PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST STORIES AND LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 176 Guests over supper
Music Recommendation: Harriet Smith and Robert Martin- Isobel Waller
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At the time of supper in the Moriarty mansion, every family member was in the dining room when one of the servants appeared at the front of the door and whispered something to the butler. Alfie’s eyes slightly widened before he announced,
“Marquee Hooke, Marchioness Hooke, their daughter Rosetta Hooke and Lady Camille have arrived in the mansion.”
Marceline turned surprised as she wasn’t expecting any guests to be joining them for dinner. She turned to her parents and asked, “What are the Hookes doing here?”
Lady Annalise replied, “We thought it was our duty to be hospitable to the Marquee’s family who arrived yesterday in town. Mr. and Mrs. Hooke reached out to your father, and it would be rude to not invite them over for a meal.”
Marceline turned to her brother, who was sipping his wine. A faint smile appeared on her lips, and she remarked, “They must be very keen on building an alliance with our family. After all, one wouldn’t expect people of that status to reach the family of Viscount.”
“Not everyone has the same amount of lordliness as you, sister,” Vincent commented, placing his wine glass on the table..
“As if you have any less than me,” Marceline retorted to Vincent’s words with a polite smile.
Senior Mr. Moriarty intervened in the sibling’s conversation by saying, “As all of you already know, Marquee Hooke’s family is of high social standing, even though they aren’t pureblooded vampires. They are said to be close to the King, so try to be on your best behaviour. It’s just one dinner, and they will be gone.”
“The Moriarty family have excellent behaviour and manners, father. There’s nothing to worry about,” Vincent assured his father with a bright smile. He turned to Lady Annalise and said, “I hope mother doesn’t have any plans of speaking about my marriage?”
Annalise’s lips twitched at Vincent. She said, “Not unless they decide to bring it up.” The older vampiress had already been humiliated after she had received complaints from Hooke’s relative that the young vampiress had come home crying after meeting Vincent.
“An alliance between a Marquee and a pureblooded family, I think it would be a wise decision. Right, father?”
“In theory, yes. It would bring gains in terms of social standing and power,” Senior Mr. Moriarty replied. He and the others stood up from their seats while he spoke something to his wife.
At the same time, Marceline turned to Vincent and asked, “What do you think about it, Vince?”
“It’s an excellent idea.”
Marceline’s eyes lit up that she and her brother finally agreed on something. She had always hoped to see the Moriarty family reach higher ranks in terms of power, to be the most powerful family to exist.
But Vincent didn’t stop there, and he continued, “I heard that the Hooke have a son, who is of the age of eight.” He then whispered to Marceline, “By the time he grows up, you would have grown up too to marry him.”
The smile on Marceline’s lips fell, and she sent a slight glare at her brother for making a joke as bad as this one. She said, “Only you can laugh at your jokes.” Vincent chuckled, knowing his words irked her more than she let on in front of him.
Soon the Hooke’s family appeared at the dining room’s double doors that the servants opened, and they entered the dining room.
“Welcome to the Moriarty mansion, Marquee Hooke and your family,” Senior Mr. Moriarty greeted them.
“Thank you for visiting our mansion even though your visit in Skellington is short,” Lady Annalise held a polite smile which was meant only for the people of the high society.
“Thank you for inviting us. I hope it was no trouble,” Marquee Hooke responded. The man was an inch or two shorter than his wife and wore a thin moustache on his upper lip.
“No trouble at all. We are happy to be of your service,” Senior Mr. Moriarty signalled the butler, who quickly pulled the chairs so the Hooke family members could take a seat at the dining table.
The Marchioness praised, “Your mansion is beautiful, Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty. I love the interiors and the walls.”
The entire time, Rosetta tried to hide behind her parents and next to Aunt Camille. Even feigning illness had not gone well and had only resulted in her getting scolded for her behaviour by her mother for picking the wrong people to be in her company.
After leaving Eve’s house, her mother had scolded her on their way back to Aunt Camille’s house in the carriage, with,
‘I cannot believe that instead of finding a suitable man to settle down with, you picked a woman from a poor family to be your friend. Not only am I disappointed but ashamed that you would bring such an ill view in others’ eyes.’
‘B—but, mother, I didn’t do an—’
‘I don’t want to hear another word. To think you would make up things like the Moriartys sacrificing their wives. I don’t know what goes in that mind of yours. You will not be seeing that lowly poor woman anymore, who has been influencing you in who knows what.’
Right now, when Rosetta’s eyes met Vincent’s, she noticed the pleasant smile he offered her now, but she knew it was a farce!
“Rosetta!” She heard her mother call her for attention and realised her mother and Lady Annalise were talking about her.
