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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST STORIES AND LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 16
Eve held mixed emotions in her mind. On one hand, she was finally happy to get the governess job that she had been looking forward to since she had finished her schooling. But on the other side, her chest was filled with anxiety at the thought that she had finally found the man who had killed her mother in front of her very own eyes.
“Now if you could walk back to the piano room with the same vigour as when you stepped out of the room. We don’t like people uselessly dilly dally here,” stated Mr. Moriarty, reminding her that her job was in motion now. “Move your…” his eyes moved to look at her bottom, and Eve gritted her teeth. “Legs.” Saying the words, his eyes fell on her worn-out shoes.
“Mr. Moriarty,” Eve got him to shift his eyes back to look at her. “I think it would be better if we speak about some things before I start working here.”
“Master Vincent Moriarty. That is how everyone addresses me here,” the silver-haired man let her know. “Go on, try it. I am sure you will like it.”
This arrogant man,… thought Eve. Considering how big and lavish the mansion was, it was granted that one would behave the way he did.
“Master Vincent,” Eve addressed him gingerly, and the look in man’s hazel eyes appeared amused. She continued, “I believe my job here is only being governess to Miss Allie and nothing more or less?”
“Unless you are planning to take more than one person under your wing, I guess?” Came Vincent’s nonchalant words.
This man needed to learn more discipline than his sister, thought Eve. But if she were to be vocal about it, it would not just be rude. She was worried, as who knew if the man would turn up in front of her for discipline?
In a normal circumstance, her calling a wealthy man rude to his face and then storming out of the room would have left her with no second chance of having a job. For a good moment, she was worried that she had lost the opportunity.
“The job description is as mentioned in the letter, and your this monthly wage,” Eve nodded at Vincent’s words, where he slipped his hand into his trouser pocket and took out a gold coin and two silver coins. He dropped them in her hand. “One more thing, Miss Barlow.”
“Yes?” Asked Eve, feeling the coldness of the coins dropped in her hand.
“As I am the one who hired you today, you will only be answering me. I believe you will keep it in mind?” there was a subtle hint of warning in his words, which didn’t go unnoticed by Eve.
“Yes, Mr. Moriarty,” Eve responded, and she saw Vincent’s eyes narrow at her. “Master Vincent.”
“I knew you weren’t as slow as you look. Off you go now,” he waved his hand in a ‘shoo’ motion as if he was done with talking to her.
As if he didn’t want to waste another second on her, Vincent walked away from there. Walking in the direction of where earlier Eve had seen the other two men disappear in the corridor. She went back to the piano room. Opening the door, she saw the butler offering a cup of tea to the little girl.
On seeing Eve coming back to the room, the little girl’s eyes brightened, but the expression on her face didn’t change much.
“It is good to see you again, Miss Barlow,” Alfie bowed his head, and Eve returned it with a slight bow.
Eve’s gaze turned back to look at the girl, and she said, “It seems like from now we will be spending a lot of time together. I hope I can help you as much as I can in learning things and I will do my best, Miss Allie.”
Allie’s excitement was concentrated on the ceramic teacup that she held.
“Miss Allie is very happy to have you here,” the butler spoke on behalf of the little girl.
Eve smiled, “Me too. I will take one sugar cube in my tea,” she informed the butler to the question that he had asked a while ago. No matter what reason had changed her mind, this was her first job, and she was excited to have it.
“Of course, milady!” Replied the butler, preparing a cup of tea for the newly assigned governess of the Moriarty family.
By the time Eve left the Moriarty family, it was past four o’clock. She reached the outskirts of the wealthy town by foot. Waiting for the local carriage to hop on so that she could get back to her home.
With her right hand, Eve played with the umbrella’s handle while she walked toward her home. Softly humming under her breath, her mood was elated. She fished in her dress pocket with her other hand, pulling out the three coins that shone under the sunlight. Her first earning, she thought in her mind, and a smile pulled itself on her lips.
When she caught sight of Aunt Aubrey and Eugene in the garden of their house, the pace of her feet quickened to meet them.
“You are back, Eve,” said Lady Aubrey. “That’s good.”
“Thank the heavens!” Eugene let out a sigh of relief, and Eve noticed her aunt shake her head.
“Is everything alright?” Questioned Eve as she closed the little gate.
“Eugene was worried that you lost your way back home,” Lady Aubrey turned to Eugene and said, “I told you Eve is a grown up and she will be just fine.”
Eve laughed as she walked to where they stood, her eyes falling on Eugene, whose eyebrows were still knitted together.
“Silly Eugene. Why would I lose my way?” Eve laughed before saying, “I am late because I got the job.”
