Once it had become apparent the Professor was going to be a long-term resident of the estate, Katarina instructed the girls to introduce him to certain of the other residents. Those had been directed to help keep him out of possible trouble with any of the other residents, as his status might not yet be certain to all of them. Beatrice was walking with him one night when she took a sudden turn and led him into the large library room. In the large, open space were many round tables. Some were occupied by small groups. At others, individuals seemed to be occupied in some solitary pursuit.

“You ought to meet the Senior,” she said.

A sharp voice called out, “Well, it’s Katarina’s pet!” An old-looking woman glared at them from a table where she sat by herself near the center of the room.

Beatrice said quietly, “Don’t pay attention to her, she’s not right in the head.”

“And look, she's brought her pet human.”

Beatrice whirled to face the woman, who suddenly looked surprised, and began shouting. “Shut up! Don’t you ever refer to the Professor without respect and never, ever as my, or anyone else’s pet! He’s a guest here just as are you and you’re here only by the permission of the Mistress. And he’s my friend. Curse me if you want but don’t ever say that about him again or There. Will. Be. Trouble.”

“Let’s get out of here!” Beatrice hissed. He was already reaching for her. He grasped an upper arm, turning her around as he pulled her in the direction of the doorway. “Come!” he said.

She allowed herself to be pulled behind him, visibly pouting. As they went, an elderly man sitting alone at a corner table stood and began clapping his hands. Others began clapping and a few stood up, too.

When he had towed her down the hallway some distance and they weren’t followed, he stopped. “What was all that about?”

Beatrice closed her eyes for a moment and let the anger leave her face. “The woman’s jealous of the attention the other girls and I get from Mistress. Usually I just ignore her. She got a surprise this time because she insulted you; implying you were… my servant.” Beatrice began walking again and he followed. “Dragging me out like that surprised her, too. No one could do that to their master. And the man who started clapping… that’s the Senior. The oldest here. Your welcome in this place was just confirmed by some of the most respected denizens of the estate.”

He noticed her last-second substitution of ‘servant’ and in his mind he made a note to inquire of someone what it meant to be a vampire’s ‘pet.’