The Adventure of the Double Image

the redhead asked.

  "Maybe because she's actually a boy," the beanpole said.

  "She sure doesn't look like a girl!" one of the blondes said. "Especially with that scrawny arse." Though the beanpole was slimmer than the others, they all had noticeable breast and buttock sizes, though none as large as Margaret's.

  "Maybe we should make sure just which she is," the other blonde said. She had heard of them doing that to other girls. They would knock them down, and while the other four held them, Margaret stripped off their panties and tore away their skirts. They just usually did it somewhere no one would could see them do it.

  "Shut it!" Margaret ordered. "We're not here for that." She grabbed her by the sweater and pulled her close, making her drop her books.

  "Just where do you get off showing me up in class, you bloody slag?"

  Is that what this is about? "The instructor asked you a question; you didn't know the answer, so he asked if anyone else did."

  "No one raised their hand, knobhead, didn't that tell you anything?"

  "That they didn't know the answer either."

  "Wrong, twat! It meant they knew better than to embarrass me like that."

  "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

  "You should have, Dribble, you've known me long enough, and sorry isn't good enough. I don't think you really mean it. Maybe we ought to teach this gash her place."

  She shoved her back into her friends, who pushed her around between themselves while they laughed and jeered. Beanpole tripped her up and she fell on her face.

  Margaret kicked her in the rear. "Next time we won't be so nice."

  Vlad appeared, roaring out of an exploding cloud of shadow behind the two blondes. All five girls shrieked, and as Margaret backpedaled, she lost her footing and fell onto her backside. Her companions ran off, screaming bloody murder.

  Vlad stepped up to her and reached down to pick her up. Once he set her on her feet, he stood behind her as if daring anyone else to abuse her.

  Margaret had crawled away from them backwards, a look of sheer terror on her face, and she walked up to her. "Listen to me, Lady Margaret. If you ever bother me again, I'll have my servant rip out your bloody throat. Do I make myself clear?"

  Unable to speak, she nodded so hard her head looked like it would pop off her shoulders.

  "Good. Now, get out of my sight, you wanker."

  She scrambled to her feet and took off like the Devil himself was after her.

  She looked around. A couple of dozen students surrounded her, staring at her with expressions that mixed awe and fright.

  "Oh, bother. I think we made a mistake."

  A teacher came running up to her, and while he kept his distance from the Vampire, it was clear he didn't look frightened of him.

  "I believe you should come with me to the Headmaster, Miss."

  She nodded and hung her head. "Yes, Sir."

  afternoon again

  "I see. I'm sorry, Mr. Wright, but I'm afraid I can give you no assurances regarding Vlad's future behavior. He was, after all, just doing his job."

  The Headmaster looked at her. "Miss Van Helsing, can you not control your servant? Order him to stay away?"

  She set the tea cup down; it had gotten cold anyway. "My authority only goes so far in regard to my safety. He responds to my emotional state. I'm trying to learn how to control myself, but after what happened earlier in the year I'm still pretty wary, and people like Margaret intimidate me. I have no idea when or if one might turn out to be some kind of monster. However, even if he would obey an order not to fly to my rescue every time I became frightened or felt threatened, I would never give it. It would only take one time for him not to respond for me to be killed. I can't take that chance."

  The Headmaster looked grave. "Well, then, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we cannot allow you to continue at this school. Your servant has simply become too disruptive."

  That surprised her. She understood he would mete out some form of punishment, perhaps a short suspension, but she didn't expect anything worse than that. "Let me get this straight: you're excluding me?"

  "I would rather that you leave on your own, but, if necessary, yes. If you do leave voluntarily, though, you could be reinstated at a later time, once you've demonstrated that your servant would not be a hindrance."

  "Surely we could come to a more equitable accommodation?" Aelfraed said. "There are only two days until the start of the half term holiday. Perhaps a suspension for that time, to allow tempers to cool."

  "I'm sorry, but I have already discussed this with the Board of Governors, and they instructed me that if there was another incident I should take this action."

  Differel felt her temper flare, but she held it in check. The last thing she needed was for Vlad to make another appearance. "Why was I not informed of this decision?"