She saw Aunt Aubrey’s eyebrows raise in surprise while Eugene blinked. Aunt Aubrey asked, “Is it really true?” A smile spread on the older woman’s lips and Eve nodded. “I am so happy for you, Eve. Come here,” she opened her arms.
Eve hugged Aunt Aubrey, who had taught her everything she knew.
“Congratulations, Miss Eve. I knew you would get the job of governess and you didn’t let us down. You have worked hard,” Eugene was more excited than the two women.
“This calls for celebration, Eugene!” Lady Aubrey announced, and Eugene agreed to it. She pulled back from Eve and asked, “I didn’t know you had sent another job application. Bless the family for giving you the job. You must have not broken anything or slapped anyone, did you?”
Eve shook her head, a soft laugh escaping from her lips, “I was very careful. I started today, which is why I was late. And I don’t have to work on Sundays. I was given an advance payment.” She took hold of Aunt Aubrey’s hand before placing the gold coin in the woman’s palm. “I want you to keep this. I always wanted my first coin to be yours.”
The woman had done so much for her, protected and cared for, and educated her. She would forever be in debt, a debt she would never be able to repay.
“Oh, you child,” Aunt Aubrey murmured under her breath, staring at the metal. But she didn’t take it. Instead, she placed the coin back in Eve’s hand.
“Aunt Aubrey—”
“You do not owe me anything, Eve. Not a single shilling,” stated Aunt Aubrey, looking into the young woman’s eyes. “The circumstances and reason in which I took you in might have been different. But I am glad that I did. You are no less than a daughter to me,” she placed her calloused hand on Eve’s cheek.
But Eve placed the coin back in the older woman’s hand and said, “Then you keep it as your daughter’s gift to you. If my mother was alive, I would have given it to her.”
Eve didn’t have much recollection of what her mother did for a living, and over the years, she had come to believe that her mother worked as a maid. And even though most of the memories in her mind had faded, she remembered her beautiful mother who had always been kind. If her mother was alive, she would have been happy that she had finally found a job, wouldn’t she?
Lady Aubrey noticed the sadness in Eve’s eyes, and she squeezed the young lady’s hand in hers. She said, “Now, I will take it back from you. And I will keep it safe with me. Your mother would be very proud of you.”
“Thank you, Aunt Aubrey,” Eve’s voice had comparatively softened with the thoughts about her mother on her mind.
When they stepped inside the house, Eugene asked, “Which family hired you?”
“It is the Moriarty’s,” replied Eve, and on her words, a thoughtful look appeared on Lady Aubrey’s face. “Have you heard of the family?”
“I have not only heard, but also seen them. It was a few years ago, after I quit being a governess. I was invited and was present in the same soiree as the Moriarty family. They are a well established and powerful family,” Lady Aubrey recollected from her memory. She sat down in one of the wooden chairs present in the living room, and Eve joined her, sitting in the chair. The woman then said, “If I am not wrong, back then Senior Mr. Moriarty was a Viscount, a well-known name who kept business only with the fellow wealthy circles.”
“The mansion did look like a castle,” Eve agreed to the older woman’s words.
“Did you apply to work in the family?” Questioned Lady Aubrey, and Eve shook her head.
“I happened to receive the letter of invitation yesterday.”
Lady Aubrey had crossed paths with the wealthy families before, and she found it odd that a family like the Moriarty had hired Eve, who had no prior experience as a governess.
“Eugene,” Lady Aubrey turned to look at the man, who understood what the lady wanted him to do. “The Moriarty family might be well respected, but let us not take a chance.”
It was often the cleanest cloth that had to be looked at closely, because it would have been washed too many times to remove the stains.
“Actually, I found out something today,” started Eve, and the other two people in the room turned their attention to her. “I think I found the person who killed my mother.”
“Are you sure about it?” Questioned Lady Aubrey, while a frown appeared on her forehead.
Eve pursed her lips before speaking, “He had a scar on his face. Near the eye, so I am guessing he’s the one. He is someone whom Senior Mr. Moriarty is associated with.”
Lady Aubrey and Eugene weren’t aware of the specific details, as the words had been incoherent from little Eve, who was a crying and sobbing mess when she had gained consciousness. But what they did know was that Eve had witnessed her mother being murdered.
“You have to be extremely careful, Eve. This world where we live, it doesn’t allow any room for mistakes. If you want my advice, stay as far as you can from that person,” Lady Aubrey warned Eve.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 17
The following day, Eve woke up early to be on time. After climbing the stairs, she noticed Eugene having dark circles around his eyes.
“Good morning, Aunt Aubrey and Eugene,” Eve greeted them. Noticing the slight frown on the older woman’s forehead, she turned to Eugene and asked, “Did you find something about the Moriarty’s?”
