.jpeg)
PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST STORIES AND LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 231 Lack of attention
In the Moriarty mansion’s dining room, Allie ate her breakfast and craned her neck to look at the table as if searching for something. Lady Annalise, who caught sight of it, asked her,
“What do you want, child?”
Allie pursed her lips as if she hadn’t meant to get her mother’s attention. She whispered, “The steak sticks…”
Lady Annalise stared at her daughter before she said, “All you have to do is ask and the maids will bring it for you.”
Marceline, sitting next to Lady Annalise, stretched her hand to get the plate for herself near her. But just when her hand almost reached for it, her mother picked up the plate that had the meat chops and served it to her younger sister.
Vincent behaved as if he didn’t notice this, licked his fingers, and remarked, “Today’s meat chops is more delicious than the other days, isn’t it?”
Allie nodded to her brother’s words and quickly started to eat it as if they would be stolen from her and heard her mother’s gentle voice, “Eat it slow. There’s no one chasing you,” shaking her head, the older woman went back to eating her food.
Eduard said to Vincent, “I will be accompanying your mother and Allie to the Woodmore’s mansion and won’t be here after an hour. Do you have all the signatures on the parchments from me?”
“I do,” Vincent hummed and asked, “Marceline isn’t joining you?”
“I have something else to do,” Marceline said, feeling a little left out.
“Visiting a certain town or meeting someone, are we, sister?” Vincent raised his eyebrows at her.
“Stella and I are visiting Hollow Valley to shop. Anything else?” Marceline asked her brother, who offered her a crooked smile.
Marceline’s eyes then moved to look at her mother, and she noticed her engrossed with what Allie was doing. Since her younger sister’s fangs had returned, Annalise had stopped paying her attention. It was as if she didn’t exist and wasn’t important anymore, making her wonder how did Allie get her fangs back when no one in history could.
“Alfie, bring one more serving of the meat chops,” Marceline ordered the butler.
Her little sister could eat the cold meat, while she would eat the warm and freshly cooked ones.
The butler bowed and replied, “Milady, those were the last meat chops for this meal. The meat needs to be brought in today.”
Marceline’s jaw clenched.
Since her father married Annalise, Marceline believed that the vampiress was her true mother. That she would love her the most. With her being the eldest daughter, with Allie bringing shame and Vincent never acknowledging the older vampiress as his mother, she received all the love and attention from her mother.
The worst was that they had accepted the lowly human into their mansion and had allowed her inside the dining room! It was because of the governess that all these things were happening. Soon her mother would ignore her completely. It seemed like she would have to do something about it.
Genevieve Barlow would have to stop working in this mansion. And if the human couldn’t do it on her own, then Marceline would help her stop working here.
A few minutes later, Eve arrived in front of the Moriarty mansion, ready to start her day’s work so that she could bury herself without thinking about Vincent. But it was easier to think than to do it.
[Music Recommendation: Mary Meets Percy: Amelia Warner]
Eve walked through the hallway of the Moriarty mansion. When she neared the long and wide stairs, her eyes fell on the silver-haired vampire. He stood on top of the first flight of stairs, talking to the butler of the mansion.
It wasn’t Vincent’s striking appearance that had made Eve fall for him. The person he was deep within, that many weren’t fortunate enough to witness or hear his thoughts, made him who he was for her.
As Eve climbed the stairs, she couldn’t help but look at him. Looking at him made her chest full, and at the same time, it ached. She heard him talking to the butler about preparing his carriage and fixing something. Missing a step, she lost hold of her umbrella. She quickly caught it before it could slide down.
Eve cursed herself for not watching where she was going and looked in the direction where Vincent stood. But not once did he look at her, and the butler turned to see what the sound was about.
Vincent said to the butler, “… papers delivered to Clayton directly in his hand. He will be coming in late to the Council…”
Reaching the top of the first flight of stairs, Eve turned to the right and took the second flight that led to the piano room, without waiting to talk or look at Vincent.
Once Eve turned her back to them and disappeared at the end of the corridor, Vincent turned to look in her direction, staring at the deserted corridor with a grim look.
Reaching the piano room, Eve was greeted by Allie, “Good evening, Allie.”
“Evening?” The young vampiress blinked and corrected her, “It is morning.”
Eve awkwardly smiled, “Pardon me. Good morning, Allie.”
Allie smiled and greeted back, “Good morning, Ms. Barlow. I want to show you something!”
“You do?” Eve asked the young girl, who eagerly nodded and pulled out the scarf that she had completed. Allie looked at her for her praise.
“Wow, that is a beautiful scarf and you finished it sooner than I expected,” Eve praised the little girl, who leaned forward as if not done in receiving the praise.
