Dracula's Mistress by Carmen Stefanescu

Author:Carmen Stefanescu [Stefanescu, Carmen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781629188409
Publisher: City Lights Press
Published: 2017-03-14T22:00:00+00:00

Angela

Cotmeana, one year later, 1463

“HOW DARE YOU come back here with your bastard?” Safta spat venomously. Angela stood at the front door of the manor, a year after she’d given birth to a beautiful healthy girl at her uncles’ house in Targu-Jiu. Her mother didn’t even look at the child clinging to Angela’s neck.

“This is my home, Mother,” Angela said simply. “Mine and my daughter’s. Ileana’s. Father would have wanted his granddaughter to be safe under his roof.” She spoke quietly but firmly. She herself wondered at her courage, as it was the first time she’d stood up to her authoritative mother.

“You’re not worthy to utter his name, you bitch,” Safta said contemptuously and then turned her attention to the other person accompanying Angela. “And who’s this creature?” Safta demanded when her gaze fell on the olive-skinned woman climbing down from the carriage. Her mother’s hostility seemed to solidify in front of Angela.

“This is Catinca, Ileana’s nanny. She’ll be my maid and will also take care of the baby,” Angela answered. “She helped me at my child’s birth and is very skillful with her herbs.”

“I should have imagined. You’re as daft as usual. Skillful, indeed. That’s all I need here. Another lazy gypsy slave. Aren’t there enough women here to choose as your maid, if you’ve suddenly decided you’re in such great need of one?”

“Yes, I need one, and Catinca’s my maid, Mother, no matter what you say or want.” Although fearful of her own temerity and amazed at her daring, Angela was possessed by the awareness that she’d become a woman. “She’s no slave,” Angela continued undeterred, signaling Catinca to follow her. “She’s as free as you or me. I consider myself fortunate to have met Catinca.”

Catinca moved closer to her mistress with her head high, as if she hadn’t heard Safta’s derisive words.

Safta abruptly turned her back on them. Leaving Angela on the doorstep with the baby girl in her arms, she went to her room, muttering under her breath.

Angela kissed the little girl’s forehead and whispered to her, “Here, my sweet angel. This is your home. Mommy’ll watch over you. Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise. Even when I’m no longer on this earth, my soul will watch over you, and your children and your children’s children. A mother’s love for her child is the most powerful thing in the world. It can split mountains and drain rivers. My mother, your grandmother, is an exception. Let’s go inside.” She addressed Catinca who watched with a mixture of admiration, respect, pity and understanding.

“Follow me.”

The woman hesitated for a moment.

“Is anything wrong?” Angela asked Catinca.

“Yo’ life won’t be easy here. That’s all I can feel and tell you for the moment.”

“I don’t doubt it, Catinca. But what else was there for me to do? No word has come from Vlad. It was high time for me to return home. I can’t live my life as an earthworm, crawling into a hole. I’ll raise Ileana as best as I can, in my own home, at Cotmeana.

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