Eugene nodded his head. Upon Lady Aubrey’s word, he had tried to dig out for information about Eve’s new employer. He said,
“It wasn’t much, milady. As Lady Aubrey mentioned, it seems that the Moriarty’s don’t like to mingle with people who belong to the middle and lower-class families. Which was why it was hard to get more information. I couldn’t find anything more than what is already known.”
It being the first family which belonged to the highest of the high society, it was hard to extract without getting caught as the higher family didn’t like people snooping around in their business.
“The only thing I could come up with is that they have had a series of governesses but none of them have stuck around. They were turned away within weeks as the governesses were never up to their satisfaction,” said Eugene.
Lady Aubrey stated, “It doesn’t matter if they are humans or not, just beware of the danger. Also try to avoid bringing too much attention to you.”
Eve nodded with a solemn look on her face, “I will do my best.”
“I have packed your lunch box, Lady Eve,” Eugene brought a square-shaped box covered and tied in a cloth.
Eve took it from him, “Thank you, Eugene. I will be going now,” she informed them, giving a kiss to her aunt, and she stepped out of the house, heading to her new job.
When Eve reached the Moriarty mansion, she wasn’t greeted by the butler at the front of the door. She hung her umbrella on the stand and started to walk down the hallways.
She caught sight of a woman closely being followed by a maid on her way. The woman was of average height and slender in her figure. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her maroon, silk made dress hugged her body. Pearls adorned her neck, and her brown hair was tied up, pinned to one side.
“What is taking her so long? Tell the seamstress that I need a similar one. The one she previously made was damaged,” Eve heard the woman ordering her maid, who held her hands in front of her while keeping up with the woman’s feet.
“Milady, I have already informed the seamstress, but she told me it took her a few months last time and she’s occupied with other dresses. As you ordered for no similar dress to be made, there’s no more material left,” answered the maid.
“She made it before. She can do it again,” the woman’s voice held arrogance. “Unless she wishes for word to spread on how incompetent she has started to be.”
As Eve and the woman crossed paths, Eve politely offered a slight bow to the woman. The woman halted her footsteps. The maid’s body jerked as she tried to avoid crashing into the lady’s back, which could result in her being kicked out of the mansion or worse.
“Where do you think you are going?” The woman demanded from Eve.
Eve was startled by the question, “I am the newly appointed governess, milady.”
“To whom?” The woman’s eyebrows knitted
“To Miss Allie,” Eve’s words were polite.
A chuckle escaped from the woman’s lips, and she responded, “To Allie? How strange that I wasn’t even aware that my daughter has been assigned to a governess.”
Eve quickly bowed her head again and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Moriarty.” The woman looked beautiful and fairly young to be a mother to a nine-year-old girl. But then, this was the case with every wealthy woman who didn’t have to do household chores, as all they had to do was look pretty. “I was appointed yesterday by—”
“No,” Mrs. Moriarty stopped her with a polite smile. “I never approved of such a thing. So you can leave. Now.”
Eve frowned and said, “I have already been paid for this month’s wage.”
“Keep it as charity from us. Maybe you can buy a pair of decent shoes,” Mrs. Moriarty’s eyes fell on Eve’s shoes, which were covered in dust and looked slightly worn out. “And who hired you?” The young woman might have a pretty face, but Mrs. Moriarty disapproved of this low-class woman being her daughter’s governess.
“Your son. Mr. Vincent Moriarty,” replied Eve.
The woman softly sighed before ordering, “There is no need for you to come here anymore. It would be well appreciated if you will see yourself out of this mansion.”
But Eve was only hired yesterday, and she was desperate to work in this mansion. She tried to convince the woman, “If you have doubt on my skills as a governess, you can take a look—”
Mrs. Moriarty laughed, her laugh similar to the wind chimes, “For someone who is not able to follow a simple order, I don’t think you are suitable as a governess. It looks like you have trouble following my words,” she then ordered her maid, “Get Gorron. Tell him that we have an intruder in the mansion.”
Eve’s mouth fell open as she hadn’t expected this turn of events. As this woman was the little girl’s mother, arguing would be rude as she needed the job. But that didn’t mean the woman could accuse her, and she would listen to it. She said,
“I would ask you to take back your words. If it weren’t for the invitation letter that was sent to me, I wouldn’t have even heard about this family.”
“Well, that is obvious, isn’t it? Considering your status is far beneath our feet, you would have never heard about us,” Mrs. Moriarty ridiculed Eve, not liking the young woman’s audacity who back answered her. The maid, who had been earlier standing next to the wealthy woman, had left her side to bring another servant to drag or push Eve out of the mansion.