They stared at each other for a few seconds before Eve realised. She quickly placed her hand on Allie’s head, and the little one smiled. When they sat at the table, Allie said, “Brother Vincent told me that we will be going out at two in the noon.”
Somewhere, Eve realised the person who enjoyed annoying people was now ignoring her. She was unsure if she should feel grateful that he was drawing lines or feel hurt that their journey of friendship was short.
________________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 232 Infection of the previous night
Music Recommendation: Bloomsbury- Amelia Warner
—
Vincent sat in his study room with his legs crossed and resting them on top of the desk while he leaned back in his chair. He stared at the ceiling of the room with an expressionless face. A knock was heard on the door, and in stepped Alfie with a glass of blood in the tray that he carried in.
“Master Vincent, I brought your blood tea,” Alfie informed, stepping towards the desk.
“Take it back,” Vincent didn’t look at Alfie and continued staring at the room’s ceiling, which had a painting stretched wide.
Alfie stopped his feet and watched his master, who appeared to be in a bad mood since he had returned to the mansion last night. The pureblooded vampire, who often drank glasses of refined blood in the mansion, now hadn’t sipped a single drop of blood since this early morning. It made the butler wonder if perhaps his master had already drank blood before returning to the mansion.
When Alfie didn’t leave, Vincent’s eyes moved from the ceiling to narrow his eyes at the butler. He questioned, “Is there anything else you wanted?”
Alfie’s back straightened at the way his master looked at him. It was obvious that his master appeared to be in a bad mood. Clearing his throat, he said,
“I wanted to inquire what hour you would be going to Darthmore, sire.”
Instead of responding to the butler’s question, Vincent questioned, “How did Ms. Barlow appear today?”
Stunned by the question, Alfie opened his mouth and closed it before opening it to answer, “Uh, she looked the same as yesterday.” So this was something to do with the governess, the butler thought in his mind. This morning’s atmosphere seemed a little odd, considering how neither of the two had spoken to each other. He asked, “Would you like me to check on the governess?”
“That won’t be needed,” Vincent dismissed the question and said, “You can leave.”
Alfie bowed and stepped out of the study room before closing the door behind him to not be the one to receive his master’s ire now.
Inside the study room, Vincent’s thoughts returned to what had transpired last night in Meadow. He clicked his tongue in annoyance because, for some reason, he couldn’t go on his way, ignoring the mermaid. As if infecting him with her words, she now plagued his mind.
When he pushed his back further into the chair he sat on. A soft sigh escaped from his lips.
‘Don’t… I think I am falling for you,’ her words echoed in his mind, and the look on her face at that time didn’t leave his mind.
It was a lie that her blood had turned stale. Hell would have to freeze for him to dislike her blood and he was still as addicted to her blood as the first time he had taken a sip from her. But the mermaid’s feelings had put them in a situation, and he couldn’t take her blood without hurting her.
He had noticed her shoulder’s drooped and her voice slightly shaky.
Vincent had known Eve to be a strong woman and he admired her. And because of it, he enjoyed poking and teasing her until yesterday, where things had started to sway in a different direction before she had even confessed her feelings.
The pureblooded vampire wasn’t unaware that as much as Eve had leaned towards him, he had leaned the same amount towards her with their lips barely away from each other.
The only female relationships he had until now was of a mother, a sister and women whom he used to drink blood from. He had never treated a woman like this before, as a friend and cared for someone, that it created a conflict of feelings within his mind.
The more the conflicts arose, the more irritated he became.
He ran his tongue over his fang, playing with its sharpness as he thought.
No one had ever been able to get close to him like Eve, and Vincent questioned if it was because she could get through the walls or if he had subconsciously let her. It was something to think about.
Putting his feet down on the ground, he got up and walked towards the trolley that had many bottles of alcohol. Pouring himself a glass, he drank it before turning to look at a spot where he and Eve stood in this same room a few days ago.
It would be a lie if he said yesterday was the first time he had gravitated towards her and wanted to move in closer. But even Vincent knew who he was, and a woman like Eve was better off with a man who wasn’t as corrupted as him. It was precisely why he had warned her.
But at the same time, remembering her other words, ‘It isn’t the first time that I have had feelings for someone. Like others, it will pass too.’ It irked him and added to his foul mood with the lack of blood.
Under the pressure of his conflicting thoughts, the glass in his hand broke. Most of the pieces fell on the ground along with the alcohol, while some stuck into his hand.
“How troublesome,” Vincent clicked his tongue in disappointment and raised his hand before pulling the pieces off his palm and fingers for blood to drip down on the floor.
