripped the old man by the shoulder, but he shrank away." HK Elcock, Blanched Soldier (The Strand) Characters: Col Emsworth, James Dodd

"There was something in the woman's voice which arrested Holmes' attention." Frank Wiles, Veiled Lodger (The Strand) Characters: Watson, Holmes, Eugenia Ronder

[thenightling]

For those who missed the clues in The Invitation

To my frustration there are people who saw the 2022 movie The Invitation but did not realize that it was a Dracula movie because the name is never said out loud. 

If they had said the name out loud this would be considered “idiot proofing.”  That is the impolite term for when Hollywood over-simplifies things for an audience that they think is either stupid or not paying attention. 

Here are all the “clues” that Walter De Ville in The Invitation was actually Count Dracula.

1.  De Ville is the alias Dracula used while fleeing the heroes in the novel Dracula by Bram Stoker.  It’s a pun on the fact that the name Dracula can translate to mean Son of the Dragon or Son of The Devil.  Son of the Dragon is actually more accurate since the historic Vladislaus Dracula was a member of The Order of The Dragon, as was his father.    2.  His home is called New Carfax Abbey.   Carfax (usually called Carfax Abby in movies) was the English property Count Dracula buys in the original Dracula novel by Bram Stoker.  3.  You can hear a wolf howl in the background in some night scenes. There are no wolves in England (not for centuries) however Dracula, in Bram Stoker’s novel, could transform into a wolf at will.

4.    During one of the kill scenes (the one with the flickering light effect) you can hear the squeaking of a bat.  Dracula, traditionally, can turn into a bat.   In this particular kill scene you see him swoop down from above.  

5.  He’s a vampire Lord..  Dracula is a vampire lord, possibly even the king of vampires (in some films).   6.   De Ville has three wives / brides.  In the Dracula novel three woman vampires reside in Dracula’s castle. They were not called brides, however, until the 1931 Dracula movie starring Bela Lugosi.    

7.  One of the two remaining brides (after one killed herself early in the movie) is named Lucy.  Lucy was the name of the first woman Dracula turned into a vampire on Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula.

8.   One of the two brides is named Victoria.  This may not mean anything at all but the original Dracula novel was published in 1897 and set in 1891, the Victorian era.  In Anno Dracula, Dracula turned Queen Victoria into a vampire.

9.   There are scenes depicting heavy mist at night.  Dracula’s shapeshifting powers were usually reserved for night time in most depictions (though in the novel he can walk about by day).  It’s hard to tell if he conjured the mist or if he IS the mist.  Remember, Dracula is a shapeshifter and wolf, bat, and mist are his most common forms.  But he could also control the weather.

10.  When Evie learns the truth about Walter De Ville he tells her that his preferred name is one that means son of The Dragon.  She figures out what this means and says something like “So you’re...” and he smiles.  Remember, the original meaning of Dracula is “Son of The Dragon.”  

11.  When Evie flees Walter De Ville she comes across a seemingly kind, elderly, couple by the names of Jonathan and Mina Harker.  Jonathan and Mina Harker were two of the heroes in the Dracula novel.  Keep in mind that the vampires in Dracula can change their apparent ages at will, partly based on how well fed they are. There are photographs in the Harker house that indicate they are at least a century old, indicating that yes, these are the Jonathan and Mina Harker of the Dracula novel.  Dracula did turn them both into vampires after all.        12.  When Walter De Ville is badly wounded by Evie he ages into the form of an old man.  The vampires in Bram Stoker’s Dracula novel can change their ages at will based on how much they feed or how healthy they are.  Usually Dracula is depicted (at youngest) looking about forty-five or forty-six-years-old when well fed.  13.  Walter De Ville is shown with claw-like retractable nails, pointed ears, and retractable fangs.   These are traits from both the original Dracula novel by Bram Stoker and Fred Saberhagen’s Dracula novels.

14.   When Walter De Ville turns Evie into a vampire this is done via a blood exchange where she drinks his blood, much like what Dracula did to Mina in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  And much like in the original Dracula novel it was believed that Evie would revert to being human if she killed him.  

15.  The alternate ending of the movie shows De Ville in his old man form aboard a ship, healed or healing from Evie having “killed” him.  If you know Hammer Dracula movies you know that like Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger, Dracula never stays dead.  Also Dracula is known to have incredible healing powers. He appears to have re-attached or regenerated his lost hand from his fight with Evie.    

16.   His butler “Mr. Field” is credited as Renfield.  Renfield was the mentally-ill man from the original Dracula story who was Dracula’s loyal disciple.  It looks like Dracula gave him immortality after all.   

