box seat and that they had reached their destination. They heard the squeak of a rusty gate before their coachman climbed back atop his perch and guided the conveyance across the narrow bridge.
Ivana had expressed some reluctance in allowing Sylvester to accompany them on their trip. She’d wanted him to stay behind to care for the Bruhns, to guard their home. But her trusted servant had experienced the horrifying consequences of the blood affliction. Without the ability to compel another driver to keep their secret, should they find the woman who haunted her dreams, it had been imperative they bring Sylvester along.
They rattled through the stone gatehouse and into the bailey. The loud clattering would certainly alert the castle’s occupants of their arrival. As soon as the carriage rumbled to a halt, Leo opened the door and vaulted out.
“Good Lord, it feels wonderful to stretch my limbs.” He offered her his hand. “Allow me to assist you, my lady.”
She nodded, but rather than lower the steps his nimble fingers settled on her waist, and he lifted her down slowly until her feet touched the ground.
After a quick attempt to shake the creases out of her dress, Ivana glanced up at the dull grey facade. “If you had covered my eyes or put me into a deep sleep and brought me here, I would think I was home.”
Leo followed her gaze. “It does bear a striking resemblance to the castle in Bavaria. You said the woman in your dreams had golden hair. Perhaps these things are not coincidences. Like most men, it appears Nikolai had his preferences.”
Ivana shook her head. “Nikolai always had an ulterior motive for everything he did. I doubt hair colour and the place one rests their head had anything to do with it. Trust me. It is a coincidence.”
“Or it is fate.” Leo quirked a brow. “After all that has occurred, I think we both have some faith in that possibility.”
“Well, we will know the answer soon enough.” She glanced around the empty bailey, scanned the dark, dreary facade once more. The absence of light in any of the windows suggested no one was home. Then again, they could be expecting a storm and had consequently closed the shutters. “Do you not think it is odd that no one has marched out to question our right to be here? Or at the very least, attempted to establish if we have lost our way. In such a remote location, I suspect they rarely have visitors.”
Leo rubbed his chin. “The affliction can make one nervous of strangers. What would you do if faced with a similar situation?”
Ivana contemplated his question. Living with such a terrible secret often made one delusional, overly suspicious. A solitary existence was far preferable than risking discovery. “I would hide in the shadows, refuse to open the door, hope they would grow tired and leave.”
“Then we must assume the residents here feel the same way. Indeed, any reluctance to address us, only adds credence to your belief that we might have a sister living here.”
“A sister?” Her heart fluttered at the prospect. Despite drinking the cure, Ivana knew a part of her would always feel a kinship towards those suffering from the blood affliction. To come to the aid of another woman who shared her awful experiences, a woman Nikolai had branded in such a degrading way, would make the effort of struggling to replicate the cure worthwhile.
“I know it is rare for us to be able to read a person’s thoughts now,” Leo said, “but intuition tells me you might find what you’re looking for here.”
“What if she won’t open the door? How can we help her if she won’t let us inside?”
Leo straightened. “Then we shall just have to keep knocking until she does.”
After barely recovering from their hostile encounter in the village, Lachlan had left her in the Great Hall while he went to search for Douglas. His sole intention was to gain permission to stay the night at Castle Craig. Isla thought it a ridiculous notion on many
Ivana had expressed some reluctance in allowing Sylvester to accompany them on their trip. She’d wanted him to stay behind to care for the Bruhns, to guard their home. But her trusted servant had experienced the horrifying consequences of the blood affliction. Without the ability to compel another driver to keep their secret, should they find the woman who haunted her dreams, it had been imperative they bring Sylvester along.
They rattled through the stone gatehouse and into the bailey. The loud clattering would certainly alert the castle’s occupants of their arrival. As soon as the carriage rumbled to a halt, Leo opened the door and vaulted out.
“Good Lord, it feels wonderful to stretch my limbs.” He offered her his hand. “Allow me to assist you, my lady.”
She nodded, but rather than lower the steps his nimble fingers settled on her waist, and he lifted her down slowly until her feet touched the ground.
After a quick attempt to shake the creases out of her dress, Ivana glanced up at the dull grey facade. “If you had covered my eyes or put me into a deep sleep and brought me here, I would think I was home.”
Leo followed her gaze. “It does bear a striking resemblance to the castle in Bavaria. You said the woman in your dreams had golden hair. Perhaps these things are not coincidences. Like most men, it appears Nikolai had his preferences.”
Ivana shook her head. “Nikolai always had an ulterior motive for everything he did. I doubt hair colour and the place one rests their head had anything to do with it. Trust me. It is a coincidence.”
“Or it is fate.” Leo quirked a brow. “After all that has occurred, I think we both have some faith in that possibility.”
“Well, we will know the answer soon enough.” She glanced around the empty bailey, scanned the dark, dreary facade once more. The absence of light in any of the windows suggested no one was home. Then again, they could be expecting a storm and had consequently closed the shutters. “Do you not think it is odd that no one has marched out to question our right to be here? Or at the very least, attempted to establish if we have lost our way. In such a remote location, I suspect they rarely have visitors.”
Leo rubbed his chin. “The affliction can make one nervous of strangers. What would you do if faced with a similar situation?”
Ivana contemplated his question. Living with such a terrible secret often made one delusional, overly suspicious. A solitary existence was far preferable than risking discovery. “I would hide in the shadows, refuse to open the door, hope they would grow tired and leave.”
“Then we must assume the residents here feel the same way. Indeed, any reluctance to address us, only adds credence to your belief that we might have a sister living here.”
“A sister?” Her heart fluttered at the prospect. Despite drinking the cure, Ivana knew a part of her would always feel a kinship towards those suffering from the blood affliction. To come to the aid of another woman who shared her awful experiences, a woman Nikolai had branded in such a degrading way, would make the effort of struggling to replicate the cure worthwhile.
“I know it is rare for us to be able to read a person’s thoughts now,” Leo said, “but intuition tells me you might find what you’re looking for here.”
“What if she won’t open the door? How can we help her if she won’t let us inside?”
Leo straightened. “Then we shall just have to keep knocking until she does.”
After barely recovering from their hostile encounter in the village, Lachlan had left her in the Great Hall while he went to search for Douglas. His sole intention was to gain permission to stay the night at Castle Craig. Isla thought it a ridiculous notion on many
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