Hours passed in the Moriarty mansion, and soon it was time for Vincent, Eve and Allie to leave for Darthmore. Mr. Briggs pulled the carriage in front of the mansion’s entrance. While the young vampiress stepped inside the carriage, Eve waited outside the vehicle with Vincent to get in.
“Your flower looks as wilted as you,” Vincent remarked, seeing the flower in Eve’s hand. But in response, he was offered a stare.
“You don’t look less yourself, Mr. Moriarty,” Eve responded.
With Allie sitting inside, Vincent was the next one to get inside the carriage, where the Moriarty siblings sat opposite each other. Allie moved to the side, making space for Eve, and she finally climbed in. She could only hope that the horses moved quicker than usual as she sat facing the silver-haired vampire and the journey to Darthmore wasn’t short.
_______________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 233 Back to honourifics
Music Recommendation: Eloise & Theo-Kris Bowers
—
The carriage passed through the path inside the forest, the hooves of the four horses steadily clip-clopping on the moist ground. The sun hid behind the clouds, while the tall and thick trees had left a shadow on the forest ground.
Inside the carriage, Allie stuck her face and hands on one side of the window, staring outside with lively eyes. Eve looked outside the other window, but her attention was on the man who sat in front of her. She subtly moved her eyes away from the window and looked at Vincent from the corner of her eyes. Right now, he looked outside the window next to Allie with an unruffled and relaxed expression on his face.
With the way he had left her house last night and how he ignored her this morning, Eve was sure he wouldn’t talk to her.
His earlier remark had taken her by surprise, and she didn’t reply to him out of spite. His silver hair gently moved with the wind that entered the carriage, and she noticed a hint of darkness beneath his eyes as if he hadn’t slept. But then vampires were used to lack of sleep… was it the blood?
Allie turned away from the window and asked Vincent, “Why are we going to Darthmore with Ms. Barlow?” The young vampiress shifted her gaze from her brother to look at Eve in question.
Eve wasn’t sure if she should tell the actual reason to Allie.
“Lady Camille’s body is being buried in the local cemetery along with some others,” Vincent responded to his curious sister.
“Your governess wants to be present when the woman is being buried as she was her friend’s aunt.”
Eve took Vincent’s words as a hint to keep Allie away from her side of life, which seemed to be the right thing to do. There was no need to involve a child or anyone as it didn’t concern them.
But at the same time, his words brought a frown to her face, and she wanted to ask him but held herself back from conversing with him. Things were peaceful since they hadn’t exchanged a word in the carriage.
“Not in Skellington?” Allie asked the question that was on Eve’s mind.
“Apparently, it is what her family wants and has decided on it. Where would you like to be buried?” Vincent questioned his sister and Eve blinked at him, wondering if this was a question he should be asking a small girl like Allie.
But Allie was used to Vincent’s company enough to enjoy it. A deep, thoughtful frown appeared on Allie’s face and she replied, “In the forest! Around the blooming flowers and grass and little rabbits.”
“Sure, turning into a compost for the rabbits doesn’t sound too bad,” Vincent hummed with a straight face while Allie beamed. Allie then turned to her governess as if she had the same question.
“I haven’t thought about it, Miss Allie. Maybe in the backyard of the house where I live?” Eve answered with uncertainness, and it felt like she always had the oddest conversation whenever she travelled in this particular carriage.
“To have a grave in a piece of land that will be occupied by someone else in future, hamster. How pitiful, it seems like you want to be dragged out and have your body dumped somewhere else,” Vincent remarked.
“No forest?” Allie asked, believing she should think of a better place, but Eve knew his words were meant for her.
Eve responded to his words, “I think it is an excellent place, Miss Allie. If it gives you peace and happiness, you should stick to it. Sometimes people don’t understand what attachment means.”
Vincent rolled his eyes, “Not if the attachment comes in stupid choices, hamster. Imagine the people you are living with die and you die too without any children, the place will obviously go to someone else. And to this person, you will be nothing but a waste that needs to be cleared out of there. It is what happens mostly.”
Eve gritted her teeth and responded, “One shouldn’t be pessimistic about what others can and cannot do. Just because you choose not to doesn’t mean others will.”
Right now, they stared at each other. Vincent’s eyes slightly narrowed and he said to her,
“A cemetery is a better place than picking a place that has no guarantee of when you will be replaced. It would be different if you found someone worthwhile and had children.”
Eve softly sighed and said, “It is good to know that you are so self aware about yourself, Mr. Moriarty.”
A crooked smile appeared on Vincent’s lips, “That I am, Ms. Barlow. I have never tried to hide my intentions with you or the kind of person I am.”
