Rosaline had removed the raincoat, put it near her mud-filled torn shoes, and gently put Penelope on her lap. She placed her right palm over her sister's forehead while her left hand was on her chest.
"Everything will be fine," she whispered.
The Vampire, with an amused expression, fixated his gaze on her. A young woman, just to save a toddler, offered herself to him. By her appearance, he had realized that the woman was not from Blackburn Village.
An outsider comes to Blackburn to save her sister! Interesting!
The thunder reverberated in the sky and the toddler in Rosaline's lap got intimidated in her sleep. Rosaline looked outside the window when found the intent gaze of the Vampire at her. She gulped and slowly lowered her gaze.
"Why did you not take her to the doctor?" Rosaline heard him. His tone was deep yet cold.
"I did, but the doctor refused to help," Rosaline replied in a low voice. "I have no money with me," she truthfully told him.
"Hmm. People do not help without benefits. The world is selfish," the Vampire scrunched his nose, taking a deep breath in. Rosaline lifted her eyes a little to peer at him.
A pin-drop silence surrounded them as the Vampire did not bother to know more.
The carriage gradually stopped. Rosaline realized that they had reached the house of the Vampire Lord.
The coachman opened the door. The rain had also stopped by then. The Vampire stepped down first and turned to look at Rosaline, who had carried Penelope in her arms. She had leaned towards the floor of the carriage to lift the raincoat.
"Let it be," the Vampire told her and she looked into his eyes. "Come out," he said and extended his hand for her. The coachman glanced at his master but did not say anything.
Rosaline stood up from her place, holding Penelope closely, and placed her foot on the footplate. The Vampire grasped her arm gently and safely made her land on the ground.
Rosaline thanked him when he walked inside the giant gate of his mansion. The magnificent limestone constructed mansion shone her eyes, but then she found that the Vampire Lord was quite ahead of her. She embraced Penelope tightly in her arms and followed the Vampire Lord.
The front walkway was made of gravel and on both sides, the glossy, deep green foliage of Winter Gem boxwood was grown. The yellow lamps were illuminated at a regular distance from each other.
She hastened her steps to match the pace of the Vampire Lord. She ascended the few stairs to reach the large door. The marble-laid floor got dirty as the mud from her shoes was imprinted on it. She kept walking until she reached the door and got scared. The muddy footprints had left the floor dirty.
"Why did you stop?" She again heard this deep voice and turned to look at him.
"Sir, I will clean it later," Rosaline said, and thought about removing the shoes when he stopped her.
"Servants can clean it later. Just follow me," he stated and turned to walk in. Rosaline did not find it good, so left her dirty shoes at the side of the door. She ran after him and stopped upon reaching the living hall.
The chandelier was hanging at the center of the living hall. The chandelier had candles placed on its golden stand. Beneath it, vintage furniture was placed. A royal blue-colored sofa, along with two recliners on both sides were placed. The mahogany wood central table had a candle stand on it with a book at its edge.
"Greetings to my Lord!" An old man in his sixties bowed humbly before the Vampire Lord.
Rosaline shifted her gaze to this old man. He has worn a black suit with an undershirt with a bowtie on it. He must be the butler of the mansion, Rosaline deduced.
"Anthony, bring the doctor for this young lady's sister," the Vampire told the butler of the house, glancing at Rosaline.
"Sure, My Lord," Anthony said while the Vampire Lord went to his room.
Anthony was amazed to see two humans at the mansion for the first time.
"Miss, please follow me this way," Anthony waved his hand in the air. He lifted the lantern, showing the way to her. Rosaline nodded her head and followed him. "My Lord never brought any humans in the house," she heard Anthony as they climbed the stairs.
"I offered my blood for the treatment of my little sister, Sir," Rosaline told him the truth.
Anthony smiled a little and it confused her. They reached the top and turned left. Anthony pushed the door of the first room in the walkway and they walked in.
Anthony placed the lantern on the table near the fireplace while Rosaline went towards the bed. She placed Penelope gently on the mattress.
She caressed Penelope's head when heard Anthony, "Miss, here are the clothes for your sister." Rosaline thanked him for those clothes and a towel.
“Miss, I will be back with the doctor in a few minutes,” Anthony informed her and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Rosaline sat down on the mattress and realized how soft it was. She did not remember when was the last time she sat on such a mattress or she never did.
She helped her sister, Penelope change after wiping her hands and hair with the towel. The burning skin of Penelope kept worrying her and she looked towards the door. She covered her sister from the blanket when the door opened.
Anthony entered with a doctor and it brought comfort to Rosaline’s heart. She quickly stood up from the bed and stood back.
The doctor came towards the bed when Anthony brought a chair for him. “Please take a seat,” he said humbly. The doctor put his briefcase on the bed and rested his palm over Penelope’s forehead.
"How long is she in this state?" The doctor gazed at Rosaline.
"It started last night, Doctor," Rosaline answered while fidgeting with her fingers. The doctor brought his hand to Penelope's left hand to check the pulse.
“The fever is high,” he said in a serious tone and then checked her eyes.
After examination, he opened the briefcase and picked the small wooden box. He opened it and showed the white pills to Rosaline.
"One a day will be enough after the meal. These are for the weakness. The child is young but she lacks nutrition and her immune system is weak," he instructed her and then picked another small wooden box. Taking out two pills, he handed them to her. "To reduce the temperature, give one now and the second one for tomorrow morning, after breakfast."
Rosaline nodded her head and thanked the doctor. She could not express her happiness after she got those medicines. Indeed, Penelope could not get enough food because of their miserable state. Rosaline blamed herself for not being able to take care of her sister well.
"Do not worry about her. She only needs rest and then she will be fine," the doctor, after seeing the panicked expressions on Rosaline's face, assured her about the toddler's good health. Rosaline tightly held the medicine box in her hand and bowed before him as a signature of gratefulness.
“This way,” Anthony told the doctor and turned to leave when saw the Vampire Lord at the door. Rosaline, oppositely, dissolved the pill into the water and made Penelope drink it.
The doctor left after bowing in front of the Vampire Lord.
“Your sister will be good by the morning,” Rosaline heard his voice and stopped caressing Penelope’s face. She looked in his direction.
He was near the door, his back leaning against the wall behind him. His arms were crossed. Rosaline stood up in her place as she found the Vampire Lord advancing to her.
She remembered that she still had to repay him as the Vampire was also not helping them out of the pure goodness of his heart.
"So, are you ready to repay me?"