Silly me, and I felt sorry for myself, thinking I was the unhappiest person in the world.
– I told you I'd let them go, but they need to be made to look good first," the vampire said calmly. – You don't want them to come back to society like this, do you?
– I'll do it myself! Right now! – I exclaimed eagerly.
– Yes, you do. In addition, they must swear to me that they will say nothing about me or what they have experienced and seen in this castle.
– I swear to you in the name of our Most High! – jumping out of her hiding place and pressing herself against the bars, the Spaniard shouted. – I swear I will not say a word to anyone!
– Nor I! I will tell nothing of you! I swear on my mother's memory! – followed by the Englishwoman.
I could not hold back my tears from the emotion that overwhelmed me – I felt so sorry for the poor girls! Their lives were ruined! Forever in their minds will be horrible memories that will gnaw at their souls. And maybe their psyche was so damaged that a future free life would bring them no joy!
But Grayson was generous. He promised to let them go, to give them a chance to move on with their lives, even if it was with these memories.
– Get them cleaned up," the vampire commanded and, taking the keys from his pocket, unlocked the cell doors.
The girls rushed to me with loud sobs, and I hugged them back, even though they smelled awful. But it wasn't their fault!
Grayson looked at us, with a cold grin on his lips, and then turned and walked out of the dungeon.
After a brief moment of joy, I remembered that the girls were in urgent need of a bath and rest, and pulled myself together.
– Come on, we need to wash you… You'll be home today! – I said to the girls and, taking them by the hands, led them out of the corridor into the hall of the castle. – Everything will be all right now! Don't cry! It's all over now! It's over! – I didn't know if they understood my imperfect English, but I hoped they did.
The girls followed me obediently and kept crying, probably out of joy. They clung to my dress and pressed themselves against me as if asking for my protection.
Everything was a blur: we went into my room and Susan and Lourdes ran into the bathroom with loud cries of joy. They acted like little children who had seen a merry-go-round for the first time. I hurried after them. With quick, nervous movements, they tore off their clothes, or rather the rags that were left of them, and both sat down in the huge bathtub and turned off the taps. I touched the water, and it was so hot that I jerked my hand away and hurried to turn on the hot tap. Frightened that the girls had gone mad after sitting in their cells for so long, I decided to take the process of bathing them into my own hands.