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Book: Vampire - Child of Destiny (Vampire Series Book 2) by Charmain Marie Mitchell
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Authors: Charmain Marie Mitchell
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glimpsed me through the trees, he would know why I had returned, and would slay me without a second thought.
I prowled the grounds of the manor for two weeks, watching and waiting for a glimpse of the man my son had become. I wondered several times if I would recognise him, and whether maybe I had already passed him on the track leading to the crossroads inn where I stayed at night. I would then shake the thought from my mind, knowing that I would know my son, who as a baby looked so much like Tom.
On my return to the inn, the innkeeper would always sidle up, his smile and manner as sly as a fox.
"Food, my lady?" he would ask in a slimy voice, his shining eyes downcast, and his manner subservient.
Every night my small party and I partook of food in the back room, the room that had seen the start of Louis' imprisonment of my body and soul - and I hated the place! Just as I hated the sly innkeeper, but it was a means to an end and so, I knew, it was a nuisance that must be endured.
"Yes, bring food, and your best wine, the day grows cold and I wish to be warmed." Of course, I would not be eating the food, I feed from my servants, and so I wished them to be well fed and content. I was also partial to the warmed wine the innkeeper offered, it acted as a substitute for blood from time to time.
I stood by the roaring fire, my mind as always on Henry and his whereabouts. The innkeeper talked, as he usually did, whilst laying the table with pies and hunks of meat for my party. I always ignored him, he was obnoxious and irritating, and I found his words boring and repetitive.
"Be a great day for the master it be, the young master, well he be a favorite of our Queen Bess, and she be staying at the manor tonight...I offered my services, but the master said, thank you kindly Jack but we be fine."
Instantly I was by his side. "What did you say?" I croaked.
"Be a great day..." I stopped his flow of words with the wave of my hand.
"Yes, yes, I heard that part...but who pray is the master and young master, mayhap that I know them?"
It was the first time that I had engaged the innkeeper in normal conversation. He held his head slightly higher; his sly, evil eyes were, for once, looking towards my own.
"The master he be the Lord Robert Vanike, and the young master be his son Master Henry."
I stood staring at the innkeeper, thoughts circling my mind. Of course! This was the reason I had not glimpsed them, they had been at the queen’s court.
"You be knowing of ‘em, my lady?" the innkeeper asked.
Turning away from his sly knowing gaze I said, "No, no, I don't believe I do...what a pity, they sound very exciting...still my party is waiting for food...so get on with it, man."
After mumbling a response, the innkeeper continued with the task of feeding my party. I stared into the fire, my mind racing, how stupid of me not to realise that Robert would present Henry at court. He had been good friends with King Henry, and so it would make sense that he would wish to be good friends with his heirs and the present monarch.
I gazed into the flames of the fire, trying to decide what would be my next move. Turning towards my party, I watched the innkeeper make his way around the table, and just before he left the room I said, "Innkeeper, we will be leaving tomorrow...ask the stable hand to have my cart ready at cock crow."
The innkeeper looked irritated at my sudden request, but did not remark on it, and bowing his head said, "As you wish, my lady."
It was as I wished, the innkeeper watched too intently, saw too much, and tried to gain too much knowledge. Besides, I was in no doubt that the royal party would be returning to Whitehall soon, and if Henry actually was the favorite of Queen Bess, then Henry would surely follow.
Chapter Fifteen
We rode into London a few days later. I had realized that I would need to bewitch my way into Whitehall, if
I prowled the grounds of the manor for two weeks, watching and waiting for a glimpse of the man my son had become. I wondered several times if I would recognise him, and whether maybe I had already passed him on the track leading to the crossroads inn where I stayed at night. I would then shake the thought from my mind, knowing that I would know my son, who as a baby looked so much like Tom.
On my return to the inn, the innkeeper would always sidle up, his smile and manner as sly as a fox.
"Food, my lady?" he would ask in a slimy voice, his shining eyes downcast, and his manner subservient.
Every night my small party and I partook of food in the back room, the room that had seen the start of Louis' imprisonment of my body and soul - and I hated the place! Just as I hated the sly innkeeper, but it was a means to an end and so, I knew, it was a nuisance that must be endured.
"Yes, bring food, and your best wine, the day grows cold and I wish to be warmed." Of course, I would not be eating the food, I feed from my servants, and so I wished them to be well fed and content. I was also partial to the warmed wine the innkeeper offered, it acted as a substitute for blood from time to time.
I stood by the roaring fire, my mind as always on Henry and his whereabouts. The innkeeper talked, as he usually did, whilst laying the table with pies and hunks of meat for my party. I always ignored him, he was obnoxious and irritating, and I found his words boring and repetitive.
"Be a great day for the master it be, the young master, well he be a favorite of our Queen Bess, and she be staying at the manor tonight...I offered my services, but the master said, thank you kindly Jack but we be fine."
Instantly I was by his side. "What did you say?" I croaked.
"Be a great day..." I stopped his flow of words with the wave of my hand.
"Yes, yes, I heard that part...but who pray is the master and young master, mayhap that I know them?"
It was the first time that I had engaged the innkeeper in normal conversation. He held his head slightly higher; his sly, evil eyes were, for once, looking towards my own.
"The master he be the Lord Robert Vanike, and the young master be his son Master Henry."
I stood staring at the innkeeper, thoughts circling my mind. Of course! This was the reason I had not glimpsed them, they had been at the queen’s court.
"You be knowing of ‘em, my lady?" the innkeeper asked.
Turning away from his sly knowing gaze I said, "No, no, I don't believe I do...what a pity, they sound very exciting...still my party is waiting for food...so get on with it, man."
After mumbling a response, the innkeeper continued with the task of feeding my party. I stared into the fire, my mind racing, how stupid of me not to realise that Robert would present Henry at court. He had been good friends with King Henry, and so it would make sense that he would wish to be good friends with his heirs and the present monarch.
I gazed into the flames of the fire, trying to decide what would be my next move. Turning towards my party, I watched the innkeeper make his way around the table, and just before he left the room I said, "Innkeeper, we will be leaving tomorrow...ask the stable hand to have my cart ready at cock crow."
The innkeeper looked irritated at my sudden request, but did not remark on it, and bowing his head said, "As you wish, my lady."
It was as I wished, the innkeeper watched too intently, saw too much, and tried to gain too much knowledge. Besides, I was in no doubt that the royal party would be returning to Whitehall soon, and if Henry actually was the favorite of Queen Bess, then Henry would surely follow.
Chapter Fifteen
We rode into London a few days later. I had realized that I would need to bewitch my way into Whitehall, if
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