Read Online History of the Vampire (The Vanderlind Castle Series Book 4) by Gayla Twist - Free Book Online Page A

asked, slipping my arm around her and giving her a squeeze. She was not yet thirteen, so she still sometimes let me cuddle and squeeze her.
    “I think it’s going to be like Dorothy.”
    “Dorothy?” I asked, giving her a puzzled look.
    “From The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ,” she explained. It was her favorite book from when she was very little. “Don’t you remember? Dorothy’s whole house is swept up by a cyclone and crashes down in a place that’s filled with magic.” Her eyes were shining with the romance of it.
    “Why do you talk such nonsense?” Mrs. Denkler felt the need to interject. She’d been sitting in the front seat next to the driver, glowering at us the whole time. “The castle wasn’t swept up in a cyclone. It was dismantled and moved by hundreds of workmen and at great expense. And America is not a land filled with magic. Far from it. The east coast is supposed to be quite civilized, but the whole middle of the country is filled with savages and Irishmen.”
    “Don’t listen to Denkie,” I said, giving Emily another squeeze and shooting our housekeeper a warning look over my sister’s shoulder. “She’s still pouting that we’re not moving to the North Pole.”
    “The North Pole?” Emily gave her temporary governess a surprised look.
    “Yes, I heard her talking to Grandfather about it. She’s always wanted to move to the North Pole so that she can look for Father Christmas.”
    “She never said such a thing,” Emily said with a giggle. “You’re making that up.”
    “I might be,” I said, frowning a bit while nodding my head. “But I think you’re right about Dorothy. Maybe our house will land in a magical place.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 30
    Jessie
     
    Emily peeked through her opera glasses again, directing them at the docks. “Daniel’s in line to go through customs,” she said. “And there are a couple of people behind him.”
    We had our chauffeur pull down to the dock so we could unload and prepare to board the ship. By the time we got all of our baggage out of the car, Daniel was already through the line. First class passengers were treated as above reproach. Beyond glancing at our tickets, no one stopped us as we made our way onto the ship. It was that easy, but only because of our Grandfather’s fortune. And our mother’s forethought.
    A steward showed us to our cabins. We each had sleeping quarters, and then there was a small stateroom that was set between our cabins. It was actually very charming with wood paneling and brass framed portholes. And the rooms were not nearly as cramped as I’d anticipated. That was another benefit to traveling first class. It afforded a person a lot more breathing room.
    There was a tap at the door while we were all settling in for our four day journey. “Bonjour,” a young woman in a maid’s uniform said as she let herself into our shared accommodations. “Oh,” she exclaimed, as if she hadn’t expected anyone to be in the rooms. “You must forgive me,” she said, her cheeks turning quite red. “I had expected that everyone would be on deck for the launch of the boat. I am just here to turn down your beds for the night.”
    Seeing the young woman’s blush reflex made my stomach contract with hunger. She was a beautiful, petite thing with bobbed hair and painted lips. I forced my mind to think of my luggage, which contained a dozen bottles of blood, all neatly tucked between ample padding.
    “You want I should come back later?” she asked. I placed her accent as French, but probably not from Paris.
    I glanced over at Emily, who shook her head just the tiniest bit. I was grateful to her. I think she understood that I was struggling with my newly acquired dietary restrictions and she didn’t want temptation to stumble in my path in the form of a shapely