17.   Renfield softly addresses Walter De Ville in either Romanian or Hungarian a few times in the movie, both languages are languages Dracula would speak and would be considered his native language. (Transylvania was a part of Hungary in 1891, when the Dracula novel takes place, before reverting to Romania a few decades later in the 20th century).

18.   Various characters (including Renfield) call Walter De Ville by “The Master.”  This is what Renfield often called Dracula in the original Dracula novel.  The Master’s song is even a song number in Frank Wildhorn’s Dracula The Musical, sung by Renfield.   

19.  Earlier in the film Evie’s friend warns her not to trust any man with a goatee. In the original Dracula novel he had a handlebar-like mustache in his old man form but a goatee in his more youthful form.

20.   Walter De Ville gives Evie several dresses including one that is blood red.  This is very similar to the dress Dracula gives Mina in the 1992 movie Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

21.  Victoria deliberately scares Evie in her bedroom similar to how The Brides messed with Jonathan Harker in the original Dracula novel.  Also Dracula, himself, had scared Jonathan Harker by walking on the ceiling. 

22.  Evie goes to sleep wearing an Outlander t-shirt.  Though this could just be a shameless plug for he show, Outlander is a romance dealing heavily with magick, time travel, ghosts, witchcraft, and even some immortals.  One episode of Outlander even had a character watching the 1960s Gothic soap opera Dark Shadows (which featured a vampire protagonist usually looking for his lost love or trying to protect his large and dysfunctional family).  The movie The Invitation also features at least one actress from Outlander so this could have been a nod to her.

23. Walter De Ville is shown to have no reflection if you look very carefully.   Dracula, of course, casts no reflection in the mirror.  This is also why Evie’s room has no mirror.  They claim it was broken and hasn’t been replaced yet. 24.   The small but predatory birds on the grounds are shrikes.  They impale animals on spikes and then eat them.   The historic Dracula is also known as Vlad the Impaler.  Țepeș just means impaler.  The spikes to supposedly keep out the birds would make for very convenient impaling implements FOR the birds. The historic Dracula impaled his enemies on long wooden spikes.  He also supposedly impaled small animals out of boredom while he was imprisoned by the king of Hungary.   It seems the Shrikes carry on that tradition.   

[stray-kaz]

The Flower and The Serpent : a Walt De Ville x reader FF : one

You were with your friends when the time came, unbidden, to say goodbye. You had known it was on its way, this day in particular, but it still managed to creep up on you, as did the older man dressed in old fashioned butler clothing. The first notions you had of his presence were the hairs standing up on your arms and nape of your neck, and the sudden silence of your friends, where before there had been nothing but lively chatter.

“Miss Alexander” the man said politely, giving you a brief bow. “I apologise for the interruption.”

You glanced around at the worried faces and tried to smile reassuringly.

“Hello, Mr. Field” you replied, pushing your chair back with a concrete scrape and standing to your feet. “Is that the time already?”

He nodded and gestured to the black Cadillac idling by the curb.

“I’m afraid so, Miss” he answered you. “Best say your goodbyes.”

You turned around and looked down at your oldest friends, wishing you could explain to them where you were going and why, but knew that you never could. They wouldn’t believe you anyway. You had navigated primary school and beyond together, had nursed broken hearts, graduated high school and university together, but if they heard what you might say, they’d pack you off to the nearest asylum.

“I’ve got to go” you announced, and slowly made your way around the cafe table, hugging each of them for as long as you thought you could.

“But where? Why? Who is that man?” one of them asked, eyebrows drawn together in concern.

You kissed her cheek and shook your head.

“Don’t worry” you said. “He’s an old family friend. It’s time for me to go home, that’s all.”

A flurry of questions swept after you, swirling in the air inside the car with you as you slid across the backseat and Mr. Field closed the door after you. You gazed out the window at your friends as you were driven away, trying to memorise each precious face before they were out of sight and you’d never see them again.

“Happy birthday, Miss” Mr. Field said quietly from the front.

You smiled faintly and nodded.

“Thank you” you murmured. “I know the master is looking forward to celebrating with you tonight.”

You raised your eyebrows.

“He is?”

“Oh, yes, Miss. He is quite eager to take your hand. He has planned a ball in your honour. Twenty five is quite an age.”

You scoffed quietly, but you were smiling all the same.

“Not for him” you replied. “Twenty five means nothing to him anymore.”

“But it means something for you, Miss, and he does know that. He appreciates your sacrifice.”

You nodded and rested your head on the window as the town rushed by, blending into green and gold on either side as you were drawn closer and closer to New Carfax Abbey.

