While Doctor Porter scoffed down some biscuits, she asked Eddy to explain what had transpired.
'I was in my room last night,' Eddy began, 'when there was a tapping at the window. I looked out—and got the shock of my life. My darling Susan was out in the dark. It was a blessed surprise and a horrible shock all at once. She was alive, but she had been transformed into one of them.' He shuddered. 'I wanted her back, but I wanted the beautiful girl back that I'd lost. Not the thing she'd been turned into.'
Jane nodded. She could understand his mixture of emotions. 'What did she say?' Jane asked.
'She had a proposal from Dracula for me.'
'But why you?'
'He probably thought I was pliable. He had my daughter and could use her as part of the bargain to get my help.'
'And what did you say?' Max asked.
'I said I would help, but I had terms. They were that neither you, Doctor Porter, nor Jane would be harmed. And I could be with my daughter.'
'And in return?' Jane prompted.
'In return,' Eddy said, 'I would lead all of you to him. Of course, as soon as Susan had gone, I went straight to Doctor Porter and told her.'
'I was deeply concerned when Eddy approached me,' Porter said. 'But then I realised we now had a card up our sleeve. If Eddy pretended to go along with Dracula, we could save Cassandra and destroy him at the same time.'
Jane was angry. 'But you didn't share this with Max and me. You thought we could not be trusted.'
'It wasn't a matter of trust. Anyone can be mesmerised by Dracula. Jane, your own sister, was under his control. If she had come knocking at your window, would you not have at least considered her offer?'
Ready to issue an angry retort, Jane considered the doctor's words. 'Perhaps,' she said, after a moment. 'I don't know. When Dracula made his proposal to me, I certainly gave it serious thought.'
'Armed with this knowledge,' Porter continued, 'I had a message sent to the King and his men. They promised to hold off until we had entered the mine.'
'But you knew we were walking into a trap,' Max retorted. 'What if we'd been killed?'
'I doubted that Dracula would do that. He is fatally attracted to Jane. It's as much a weakness for him as sunlight. Murdering us would not endear him to her.' Porter was thoughtful. 'Besides, we have more tricks up our sleeves thanks to the wonders of science.'
Jane did not press her on this. Instead, she exchanged glances with Max. It was impossible to read his expression.
They finished the tea and biscuits. The day wore on, and they remained in the room while the battle continued below. Jane peered out the window at one point and saw dozens of people being led away by soldiers. They were the workers who had slaved tirelessly to build the tunnel. The best of them appeared to be dazed and confused. Others looked more like they'd been drugged.
Hours passed. Doctor Porter queried the soldiers for more information. It seemed many more tunnels had been dug by Dracula's followers, as well as side shafts that had not been used for years.
Finally, night came, and with it came Colonel Briggs with grim news. 'We've been all the way through the complex. It's like a maze in there, but it's clear that we haven't been completely successful.'
'What's happened?' Porter asked.
'Dracula seems to have slipped away during the confusion. He probably had a hidey-hole where he took refuge. Once darkness came, he left it and escaped.' Briggs shook his head. 'It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do.'
Jane felt her heart sink. Knowing that Dracula was finally dead would have given her peace of mind. She peered out the window into the darkness. He was still out there, but at least Cassandra had been returned.
'At least you've stopped work on the tunnel,' Max said.
Briggs nodded. 'We even considered using it ourselves to surprise the French.'
'But you've decided against it?' Porter said.
'It's too risky,' Briggs said. 'A tunnel works both ways. Keeping it open would leave the door open to the French. Britain rules the seas. That's enough for now.' He explained they were about to blast the thing to pieces, and they could go and watch. They followed him out into the night. There were still soldiers all over the place, but Jane couldn't help but stare past them into the darkness.
He's out there, she thought. Dracula is planning his next move.
'Jane?' Porter said, noticing her gaze.
'How will we catch him?'
'I don't know,' Porter admitted. 'For once, I'm out of ideas.'
'Then he'll escape,' Jane said bitterly. 'He's free.'
'No.' The doctor shook her head. 'I will pursue him to the ends of the Earth.'
They reached the clearing near the mineshaft. A few fires had been set around the worksite to illuminate the area, and all the soldiers withdrawn. The flames made everyone's shadows dance and move about in the gloom. The general explained to Jane and the others that the gunpowder left behind by Dracula had been loaded into the tunnel, and a timer had been set to detonate.
'It'll blow at any moment,' Briggs said.
As they stood and waited, Jane studied Doctor Porter's face in the flickering light. She remembered the anger in the doctor's voice back at the house.
I will pursue him to the ends of the Earth.
'Doctor,' Jane said quietly. 'Why do you hate him so? Dracula, I mean.'
Porter's throat constricted. 'I have my reasons.'
At that moment, the ground convulsed, and a blast of air and dust spurted from the mine entrance. There was a distant oceanic rumbling. Jane envisioned the dark water crashing into the tunnel, destroying all those months of work. It was also obliterating the misery that had been caused to the workers who had toiled and died underground.
Still, she thought, at least it signalled the end of something. Dracula's grand schemes had been destroyed. Nothing could compare to what he had lost in the last few days. And she had Cassandra back. That was something to celebrate.
Jane's eyes shifted to Max.
And I have a man that I love, she thought. If that isn't worth celebrating, then I don't know what is.
'There,' Porter said softly. 'The tunnel is destroyed. Another may be built one day, but I doubt it'll be in our lifetime. Now,' she said, turning to Jane, 'let's find something to eat. I'm not hungry, but I imagine you'll probably want something filling.'
Jane smiled. 'You're right, Doctor.' She lowered her voice as she gently nudged the woman. 'Sausage may be on the menu.'