The great hall was empty.
That much was immediately obvious. Just as obvious was that Dracula and his group had once been here. The stench was horrendous. Jane had to breathe through her mouth to avoid it. Even then, she was not successful.
Like the attic upstairs, blood lay everywhere in crimson pools. It was cast upon the walls and the drapery in great splashes. Perhaps veins and arteries had been cut here, allowing their contents to spray at will.
At the end of the room sat a single chair on a raised platform. It looked like a tawdry version of a throne. The chair seemed to have been borrowed from a parlour. On the wall behind it hung a painting of a woman.
That must be the baroness, Jane thought.
The woman in the picture wore a wig and a formal gown. Her jaw was long. So was her nose. Jane had the impression she had spent a lot of her life looking down that nose at others. The woman had a chin that receded straight into her neck, and her eyes were small, almost like little beads.
Jane scanned the windows. The curtains were shut, but there was very little light left to block. Night was almost on them. They entered and stepped around the pools of blood, but there were definitely no bodies to be found.
'Where is Dracula?' Jane asked. 'And Cassandra?'
'Gone,' Eddy said.
'Possibly not,' Doctor Porter said. 'There's still the basement.'
Jane had entirely forgotten about it. Leaving the room, they hurried around to the closed door and tried it again.
'This is unlocked,' Eddy said, frowning.
'Really?' the doctor said. 'It was locked before.'
'It isn't now.'
The doctor went first, ready to fire as she descended the stairs with the others close behind. Darkness reigned downstairs, but gave way to the light of the lantern. It was clear it held nothing of value. Crates and boxes had been stacked against the walls. They may have held old clothing or papers. The doctor pounced on some scraps of paper in the corner.
'A leaflet about the King's ball,' she said, glancing at the page. 'Possibly, the baroness was invited.'
She won't be going now, Jane thought.
They started up the stairs again.
'Did we close the door behind us?' Max asked.
'No,' the doctor replied.
She tried the door. It was now locked. Aiming her pistol, she was just about to fire when a mocking, velvet voice came from the other side.
'Is the door locked?' a man said.
The doctor glanced back at Jane and the others. With a resolute face, she turned back to the closed door. 'With whom am I speaking?'
'You know who I am,' the man replied. 'And I know who you are. Oh, not all of you, but we watched from a distance as you flailed about our little web. Now you've landed, and you can't get out.'
This is a trap, Jane thought, her heart sinking. We were lured here.
'I assume you are Count Dracula,' Porter said.
'I have been known to use that name.'
'I am Doctor Wilhelmina Porter. I am here with some acquaintances. I believe you know the sister of one—a girl named Cassandra Austen.'
'Ah, Doctor Porter. Yes, you've been pursuing me across the country. What an annoying woman you are.' Dracula paused. 'And I know Cassandra. Oh, yes.'
Jane hated the way he said that—Oh, yes—like someone looking forward to a tasty dessert.
'What have you done with her?' Jane yelled. 'You devil!'
A gentle laugh came from the other side of the door. 'That must be Jane. Cassandra's told me all about you, especially your writing. She says you have quite a way with words.'
'I will kill you if you harm her!' Jane snapped. 'I swear it!'
'Dear Jane,' Dracula said, sounding bored. 'I have heard those words so many times over the centuries. But you need not worry yourself: Cassandra is thrilled to be with me. She does not wish to leave.'
'You're lying!'
'She can tell you herself.'
There was silence for a moment. Then—
'Jane?'
'Cassandra?' Jane gasped. 'Is it you?'
'My darling sister,' Cassandra said. 'It is I.'
'Has he hurt you? That brute—'
'Dracula? No. He has not hurt me.' Cassandra was gently chiding. 'You don't understand, Jane. It's an honour to be in his presence. I love Dracula. Everyone who meets him does.'
Jane fell back from the door. She stared at it in disbelief, wanting to pulverise the timber to retrieve her sister.
Doctor Porter put her arm around Jane's shoulders. 'She doesn't know what she's saying,' she whispered. 'She is under Dracula's control.'
'I know you don't believe in love,' Cassandra said. 'But you've never encountered it. I know what it is now, for that's what I feel for my master. You need not worry about me, for I am with Dracula.'
Jane fought back tears. She closed her eyes, struggling to think of a response. Then, taking a deep breath, she reopened her eyes.
'Dracula?' she said.
'Jane.' His voice came from beyond the door. 'Cassandra is well—'
'Why are you doing this?'
Dracula gave a short laugh. 'Life is about power. It's about absolute control. Control of a world. Control of a country. Control of a woman.'
Jane hoped the vampire would open the door. If he did, they stood a chance of overpowering him and reclaiming Cassandra. 'I suppose that's the only way you can control a woman. By mesmerising them. You know nothing about love. Your kind of love is as heartless as a marriage contract. You are forced to use tricks to get what you want.'
Silence came from beyond the timber.
'I wonder if you've ever known love,' Jane continued. 'I doubt it. I pity you, Dracula. You could control a million people, and none would truly want to be with you.'
The vampire did not answer. Then—
'Goodbye, Jane,' Dracula said. 'It's a shame we could not meet, but I must leave. The time for talking is done. Now, for you, the time for dying has begun.'
A sudden, deafening whoosh came from beyond the door. Doctor Porter cried out, and both Eddy and Max began battering at the timber.
'He's set fire to the door!' Max said.