“An early quarrel in the morning, just to soothe my eyes and ears. How delightful,” Vincent Moriarty’s remark came from the other end of the hallways.
Both the women turned to look at the silver-haired man as he walked to where they stood. His eyes lazily took in the two women standing in the middle of the hallway.
Mrs. Moriarty’s eyes hardened, and she demanded from Vincent, “With whose permission did you think you could appoint a governess to Allie, who reeks of low-class?”
“Whose?” Vincent repeated the woman’s word and then answered bluntly, “Mine, of course.”
“You don’t have the right when it comes to the decisions regarding Allie.”
“That is where you are wrong, isn’t it? Being Allie’s big brother, it is my responsibility to see to it that she has someone guiding and helping her. Because someone else doesn’t want to do it,” Vincent offered a slight smile to the woman, and Eve could only sense the growing friction between the two family members.
“Are you trying to imply something, Vincent?” The woman’s eyes flared, and she said, “No governess shall be entertained in here, not without my consent.”
“I have already decided, and the matter isn’t up for discussion,” stated Vincent. He turned to look at Eve and ordered, “Miss Barlow, you are getting late for your job.”
Eve was stuck between the glare that belonged to Mrs. Moriarty and then the cold yet annoyed stare of Vincent. God, where did she get stuck, she asked herself.
Seeing how she was already on the frying pan because of the two members of the Moriarty family, Eve quickly weighed which option was better for her. When Vincent’s eyes narrowed further at her, Eve quickly left their side and headed towards the piano room.
Mrs. Moriarty glared at Eve’s back before her eyes shifted to look at Vincent. In a low, threatening voice, she asked him, “How dare you to defy me? Don’t think your father won’t hear about it.”
Vincent’s lips curled, and he replied calmly, “Please do. It will save my breath on having to explain that Allie now has a governess.”
“You think just because you are the eldest child of Moriarty, everything will always go according to your wish. But you should remember, Vincent, I am your mother,” the woman reminded him.
“You don’t have to remind me about that, mother. Unlike you, I don’t have such a bad memory,” Vincent responded. “Now, if we are done with the subject, I would like to be excused,” he spoke in false politeness that only struck a nerve in the woman’s head.
“Maybe it is a good idea to have a governess from a low-class family,” Mrs. Moriarty finally agreed, adjusting the fur shawl that rested on her arm.
“Isn’t that lovely that we see things eye to eye? Where would you find a family like ours?”
A small scoff escaped from the woman’s lips. She said, “Indeed. Hiring a reputed governess would have only ended up with word spreading about what is wrong with Allie. It is better this way, before it brings in unnecessary shame to the family,” saying this, she walked away from the hallway.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 18
Vincent stared at the woman, and the smile on his face disappeared. He heard a pair of footsteps.
The maid, who had left earlier to fetch the guard, returned with a buff-looking man. She noticed both Mrs. Moriarty and the young woman were missing from the corridor. A little confused, she looked back and forth.
“What are you doing there standing like a confused little duck?” Upon hearing Vincent’s question, the maid’s body turned stiff.
“T-that, M-Master Vincent. Lady Annalise ordered to fetch Gorron—”
“I have other work for Gorron. Go back to your tasks,” Vincent ordered the maid, who quickly bowed and turned on her heel to step far, far away from the not so young Master Moriarty. Vincent turned to the guard and ordered, “Make sure no one kicks the new governess out of the mansion.”
“Yes, Master Vincent!” The guard was quick to obey.
Upon reaching the piano room, which was empty, Eve looked around the room before pouring herself water into the glass, and she gulped it all down. A sigh escaped from her lips. Rich people had rich problems, she thought to herself.
In the beginning, she had found it odd that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Moriarty had silver hair. And it was only later did she realize that the woman she had met in the hallways was Vincent’s stepmother. Thinking about the situation she had been placed in earlier, goosebumps appeared on her skin.
“Good morning, Miss Barlow. It is good to see you here,” It was Moriarty’s butler who arrived at the door with the little girl whom she was supposed to tutor.
The little girl bowed her head in greeting, but no word came out of her lips.
Eve smiled at the little girl and offered a slight bow, “Good morning, Miss Allie, and Alfie.”
“We were worried that Miss Allie would be late as she was still finishing her breakfast. The young miss is not used to waking up early,” the butler explained, while the little girl walked to the table and sat down.
“That is fine. There’s no need to rush as breakfast and sleep are important,” replied Eve, watching the little girl obediently take a seat.
“How has your day been, Miss Barlow?” Alfie inquired politely.