Rosetta offered a slight bow to Lady Annalise, who smiled at her. Lady Annalise said, “Why don’t we take our seat and continue our conversation later.”
Soon everyone took a seat at the rectangular dining table, and on the butler’s instructions, the maids brought in freshly prepared food which the Moriarty family was never out of. Blood was served as wine for everyone at the table.
Marquee Hooke, who took a sip from the glass, hummed in appreciation and said, “Mermaid blood. I like what your cook has done with it.”
“I am glad to hear that it is to your taste,” Senior Mr. Moriarty responded in politeness.
Lady Camille, who was in the room, said, “We were going to have a mermaid ourselves. Paid for it. But before it could be delivered, the creature was killed.”
A few days ago, when the mermaid had not been delivered, only Lady Camille had gone to check the mermaid she had paid for to find out that the blood she had consumed was of a siren and not a mermaid. Though vampires could drink both types of blood, it was usually preferred to have a mermaid as they were rare. Hence making her leave the little detail about it to anyone.
“Getting a hold of the mermaids isn’t easy. I was lucky that I was able to present it to my mother on her birthday,” Marceline smiled sweetly, turning to look at Lady Annalise. She then turned to Rosetta and asked, “You must have had the mermaid’s blood too at the ball of the night.”
Rosetta didn’t like the entire Moriarty family. She had built a distaste towards them that made her face rigid. She replied bluntly,
“It was a low quality mermaid. I tasted better than that.”
Rosetta had heard the rumours about the low-quality mermaid blood that flew in the town. And the last thing she needed was, to tell the truth that she was drunk to taste the mermaid’s blood.
Marceline turned pale after being exposed in such a manner in front of everyone, and she tried to fix her fallen face. The elders at the table stared at Rosetta, and Mr. and Mrs. Hooke laughed to ease the tension, and others joined them.
“My daughter has been raised no less than a princess and I have given her the best of the best that is there in the world,” Marquee Hooke stated proudly, while the underlying words hinted something to the Moriarty parents. “And I hope that she marries into a family that can keep her the same way.”
Rosetta stiffened on hearing her father’s words, knowing where this conversation was headed.
She had avoided looking at Vincent because she feared the man. She had avoided him all these days, and her parents had brought her to sit in front of him. The thought that maybe her parents didn’t love her and wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible suddenly planted itself in her mind.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 177 Please don’t say anything
Lady Aurora added to her husband’s words and said, “Rosetta has reached the prime age of marriage, and though there have been a few esteemed proposals from men of high social standing, we think your son and our daughter would suit well together.”
Before Senior Mr. Moriarty or Lady Annalise could respond to the woman’s words, Vincent said, “Marquee and Marchioness Hooke, Lady Rosetta and I have already met and we have come to terms that we aren’t suited for each other.”
Lady Aurora chuckled softly and said, “There’s no need to be hasty about it in one meeting, boy–“
“Vincent,” he corrected her with a pleasing smile.
The Marchioness’s smile faltered before it lowered from her lips, and she stared at him. Correcting a woman of her status was rude in their society, especially publicly, even if it meant the room had only ten people.
“Vincent,” Lady Aurora started with a polite smile, “As it was your mother who was the one to initiate the idea of marriage between you two, we would like for our two families to be united with your marriage to our daughter Rosetta in the future.”
Vincent took another sip from his glass which had mermaid blood in it, before his face contorted in repulsion. He said,
“What do we get from the unification of the two families apart from the status that you own? Wealth, power, and status in the vampire circle is something that already exists. If you are building an alliance, don’t you think each side should get equal benefits? I wouldn’t like to settle for anything less than what I already have and can afford.”
Senior Mr. Moriarty and Lady Annalise stared at Vincent, not knowing in which direction he was going with those words..
Marquee Hooke turned impressed by Vincent’s words and let out a throaty laugh, “I am pleased to hear your thoughts on it, Vincent. Even if not my son-in-law, I would like to have you work with me. It would be a pleasure.”
Lady Aurora hit her husband’s leg under the table as if that was not what they had come to speak. She smiled at the members of the Moriarty family and said to Senior Mr. Moriarty directly,
“How about your son and my daughter spending some time together after finishing the meal to get to know each other better?”
“We have already met, mother,” Rosetta protested while sitting next to her mother, only to receive a glare from her mother.
Lady Aurora said to her daughter, “You seem to have missed to mention how handsome Vincent is. You must have been shy to speak anything and it didn’t let you speak. Let us not rush things as we are vampires and not humans. There’s plenty of time to get to know each other before we bring up the matter that was pushed aside a few days ago.”
Senior Mr. Moriarty’s eyes fell on his son, who was smiling at something. He then looked at Marchioness Hooke, who turned back to look at him. He didn’t want to refuse the Hookes without a reasonable cause when there was no direct harm. He nodded and said, “Maybe Vincent can show Rosetta the mansion.”
