nosferatu
T HURSDAY , D ECEMBER THE S ECOND
I have announced some last minute changes to
the wedding plans and confused my dear husband.
I want a bouquet of Wild Roses and Hawthorn,
which I will have to make some ridiculous excuse
about having a long and loving history with. And
then I shall need all of the vessels and ornaments
to be made of silver... pure silver. I will not settle
for less, for I am the bride.
Due to my deep devotion to both the Lord
Our God and my husband, I would like the
most solemn and religious ceremony, and the
venue should be blessed most thoroughly by all
the best priests and fi lled with the most beautiful
Catholic imagery, of which, I have claimed, I
have always been fond. Large crucifi xes. Large,
but not too large. Something one might pick up
if the need arises.
Our meal should be full of the fi nest garlic
flavors, which my husband is a bit worried about,
for he notes that there will be kissing, but I have
assured him that the guests will be expecting it,
and he was not raised around many women so I
think I've managed to sneak that one past. I also
recommended he wear his most noble armor, to
display his noble rank, and noble attitude, I guess,
but I was losing the thread and I think he may
suspect something.
Perdina Meeks also stopped by again. Th is time
she was trying to boast that she and her husband
had been invited to the home of that charming
Lord Gowrie that very evening, and I strongly
objected to this. She thought me silly and a wee
bit jealous, for she did not know that creature only
drank the blood of royals. And so I feigned the
most obnoxious whining... I was pretending to be
AT
THE
nuptials
her, I suppose, and I begged her to stay with me.
"Perdina!" I said, overcome with emotions. "You
simply must stay and help me or this wedding has
no hope of coming together!"
And that seems to have convinced her, for,
no doubt, she believes it to be true. She decided
to stay, but I did not feel comfortable with one
left behind, so I continued, "And poor Percy is
in such a state that the sober mind and level
head of the Baron would be sure to steady the
bridegroom's nerves. Could he please come
attend to Percy? I say, Lord Gowrie is only
an acquaintance, but you and I are such good
friends! We simply must have you around
during this important time in our lives!"
Perdina was quite pleased by this and sent for
her husband at once.
"Did you know," she said after, "that the Lord
Gowrie's name is Ruthven! Ruthven! To think!
Whoever heard of such a name as that?"
"It was outlawed, dear," I replied.
"Why ever so?"
"Th ere was a man with that name who tried to
murder the King. King James."
"Well," laughed Perdina. "Let's hope they're
not related! Ha! Ha!"
F RIDAY , D ECEMBER THE T HIRD
Percy has come to me in a fi t. It seems a man
came over to his house the night before and stood
just outside the French Doors leading onto his
bedroom balcony. Obviously Ruthven Gowrie, the
vampire said Percy was marrying into worthless
blood—for apparently he doesn't count one half
of the family tree bespeckled with baronets and
mayors—and that uprooting the base of the