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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST STORIES AND LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 106
Vincent walked through the grand corridor, with his shoes sharply clicking against the clean marble floor. When he reached the parlour room, the guests were drinking or eating, a few engrossed in talking.?
On seeing Vincent in the room, one of the vampiress made her way to greet him. She bowed, ��Mr. Moriarty, it is a pleasure to be invited to today��s ball. I am Luisa Florence. Daughter of Duchess Theodora Florence.��
Lady Luisa had been looking forward to spending time with the pureblooded vampire. Right now, she knew she was the prettiest woman in the room and was confident about it. She stretched her hand forward, waiting for Vincent to take it and kiss the back of her hand.?
Instead of taking her hand, Vincent pulled out the cigarette case from his pocket and placed one of the cigars between his lips. In between lighting the end of his cigar, Lady Luisa cleared her throat and pulled her hand back to her side. She said,?
��I have been looking for you, Mr. Moriarty.��
��Have you now?��?
Vincent stared at the vampiress, who smiled at him coyly. She nodded, ��Yes. You seem to have missed drinking the mermaid��s blood. I have saved my glass for you.��
Marceline, who overheard the conversation, walked towards them and praised, ��How very kind of you, Lady Luisa. To have resisted the temptation and saved it for my brother, you would make a wonderful wife.��
��Talking about wife, I heard the Duke rejected your invitation to drink the mermaid��s blood with you,�� Vincent looked at Marceline with pity. Her face instantly went red by his next words, ��Don��t be sad, dear sister. You should be used to being rejected by men you pursue.��
Marceline softly laughed to save her face before saying, ��I think you have got it wrong, brother. It is I who has been rejecting them and not the other way round.��
��Is that so? I was sure it is how it is,�� Vincent took a drag from the cigar and blew the smoke from the corner of his mouth. And the same corner of his lips pulled up when he saw Marceline subtly glare at him.?
Lady Luisa offered the mermaid blood to Vincent, saying, ��This is for you, Mr. Moriarty.��
Vincent stared at the glass and then said, ��Thanks, but I will pass,�� he tapped the end of the cigar for ash to fall into the ashtray.?
Both the vampiress turned stunned at Vincent��s refusal. Marceline turned slightly suspicious because she knew how much Vincent enjoyed drinking blood, especially one that belonged to a mermaid since they were young. As much as her brother vexed her, at the same time the vampiress sought for his approval. She said,?
��The blood is delicious, Vince. Won��t you taste it?��?
Lady Luisa nodded and added, ��I took a sip and it does taste delicious.��
Vincent took another drag from the cigar in a relaxed manner.
��It is hard to taste a low quality mermaid��s blood when you have tasted one of high quality. Because everything else tastes nothing less than trash, and I am not interested in garbage,�� he smiled while his eyes twinkled. He said to Lady Luisa, ��You can offer my glass to my dear sister Marceline.��
Lady Luisa quickly excused herself acting as if she was being called by another guest, leaving the siblings in each other��s company.?
��Don��t you think it is rude to judge the taste of the blood without even tasting it, brother?�� Marceline questioned, looking slightly upset.?
Vincent chuckled at her words. With narrowed eyes, Marceline asked, ��What��s funny?��
At first, Vincent shook his head and then decided to reply, ��It seems like your tastebuds has turned rotten and needs some cleaning. It would be better for you to agree that you brought a low quality mermaid, than agree that you failed to recognise the blood quality.��
��The least you could do is appreciate my efforts, than mock me, brother. If we are talking about tastes, I might as well ask what you were doing with the governess,�� Marceline stated with a fake smile plastered on her face. ��Have you taken a liking towards her? She did look pretty.��
��Indeed, she looked ravishing,�� and in more than one way, Vincent thought in his mind. He said, ��Ms. Barlow is a beautiful woman who doesn��t need to try too hard unlike some who try to pull dirty tricks.��
Marceline rolled her eyes, huffing. She said, ��You imagine too much, Vince. We all have been in the ballroom, being polite with each other.��
��Do you think I am dear mother or father, or one of your puppets, Marci?��?
��What puppets area�����
When Marceline��s eyes met Vincent��s, she saw him smiling at her, a smile that didn��t reach his eyes.?
��Earlier, why did you leave the ballroom? It seemed like you were too keen to follow the governess out of the room,�� his voice calm yet daunting at the same time. ��The woman returned with a wobbly foot.��
��I had to fix my gown and my hair, than bother myself with the governess. I have better things to do,�� Marceline didn��t blink away from him and continued, ��I cannot believe you would think I went to do something to her. Why, did something happen to her?�� A look of concern appeared on her face.?
