On this night, Fiona was lying on the hard bed in the convent, resting with closed eyes, when she heard athrill whispers of a few girls from the neighbouring beds.
"Fiona? Fiona! You''re not asleep either, are you?" one of the girls nudged her.
"Come on, let''s listen to Daisy''s ghost story together!" exclaimed the elder girl Charlotte, her voice brimming with excitement.
"And not just any ghost story! It''s a tale of vampires!" Amy, Fiona''s bed neighbour, added.
Curiosity piqued, Fiona rubbed her eyes and sat up.
"Shush! This is a true story told by my maid! You must not spread it around!" Daisy, surrounded by the girls in the centre of the bed, assumed a serious demeanor.
"Don''t keep us in suspense any longer! Come on, tell us!"
"You know, we have a maid who came from Vendée in France. She''s getting old, as timid as a mouse herself, yet always loves to tell spooky tales to scare others. And she always swears with an extending finger that everything she says is true.
"This maid hails from the area called La Garnache. Their local lord, Comte de La Garnache, passed away approximately seven years ago. He lived his entire life as a bachelor, leaving no lineal descendants. The comte''s longevity was truly uncanny, with no one knowing exactly how many years he had lived. Even the local old peasants claimed that they had known him as an elderly man since their earliest memories.
"The Comte had silver hair, and amidst the wrinkles, his features remained fairly good. It is said that one could discern his youthful beauty, though unfortunately, no one had ever laid eyes upon his visage in its prime. During his lifetime, he was known as a lord with a kind heart, generous and charitable, frequently extending aid to nearby orphans and widows. However, he also possessed a trait that drew criticism - he hardly ever set foot inside the church to worship or invited priests into his castle. To say ''hardly ever'' would be a gross understatement; honestly, there was no record of this lord ever stepping into a church!
"You see, the people of that region were exceptionally devout, to tell the truth, almost - don''t split on me to the Mother - almost bordered on the absurd! Therefore, the Comte''s unconventional behaviour inevitably gave rise to speculations about his lack of faith in the Lord. Coupled with his reclusive nature, rarely seen in public, and his almost nocturnal habits, some e