Vincent smiled at his father’s words and turned to Rosetta, “Would you like to see the well that has been dug in the field at the back, Lady Rosetta?”
Rosetta was internally horrified; if allowed, she would have run through the dining room’s closed double doors, and one would have seen her shape on it.
Marquee and Marchioness Hooke eyes widened at Vincent’s words. Lady Annalise nervously laughed and said, “Vincent likes to joke around a lot.”
“Oh,” the couple nodded before smiling.
After everyone was done with supper, Senior Mr. Moriarty and Lady Annalise led their guests to the drawing room to relax, while Vincent and Rosetta walked on the other side of the Moriarty mansion.
Rosetta’s shoulders were stiff, and she didn’t dare to look at Vincent while they walked in one of the corridors in the mansion.
The young vampiress was busy in her thoughts when Vincent turned to her and said,
“Seems like you don’t love your life much, do you?”
Rosetta noticed how the polite smile he had been flashing back at the dining room had changed into an evil one, and his eyes peered at her. She gulped the nervousness and said,
“I know you lied about sacrificing first wives.”
“Who is talking about sacrifice? I am talking about murder here,” Vincent said in a low yet threatening voice and Rosetta’s face paled once again. This man… he was planning to kill her, and she softly gulped.
The palms of her hands turned clammy, and she said, “Mr. Moriarty…I do not want to marry you. Please don’t kill me!”
“Is that so? I thought we would be a perfect match, considering how everyone thinks?” Vincent played with the naive vampiress, who was trying to keep her composure. “Remind me to show you the well later.”
Rosetta’s eyes widened and she shook her head. She then said something under her breath, which Vincent didn’t know if he heard it right.
“What did you just say?” A faint grin appeared on his lips.
“I like someone else, which is why I cannot marry you,” Rosetta looked in the other direction.
“And here I already had plans for our future, you break my heart,” Vincent gave her a solemn look, “I am guessing your parents don’t know about it?” He pulled the cigar case from his trouser pocket and lit the end before smoking.
Rosetta once again shook her head.
“Why not? Their precious daughter is in love with a man, what’s not there to not be happy about?” One corner of Vincent’s lips curled. He said, “Tell the man to come ask for your hand in marriage.”
Rosetta’s cheeks had turned pink, just imagining what Vincent had just told her. She pursed her lips before she spoke nonchalantly about it, “I did introduce him and my mother.”
“Looks like you have everything planned with your future,” remarked Vincent, and he went to place the cigar back on his lips when Rosetta said,
“But I need you to lie to them that we have decided to speak a little more…” Vincent stared at her.
“Why would I ever do that?”
Rosetta cleared her throat and said, “This way I will get to stay in Skellington.”
“Find a way for yourself. I will be more than happy to have your family far away from mine, considering how your mother is eager to arrange our marriage,” Vincent blew the smoke from his lips, and Rosetta used her hand to wave it away.
“You don’t understand, my parents want me to go back with them. At least until I tell him that I like–“
“You haven’t told the man?” Vincent raised his eyebrow, and Rosetta shook her head.
“Once I tell him, he will agree to it,” said a confident Rosetta.
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“Who is the lucky man?” Vincent questioned, noticing the vampiress fiddle with her fingers as she took a moment to clear her throat and then revealed the person’s name.
“Eugene.”
“Why does the name sound familiar? What’s his last name?”
“I don’t know,” came the prompt answer from Rosetta as if that wasn’t necessary. When Vincent looked at her as if if she knew anything concrete, the vampiress said, “He lives with Eve. Your governess.”
Vincent blew the smoke into the air and murmured, “This ought to be fun.”
Rosetta had tried talking to the man, but every time she wanted to, she remembered the night she had thrown up in front of him, and her gaze stiffened. She hoped to work up her courage to tell him before she left. But now there was no time, and she would be leaving with her parents tomorrow.
Noticing him stare at her, Rosetta burst, “Are you judging me?”
“I would dare not,” Vincent replied with a saint-like expression. “Love comes in different shapes and forms, who am I to judge? In fact, I commend you and would say you should go after it tenaciously.”
Realising she had told it to the same person who had made her cry, she nervously said, “Don’t tell anyone. P….Please,” came the request from the vampiress with great difficulty.
“Even if there was a gun over my head,” Vincent replied before a cunning smile appeared on his lips.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 178 Position of love
Music Recommendation: Road to Chicago- Thomas Newman
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In the morning, when Eve was wearing her shoes she heard Aunt Aubrey ask, “Did the Hookes leave town?”
Eve nodded, “They left yesterday.”
