Alexander-Fyn-Sanguinarian

rushed down the aisle,” Evangeline told Mrs. Brackett, giving her yet another warm embrace. “How did you get them to come with you?”
    “Mrs. Goddard and Mr. Harding? I couldn’t keep them away.”
    Mrs. Brackett settled herself in the vicar’s armchair and began to pour the tea that the vicar’s rather mucky looking housekeeper had made for them. “Not after they saw what that monster did to you in London.
    That Mr. Harding is a lovely boy. He can’t stop talking about you.”
    Evangeline tried to smile, but she was too tired and shocked after the events of the night before to think clearly. Mrs. Brackett’s voice was soft when she said, “Oh, lamb, if only I had been there to protect you from him last night. I had no idea he would sink so low as to defile an innocent young girl.”
    “No, neither did I. But you are blameless, Mrs. Brackett. That you came at all is a great comfort to me.”
    “Did you think I’d just abandon you, after all we’ve been through together?” She patted Evangeline’s hand. “You must have a quiet day and a night’s rest before we do anything more. Then we’ll get ourselves back to London. No one need know what’s gone on here.
    Your reputation can be preserved.”
    “But I will know, Mrs. Brackett. I know what he did to me.” She took the cup of tea and sipped it, making no mention of all the other 156
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    things he had done to her. “I was defiled by a vampire, because that is most certainly what he is. They are all of them vampires up at that loathsome castle.”
    “How can you be certain?” Mrs. Bracket leaned forward, eyes widening as Evangeline told her about Court and of how the Great Hall had been filled with people who spoke openly about being vampires. She spoke of Lord Ravenscroft’s insane sister and of how she had come to the tower in the night to threaten her.
    “The devil’s work.” Mrs. Brackett shook her head in horror.
    “They are all mad, quite mad. Drink up your tea, pet, then we’ll go to the inn and get a room for the night. Tomorrow we’ll all leave for London on the early coach, get back to civilization and away from this corruption. I never would have believed Yorkshire was inhabited by inbred deviants, lapsed morals, and what have you.”
    “What if he tries to take me back?” Evangeline asked, fearful once more. “He still wants his inheritance and still has to marry. I do not doubt he will come after me again. He has supernatural attributes.”
    “He’d never dare try anything now with everyone knowing what he’s done and watching out for him. The whole village is on to him now. You saw how they went after him when you told them he defiled you.”
    “Do you think so, Mrs. Brackett? But what about London? He took me away in front of a houseful of people there. He seems to feel that there is one rule for him and another for everyone else, and perhaps there is. Who knows what code vampires live by?”
    “That’s true,” the older woman agreed. “Let’s have a think.”
    They sat quietly for a while, looking into the fire, sipping tea.
    Evangeline was overcome with exhaustion. She had begun to nod off when the door opened and the smiling young vicar popped his head in. “Would it be all right if I joined you, ladies?”
    “It’s your house, vicar,” Mrs. Bracket stated, though she did not budge from what was clearly the vicar’s own chair.
    “You are most welcome to make yourselves at home.” He closed Sanguinarian 157
    the door and pulled up a stool to sit between them. He was a fairly tall young man and his knees came nearly up to his chin on the low stool giving him a rather charming, childlike appearance.
    Evangeline smiled at him. “You are very kind, vicar.”
    “Oh, call me John,” he invited, far more enthusiastically than she felt she could cope with. He was beginning to remind her of Mr.
    Harding.
    “We’ll not be here long enough to get too friendly,” Mrs. Brackett stated. “We’ll get ourselves off to the inn soon for a bit of lunch and a long rest. Have you known Lord Ravenscroft long, vicar?”
    “I have been vicar here for three years, but I have lived on these moors all my life,” he said.
    “No doubt you’ve heard many a tale of the evil doings up at that castle,” Mrs. Bracket said.
    “Oh yes, many tales,” he agreed. “But I must say that his lordship offered me this living because I was a local man even though others with far more money than myself asked for it.