When you arrived, the lord of the manor was waiting at the end of the driveway, near the house, his hands clasped behind his back. You couldn’t help staring through the window at him; he was even more handsome than you remembered from your previous birthday. There had been a time when you saw him several times a year, but after you turned eighteen, they dwindled to only on your birthday.

“Are the others here?” you asked Mr. Field, lifting your gaze to the upper windows.

The butler glanced at you in the rear view mirror.

“The ladies Viktoria and Lucy are almost always around the manor, but they will leave you be” he assured you. “Mr. De Ville has given them strict instructions not to touch a hair on your head, Miss. Though Lucy has always been possessed of a kinder disposition than Viktoria.”

You nodded and opened your door, swinging one foot out and then the other. You had only the clothes on your back, but you knew that there would be more provided for you; Walter De Ville had been lavishing you with gifts since you were thirteen years old, and you doubted it would stop now that you were less than a month away from marrying him into the dark.

The lord of the manor started to walk towards you, and when Mr. Field hurried to introduce you officially, he waved him away.

“There’s no need for that, thank you, Mr. Field” he murmured, eyeing you closely. “I know exactly who Miss Alexander is, I do not need an introduction.”

Mr. Field nodded, but he continued to hover, so Walt turned back to him, eyebrows arched slightly.

“I can escort her to her room. Thank you” he said briefly.

“Very good, sir” Mr. Field said, giving him a shallow bow. “More clothes will arrive for you tomorrow, Miss.”

“Thank you.”

“Meanwhile...” Walt said quietly. “There are enough pretty nightclothes to fill up your wardrobe and then some, darling.”

You felt your face flush with warmth.

“Thank you, sir” you said politely.

His dark eyebrows shot up.

“You can call me Walt” he told you. “’Sir’ was my father.”

You nodded and he tipped his head in the direction of his home, reaching around you to press one hand into the small of your back.

“Let me show you to your room” he said. “It’s right at the top, just below the attic. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

You shrugged and let him guide you inside the mansion, acutely aware of the press of his fingers as they never left your back.

You hadn’t visited the manor for nearly a decade, and there were new works of art placed carefully around the entry hall and throughout the house as Walt led you upstairs two flights and along another corridor until he reached an open bedroom and ushered you along in front of him. He smiled as your eyes widened and lips parted a little at the sight of the four poster bed, lush with velvet hangings, and the massive gilt mirror that sat above the duchess, makeup and brushes already placed upon it, ready for your use should you want them.

Buttery curtains fluttered in front of the windows and the plush carpet sank under your high tops as you walked across it.

“Wow” you said softly, throwing your head back to gaze up at the lofty ceiling.

“I could say the same thing” Walt murmured, watching you.

He moved past you and swung open the doors of the wardrobe, revealing an impressive row of women’s intimates, all in your size you realised as you ran your fingers along the fabrics, smooth, soft, silky, lacy, plain cotton.

“How did you know -?” you asked, voice dying in your throat as you turned to find Walt suddenly right up behind you, your nose bumping his chest before you righted yourself.

He smiled again, something a little wanting in his light eyes.

“I know everything” he said, his voice soft and low in your ear. “I’ve been around a long time, Miss Alexander. Besides all that, your father gave me your sizes and I made sure these were perfect. Do you like them?”

You turned around again and stroked your fingertips down the delicate edge of a white almost sheer baby-doll nightie, tiny pink flowers stitched all over it. Walt found his gaze being drawn to your fingertips, to the ruby red polish on your nails, almost the colour of blood.

“This one is beautiful” you told him, glancing over your shoulder to see his face.

He nodded, making a mental note of it.

“I’ll have more made for you” he replied.

“Why? You already gave me one” you said, puzzled.

His lips quirked at the corners to form a faint smirk, one that turned your knees to liquid.

“Because you never know how long it’ll last” he murmured, eyes trailing hotly up and down your body.

You shivered and he stepped back, content to leave you like that, already following him with your gaze, your body leaning after him before you could stop it.

Walt stopped at the door and turned back to face you, arms spread to brace against either side of the doorway.

“There is a dress waiting for you on the bed, for the ball tonight” he said. “And happy birthday, darling. It very well might be your last.”

He winked and disappeared. You forced your unsteady legs to work and made it over to the bed to stare down at the masterpiece laid out before you, a dress designed for a princess. You wondered what the wedding gown would be like.

You sat down with a sigh and gingerly touched the dress, running your fingertips over the pearl laden bodice and the pale green skirt that flowed out beneath it. It was the loveliest thing you had ever owned.

Walt De Ville. A man of ancient times and insatiable whim. A man soon to be your husband.

A/N: Please leave comments and let me know what you think. There is more to come.