“I see,” Aunt Aubrey murmured to herself before exhaling the worry she had been holding in, since the Marchioness visit.
Lady Aubrey was glad to hear about it, as having Marchioness’ Aurora Hooke had left a troubling anxiousness in her mind. She didn’t forget the day when her toes had been mercilessly trampled and crushed, leaving it bleeding, while the other folks attending the soiree hadn’t offered to help her. Not even the family for whom she had been serving.
“Does that day still haunt you?” Eve asked her aunt with a slight frown.
Lady Aubrey gave an assuring smile to Eve. She walked to where the younger woman stood and said, “Haunt wouldn’t be the right word, but it would be a lie to say her presence around us didn’t worry me. I am sorry about your friend, Eve.”
Eve returned the smile with her own, and she shook her head, “You didn’t do anything. We live in a society where people of high class and low class aren’t meant to cross paths, less spend time together as friends.”
Eugene stepped out of the kitchen, holding Eve’s lunch box that he had packed for her. Walking to where she was, he handed the box to her. He said,
“Miss Eve is right, Lady Aubrey. If you didn’t meet that woman before, we would never know what a vile woman she is. It is best to be wary of such people.”
Eugene might have brushed off the incident of Rosetta almost biting him, only because she was Miss Eve’s friend. But after coming to know Marchioness Hooke was the one to hurt Lady Aubrey, he wanted the Hooke family to stay away from his family. He held a lot of respect for Lady Aubrey and wouldn’t stand anyone trying to hurt her or Miss Eve.
On the other hand, Eve held the same feelings as Eugene, but at the same time she held pity towards the young vampiress. It was apparent that Rosetta was spoiled but at the same time naive, unaware of the world she lived..
Eve stepped in front of Aunt Aubrey and kissed her cheek. She said,
“I should get going now. I will be back early.” Eve stepped out of the house, carrying her lunch box and umbrella in her hands. When she was near the gate, she called, “Eugene.”
“Miss Eve?” Eugene quickly stepped out of the house.
“There’s a dress I placed on the bed that needs ironing,” she informed and Eugene nodded.
“Consider it done by the time you return,” Eugene offered a smile to Eve and watched the young miss smile. “Have a good day, Miss Eve!”
“Thank you, Eugene,” Eve had been worried about what to wear for tonight’s soiree that Vincent was taking her to, and after a lot of thought, she finally chose a dress that would be suitable.
She walked on the streets, her back straight and her footsteps quick against the ground. On her way she met people she knew, exchanging greetings before going about their way. Some of them couldn’t help but pause for a second to look at Genevieve Barlow, unmarried and a governess to one of the pureblooded family’s children in Skellington.
On her way, she caught sight of Noah standing next to the local carriage and talking to its coachman. She wondered what he was doing this early in her town. The few regular passengers she was used to travelling in the same carriage, stood near the coachman.
Eve heard Noah say to the coachman, “The guards will send you a notice on when you can resume your job, but until then it would be better to follow the order.”
“I am glad that I came to know about it before I took the carriage to another town. Now I can go back home and rest. Though I am not happy about losing the money I would have made today,” the coachman complained.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience caused,” Noah offered a slight bow, his words polite to the coachman.
The other passengers murmured among themselves about how to travel. While some decided to take the lift from private passing carriages, some went back home and a man continued to stand there.
When Noah turned, his eyes fell on Eve, and a calm smile appeared on his lips. Eve greeted him with a bow and he returned it.
“Good morning, Genevieve.”
“Good morning, Noah. Are the local carriages not travelling today?”
She noticed the coachman turn his carriage and drive back to his home.
“The authorities have sent out a notice for the local carriages to not move for the next twenty four hours. That would mean no public transportation until tomorrow,” explained Noah, and when Eve continued to look at him in question, he said, “There was a new case, and from the information, they are looking for someone.”
“Oh,” Eve frowned before she asked, “I hope you will be able to find the person soon.”
“Yes,” Noah replied to her.
“I heard the council works very slowly,” said Eve, and the smile on Noah’s face slightly widened.
“Is that so? It was so in the past, but things have improved over the last ten years. We should be able to find the boy soon, unless the one who has kidnapped has hidden him somewhere far,” stated Noah. His eyes fell on her umbrella and lunchbox. He asked her, “Do you want me to drop you at Skellington?”
One of the male passengers, who hadn’t left, turned to Noah and asked, “Can I ride in your carriage too, Duke Noah? I am heading toward Skellington.”
Noah gave the man a nod, “Of course. I would be more than happy to help.” He then turned to Eve and asked, “Shall we?”
If Eve didn’t have a good friendship with Noah, she would have believed that it would walk the same path of aristocracy the high society held as Rosetta. She stared into his eyes that looked at her in question. After a second, she smiled and nodded, “Okay.”