“An exciting morning,” replied Eve. She wondered what happened after she left the hallway. She hoped to not cross paths with Mrs. Moriarty again, which was impossible as the woman lived here. “How about you, Alfie? How long have you been working here?”
“Very well, milady. Thank you for asking me. Since I was a young boy, Miss Barlow,” the butler bowed and said, “I will come to fetch Miss Allie later,” and he left the room.
To Eve’s relief, no one came to kick her out of the mansion or interrupt them. She spent the first two hours teaching the little girl from basics as it seemed like Allie’s basic foundation was weak. And during that time, the only response she received from Allie was the little girl nodding or shaking her head.
The little girl listened to Eve, and though she didn’t speak, when Eve praised her for getting an answer right, her hands clenched out of happiness.
Eve gave the little girl time to revise what they had gone through an hour ago. She took her time to familiarize the names of the books on the shelves. When noon arrived, the butler arrived at the door, knocking on the wooden surface, “Sorry for interrupting the class, but it is time for Miss Allie to have her lunch.”
“Yes, we are almost done with the subject. We can take an hour break to relax our minds,” Eve informed the butler while looking at the little girl. “Yes?”
Allie nodded and stood up, making her way towards the door. But before they left the room, the little girl stared at the butler, whose eyes met hers.
The butler looked at Eve, who was now picking up the books from the table. He said to her, “Miss Barlow, lunch will be served in the room that comes on the left corridor, which is next to the kitchen. The cook makes good food. I can take you there.”
“You don’t have to trouble yourself with it,” replied Eve, and she turned to look at him. She walked to one side of the room and picked up her lunch box. Patting the side of the box with her other hand, she said, “I brought lunch from my home.”
The butler bowed his head, “Please enjoy your lunch.”
As the little girl stepped out of the room, the expression of her face stayed blank. But her hands were clenched at her sides, and this time it wasn’t because of happiness.
The butler and Miss Allie walked through the corridors in silence. Before they could reach the magnificent dining room of the Moriarty family, where lunch would be served, the little girl turned to look at the butler once again.
“Will she be alright?” The little girl asked the butler.
Earlier, when Allie had turned to look at the butler, it wasn’t because she wanted to have lunch with her new governess. Though young, she was aware of differences in social status and how her family functioned.
Alfie pursed his lips before he answered in a low voice, “Let us hope she will be, Miss Allie.”
Allie continued to clench her hands, and she asked, “Where is brother Vince?”
“He must be in the dining room with the others. If he isn’t there, I will go look for him, milady,” the butler assured her. “We shouldn’t keep the others waiting.”
The little girl nodded and walked with the butler towards the dining room. The double doors to the dining room were made of brown mahogany wood. The doors were carved to have a leafless tree with only branches.
The butler pushed the door and opened it for the young miss. Her parents were already seated. Her father sat at the head of the table, and her mother sat right next to him.
Allie quickly bowed her head at her parents, and her mother questioned,
“Has the governess started to swindle unnecessary stories or is she even useful?”
At the mention of the word governess, Mr. Moriarty raised his eyebrows. He remarked, “That was quite quick of you to appoint a new governess, Annalise.”
“It wasn’t I, who hired the governess,” came the curt reply from Lady Annalise. She placed her hand on her husband’s hand, which was resting on the arm of his chair. She expressed her worries with a soft voice, “The governess belongs to a status far below us. Not to mention, when I spoke to her it didn’t look like she has proper etiquettes. I worry that this will negatively impact Allie’s upbringing.” A slight frown rested on her forehead.
“Then fire the governess from the job. It isn’t that hard,” Mr. Moriarty responded in a nonchalant tone.
“I wanted to, but it is Vincent, who hired her,” Lady Annalise’s voice hardened.
Mr. Moriarty turned further surprised, and he asked, “He did? He must have finally decided to look after Allie. That is wonderful, isn’t it?”
Lady Annalise’s eyes widened, and she said, “Did you not hear that she comes from a lowly family? You cannot expect me to sit quietly when a person like that associates with our daughter.”
A slight frown appeared on Mr. Moriarty’s face, and before it could deepen further, Vincent stepped inside the dining room. He had a relaxed expression on his face and walked to the side where Allie was sitting.
“What is this that I am hearing about you hiring a governess of no proper background?” Mr. Moriarty questioned his son. “You should already know, Vincent, that we don’t mix with people who aren’t of our status or kind.”
Before the servant could pull a chair for Vincent to sit, his hand reached for the chair, and he dragged it in a way where the legs of the chair made a harsh sound against the floor. Lady Annalise closed her eyes, her face flinching before she opened them in slight irritation.
