Chapter 26 Vampire´s touch
“Hello,” Izabella greeted her politely, as she stopped right before the desk.
“Hi, there,” the lady replied.
Right there, on the desk, turned to her, Izabella could see a plaque with the lady’s name. Mirna Watson.
“I hope I’m in the right place,” Izabella continued as sweetly as she could.
“How may I help you, dear?” Miss Watson replied.
She was a pretty-ish woman in her thirties, that was at least what her appearance showed. Her eyes were overly drawn out with black eyeliner, trying to make them look bigger, which was only more painfully obvious from behind her glasses. She was wearing a short sleeved blouse with pink flamingos and there was a barely visible pink hair clip in her hair, which was half up and half down, with a few loose strands of hair around her ears.
“I’m here to enquire about the Headmaster,” she started, clearing her throat a little, “you see, I arrived here less than a month ago and there are a few things I’d like to ask him. I understand that every new student who arrives like this, in the middle of the school year, is to meet the Headmaster and, you see, I’ve heard so many things about him, I’m just so eager to meet him in person.”
Izabella hoped her little speech did the trick. It was supposed to leave the impression of an overly eager student, a little clumsy, a little curious, who just wanted to meet the Headmaster. Miss Watson eyed her sweetly and the right corner of her lip danced a little.
“I have the right information, don’t I?” Izabella added, for effect and it worked.
“You do, Miss…”
“Wing, Lucy,” Izabella gave her alias.
“Ah, Miss Wing,” Miss Watson’s face changed a little, but Izabella couldn’t quite put her finger on the reason why.
It sounded as if Miss Watson had already heard her name before. Now, it was up to Izabella to figure out whether this meant something or not.
“Yes?” she chose to say.
“Miss Wing, you were informed correctly,” she continued, “you will be scheduled a meeting with the Headmaster but that’s only when he returns.”
“You mean, he’s not back yet?” Izabella asked.
“I’m afraid not.”
“Do you know when he’ll be back?” Izabella asked again.
Apparently, this wasn’t the kind of question students usually asked. That was the impression Izabella read from Miss Watson’s face this time.
“I’m afraid not, Miss Wing,” she replied, a little sternly.
“I’m sorry,” Izabella immediately wanted to fix the impression, “I know it’s probably not the kind of information you give out to students but I’m just so excited to meet him. My parents have told me so much about him, I feel like I already know him.”
This softened Miss Watson a little. Maybe she had a family of her own or had someone she herself was admiring. Whatever the reason, Miss Watson smiled. Izabella knew she did it.
“I know what it’s like to be ….” she paused, in search of an appropriate word, “eager to see someone.”
She suddenly pulled back a little in her chair, as if she was metaphorically pulling herself out of this conversation, in which she almost revealed one of her secrets.
“He should be back the first week of November, I think. That’s what he told us last time but, of course, it always depends on his obligations. He is the kind of man who always does his best, you know.”
“Oh, I know,” Izabella nodded, trying to give the impression that she really did know everything about this man. “My dad always said, he could count on him no matter what.”
“Then, your dad was a lucky man,” Miss Watson said, with a deep, melancholy feeling in her voice.
“So, should I come the first week of November then?”
“No, dear, you shall be notified when you should come. He is busy, you know. We can’t just have you students barging in here, as if this was a market.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, dear. It takes some time to get used to this place. Trust me, I know.”
There was a tone which revealed to Izabella that Miss Watson wanted to be more than just a secretary to the Headmaster, but her hopes and desires weren’t reciprocated.
“Have you been here long?” Izabella asked curiously.
“Longer than I can remember,” she sighed the sigh of a broken heart.
“Were you here before the Headmaster came?”
“No,” Miss Watson shook her head, “we came here together. I mean, we were hired at the same time,” she was quick to correct herself but her blushing didn’t escape Izabella’s watchful eye.
“Did you know him before that?”
“Um, I…” Miss Watson sounded confused.
Like any woman in love, she relished every chance she had to talk about her beloved. But, at the same time, she was aware of how inappropriate it was to discuss such matters with a student there.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Izabella added sweetly.
“Oh, you’re not, dear, it’s just there’s nothing to tell really.”
“You know, I’m surprised there aren’t any photos of the Headmaster around the place,” Izabella suddenly realized something. Photos meant she could identify him. She would find out whether she saw him before.
“Well, we keep all our photos in yearbooks. I don’t think there are…” she was talking, then suddenly stopped, as if she remembered something important, “wait, there is one photo, I think. A big framed one in one of the dorms.”
“It’s not in mine,” Izabella assured her, “I would have noticed it.”
Izabella actually did notice the photos everywhere she went. Mostly, there were old, black and white photos of the place, its construction, a few people who participated in the construction. There were no current ones.
“Then, it’s probably in one of the others, I’m not really sure.”
Izabella made a mental note to inspect all the dorms for possible photo identification of the Headmaster. For now, she had all she wanted. She could go ahead with the Witches’ Sabbath, without fear of him being there. Of course, she still knew that nothing she was told here was one hundred percent sure. This could still all be a trap. But, Izabella was being lulled into a safe feeling of assurance that nobody here knew who she was. Would they treat her so nicely otherwise?
She immediately remembered Hendrik, Thorne, Renwick, Reeba, even that jerk Raphael. She had no idea why, but whenever she thought about the other three guys, Raphael’s image always came along with theirs. It was like the four were intricately connected somehow and one didn’t go without the other three. She was head over heels over all three, and despite her complete and utter reluctance to admit it, she was head over heels over the fourth one, too. There was no doubt about it.
“I really appreciate all your help, Miss Watson,” Izabella concluded. “You’ve been very kind and most helpful.”
“Why, it’s nothing, dear.”
Izabella’s compliment had made her day. The smile on her face vouched for it.
“I guess I should be heading back to my dorm,” Izabella smiled back.
“And don’t worry,” Miss Watson assured her, “as soon as the Headmaster returns, he shall send for you immediately, I’m sure.”
There was an ominous feeling hanging in the air after these words. Izabella knew that
she’d be ready. She thanked the secretary and waltzed out of the main building. He wasn’t here yet. Sure, it could all have been a clever ruse, but Izabella was certain that she’d see some signs of him there. There were none. His secretary, who was madly in love with him, would have surely spilled it, if he were there. She wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. No loving heart could.