The male passenger turned to Noah, and the Duke said, “Climb in.”
The man from Meadow was quick to step into the carriage, taking a comfortable seat and smiling, as this was much better than the local carriage, and he didn’t have to pay for the ride.
Noah then turned to Eve and said, “Why don’t you give your things to Kieran and he will give it to you once we reach Skellington? It is okay if you don’t want to,” he added.
Eve looked at her things before raising her arm that carried her lunch box, “Just this one.”
Noah’s coachman took hold of the lunch box with a bow and put it in a safe place next to the coachman’s seat. Eve then stepped inside the carriage, taking the seat, to soon be joined by Noah, while the other man sat on the opposite seat, facing them.
When the carriage started, the male passenger was quick to fall asleep after ten minutes, where Eve and Noah heard the man softly snore.
“How have you been doing, Noah?” Eve asked the Duke, who was looking outside the carriage window before turning to her.
Noah offered her the politest smile he owned and said, “Work has been busy and the rogues haven’t made the work easy for us. There has been a series of deaths which has induced fear among people.”
“Who has been killing them?” Eve inquired with interest.
“Vampires, werewolves, some even humans. The Council thinks that someone initiated it, and now everyone is trying to get to each other’s throat. The nights aren’t safe, and it is better to stay in the house with your doors and windows locked,” Noah advised her. “Some think it is the work of witches, where they are trying to cause chaos.”
“How do you catch witches?” she asked him out of curiosity.
“You need to bait them in the forest. Once they enter the towns, it makes it hard to find them. They never come to light and make use of the humans, who eventually turn into witches too,” stated Noah.
Eve wondered how easy it was to blame the council, that they didn’t do their job when some things were hard to solve. With big responsibilities came big expectations, and when things failed it only made it that much worse. Her thoughts went back to what Vincent spoke about his past… and she wondered who was to be blamed. The council who didn’t arrive on time, the humans who wanted vengeance or the children and Vincent’s mother for being born in High society.
Noah said, “I am glad to see that you are doing better.”
“I am,” answered Eve, and Noah stared into her beautiful blue eyes. “How is Lady Chambers doing?”
Eve didn’t bring up any words she had exchanged with Marceline about Noah. Especially after what she heard from Vincent and she didn’t want to complicate things in the matter that didn’t need her involvement.
“Are you asking about Anaya’s mother?” Noah slightly teased her, knowing Eve had forgotten the woman’s name. He chuckled before replying, “She has been doing well and is learning more about Woodlock. Thank you for asking about her.”
Eve replied with a nod, “That’s good to hear.” She then glanced at the other man, who continued to snore. She asked, “How long have you known her?”
“We met last Autumn when my family went up North, not too long ago,” Noah answered her. He said, “Pardon me if you have heard this question many times before, but did you find anyone suitable to settle down with?”
Eve smiled at Noah’s question, “I don’t think anyone would like to marry a woman who isn’t willing to leave her job.” Not to mention, who she was, it wasn’t easy.
“There are many who will willingly accept it. I am sure there are plenty of men who will be more than happy to have you next to them,” came Noah’s sincere words, and he continued, “I know some of them, if you want me to introduce them to you.”
“That is very kind of you, but I think it mostly exists as an idea,” Eve looked down at her hands that were on her lap before she raised her eyes to him and said, “The world we live in, my primary work is to be dedicated to the house, and secondary doesn’t exist. I am just fortunate to have Aunt Aubrey as my aunt.”
Noah agreed to Eve’s words, and he said, “It is true, but you won’t know if you won’t try.”
Eve out of mere curiosity, asked, “Most of them in Meadow wouldn’t take a wife who works out of house? Would you?”
Noah was taken aback for a moment, and he replied, “I would not hold her back.”
“Lady Anaya is lucky then,” Eve smiled and Noah returned it with his own, without commenting on it. The smile was only polite that didn’t reach the Duke’s eyes.
When the carriage arrived at Skellington, the man had to be woken up from his sleep, who quickly thanked the Duke after clearing his throat and hopped out of the carriage.
The carriage then pulled near the Moriarty mansion on Eve’s request. Eve stood in front of Noah, who had stepped down from the carriage. The coachman had returned her lunchbox and she thanked him.
“I didn’t want to bring this up before, but is there something bothering you?” Noah asked her.
Eve’s eyebrows knit together, and she asked, “Why do you say that?”
“You seem a little sad or maybe I am just over looking at things,” came Noah’s calm words.
Eve smiled and said, “It is just some things that I have been thinking about. It will pass.”
“I am sure it will,” Noah agreed to her words, then watched the woman walk away from where he stood.