“Maybe you should have,” Eve whispered with a slight glare before looking away from him.
“…”
Amid the adults in the carriage going back and forth to discuss her place of burial, Allie blinked as if lost, as she didn’t know what they were talking about anymore. Catching sight of a stag outside, she went back to glueing herself to the window.
Eve clenched her jaw. Why did he infuriate her, always getting under her skin and making her want to stab him?
“Do you hate me now?” Vincent asked her as if he wanted her to, and Eve’s eyes returned to look at him. “I wouldn’t mind if you did… Ms. Barlow,” they had both drawn lines on each side, as if not wanting to cross it.
“No,” Eve replied. Her feelings were far from hate toward Vincent. She said, “Hate is a strong word, Mr. Moriarty. And I am not so petty as to overlook the help you have provided me. I am still grateful for it.” The look of craziness in his eyes softened.
Vincent watched Eve keep her eyes on him for a second before it lowered and looked outside the window.
When silence fell in the carriage again, Eve pursed her lips for some time. Contemplating if she should ask or stay quiet for the rest of the journey. But she decided to ask him,
“Why isn’t Lady Camille’s body being buried in Skellington town’s cemetery?”
“Marquee Hooke isn’t pleased by the news about his sister’s affair with a married man. You know how social status works. Not to mention, Mr. Walsh is younger to her,” Vincent said, and his words had Eve frown.
“They are vampires. Age shouldn’t matter.”
“You would be surprised that not many are as open minded with their thoughts as one would think. There are still a few of them, who stick to the old ways. The vampire families that come from an old bloodline, don’t like mixing and sullying their names,” Vincent explained.
Eve found it odd that a family member refused to bury their own blood in a respected place and would sever ties that easily. In truth, Lady Camille never had an affair and had died in her hands.
Noticing Eve thinking about what he said, Vincent commented, “There’s no need to feel sorry about what happened and how it happened.” If not for Eve, the vampiress would have died after a few hours. The only irksome part was that the woman had died before he could get a hold of her.
When the carriage arrived at the Council, Mr. Briggs pulled the horses’ reins and stopped the vehicle. Getting down from the driver’s seat, he opened the carriage door and informed,
“Master Vincent, the ground is filled with water all around because of last night’s rain.”
Vincent was the first one to step down from the carriage and didn’t seem bothered with his shoes turning muddy on its front and sides. He turned to Allie, who stared at the sloshy-muddy ground.
“Mother will be angry,” Allie whispered in worry. Her mother was particular about these things, keeping her clothes and shoes tidy.
“Now your shoes won’t get dirty,” Vincent said after picking his little sister in his arms from the carriage. Taking the opportunity of being close, the small vampiress circled her arms around his neck and hugged him. “You better keep in mind that this is a one-time thing.”
Allie nodded. But realising her kind governess was yet to step out of the carriage, she looked at the muddy ground and then at Eve. The little girl whispered,
“Brother Vincent, Ms. Barlow’s dress is going to get dirty.”
Vincent remarked, “Your governess isn’t in the mood to be carried.”
“Why not?” came the small voice from the little vampiress.
Eve gave a look to Vincent, who met her eyes with an incomprehensible expression there. She turned to the small vampiress and assured her, “That’s fine, Allie. I have never minded the mud much. I will get it cleaned after I get back home.”
She stepped out of the carriage and put her feet on the small stool Mr. Briggs had placed in front of the door. Standing on it reminded her of when Vincent had deliberately kicked it to make her fall, and he had caught her. Now that she looked at it, the memory appeared to be bittersweet.
Once Eve stepped foot on the ground, the hem of her dress was quick to soak with mud. She started to walk next to Vincent, leaving the carriage behind, while forgetting the flower in the vehicle she had brought for her mother’s grave.
_____________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 234 The right skeleton?
Vincent left Allie in Patton’s care in his office while he and Eve made their way to the room where the skeletons and the bodies were laid. When they were about to enter the room, Eve saw two men carrying one of the skeletons. Seeing Vincent, the men bowed their heads.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Moriarty,” one of the men greeted.
The man informed, “There was a delay in transferring the skeletons to the cemetery, as one of the families arrived and wanted to reconfirm if it was their lost family member.”
Vincent questioned, “Any luck?”
The man shook his head and left the room while Vincent and Eve stepped inside the large room. Eve’s legs froze when her eyes fell on Lady Camille’s body. She noticed the slow decomposition of the vampiress’s body, where the body had turned grey, chalk-like.
Vincent, who had walked a few steps ahead of her, turned to notice her stare at the dead vampiress. He snapped her out of her thoughts by saying, “This way.”