“My apologies, I didn’t expect that,” Vincent’s words sounded sincere, but the people in the room were fully aware that it was far from it. He took his seat and turned to look at his father. “I don’t know which old crow told you what, but the governess whom I hired for Allie is an excellent one. Her aunt was a former governess to the Countess of Bladorm.”
Lady Annalise didn’t like Vincent’s remark, and before she could retort, her husband placed his hand on her hand. Mr. Moriarty asked his son,
“I am proud of you, that you are taking care of your little sister, Vincent. But that doesn’t lower the importance that the Moriarty’s always pick refined men and women, even if it means the person is a governess.”
“That was my intention, father. To make you and mother proud. Mother must be proud in Heaven, isn’t it?” Questioned Vincent, and both Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty, who had for a moment come to believe that his words were meant for Lady Annalise, the woman’s face fell.
“Vincent,” Mr. Moriarty lightly warned his son.
“Geez, relax. People here don’t know how to take a joke,” remarked Vincent, stretching his hand to one of the berries he popped into his mouth. “You should already know that I don’t like meretricious things. Now, why would I pick something that I don’t like?”
“Joke is what you will make out of us, by hiring a governess who comes from who knows where?” replied Lady Annalise, her eyes narrowing at Vincent.
“Meadow,” Vincent replied, and Lady Annalise’s mouth suddenly hung open. Hearing the town’s name, Mr. Moriarty turned displeased too.
“Are you sure she is qualified to be a governess? Women from that town do not immerse or involve themselves in such types of jobs,” stated Mr. Moriarty, and Vincent nodded.
“As this involved my dear sister Allie, I personally checked her background. She is a governess and, if I am not wrong, one that will suit Allie very well,” stated Vincent, leaning his back against the chair. Lady Annalise fixed her shocked expression, as a moment ago, she looked as if a moving cart had splattered mud on her. She placed her hand on her temple and muttered to herself in horror,
“People are going to think that we aren’t able to afford a decent governess to our young daughter and laugh at us. I will not accept it,” the woman’s words were firm. “I will find a suitable governess.”
“And like I said earlier, this isn’t up for discussion,” came the blunt response from Vincent. “And you already chose the previous one, and look at what happened,” he clicked his tongue before smiling at her.
The woman gritted her teeth because she had no reply to this.
Lady Annalise found it hard to believe because she knew underneath her stepson’s calm and poised appearance, a demon resided behind it. He was doing this only to annoy her, and she quietly glared at him. If Vincent wasn’t going to comply to her, she knew other ways to solve this little hiccup.
Away from the dining room, holding her lunch box, Eve stepped out of the piano room and started walking through the corridors. Her lunch box moved back and forth with every step she took. Instead of sitting in the room, she decided to sit in the garden and have her lunch.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 19
Music Recommendation: Harriet Smith- Isobel Waller
–
Eve sat on one of the benches of the garden. Placing her lunch box on her lap, she stretched her legs while admiring the beauty of the mansion’s garden. She started to eat, enjoying the gentle breeze that moved in the garden.
Her golden blonde hair swayed in the direction of the wind. The sun’s rays had been blocked by the clouds, giving a softness to her features. She looked better than the sculpted statues that were built in the garden. She heard the soft humming of the bees.
Someone, who was walking in the corridors of the mansion, caught sight of the human, who was sitting all by herself in the garden. It was a man with brown hair, and his eyes held a glint of hunger in them. When he saw a maid walking by the corridor, he raised his hand,
“Stop. Who is that woman sitting there?” He demanded from the startled maid.
The maid bowed her head, taking a wary step towards the window, and when her eyes fell on the woman in the garden, she answered, “That’s the new governess of Miss Allie.”
“Is that so?” Murmured the man, the corner of his lips curling, “What is her name?”
The maid shook her head, “Forgive me, Mr. Charles. I do not know. She h—”
“How useless. Leave,” he dismissed the maid before his eyes went back to look at the woman, who sat amidst the flowers. Ready to be plucked and crushed to his satisfaction.
Charles Gallagher was Lady Annalise’s younger brother. He had come to visit his sister a month ago, and since then, he had been living in the Moriarty mansion. He walked away from the corridor, heading in the direction to step outside the mansion and into the garden.
Eve continued to eat her food back in the garden when a bee decided to disturb her. The bee repeatedly tried to come in front of her face. She waved her hand that held the fork in it to shoo it away.
But when she raised her fork to take a bite, the bee returned as if wanting to take a bite from her food.
She should have known that there would be bees in the garden. It was only yesterday that she had washed her hair with rose water, which was possibly why the bee was persistent with her. At the same time, unbeknownst to her, a person appeared a few steps behind her.
