After Count B watched me eat dinner, he escorted me back to my room. He told me write three specific letters to Abebe Hawkins.

“In the first letter, write that your work is progressing well, and you should be finishing up soon. In the second letter, write that you’ll start your return journey to England the next morning. And in the third letter, write that you have left the castle and arrived at the Bistritz train station.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if I wrote the letters as those events happen?” I asked.

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“The Black Romanian postman rarely comes to my castle. I’ll deliver your letters directly to Bistritz tonight,” explained the count. “You’ll feel less anxious if you know your letters are already safely in the post office.”

I knew too much, and Count B would kill me … eventually. For now, I had to cooperate and prolong my chance of escape. I picked up my pen and pressed the tip against the paper.

“When should I date these letters?”

He thought for a minute, then answered, “Date the first letter June 12, the second June 19, and the third June 29.”

I had to escape by June 29, or Count B would eat me.