Vincent stared back at his sister with an unwavering gaze before he took another puff and blew out the smoke. He then pressed the cigar��s burning end against the ashtray, extinguishing it.?
��Listen very carefully because I will say it only once,�� Vincent��s words were low, but the threat in there didn��t go unnoticed as he continued to smile at Marceline, ��I know you are drunk on stupidity and foolish ideas, but keep it for someone else. If you try something like what you did today and when I catch you, I will make sure you will want to leave Skellington and that you never did it.��
Marceline knew her brother was sharp, but she didn��t know he would trace today��s event to her. But he hadn��t caught her red-handed, and there was no way for the dumb human governess to know that it was her who had placed the glass piece on the floor for her. Her brother only doubted her but he had no proof.?
��I didn��t do anything,�� Marceline was firm with her words and she said, ��You can ask her yourself. We only spoke about Duke Noah and nothing more than that.��
��Let us hope that is true for your own good.�� Vincent then placed his hand on Marceline��s shoulder and offered her a pitiful look, ��My poor sister. This is what happens when you go to steal people who aren��t meant for you, but it seems like you have trouble letting go of the past.��
Hearing Vincent��s words, Marceline��s face hardened and she clenched her teeth. She watched Vincent leave her side. She hadn��t forgotten what had happened in the past. Something that was lost was to be replaced, thought the vampiress in her mind.?
She put a bright and pleasant smile on her face before joining their guests.?
On the other hand, outside the entrance of the Moriarty mansion, Patrick Humphrey stood next to one of the tall, wide pillars. After being hoodwinked by the Marquee��s daughter, he realised it was best to wait for Genevieve Barlow as she was the fairest woman.?
He had been standing outside for too long, waiting for Eve to step out. In frustration, he had gulped down the wine glasses he had earlier brought for the vampiress. But this had only turned him sleepy. He had his eyes closed while leaning against the pillar, and at the same time, Eve walked past him and through the gates of the Moriarty mansion.?
Two minutes later, one of the guards caught the human next to the pillar and tried to wake him up, ��Excuse me, Sire?��?
Mr. Humphrey woke up startled, his eyes wide and his hand on his chest. He looked left and right to see where he was. He demanded, ��What do you want?��?
��You would be much more comfortable sitting inside. The guests have moved themselves to the parlour room,�� informed the guard, who didn��t know that Mr. Humphrey was never invited to the ball but had come after stealing another person��s invitation.
��No, I am fine here,�� Mr. Humphrey straightened his coat and then questioned, ��How long is the ball going to be?��?
��That would depend on the family. It shouldn��t take more than two hours from now,�� said the guard, and Mr. Humphrey clicked his tongue in annoyance.?
That was too long, thought Mr. Humphrey. He had forgotten to wear his gloves, and his hands were freezing. But what was a little cold if he was going to win a woman��s heart? He thought to himself before waving his hand.?
��Go get me something warm to drink,�� Mr. Humphrey ordered the guard.?
While Patrick Humphrey believed Eve was inside, away from the mansion and on the streets, Eve carefully walked on the heel of her injured foot towards the carriage. On reaching her carriage, she knocked on the carriage door and called,?
��Eugene, it is me, Eve. Open the door.��?
Eve turned behind her to ensure she hadn��t carried trouble from the mansion or on her way. Hearing the carriage door open, her eyes met Eugene��s worried ones.?
��What happened, Eugene?�� Questioned Eve.
Eugene turned to look inside the carriage, ��I didn��t do anything I didn��t mean to, Miss Eve. I swear.��
A frown appeared on Eve��s face, and she took a peek inside the carriage. Her eyes widened when it fell on an unconscious Rosetta, and there was a bump on the vampiress��s head.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 107
Music Recommendation: He’ll be on you- Nathan Barr
–
Eugene quickly got down from the carriage and closed its door. Eve was confused as to what Miss Rosetta was doing in the carriage with Eugene.
“I swear I didn’t mean to push her that hard. But she showed her fangs and was going to suck me dry telling how thirsty she was. I freaked out and… pushed her and this happened…” Eugene wrung his hands in worry, somewhere relieved, while also feeling guilty for what he had done. “What are we going to do, Miss Eve?”
Even though Eugene was in his late thirties, he wasn’t too familiar with dealing with the folks who belonged to the night creatures.
Eve, who had passed through the worst part of the night, opened the carriage door and climbed inside. She placed her hand on Rosetta’s arm and tried waking her up,
“Miss Rosetta? Miss Rosetta, can you hear me?”
