Vanessa, through a letter to Mina, relates their backstory. The Ives and Murray families were neighbours and friends, to the point where Vanessa and Mina were considered as close as sisters, and it was accepted as a foregone conclusion that Vanessa would marry Minas frail brother, Peter. As a young girl, Vanessa caught Sir Malcolm and her mother having an affair. Although she kept it a secret, she says the experience led her to embrace her dark side, culminating in seducing Minas fiancé the night before their wedding. The families severed ties after this, the strain of which caused Vanessas clairvoyance and mediumship to manifest. She was committed to an asylum, an experience which left her mostly catatonic. Vanessa recovered with the assistance of an evil spirit that took Sir Malcolms form. Some time later, Vanessa encountered Mina, who forgave her for her transgression, but revealed that she had already been kidnapped by the master vampire. This inspired Vanessa to seek out Sir Malcolm and begin their search.