  "We felt there was no need. You had been warned on previous occasions, and each time you assured us that you understood the possible consequences of further incidents. Frankly, Miss Van Helsing, this was the last straw."

  "I see. Very well, I guess I don't have much choice."

  "We'll be sorry to see you go, Miss, but I believe it is for the best."

  She stood, barely able to keep her temper in check. "Since I am no longer a student, Mr. Wright, it's Sir Differel. Come on, Aelfraed, let's go."

  She walked out of the office and the building without a backward glance. When she reached the car, however, and Aelfraed held the door open for her, she paused and took one last look around the school. Despite people like Margaret, she had enjoyed her time there. She hoped she would be able to return, someday.

  After she got in and they drove off, neither of them spoke for some time. Finally she said, "I'm sorry, Aelfraed."

  He glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Nonsense, Madam, you have no reason to be."

  "You're not angry?"

  "Not at you, no. In fact, I am rather proud of the way you handled yourself, except for threatening to kill Lady Margaret."

  "Hmph. I suppose that was a little over the top."

  "Only in so far that you probably didn't need to. Vlad's appearance by itself most likely would have been enough to put the fear of God into her. In fact, I would not be surprised if she needed a change of knickers after that."

  She giggled, as much from shock as humor. "Seriously?!"

  "Of course, Madam. I will admit that I had much the same reaction, with the same results, the first time I met him. But I ask you not to repeat that."

  She grinned and laughed. "Your secret is safe with me."

  They both fell silent after that, but about halfway home she said, "I'm thinking: this might actually be serendipitous."

  "How so, Madam?"

  "Considering that my training schedule will only get heavier in the coming years, it's probably just as well I home school from now on."

  "Mr. Holt and I were thinking the same thing."

  That surprised her. "You were?"

  "Yes, Madam."

  She grinned with relief. "Good. I thought you two would give me an argument. But don't worry, I'll be sure to make time each day to do some study in the library. I already have enough books in mind to keep me busy until Christmas."

  "I am gratified, Madam, but you needn't concern yourself. We figured this circumstance might come up, and we have already laid contingency plans for it."

  She felt her gut crawl with anxiety. "What do you mean?"

  "Beginning tomorrow, I will start interviewing for a tutor."

  Her mind skipped a track. "A tutor?!"

  "Yes, Madam. If you thought that I or Mr. Holt would let you neglect your education, you are, if you will allow me the license, off your nut."

  His comment so shocked her that it forestalled any objection, and she remained silent for the rest of the trip.

  From "Dribble & Maggot Zombie Walk"

  Sir Differel made a face of frustrated disgust as she removed her marshmallow from the flames, while across the campfire Lady Ma
rgaret did the same. Her frenemy's marshmallows always came out looking golden brown, while hers resembled charcoal briquettes, but at least they were still soft and gooey inside.

  "What did you say these were called again?" She placed a square of milk chocolate on a piece of graham cracker, laid the marshmallow on top, covered it with another graham cracker, and pressed them together as she pulled out the toasting fork, leaving the marshmallow sandwiched between them.

  At least she had gotten that part right, after considerable practice.

  "S'mores." Margaret spoke around a mouthful.

  "Why?" She consumed hers before the filling could ooze out all over the ground.

  "It's based on 'some more'." She impaled another marshmallow on her fork. "Supposedly that's what some girl scouts said after they took their first bite."

  Differel smirked. That sounded like typical legendry, invented to provide an answer to a question that could not otherwise be answered with known facts. Then again, she wasn't surprised Maggot would know that story. She was a member of the Girl Guides, which also explained why they camped inside the perimeter of a small forest that surrounded the ruins of Baskerville Hall. She wanted to acquire a number of outdoor merit badges, and had called her to ask for her help in getting them. Differel realized almost immediately that she wanted to use her as a way to cheat. Margaret never did play fair unless she couldn't avoid it. Naturally she refused, but she found the idea of an outdoor adventure intriguing, so she volunteered to help her obtain the badges legitimately, which Margaret accepted after only a token argument. They had spent the last five days touring Dartmoor in the south of Devon, and in the morning they