“You know her?” Eugene raised his eyebrows.
Eve nodded, “This is the woman I mentioned who dropped me home. My… new friend.”
“My apologies for hurting her, milady. I really didn’t mean to. Though I must say it is unusual for you to make a friend like herself,” noted Eugene, not because they belonged to different social classes but because this woman was a vampiress.
It was indeed unusual. Eve had never planned to be friends with Miss Rosetta, but from what she had seen, the young woman was lonely. She was a little spoiled, but that could be worked on, Eve thought as the young miss didn’t seem bad at heart.
“Miss Rosetta?” The young vampiress didn’t wake up, and Eve wondered what to do.
And then Eugene informed her, “Earlier she was quite drunk.”
Eve’s eyebrows furrowed, and then she said, “I think it would be best to take her home.”
“To Meadow?” Eugene asked, taken aback by the suggestion because who knew when this vampiress would wake up in the middle of the night and jump on one of them to suck their blood.
“No. Miss Rosetta lives with her aunt here in Skellington. You stay quiet and I will talk to the woman.”
“Yes, Miss Eve,” replied Eugene. Noticing Eve fumble around, he asked in concern, “Is your leg alright? Are you feeling weak?”
“It was a little mishap in the ballroom. Let us go,” said Eve and he drove the carriage to Lady Camille’s mansion as instructed by her.
The distance between where the carriage had earlier been parked and where Rosetta’s aunt’s mansion was located, Eve sat next to the unconscious vampiress. She had placed her hand on the other side of the young miss’s head so Rosetta wouldn’t bang her head again.
When the carriage reached the front of Rosetta’s aunt’s mansion, Eugene got down from his seat and opened the carriage’s door. Lady Camille’s butler craned his neck to see who it was. Upon noticing Eve, he quickly left the front and headed to the carriage.
Lady Camille stepped outside the mansion and frowned upon seeing her butler carrying her niece out of the carriage. She quickly climbed down the stairs and reaching the place, she demanded,
“What happened to Rosetta?”
Eve bowed and explained, “Miss Rosetta seemed to have drunk too much wine in the ball. I thought it would be right to bring her here safely, Lady Camille.”
For the first few seconds, Lady Camille couldn’t recognise Eve, but then it dawned on her that this woman was the same person her niece had recently become fond of. A woman who belonged to the lowly town Meadow. The older vampiress’s eyes quickly scanned the human, who wore an expensive gown. Even the shoes looked expensive.
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Lady Camille turned to her butler and ordered, “Take Rosetta inside and let her rest in her room.”
“Yes, milady,” the butler quickly carried an unconscious Rosetta inside the mansion and disappeared from sight.
“We should leave too,” Eve offered a polite bow to the lady, and she was about to leave the place when the lady stopped her,
“I have something to talk to you about,” came the stern words from the older vampiress. “I heard from Rosetta that you both went to shop together in Hollow Valley?”
Eve nodded, “Yes.”
Lady Camille nodded and said, “I know you feel good to have a ‘friend’ like Rosetta next to you as she is the Marquee’s daughter. But instead of just making her pay for your gown and shoes, you should have helped her find a gown as good as yours,” her lips set themselves in a thin line.
Eve was taken aback by the sudden words spoken by Lady Camille. She offered a polite smile and said,
“Miss Rosetta didn’t pay for any of it. They were bought by Mr. Moriarty.” She decided to skip the part where she was supposed to return the gown, as this vampiress had decided to jump to the conclusion that she was using Rosetta.
Lady Camille’s eyes narrowed, “Mr. Moriarty?”
Eve nodded, “I work for the Moriarty family and was asked to attend the ball this evening to look after their daughter.”
“Is that so?” Lady Camille weighed Eve’s words. With Eve who proved her words wrong, the woman said, “I don’t think I have to tell you this, but it would be appreciated if you would keep your distance from my niece. If her father finds out that his dear daughter is associating herself with some lowly humans, he wouldn’t be pleased with it.”
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“I will keep that in mind,” Eve politely replied with a smile and Lady Camille’s chin raised, where she was ready to disappear inside the mansion. But before that, Eve said, “I hope you can talk to Miss Rosetta about it too. Goodnight, Lady Camille,” Eve offered another bow and returned to her carriage.
Lady Camille stared at the old carriage being pulled by the two horses from the front of her mansion. There was no way that the Moriarty’s would pay such a hefty amount on a mere human, even if she was a governess. The woman didn’t like that her niece appeared to pale in the presence of this human.
