“Be nice,” Henri said. “And anyway, I don’t recall ever actually asking you along.”
“Right. I should probably go have fun with Father Schedoni. He’s sure to be the life of the party.”
The library doors banged open at that moment and three servants entered, Bertolino among them.
“Good day, my lords. My lady,” Bertolino greeted us. He gestured for the others with him to climb the staircase to the second floor.
“What’s this, then?” Henri asked.
“Inspection. We’re making sure the castle is in tip-top shape for our guests. Can’t have anything overlooked.”
I narrowed my eyes. This was likely part of the search for the lost item I’d overheard him talking to Montoni about. As I watched Bertolino walk the room, I wondered what could have been lost. He wasn’t being very thorough. He was more concerned with the drapes, large bookcases, and trunks than with the desk or the shelves themselves. It couldn’t have been a small item they’d misplaced then.
In a few minutes, the servants left.
“That was strange,” Blanche said, sending her brother a worried look. “I wonder if we should be concerned.”
“Surely not,” Henri said. He smiled and put a hand on the small of my back. “What do you say we see the northeast turret? It was one of my favorite places growing up. It has a telescope, you know.”
“Oh?” I allowed him to lead me from the room, knowing that I would be spending a lot of time there in the near future.
As dusk descended over the castle once more, I found myself seated in a drab, windowless room for supper. Overhead, a chandelier of somber glass observed us, candles lit along its arms and sending shadows dancing across the table. Additional candles illuminated the room from candelabras lined around the perimeter. Despite the hundreds of flames, I could still feel the gloom of night choke the castle around us.
“What do you think of the castle so far, Madame Montoni?” Blanche asked my aunt politely as salads were produced to begin our meal.
My aunt chewed slowly, as if forming her thoughts before swallowing. “It is much bigger than I thought it would be. It must have been difficult to build way out here.”
I tried to hide my smile. Nothing in her words could be considered an insult. Very tactful.
“Stone was cut from the mountain itself,” Montoni said. “It would not have been a struggle to assemble, given the material available right here.” He took a sip of his wine. “And this castle has stood for centuries. It is a fortress, able to withstand the most perilous siege.”
I refrained from rolling my eyes. The castle had clearly been around for centuries. One look at it could tell that much.
“Do you think you’ll like it here, Emile?” my aunt asked, shifting the conversation to me.
I swallowed a piece of lettuce and pasted on a smile. “I love the library. Just try to make me leave it.”
My aunt noted my ambiguous response as well and lifted her glass to me, as if I’d scored a point.
“Yes, let’s all toast to this great castle,” Montoni said, raising his goblet. “To the majesty of our ancestral home. To Udolpho Castle.”
We all complied. “To Udolpho Castle,” I said, my voice blending with those in attendance. I looked around the table and frowned, suddenly noticing the monk’s absence. “Where is Father Schedoni? Is he not joining us?”
“No, he’s not. He’s seeing that our rooms are ready for tomorrow night’s injections. Emile, I trust as our guest, you’ll be willing to help.”
I offered a stiff nod in reply. Blanche winced. “Tomorrow night? Already?”
“Uncle,” Henri said, looking down at his plate. “Can we not forgo the injections tomorrow night? We’re at Udolpho, after all. It’s so isolated out here.”
“What does that have to do with it?” Montoni snapped, glancing at my aunt. “It’s not a matter of who’s around. The injections are for our own good. And besides, have you forgotten the people in the village below? We aren’t completely alone.”
Henri nodded, then met my eyes briefly. I hated that I would see him in pain again so soon, and I was also proud that he’d brought it up to his uncle. But the outcome wasn’t unexpected.
Montoni cleared his throat as he glanced up the table in my direction. “Emile, your aunt and I have been talking. About your future.”
I tensed as his eyes found mine, piercing and dark. I was silent as I waited for him to continue, noticing my aunt shift uncomfortably from the corner of my eye.
“Since there is no social scene in this remote area, and we would like you wed by the time you come of age, an elegant solution has been determined for you.”
