Tale of a Vampire

Chapter 5

Diana had orders not to step in the saloon that night and she hated it. She hadn't seen her master during dinner as usual. He didn't come to request her to play some music nor to ask her to read some poetry. She wondered for a while if that had anything to do with what had happened the past two nights and she couldn't but wonder if the master was avoiding her. It was probably that. He was afraid to hurt her and everything was difficult between them.

With these thoughts hammering on her head, she went to the library holding a petrol light in her hand. That was much better than candles. She would read a bit more and divert her mind from the recent event in her life, though she knew that wasn't an easy task. Whenever something hammered over and over in her head, she had to find the answer for her doubts. And it was wondering about her doubts that Diana the Shakespeare play she was reading, and looked for her father.

Constantine was in the kitchen helping Martha with the cutlery from the dinner. Of the servants, only him and his daughter had the privilege to have it with the master in the dining room. Constantine knew that Diana was the main reason for it. His master wanted his daughter's company while pretending he'd eat. Martha and Ralph had it in the kitchen, but despite that, they were very well taken care of. Lord Hetfield, took better care of them than any other Lord in the county. Even their salary was above the medium salary of a servant. Also, Constantine's loyalty played a great role in the way the two interacted and in the way Lord Hetfield was attached to his butler. Most of the time, the master treated him like a friend or like family and not a butler and Diana knew that also played a role in the way he felt guilty for betraying his butler.

"My daughter..." Constantine smiled watching his daughter coming in.

"Father?" She said in a questioning tone and sat at the table looking at him. Constantine looked at her expecting the rest. He was sure Diana was going to ask about master. "Why hasn't the master had dinner with us tonight?"

Constantine whished Diana wasn't so curious about Lord Hetfield. For some time he believed it was just a little girl's infatuation but he realized that her curiosity and interest remained even after she had grown up. It became even worse after she reached a certain age. He knew she was in love with the master and it worried him very much. She was his only daughter and he had to take care of her and the master was not the right person even if he truly estimated him.

"He's busy." Her father answered, but that was too vague to satisfy her.

"Doing what?" She asked back. Constantine sighed. It worried him the way she liked the master.

"He is getting ready." He said. Again that was all too vague for her.

"What for father?" She raised an eyebrow. "Why am I not allowed in the saloon today?"

"The master is having a party tonight. He invited some friends and you're not allowed to go there."

"A party?" She questioned surprise.

There weren't parties in the palace, not that she could remember of, but there were some times indeed where the same had happened. Sometimes she wouldn't be allowed in there. So these times he was having parties? With who? Did he have friends? All these questions assaulted her mind in seconds.

"Yes." Constantine simply said and returned to clean the crystal glasses.

"How come the master is having a party and I am not invited!" Diana exclaimed almost offended.

"You don't go there, you hear me!" Constantine raised his tone so she could fully understand his order. He had never been that firm with her and Diana was sure that moment her father knew exactly what this party was all about.