Her eyebrows furrowed when she inhaled the air. Was that the scent of blood drifting in the air?
The next morning, Eve slept a little longer before getting ready to leave for work. Her foot would need a day or two to heal, which was why Eugene had decided to drop and pick her up, to prevent her from straining her foot.
Eugene was packing Eve’s lunch in the kitchen when someone knocked on the house’s front door. Lady Aubrey, who was reading the newsletter, turned toward the door and said,
“Eugene, go see who is at the door.”
“Yes, milady,” replied Eugene, wrapping the cloth around the lunchbox and making his way to the door.
He opened the door with a polite smile that immediately fell from his face when he met the vampiress who had tried to suck his blood last night. But more importantly, someone he had pushed had a bump on her forehead, which was now covered with a bandage.
Eugene hoped the lady wouldn’t remember what he had done last night as she was drunk.
But right now, Rosetta glared at him.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 108
Lady Aubrey turned to look at Eugene, who appeared frozen in front of the door. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, wondering why he looked as if he had seen a ghost. She placed the newsletter on the table before getting up to see who it was.
“Who is it, Eugene?” Lady Aubrey asked before coming to stand near the door. Her eyebrows rose on seeing a young vampiress standing at the front of the door.
Rosetta didn’t know what this man she had met last night was doing and demanded, “What are you doing here?”
Eugene’s breath was caught in his throat. Gathering his courage, he offered a bow and replied, “Good morning, miss. I work here at the Dawson’s family.” He then looked at Lady Aubrey and whispered, “This is Lady Rosetta Hooke. An acquaintance of Miss Eve,” while a confused Rosetta’s eyes moved to look at the houses on the left and right where she stood.
“Ms. Hooke, I am Aubrey Dawson. Genevieve’s paternal aunt. Eve is getting herself ready to go to work. Would you like to come inside and have some tea?” Lady Aubrey invited the vampiress inside the house, catching the young lady’s eyes taking a peek inside the house.
Rosetta bowed her head at the older lady and reluctantly stepped inside the house. Her eyes carefully looked around the place, where the space felt shrunken, and the living room she was led to was smaller than any room she had stepped into in her or her aunt’s mansion. She remarked in awe,
“This must be a magical house. The house is much smaller than how it appears from the outside.”
“Indeed, it helps in keeping the house warm and cozy during chilly nights,” Lady Aubrey replied with a polite smile.
When Rosetta’s eyes fell on Eugene, the glare returned as if she was going to complete what she couldn’t do last night. That was to suck his blood out.
Lady Aubrey ordered Eugene, “Eugene, why don’t you bring tea for Ms. Hooke.”
“No,” replied Rosetta in a prim and proper voice.
Same time, Eve climbed down the stairs and said to Eugene, “Eugene, the shoe will need to be repaired that I wore it would be–Miss Rosetta,” she looked surprised on seeing the vampiress in here and asked, “What are you doing here?”
Did Lady Camille forget to mention what she told her last night about Rosetta? And it was quite early for the young vampiress to show up here.
Rosetta quickly stood up from her chair and walked to where Eve was. The vampiress hugged her, and Lady Aubrey and Eve’s eyes met for a second. Rosetta then pulled away and said, “I heard from my personal maid that you brought me to my aunt’s mansion safely. Thank you so much for looking out for me last night. I wanted to thank you and decided to come here to tell it to you as soon as I could.”
Eve smiled and replied, “I am glad to see that you are doing well this morning, Miss Rosetta. You didn’t have to come here to thank me for it.”
“You are right,” murmured Rosetta, as if she hadn’t thought it through and had come here on impulse, But then her face brightened with a smile, “I wanted to make sure you returned home safe too.”
Eve nodded, “Thank you for that.” With Eugene slipping out of the living room to set breakfast, she asked Rosetta, “Would you like to sit and have breakfast with us?”
“I am fine, thank you,” but at the same time, Rosetta’s stomach grumbled, letting the people there know that the vampiress was hungry.
When Rosetta woke up in the morning, she heard from the maid that she had been dropped by the human. Without speaking with her aunt and letting her know where she was going, the vampiress had gotten ready quickly and hurried to Meadow by taking a ride from a gentleman who owned four horses.
“We insist, Ms. Hooke. It would be rude to refuse,” stated Lady Aubrey, and Rosetta’s lips twisted.