Charles stared at the young woman’s back. When he parted his lips, his fangs appeared, and he couldn’t wait anymore to drink her blood. How could one refuse a fresh meal when it was available this readily? He didn’t care if it was a governess, as another one could always replace this one.
He took a careful step toward the human.
Eve raised both her hands to shoo the bee. She wondered if she should change the spot where she was sitting. When the bee came near her nose, ready to sting her, her eyes widened. She leaned back to get away from the bee while her hands moved in a way that her lunchbox slipped from her hand, and so did her fork.
And maybe it would have been better if the fork had flown backwards instead of dropping on the ground.
But it was the lunchbox that flew backwards from Eve’s hand, smacking right at the man’s face, who was ready to jump on her. With a light clatter, the lunchbox fell to the ground.
Noticing the bee that had finally left her, Eve sighed in relief. But her lunch! A soft gasp escaped from her lips when she turned back to see where her lunch box had fallen.
“I—Are you alright?” She inquired the man, who stood with a frozen expression.
The creamy sauce that Eugene had poured over the vegetables now slid down from the man’s face. Where did this person even come from?
She pulled out the handkerchief from her dress pocket and offered it to the man, “Please take this—”
The man raised his hand to stop her from talking and Eve cursed her luck.
Charles’s eyes narrowed at the new governess. Did she know that he was standing behind her, which was why she decided to throw her food at him?
“Please forgive me. There was this bee that kept coming near my face. And the box just slipped from my hands. I didn’t know you were… behind,” Eve rambled in explanation because by the looks of the man’s clothes, it seemed like he was someone from the same status as the Moriarty’s.
Charles glared at her and snarled, “Behind? I was walking by when you purposely threw this disgusting food at me. Do you know how expensive these clothes are? You wouldn’t be able to afford it even if you worked here for a year.”
Though what happened was unintentional, where it wasn’t her fault, it was still her food that had made a mess. Being the humble one, she bowed her head and offered her apologies, “Forgive me, Sir. Allow me to fix this by cleaning your coat as if it were new again.”
Charles stared at the human with an apprehensive look on his face. He then huffed, “Are you expecting me to stand like this for the rest of the day? Do it quickly.”
Eve offered him a polite smile, as she was unaware of his prior intention and believed her action had caused the mishap. Though his fangs had retracted now, his intention hadn’t changed, and it was only a ploy to lead the human to an isolated setting, where no one would be able to hear her struggle.
Inside the mansion, a few servants couldn’t help but steal a glance at the pair that walked in the corridor. Though initially, Charles wanted to sink his fangs into the woman’s neck; with every passing second, his thirst reduced, and his anger started to seethe.
“I was wondering where the pungent smell was coming from, and was going to ask the servants to throw it out,” remarked Vincent, who walked from the other end of the corridor. “Uncle Charles, you stink.”
“It is this insolent girl who decided to throw her food at me,” Charles spoke through gritted teeth. After the hidden stares from the servants, Vincent’s words pushed him further toward the anger that he felt. He glared at the human.
Suddenly feeling humiliated, Charles growled at Eve and took a step towards her, “You shall pay for what you have done.”
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 20
When Charles Gallagher’s hand stretched to grab Eve, Vincent pulled Eve back and stepped forward. For a moment, Charles turned confused, while Eve turned worried.
“What do you think you are doing, Vincent?” Charles narrowed his eyes in slight surprise.
“I was going to ask you the same, Charles,” Vincent’s voice had turned low, and the air around him had turned dangerous. “This is little Allie’s governess. And she would very much like this woman to continue working here as would I.”
Charles raised his hands, moving up and down in front of his coat to show the mess that had been made, “I don’t care if she is the governess. What she did is unforgivable, and she has to bear the consequences for her actions. What would you have done if you were in my place?”
Vincent hummed, his eyes moving across his uncle’s coat, and then said, “To begin with, I would not be walking behind or…standing. But if it was me, I would have punished them. You ask such a silly question,” he smiled.
Eve’s eyes turned wide, and she turned to look at Vincent with disbelief.
“Then it is settled,” said Mr. Charles, going back to grab Eve.
This time Eve took another step backwards and came to stand behind Vincent. She said, “I have already apologized and offered to wash your coat. It wasn’t my fault that the food—”
“Are you telling me the food flew by itself?” Charles snapped at her.
“It did fly…” Eve started only to mutter the rest under her breath when Vincent turned to give her a look. A look that asked if she wanted to make things worse for her.
Charles then said to Vincent, “I want to see her being punished, so that no one dares to do what she did today. And we all know, no one messes with the Moriartys or with people who are connected to them. Unless you think otherwise,” a smirk appeared on the man’s face.
