Tessa grinned. ‘The Countess does that, too.’
Ivy was glad to learn that there was a fun streak to her grandmother.
‘Have you always worked here?’ Ivy asked. She didn’t know how to ask Tessa about the crying; she didn’t want to embarrass her.
‘My father was Horatio’s right-hand man before he passed away five years ago, when I was eleven. I grew up here,’ Tessa explained, reaching for a saucepan. ‘I’ve only been working since I turned sixteen.’
As Ivy pulled down the box of porridge, Tessa started to speak: ‘Er, excuse me, miss. If you don’t mind my asking, is everything OK for you? I mean, you’ve seemed a little upset since you arrived.’
Ivy looked at Tessa, wide-eyed. But you were crying the other night! she wanted to say. Still, if Tessa wanted to pretend that had never happened, Ivy would just have to go with it.
‘It’s been hard to adjust,’ she stuttered. ‘Especially when my sister fits right in. Everyone loves her – even Prince Alex.’
Tessa stopped stirring the milk into the porridge. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Olivia’s the human. I’m the vampire,’ Ivy explained.
‘No, I mean, about Prince Alex,’ Tessa asked.
‘Oh. That he seems interested in Olivia.’ When Tessa blinked in confusion, Ivy said, ‘You know – romantically.’
‘He’s not,’ Tessa stated.
Ivy put down the honey. ‘But I heard him spouting poetry on the hilltop at the palace.’
‘I’ve known him my whole life. He’s like that,’ Tessa said, turning back to the stove. ‘He’s just trying to irritate his mother as much as he can. Trust me.’
A warning sign flashed in Ivy’s mind. ‘What makes you say that?’
‘Over the past year, Prince Alex seems to take every opportunity to annoy her.’ Tessa shook her head, and put Ivy’s bowl of piping hot Platelet Porridge on to the counter. ‘Flirting with a human girl will certainly do that. The Queen would burst into fog if the heir to her throne was in a romance with a non-vampire – or anyone she deemed . . . unworthy.’
Ivy felt her blood boil. Could the prince be pretending? Is he just using Olivia? Well, no boy is going to hurt my sister! I don’t care if he’s a movie star or a prince!
But before Ivy could ask for any more details, the kitchen door was flung open and Olivia burst in.
‘There you are!’ she said. ‘Come on! Alex and I want to go to the frozen lake to ice-skate. I already asked the Countess, and she said we can borrow whatever we want.’
‘There are plenty of pairs of ice skates in the shed,’ said Tessa.
‘What about playing darts inside where it’s warm?’ Ivy said, wanting to avoid anything that involved her sliding around on ice. Her behind was still throbbing from that fall outside the palace.
‘Oh, I’ve already proven that I can beat Alex hands down,’ Olivia said, grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl. ‘Let’s skate! Tessa, will you join us?’
Ivy wanted to say something about Alex, but the last time she’d become involved in Olivia’s love life, she’d made a mess of things. She sighed. I’ll have to wait until I’m absolutely O-positive that Prince Alex is up to no good.
‘Come on, Ivy!’ Olivia was bouncing on the spot. ‘Tessa is coming.’
This could be a chance to watch Alex with Olivia, Ivy thought. I can see what he’s trying to do.
‘OK,’ she said, ‘I’ll come, but not until I’ve eaten my porridge.’
Wow, these Transylvanians are good, Olivia thought as she skated along steadily.
A few of the prince’s friends had arrived on the frozen lake, joining Olivia, Ivy, Alex, Tessa and Nadia, the other young maid. A blond guy with a buzz cut was skating backwards in sync with a red-headed girl, both with one leg out in an arabesque. Another two girls were practising spins in the middle. One of them had her black hair slicked back in a high, long ponytail and her dark silver coat looked almost metallic. Her friend had on a black-and-white patterned coat and a black beret. They looked like Olympic gold medallists who had skated right off the catwalk.
Except, Olivia thought, it would be cheating if they actually competed in the Olympics because of the whole vampire super powers thing.
‘Come on, Olivia!’ called Alex. ‘Show us what you can do!’
Olivia smiled and looked at the red-headed girl, who was now doing a fast spin. ‘I can’t compete with that!’
She sped up a little bit and let Alex take her arms to push her even faster. Olivia hadn’t icestated much, but her cheerleader’s balance and grace helped her to at least keep up with the vampires.
As they sped across the ice together into the wind, the white of the snow, the brown of the trees and the blue of the sky smeared across her vision. It was another moment that she wished Jackson could have been a part of.
Jackson, Olivia thought. I’ve got to tell Alex. Ivy’s warnings had spooked her; it was best that she explain to the prince about her boyfriend back home. But just when she was about to say something, Ivy skated over with Tessa.
Or Tessa skated and Ivy sort of shuffled and fell forwards, clutching Tessa’s arm. Tessa was wearing a cosy-looking, well-loved wool coat with big black buttons.
‘I thought you vampires were supposed to be good at all things athletic,’ Olivia teased Ivy.
Tessa grinned. ‘It’s not her body; it’s her mind. She’s got the Fear.’
‘After my episode in the mall, and a little slip earlier today –’ Ivy grimaced – ‘I don’t want to fall on my already sore butt.’