“Well… if you are insisting, then maybe I shall,” Rosetta replied with her nose high; she walked towards the table.Google search 𝐟r𝚎ewe𝚋𝚗૦ν𝘦𝘭. 𝐜𝚘𝗺
When they sat at the table, Eve noticed how Rosetta glared at Eugene as if she was ready to drill nails into his head. When the food was brought to the table, the vampiress stared at the loaves of bread and butter, accompanied by scrambled eggs at the side. This was breakfast? This wasn’t something Rosetta usually ate, as her food was more lavish, but she had a need where she desperately wanted to fit in, to belong somewhere.
She copied what Eve and Lady Aubrey did by picking up the bread and then smearing butter on it. When Eve took a bite from the bread, the vampiress’s eyebrows deeply furrowed.
She hesitantly took a bite from the bread and paused. She exclaimed, “This is good, what is in the bread and butter?”
“It’s just regular bread and salted butter, Miss Rosetta,” answered Lady Aubrey, and Rosetta stared at the bread.
The vampiress didn’t know such simple food could taste so good. She nodded, “I see, so it is salted butter.”
Eve couldn’t help but smile at the vampiress’s innocence. It was as if Rosetta was a little chick who had come out of shell and only started exploring the world. She asked, “Would you like some more?”
Rosetta nodded and ate more quickly this time. When Eugene came to pour tea into her cup, she went back to glaring at him.
“Miss Rosetta, does your aunt know that you are here?” Eve asked because it was clear from Lady Camillie’s words that she wasn’t fond of her niece associating herself with the people like her from Meadow. Rosetta’s mouth was full, and she blissfully continued eating before shaking her head. “No?”
Rosetta swallowed the food and replied, “Aunt Camille was still taking a bath, and I decided to come here,” she went back to eating and drinking the tea served to her. On seeing a look of worry appear on Eve’s face, the vampiress waved her hand, “You don’t have to worry about her. Aunt Camillie is harmless.”
When Eve and Lady Aubrey entered the kitchen to keep their used plates, Lady Aubrey said, “Your friend seems to be different than most. It is good to see you making friends.”
“I was a little worried in the beginning, but she is a lot different than the vampires and vampiresses I have met,” Eve replied as she washed her hands.
“I can tell. You cannot always avoid trouble and sometimes it is better to get along with it. How is your foot now?” Lady Aubrey asked before continuing, “Frankly, I wished you would take a day off, but then I doubt that the members of the Moriarty family would take your leave well.”
Eve leaned forward and kissed Aunt Aubrey’s cheek, “I will be careful. I have bandaged it again and the shoes that I am wearing will avoid any leak if there’s any bleeding.”
Lady Aubrey nodded before a sigh escaped from her lips, “Take care of yourself, Eve.”
Outside the kitchen and in the small dining room, Eugene bowed his head and offered an apology to the vampiress before she decided to kill him again,
“Milady, forgive me for what I did yesterday. It wasn’t my intention when you came near me–”
The look in Rosetta’s eyes hardened, and her jaws clenched. She glared at him, “Who told you could speak to me?”
“My apologies, milady,” Eugene apologised to her one more time, but his politeness only irked her. She got up from the chair with it lightly screeching before she stormed out of the dining room and the house.
In truth, Rosetta had no recollection of how she had received a bump on her forehead. The only thing she did remember was coming out of Moriarty’s mansion and throwing up before this servant had offered her water and a handkerchief. She was embarrassed that she had cried in front of a servant, and she couldn’t help but glare at Eugene.
When it was time to leave, Eve and Eugene stepped out of the house to notice Miss Rosetta standing outside.
The vampiress cleared her throat and said, “I would like to ride in your carriage.”
Seeing Miss Rosetta’s carriage nowhere in sight, Eve nodded, “Of course.”
While Eugene went to bring the carriage in front of the house, Eve and Rosetta started to talk about the ball that had taken place last night. At the same time, Mr. Humphrey, whose eyes had turned red from lack of sleep, appeared at the end of the street.
It was only when the clock struck twelve last night did Mr. Humphrey came to find that Eve had already left the Moriarty mansion long ago. Right now, he held flowers in his hand, ready to propose to the woman he believed to be his future wife before any other suitor would come to her door.
But when Mr. Humphrey caught sight of the Marquee’s daughter standing with Eve, his eyes widened, and he quickly turned around and walked away from there, before Eve would find out that last night he had tried to appease the vampiress.
Once Eve dropped Rosetta not too far from Lady Camille’s mansion, the young vampiress quickly entered to be caught in time by the woman.
“Rosetta, where have you been for the last two hours? Bed empty with no note and the servants have no clue either,” questioned Lady Camille. “I have been worried sick.”