Noah’s coachman, Kieran, watched the man he worked for and then at the human who walked towards the gates of the Moriarty mansion. He turned to Noah and asked,
“Are you going to marry Lady Anaya, Sire?”
Kieran had been working for Noah for nearly a decade, he had watched the current Duke watch the human from afar. As he worked closely with the man, spending every day and night driving the man around, he knew the man had feelings for the woman, but he never once hinted about it. Being close to him, he cautiously asked,
“Will you never confess to the lady, Sire?” Asked the coachman, while watching the woman disappear inside the Moriarty mansion.
Noah turned and looked at his coachman, “Eavesdropping is a bad habit.”
Kieran quickly bowed his head and apologised, “Forgive me.”
“There are other things that precedes love. It is subjugative as to what one positions it in terms of the value. Sometimes it is about doing the right thing,” saying this, he stepped inside the carriage.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 179 Early preparation of gift
Music Recommendation: Emma is bored- Isobel Waller
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When Eve entered the Moriarty mansion’s hallways, Marceline, who was coming in the other direction, greeted her, “Morning, Ms. Barlow. I wasn’t expecting you to be here today.”
Eve noticed how the vampiress never used ‘good’ behind the morning. She smiled at the vampiress and offered a bow, “Good morning, Lady Marceline. Is it because the local carriages have stopped moving for today?”
“Yes,” Marceline offered Eve a sweet smile. “I was wondering how you would come today, but then I suppose you came from your personal carriage?”
Eve knew if she breathed a word about Noah, Marceline would end up piling her with more questions about him before asking if she delivered her request.
“The carriage—”
“What a lovely morning with the sun shining, birds talking in front of our mansion. Do you ever wonder what they chirp about?” Asked the devil of the Moriarty family with a head full of silver hair. “I thought I saw a familiar carriage drop you near the mansion.”
Vincent walked towards where she and his sister stood. The smile on his lips was wide, and his eyes twinkled in mischief as if he couldn’t wait to see people in their misery. When Marceline turned to look at him, Eve offered him a pleading look..
“Birds sing, brother,” Marceline replied to her brother while offering him a slight bow as if she sought validation from him.
“My innocent sister, some birds even talk,” when Vincent smiled, Eve noticed his perfectly aligned white teeth. He then turned to look at Eve and asked, “What do you think, Eve?”
Marceline’s eyebrows rose in question after hearing her brother call their governess in such a familiar tone and name while failing to pick what Vincent’s words meant. On the other hand, Eve had hoped that Vincent would stop teasing and throwing her right under the moving carriage. How wrong she was. This vampire would push a person from the cliff and then tell how the flying person added beauty to the scenery.
“They sing and speak, by chirping,” Eve answered Vincent’s question.
“Might you know what they might be talking about?” Vincent indulged in torturing Eve.
Marceline rolled her eyes, not knowing why her brother was suddenly interested in birds. She asked Eve, “Did you have your breakfast?”
“I did. Until I couldn’t eat anymore,” replied Eve, not wanting to be invited to join anyone in the Moriarty’s dining room.
“Have a good time teaching Allie then. I will find you later,” Marceline smiled at Eve before walking away from there.
Vincent watched his sister walking away from there while Eve turned to look at him and asked, “Don’t you have important work to attend to, Master Vincent?”
“So concerned about my work. Only a wife or the employer would worry about it. But then I have neither,” Vincent chimed, shifting his gaze to look at the little mermaid. “Did you dream about me?” He smiled at her.
“I have other better things to dream about, Mr. Moriarty, than to dream about you about trying to kill me,” retorted Eve and started to walk away from the hallways.
Vincent followed her in the same direction as they walked up the stairs, “Dreaming about Duke charming?”
“No, about a merman,” Eve rolled her eyes.
“My youngest sister has a fish tank if you want to take a look at it, though they might not be the fish you are interested in,” replied Vincent, and he said, “Did you go to see your friend yesterday?”
“No… Her mother preferred that we stay away from each other,” Eve murmured.
“You didn’t offer the chocolate cookies to the lady?” When Eve turned to look at him, Vincent added, “I heard the Marchioness and her daughter paid a visit at your house.”
Eve wondered if Vincent heard it from the MArchioness or Rosetta. She replied, “No. Not everyone visits people’s houses and takes a jar of cookies.”
“Who would ever do that?” Vincent looked at her with a look of horror in his eyes, and he chuckled on receiving a blank look from her. “How is your coachman doing?”
“Eugene? He’s doing fine, why?” Eve furrowed her eyebrows, and when they reached the top of the stairs, she stared at Vincent.
Vincent continued to smile before shrugging his shoulders, “He didn’t drop you and instead the Duke did. Anyways, getting back to things that are more important. You will be leaving work at two in the afternoon and be picked by my coachman at six in the evening. I am hoping that it is enough time for you to get ready?”
