章 36: THE TOUR

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January 1, 1895, New Year's Day

Bright rays of sunlight streamed through the bedroom windows, and Rose stirred from her sleep. She sat up, looking around the room. Oscar was still lying on the cedar chest at the end of her bed. She saw him stand up, give a long stretch, and walk across the mattress to her. "Good morning, lazybones," Rose scratched his ears, and the cat mewed at her softly. She got out of bed and opened the window for him.

Oscar jumped on the window's ledge to go out for his morning hunt. Rose knew Oscar would be back. He told her he was going to search for mice. She washed up and donned the dress Gisele had brought to her. It was bright green velvet with gorgeous golden floral stitching. There was a black shawl for her shoulders and a pair of tall boots to protect her feet and keep them warm. Rose finished dressing and left the room.

The aroma of breakfast assailed Rose's senses when she opened the bedroom door. This was the first time she got a clear view of the inside of Dragonwood. The manor was magnificent. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shy voice. "Good morning Lady Rose." It was Dahlia, the maid who had cared for her since she arrived. She bowed to Rose. Rose was about to return the greeting when Giselle appeared in the corridor.

"We do not bow to the servants. It is not proper." Giselle was terse with her words. "We have a lot of assignments to complete today, so come along, CONTESSA." She said to Rose with great emphasis and pronunciation on the last word.

"It's time for breakfast. We must not keep the Master waiting." Giselle grabbed Rose by the hand and led her to the dining room.

Dante held the cup of red liquid in his hand. About to take a sip, he saw the two women arrive for the morning meal.

"Greetings. Did you rest well, darling?" She didn't answer.

Instead, Rose inhaled powerfully and recognized it was blood in the teacup. Her thirst was overpowering when she got a whiff of the crimson drink. Her throat became dry and painful, and her fangs grew achy. She trembled from the urge to drink. Dante sat and studied Rose's reaction to the blood. He could tell she coveted what he was about to drink. "You're thirsty again, aren't you?" he leaned his chin into his hand as he waited for Rose to respond.

Silently, Rose nodded her head at Dante.

"You need to answer with your voice. Stop nodding and shaking your head; it's uncivilized. Now correctly answer the Master." Giselle was quick to rectify Rose's mistakes.

"Yes, father, my thirst has returned." Rose turned to glare at Giselle and quipped.

"Is that to your liking?"

"Yes, it is much better." Giselle ignored Rose's display of irritation and continued with her breakfast.

"Please have a seat and eat. When we finish, I will show you the mansion." Giselle was short with Rose, and she couldn't understand why.

The Count gave his second in charge a disdainful glare.

"If you don't mind, Giselle, I will tour my daughter around the estate. We will meet back here at lunch, and you can continue your lessons. You have some work to complete with Carrick for the upcoming ball. I need to get that squared away first this morning."

Giselle's attitude toward Rose already unsettled Dante. He turned to his daughter and handed her the teacup full of blood.

"Drink, darling girl."

Rose grasped the cup and gulped the blood like a savage. There was nothing ladylike about the way she swilled the crimson liquid. It ran down her mouth and chin. Rose's face was covered in the sticky red liquid. Dante held his stomach and bellowed with laughter at how Rose consumed the blood.

"Oh! You really are thirsty. I don't think I have ever seen someone drink it that fast."

"Hmph!... Both of you are hopeless. You encourage her bad manners, and she has none."

Giselle gazed at Rose in disgust. She clicked her tongue at the girl with blood covering her face.

"Clean yourself up," she flung Rose a napkin across the table.

"Speak for yourself, Giselle. I don't think tossing napkins across the table is considered good propriety, either."

Rose wiped her face and threw the blood-soaked napkin back into Giselle's plate, knocking a water goblet over onto the table.

"YOU BITCH!"

Giselle jumped from her chair and was around the table in an instant. She raised her hand to slap Rose, and Dante grabbed her arm from behind.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone in the room was startled and froze when the Count shouted.

"Look down, Giselle,"

Dante spoke to her in a quiet warning while restraining her. Rose had the dagger and was about to stab Giselle in the stomach.

"Go now and help Carrick. I will speak with you later, Giselle."

Dante was uncharacteristically calm for the moment. He pointed to the dining room doorway for her to leave.

"Yes, Master."

Giselle pulled her arm from his grasp, bowed to the Count, and stoically paraded out of the dining room to find the butler.

Dante bent on one knee in front of Rose. He held out his shaky hand.

"Hand me the dagger, Rose. I will give it back in a little while. I just need you to calm yourself."

Rose pulled her hand with the blade away from Dante and hid the knife in the sash around her waist. There was no way she would surrender the dagger to anyone. Dante hung his head and sighed.

"What happened to you? What made you like this?"

He held Rose's hand and saw the beautiful ruby ring.

'I will give you a better life, Rose, I promise,' He thought to himself.

Rose refused to answer the questions Dante asked.

"There is no use bringing up the past. It is over, and I must move away from that pain," Rose remarked.

"On another topic, I can't stay here any longer."

Rose did not meet Dante's gaze as she spoke.

"I'm sorry about Giselle. Is she the reason you want to leave? If so, I will secure another etiquette instructor for you and make Giselle move out of Dragonwood."

I'm returning to my job at the greenhouse. We will start back to work tomorrow. There is not enough time for me to have lessons and work. I know you have plans for me, but I see this is not going well. Please forgive me.

Dante tilted her chin up for him to see her eyes.

"You are not leaving here, Rose. We discussed this already. This is your home. You are staying with me. The carriage will take you to work. I will send Giselle away. I will do it right now."

Dante looked pained as he pleaded for her to stay with him. He held Rose's gaze.

"Please don't go. I lost your mother and don't want to lose you, too."

She sat and contemplated for a few moments, then spoke.

"I will stay, but there are conditions."

Rose took a deep breath and exhaled. She was better off at Dragonwood and knew it. But Dante's and Giselle's hot and cold characters were dampening her spirit.

"I need freedom. You can't tie me down to this estate or have every minute of my day planned and tracked. I want to look around and wander. I'm not an animal to be confined. Giselle doesn't need to help or protect me. I'd prefer if you could assign Dahlia to assist me instead. Giselle is going to drive me crazy. She was kind one minute and out to tear me up the next. Keep her away from me. This morning's incident proved I can handle myself against an attack. Last, I would like answers about the De Sang Family history, you, and why Giselle calls you Master and no one else."

Rose dropped her gaze from Dante and turned to the table to eat breakfast. She had laid out her demands and was famished.

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