“I was taking a walk, to get some fresh air,” Rosetta innocently replied. “Where do you think I would go?”
Lady Camille stared at her niece before she said, “Come let us have breakfast together.”
“Yes! Breakfast!” Rosetta quickly hurried to the table and looked for butter and salt. Not finding it, she quickly went to the kitchen, surprising the servants and her aunt.
Rosetta ordered the cook to hand over the butter and salt. Once in her hand, she poured the entire jar of salt into the butter before mixing it. She then ordered the maid to bring it to the table.
“Aunt Camille, today I will make you taste what heaven feels like,” said Rosetta, picking up the bread and smearing as much butter as she could. She then placed it on her aunt’s plate. “Try it.”
Lady Camille used her knife and fork to cut a piece. When the older vampiress put it in her mouth, she coughed and spat it out. “It would be best if you don’t step foot in the kitchen for my own health.”
Hm? Didn’t she do it right? Rosetta asked herself.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 109
Music Recommendation: In the court- Nathan Barr
—
In the Moriarty mansion’s dining room, every family member sat at the table having their breakfast in silence. At the head of the table sat Senior Mr. Moriarty, while right next to him on his left and right sat Lady Annalise and Vincent respectively. Marceline sat next to Lady Annalise, and next to her sat Charles, while Allie chose to sit next to Vincent. The butler entered after pulling open the dining room doors and stepped inside. He bowed and informed,
“Mr. Henry Quintin is here.”
“My apologies for not informing you sooner about my arrival here,” the person named Henry apologised and bowed his head. The man wore the finest clothes from his closet, and his hair was neatly combed. “Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning, Henry,” Senior Mr. Moriarty greeted him. “What brings you here?”
“Come sit with us,” Lady Annalise politely invited him to join them.
“Thank you, milady,” replied Henry, before coming to take a seat next to Charles. “I wanted to appreciate how much I enjoyed the ball that was held last night and thank you for inviting me to attend it.”
“That’s all thanks to Marceline,” stated Lady Annalise, and she continued, “My daughter has been kind enough to not only bring a rare present but also to make sure the arrangement of the ball was up to the mark. Also thanks to my daughter Allie who has learned to play the piano forte.”
When Henry’s eyes met Marceline’s, he offered her a bow, “Thank you for hosting a memorable ball, Lady Marceline.” He then turned to Allie and praised, “It was a beautiful piece. I look forward to hearing you play again.”
Marceline sweetly smiled and fluttered her lashes before nodding to the human.
The man continued to praise, “Everything was just beautiful. As beautiful as you, Lady Marceline.”
Alfie appeared at the door, carrying a bouquet of red roses in his hands, and he asked Henry, “Where shall I keep this, Mr. Quintin?”
On catching sight of the flowers, Lady Annalise remarked, “Those are beautiful flowers, Henry. Are they from your garden?”
Henry looked bashfully and responded, “Yes.”
Lady Annalise leaned towards Marceline and said, “It looks like he brought them for you.”
Marceline smiled, her lips coyly curling. This was expected because she had already received some flowers from other people. Whenever she hosted a ball or attended up, she always received gifts from men who were trying to court her. But most of them were the ones she didn’t care about.
The young vampiress was ambitious in nature and was looking forward to getting flowers from men of high social standing like Henry Quintin or the Duke. And not from the ones that were below her social status.
“You can keep it at the side,” Henry answered to the butler’s previous question. Charles nodded and said,
“Yes, after the breakfast is done. You must have freed yourself from your busy schedule to come here, Henry. Lucky you, the other suitors are yet to arrive.”
“Or maybe the other suitors are just not interested,” came Vincent’s remark before taking a bite from his food.
Marceline softly laughed and replied, “If that was true, then Mr. Quintin wouldn’t have come here now, would he brother?” Her voice was sweet and low, which went unheard by their guest. “You should accept that there are many who want to sit next to your sister.”
“That is true,” Lady Annalise agreed to Marceline’s words. “Marceline has had four suitors who came to visit her since this morning.”
“Unfortunate men…” Vincent murmured to receive a stare from Marceline.
Senior Mr. Moriarty chuckled as he was used to these mornings, as Vincent and Marceline liked to bicker as subtly as possible while verbally poking into each other’s eyes. He spoke to Henry, “Have you heard from your parents, Henry? How are they doing?”
“Very well, Mr. Moriarty. Two weeks ago father wrote to me that they will be returning soon,” replied Henry.