Eve pursed her lips before she said, “Master Vincent, I have a request.”
“Alfie will come fetch you and take you to the carriage to get you back home. Anything else?” Vincent stared back at her. She shook her head, and he said, “Go on then. I don’t pay you money to talk to me,” his lips twisted into a smile again when he saw her walk up the next flight of stairs on the right.
On reaching in front of the piano room, Eve pushed the door open and noticed the young vampiress sitting on the piano bench. But instead of playing the piano, she had three balls of wool and was trying to knit something that looked like a messy patch.
“Good morning, Miss Allie,” Eve greeted the girl with a bright smile and cheerful voice. “What are you doing there?”
Allie kept fiddling with the two sharp knitting needles, and she looked up at Eve with a smile, “Good morning,” she greeted in her sweet and delicate voice.
Vincent wasn’t wrong in calling her a hamster thought Eve. The girl was the sweetest, and she wondered if perhaps someone had switched Lady Annalise’s baby with Allie when they were little, not knowing how such a girl had ended up growing up in the Moriarty mansion.
“Knitting for Christmas,” replied the little girl, who looked like she was on a mission.
“Oh, are you trying to make a Christmas present?” A smile appeared on Eve’s lips and she placed her things next to the wall before sitting on the other end of the bench. It was evident that the small girl didn’t know how to knit and had randomly been crisscrossing. Eve asked the little one, “What are you planning to make?”
“What is the easiest one to make?” came the voice of the small voice girl.
“Scarf? You don’t have to worry about the size and everyone can make use of it,” Eve answered thoughtfully. “Would you like me to teach you how to do it?”
The little vampiress’s eyes lit up as if Christmas had already arrived before she asked, “… you will?”
“Why not? I am your governess so I should be able to teach you things out of books, something that you will enjoy,” said Eve, and her eyes fell on the little girl’s hands that had little cuts on her fingers. “Maybe we should look for something less sharp for you.”
Eve called a servant and asked the person to get the two thin wooden sticks with a sharpened end, which was given for Allie to use.
“Now we have two of each. Let me teach you the easiest one and then I will show you how to close the end with another design,” said Eve, and the two of them began to knit.
“So easy,” whispered the little girl, looking at Eve’s elegant fingers moving back and forth while knitting woollen thread.
Eve couldn’t help but stare at Allie, who earnestly continued to knit without looking up and focused on the wooden sticks and the wool she used. No matter how strict Lady Annalise was, Eve doubted that she would refuse her daughter if the little girl were to ask for a scarf from a shop, which would come from the most expensive shop. Curious, she asked,
“Is this for your brother Vincent?”
The little girl didn’t stop moving her hands but looked up at Eve and shook her head. The two of them stared at each other before the young vampiress went back to continuing to knit without saying whom she was knitting it for.
When it was two in the afternoon, Alfie appeared in the piano room and knocked on the door. He informed,
“Ms. Barlow, the carriage is waiting for you.”
At the same time, Eve noticed Allie quickly pushing the wool and other things she had been holding behind her as if not wanting the butler to see them.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 180 Furious vampiress
Music Recommendation: Jane Fairfax Plays Mozart- Isobel Waller
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Alfie, who had accompanied the governess to the carriage, watched the governess step inside it, and he handed her lunch box along with her purple umbrella once she was seated. He closed the door while the coachman climbed on the driver’s seat and pulled the reins of the four horses, which soon started to clip-clop against the ground.
The guards at the mansion’s gates pulled the gates open, and soon the carriage passed through it, leaving the mansion.
At the same time, Marceline, who had gotten ready, stepped out from her room, climbed down the stairs and walked through the corridors. She had dressed in the finest clothing. Her portion of her hair had been tied into a bun, while the other half of her hair was let down her shoulders in slight curls. She wanted to take a walk in the town of Woodlock and gauge the situation.
When the butler turned around, his eyes fell on the dressed vampiress, and his eyes widened. He looked left and right, and before he could move to the left, the vampiress ordered,
“Get my carriage ready. I am going out.”
The butler stared at the vampiress, his lips slightly parting before he cleared his throat and asked, “Will you be going right now, Lady Marceline?”.
Marceline was polite and kind to the people she wanted to be. People who were beneath her in position and were useless were not treated the same. Especially the ones who belonged to the lower class, who were servants.
She stared at Alfie and demanded, “Didn’t I tell you that I am going to Woodlock just now? Go now and stop making me wait here.”
There was a reason why the butler hadn’t moved, and it was because Lady Marceline’s carriage had just left the mansion. The same carriage that Ms. Barlow was riding now.