Vincent nodded, somewhere agreeing with the man, and he assured the humiliated man, “As I am the one who hired her, I will see how to deal with her. And in the meantime, you can change yourself into cleaner clothes.” When he smiled, his eyes slightly closed, and the man gritted his teeth.
As much as the man wanted to squeeze the new governess’s neck, Vincent was well aware that the man cared about his reputation and appearance. And right now, it didn’t look that good.
Charles spared a glare at Eve, and he stormed out of the place.
“I am torn if I should applaud you for sustaining this far,” Vincent turned to look at the young woman, who looked slightly embarrassed. The smile on his face had dropped, and he scowled. “Or be surprised that you decided to harass a relative on the second day of your job.”
“I swear it was unintentional. The bee kept coming at me no matte—”
“Miss Barlow,” Vincent interrupted her from speaking further. “Do I look like I am someone who is interested to hear about it?”
Eve pursed her lips, a frown coming to appear on her forehead. She said, “But it really wasn’t my fault. It was because of my hair.”
“Your hair?” Vincent raised his eyebrows before his eyes narrowed.
Eve nodded, “Yes, I believe it was because I washed my hair with rose water. And the bee possibly was attracted by the scent of it. I would never waste food, lest throw it on someone—”
Vincent stepped closer to her, leaning forward. He took a long sniff of her hair.
“W—What are you doing?!” Eve quickly stepped away from him, who had come to stand too close to her. Blood rushed up from her neck to her face.
Vincent’s lips twisted, and his eyes held mirth. He said, “Checking whether your story is true or if you are making it up. I don’t think you are familiar with how things in families like ours work, are you?”
Eve warily looked at him after what he just did and looked unapologetic about it.
He said, “We aren’t forgiving towards people who commit mistakes. Which is why, one has to tread very carefully… you never know when the day might come where you step inside the mansion, but never step out the same again,” there was a sliver of warning in his words, and a subtle smile played on his lips. Noticing Eve pressing her lips, he asked, “Is there something you want to say?”
“I think I’d rather keep my thoughts to myself, Mr. Vincent,” replied Eve, and then she added, “Thank you for coming to my aid earlier.” She offered him a slight bow.
The wealthy people were rich with arrogance and pride, but they were poor when it came to being kind and humble, Eve thought.
Vincent’s eyes slightly narrowed before he said, “You should head back to the piano room. Allie will join you shortly.”
“Um, there is something that I wanted to ask. If it is alright,” Eve added, her blue eyes staring into his hazel eyes. She noted how his iris was slightly coppery.
“What is it?” Questioned Vincent, running his tongue across one of his canines.
“It is about Allie,” said Eve, and he titled his head as if waiting for her to continue. “Not that it matters much, but has she always been like this? Unable to speak.”
A sudden air of hostility started to fill around them. A slight annoyance flashed through Vincent’s eyes. He said, “If it isn’t an issue, there’s no point in discussing it.” The look in his eyes had turned cold, “Also, I thought I made it clear to you how to address me.”
“Yes, Master Vincent,” replied Eve, feeling his gaze pierce her soul. There was something very unnerving with the way he looked at her right now.
Vincent let her know, “One silver coin from your next month’s wage will be deducted for what you did today.” Before she could argue, he said, “Consider this to be the easiest way of you to get off the hook.”
Eve’s eyebrows furrowed, and she watched him start to walk away. The distance between them started to grow, and then he suddenly stopped.
She wondered what he wanted to say. He said, “Rack three from the bottom, fifth book. Page seventy-eight.”
He didn’t wait to explain what his words meant, and Eve watched him disappear on the other end of the corridor. Shaking her head, she returned to the piano room.
When Eve reached the piano room, she walked to the rack of books. She stared at them before pulling out the fifth book in the third rack and going to the page number that Vincent mentioned. Her eyes skimmed through the page.
“These are… the benefits of different roses,” Eve murmured.
Hearing the room door slightly creak, Eve caught Allie walking towards the table and sitting down. She closed the book that she had been reading.
“You still have a good twenty-five minutes of break, Miss Allie before we continue with your studies,” said Eve, closing the door behind her and making her way towards the study table.
Allie didn’t reply, but she didn’t break eye contact between them. Eve didn’t mind the silence between them. Compared to most children, the little girl was certainly the most well behaved out of them.
“Did you have a good meal?” Eve asked the girl.
Allie’s eyes fell on Eve’s hand, which held the lunchbox. But she did more than just look at her governess’s hand. Her eyes fell on the woman’s neck. She quickly met Eve’s eyes and nodded to the woman’s question.
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