Senior Mr. Moriarty nodded before returning to his meal, while the guest turned to look at where the flowers were placed in worry as if it would disappear.
And while the Moriarty family continued having breakfast with their guest, Eve had just arrived at the mansion.
She carefully walked in the hallways while making sure not to hurt her already injured foot. Before she could head to the piano room, the butler appeared and greeted her.
“Good morning, Ms. Barlow. You have been invited to join the Moriarty family to have breakfast with them.”
She frowned before murmuring, “I have already finished my breakfast.”
“Miss Allie is still in the dining room and the orders have come directly from Master Vincent,” the butler informed her.
Eve’s jaw clenched in frustration and she nodded, “Okay.”
Alfie offered her a polite smile and said, “How about I ask the maid to keep your belongings in the piano room?” He called a maid walking by and handed Eve’s lunchbox and her umbrella to be kept in the piano room. The butler then led her toward the dining room.
Unable to hold back her thoughts, Eve asked the butler, “I thought it went against the rules of the high-standing families for a governess to have a meal at the same table as them.”
“You are right, Miss Barlow. But you must already be aware that the rules don’t apply when it comes to Master Vincent. He is the one who sets the rules inside the mansion and the others follow it,” while saying this, the butler held a pleasant expression. From the corner of his eyes, he observed the woman walk but didn’t inquire about it.
Until now, Eve had never visited this side of the mansion. In appearance it was much grander than the front side of the mansion. When they came to stand in front of the dining room’s double doors, the butler pushed it open. Stepping inside, he bowed and informed,
“Miss Genevieve Barlow is here.”
Though Eve was yet to enter the dining room, she felt dread filling her mind.
“Why does the name sound familiar?” Questioned Lady Annalise.
The smile on Marceline’s lips disappeared, and her expression turned grim before answering, “That is because that’s the governess’s name.”
The butler had stepped away from where he had been standing, making way for Eve, and she finally stepped inside the spacious dining room. Two chandeliers hung up in the ceiling, candles burning in them even though the curtains had been pulled apart from the large, transparent windows to allow light to pass through.
Eve noticed everyone’s eyes on her, and she offered a bow to them, “Good morning.”
“Ms. Barlow, take a seat,” Vincent raised his hand and pointed to the seat next to Allie.
Everyone stared at Eve walk around the dining table. Their guest, Henry Quintin’s eyes brightened on seeing Eve in the room.
“Stop,” Lady Annalise stopped the maid, who went to pull the chair for Eve. She turned to look at Vincent and laughed as if someone told her a joke. She questioned him, “Since when did governess start sitting with the families whom they serve?”
“Since today,” Vincent responded in a nonchalant tone.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 110
Marceline was shocked to put the smile back on her face right now. To share a table with someone beneath her in status and kind, she would never be able to digest the same food again.
Charles was busy staring at Eve as if trying to remember something while Eve looked nowhere in particular.
Senior Mr. Moriarty stated, “Last night, Vincent and I talked about how Ms. Barlow has shown remarkable results in helping Allie improve in such a short period. I think it would be a loss to not have her work for us permanently as the Moriarty family’s governess. This is an appreciation for putting effort and also upholding the Moriarty name that she serves.” He then turned to Eve and said, “We hope for you to continue working the same”
Eve quickly bowed, “Thank you, Senior Mr. Moriarty.”
Lady Annalise shot daggers at the lowly human but more at Vincent because she knew he was the one who was behind this. She said,
“I just remembered that I need to get ready for a soiree held this afternoon. Excuse me,” she dabbed her lips with the napkin. Like a dutiful wife, she kissed her husband’s cheek and left the room.
Eve could feel people staring at her, and she wondered why Vincent had dragged her into the frying pan. There was nowhere else to jump except in the fire, and she tried to keep a composed expression.
“Sit down, Ms. Barlow unless you are waiting for the King to ask you to do it,” Vincent asked her sarcastically. “What would you like to eat? Unfortunately, your favourite fish soup has already been consumed.”
Eve’s face slightly turned pale at Vincent’s words. It seemed like she was going to die soon…
A wicked smile appeared on Vincent’s lips, seeing Henry staring at Eve and wanting to make conversation with Eve. He stated,
“Mr. Quintin, maybe you should give the flowers before they start to wilt and lose their fragrance.”
The last thing the young man wanted was to offer wilted flowers to the lady. He got up from his seat to get the bouquet.
Senior Mr. Moriarty, who was done with his meal, excused himself and left the room.
In the meantime, Marceline quickly tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear while sitting straighter and busying herself with her tea. So that when Henry would come to her with flowers, she would behave as if she didn’t know the flowers were for her.