Marceline’s lips twitched in displeasure, and she glared at the butler, “Have you turned deaf?”
Not yet, but he was going to turn deaf soon, thought Alfie. He turned nervous and bowed his head before saying,
“Your carriage is not here, Lady Marceline.”
Marceline’s eyes narrowed and she said, “I don’t remember sending it for any repair. The carriage and the horses have been in excellent condition. Is there something that I need to know?” The vampiress then raised one of her eyebrows at the lowly servant.
Alfie didn’t raise his head and replied, “Because as the local carriages aren’t running today, Master Vincent ordered me to send Ms. Barlow home in your carriage.”
For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence, and Alfie would have questioned if his mistress had left, but he could see the hem of the vampiress’s dress touching the floor.
In doubt, the butler subtly raised his head in time to catch the lady’s calm face turning furious in rage.
“VINCENT!” Marceline screamed her brother’s name, before turning on her heel and storming to where he was.
Alfie, who had closed his eyes at his mistress’s screech, opened one of his eyes to watch the vampiress disappear at the end of the hallway. He decided not to wander near the Moriarty siblings now and returned to his work.
Vincent was in his study room, going through some of the parchments he needed to check when the door to his study burst open. Marceline glared at him, and her clenched hands shook.
“Don’t you know that you are supposed to apply the rose powder only on your cheeks and not on your entire face, sister?” Vincent questioned her in a calm voice.
“HOW DARE YOU SEND THAT HUMAN IN MY CARRIAGE?!” Marceline couldn’t control the rage she felt right now.
Vincent used his little fingers to close his ears, pulling it out and said, “Why are you shouting?”
Marceline stomped forward and placed her hands on the desk with a loud thud, behind which Vincent sat. She spoke through her teeth, “I did nothing to you today! Why did you send that lowly human in MY carriage?!”
“What are you talking about, Marcie? Who lowly human?” Vincent raised his eyebrow as if he did not know what Marceline was upset about.
“The human you hired from Meadow! The damn governess!” Right now, Marceline looked like a raging bull as she fumed.
Vincent finally understood and clicked his tongue, “Now now, Marcie, what did we learn about being nice to friends and not talking bad about them or not sending them to their deaths? Hm?”
His words pricked her chest, and she continued to glare at him.
Marceline found this to be ridiculous! Her brother knew how much she despised humans, especially ones who come from the lower side of the towns and villages. And he had let the governess use it as her personnel carriage.
“No servant has ever EVER stepped foot inside the carriage to sit, and you had the human sit in it. Without even asking me! If you wanted to send her home, you could have used your own carriage rather than make use of mine. How am I supposed to go out now?!” Marceline demanded from her brother with a look of disbelief.
Even if the carriage would return to the mansion in a minute, she wouldn’t sit in it unless it was washed.
“I am sorry, Marcie… I never knew it would make you this upset,” Vincent apologised to her, but Marceline knew her brother was doing this just for the kicks. He wore a solemn expression and said, “You are always so kind to her, making her drink tea with you and what not, how was I supposed to know that you didn’t like her?” He shifted the blame on her.
Marceline tried to calm herself, but she couldn’t, and Vincent knew how to push her buttons to get reactions from her. She gritted her teeth, “This is not funny.”
“No one said it was. I am not laughing neither are you. But if you think about it is quite tragic. What would poor Ms. Barlow think if she found out that the person she thought was kind and immaculate like an angel, whom she believed had offered her a ride home, when in truth is repulsed by the thought that she sat in the carriage and sullied it?” Vincent’s face didn’t hold a single hint of a smile, but he enjoyed every bit of it.
As easy as Marceline was to read, Vincent liked checking if his sister meant the words she said or only spoke about it at face value.
Marceline pulled her hands away from the desk and brought it back to her side. She closed her eyes for a second to calm herself and said, “There is something called being polite, which was what I was doing.”
Unable to keep the smile within him, Vincent laughed and asked, “When did you learn that?”
“I need to be somewhere, hence I will be taking your carriage with me,” decided the vampiress with a smile on her face while trying to calm her ruffled features.
Vincent raised his hand and said, “Go ahead. You are my dear sister and I would never deny you anything.”
Marceline’s eyes narrowed. She turned her back to Vincent with a harrumph and stepped out of the study room. Her shoes clicked against the mansion’s marble floor, making a sharp sound. Finding another servant on her way, she ordered,
“Get my brother’s carriage ready. I will be using it.”
The servant bowed and replied, “Milady, Master Vincent’s carriage isn’t in the mansion. Mr. Briggs has taken it to the blacksmith.”
When Marceline breathed, the servant could hear the anger bubbling through the vampiress, though he didn’t know why. She snapped, “Pull out the available carriage and prepare it!”
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