The vampiress waited for the footsteps to approach her, but instead, it only turned distant. Feeling something not right, she looked up, and her eyes widened when she saw Henry Quintin standing next to Eve. He said,
“Ms. Barlow, I would like you to accept these flowers from me. Even though they aren’t as beautiful as you.”
Eve, who was drinking water, didn’t expect this. She spat the water from her mouth before quickly apologising and wiping her lips. In the room were three shocked people– Eve, Marceline and Charles, each one for different reasons.
“It seems like our governess has become famous. Don’t you think so, Marcie?” Vincent rubbed it in his proud sister’s face, whose jaw had fallen. “All thanks to the ball you organised.”
Eve looked at the man and then at the flowers. Henry said, “This morning, when I saw these, it reminded me of you. It is just for you to keep, and you do not have to add any meaning to it.”
Marceline gripped the fork that she held on to. Last year, this same person had told the exact same line to her, and now he was using it on another woman in front of her. She said, “It seems like you are running out of lines when it comes to praising woman, Mr. Quintin.”
Henry scratched the back of his neck and he said to Marceline, “Forgive me for my lack of tact with women. I hope you don’t mind it.”
“Why would she?” Vincent jumped into the conversation. “Just because my dear sister didn’t return your affections doesn’t mean you cannot pursue another woman. What do you say, Charles?”
Charles raised his hand, shrugging his shoulders as he agreed, “That is true.”
Eve wondered which trouble Vincent was pushing her into. It was like the longer she spent with him, her calm fate was turning to a chaotic one.
“Please,” Henry pleaded.
When Eve turned to Marceline, the vampiress offered her a sweet and supportive smile. She said, “You have to thank me for changing your luck Ms. Barlow like a fairy God.”
While Marceline and Charles’s attention was on Eve, who was thanking Henry, Vincent turned to his youngest sister Allie, who had been quietly eating her breakfast. He called her,
“Hamster, do you know what’s the opposite of fairy God?”
The little girl swallowed her food and turned to her brother before asking, “Witch?”
Marceline, who heard this, her eyes snapped to look at her two siblings with a sharp glare. Vincent patted Allie’s head,
“What a smart girl you have turned out to be,” he praised her, and when his eyes met Marceline’s, he asked innocently, “What?”
Henry went back to sit in the seat he had been sitting in earlier.
When Eve turned to look at Vincent, his eyes twinkled in amusement, and he offered her a bright smile.
Remembering Vincent’s earlier words, Henry asked Eve, “Do you like fish, Ms. Barlow? It was only this morning that my servants brought in fresh fish from the sea to my mansion. If you like, I would like to invite you for lunch sometime this week.”
“I will be busy,” Eve replied, subtly refusing Mr. Quintin’s invitation.
“So fast, Mr. Quintin,” Vincent clicked his tongue. Even though he was amused with how things turned out this morning, that didn’t mean he was keen on Eve visiting Mr. Quintin’s house. He said, “Inviting Ms. Barlow when your parents aren’t home, it would be quite scandalous. You wouldn’t want that, would you? She has many chivalrous admirers.”
“Is that so? I wouldn’t be surprised though,” Henry laughed, and Eve laughed out of awkwardness.
Marceline intervened by saying, “It feels more like you don’t want Ms. Barlow out of your sight, brother Vince.”
“That might be true, you never know,” a wicked smile appeared on Vincent’s lips, and Marceline wanted to smack him. It was because it was hard to decipher what he was thinking for her to retort. “She’s Allie’s governess and you know how hard it is to find a good governess. Isn’t that right, Henry? Sometimes we need to protect what is rare.”
Henry nodded before saying, “I will work hard to gain Ms. Barlow’s affections. I have never come across a beauty like her.”
Vincent turned to Marceline, “You heard that, Marcie? All thanks to you.”
Marceline smiled and said, “I am happy for Ms. Barlow. The path of true happiness for me is to make others happy, and that’s what I tried yesterday. To know that my efforts bore fruit, what else can I ask for?”
Once everyone finished having their breakfast, Eve was making her way to the piano room, when she heard a voice behind her,
“Little girl.”
Eve bit the inside of her cheek and turned to look at Vincent making his way to where she was. She had wanted to avoid seeing or meeting him today, because she couldn’t forget that he had sucked and licked the blood off her foot.
She politely asked him, “How can I help you, Master Vincent?”
At her question, a smile cracked up on his lips as he ran his tongue over the tip of his fang, “You ask the obvious.”
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