Eve looked away from the deceased woman and quickly followed Vincent. Soon she came to stand in front of three skeletons. Vincent said in a low voice,
“You can ignore the one on the right as I was the one to bury her.”
Out of the two skeletons, one on the left and the other in the middle, one of them was her mother, thought Eve to herself. Her blue eyes moved to look at them and the items that belonged to the deceased.
On the left table, where the first skeleton was placed, next to it was a ring. Eve wasn’t able to place it in her memory. On the second skeleton table, a pair of tattered shoes and a chain with a red stone.
Vincent questioned her, “Do you remember seeing this ring or chain on her?” Eve shook her head.
“I am not able to remember seeing them on her.” She was slightly heartbroken that she couldn’t recognise her mother, “These shoes… they are leather. Someone from middle or higher class…”
Vincent noticed the anguish in the mermaid’s eyes, trying to find her mother and a look of helplessness in her eyes. She picked up the ring to take a closer look at it. He stated,
“If your mother was killed by a person from high society, she must have dressed like one too. The men of high society spend on their mistresses’ clothes or shoes. I need you to remember what happened before your mother was killed. Was she with you the entire time, or did she return from her work.”
Eve stared at the skeleton before replying, “Returned from her work.” She remembered her mother putting her in the bathtub in worry after she came back to the room. She dropped the ring that she had earlier picked.
Then… it meant that the woman in the middle was her mother.
Eve heard Vincent say, “The man must have tried to get rid of her as quickly as possible, without changing anything.”
She stepped closer to the skeleton, and touched the chain with her fingers. Her hand reached out for her mother’s skeleton fingers, holding them and feeling a tightness in her chest. She whispered,
“I am sorry, mama.”
Because she was a mermaid, her human mother had to bear the consequences. There were times when she wished her mother would return, but even ghosts didn’t show up in the world that they lived in. Her mother had died while protecting her. She could finally bury her mother.
Vincent watched Eve’s eyes well up with tears, and she held them back. She looked sad as if abandoned by the world. He didn’t like seeing her like this. Knowing he was partly at fault, he tried to appease her,
“If you want to keep the chain as a reminder, you will need to wait until they start pushing the mud during the burial.”
A sad smile appeared on her lips, and she shook her head, “That’s fine. You have already done enough for me and I am indebted for the kindness you have shown me.”
Soon the two councilmen, who had carried one of the skeletons, returned to the room to take her mother and the two other unidentified skeletons to Darthmore’s local cemetery. When Eve turned, suddenly someone threw their hands around her, and an excited voice came,
“Eve! I am so glad to see you here!”
The hug felt familiar, and so did the voice.
The daughter of Marquee Hooke released Eve and offered a bright smile. Noticing Vincent, she offered the silver-haired vampire a slight bow before pulling Eve away from him. She whispered,
“You must be startled to see me here in Darthmore. Frankly, neither did I expect to visit this soon. I don’t know if you have heard about what happened to Aunt Camille? My poor aunt was murdered,” the vampiress continued to speak in one breath.
Eve tried to gather her thoughts before nodding, “I did. I heard about her death.”
“Mm,” Rosetta walked to one side of the room with Eve. She said, “When we received the news, we were shocked. But more than that, my parents were shocked that Aunt Camille was having an affair and that it came out in the open. I think it is because everyone mostly has an affair, but it’s always a secret. My father was angry and didn’t want to attend her funeral. But I told them I wanted to pay my respect to her and attend it. After all, if you think about it, she let me live with her and I was able to be friends with you and get to know others.”
Her chest grew heavy when she said, “I am sorry for your loss, Rosetta.”
The young vampiress shook her head, “Don’t be. It isn’t like you were the one who killed her. Mr. Walsh is the one who killed her and needs to be punished.”
When Rosetta put her hand around Eve’s arm, Eve glanced towards Vincent, who gave her a nod as if to follow the vampiress. As much as she would have liked not to depend on him, he was the only one she trusted.
“What are you doing here?” Rosetta asked Eve, when they started to walk towards the large room’s exit.
“I requested Mr. Moriarty to bring me here to pay my respect–“
“Aunt Camille’s soul will be pleased if she knew you were here to pay your respects to her,” Rosetta stated. She then turned to look at Eve and said, “You are a kind person, Eve. That is why you are my friend.”
Eve had killed Rosetta’s aunt, dug a grave and buried the vampiress.
Rosetta then said, “I am heading to the cemetery. You will ride with me, won’t you?”
Eve wanted to be there when the men from the Council buried her mother. She wondered why Vincent had actioned her to go with Rosetta. She offered a smile and replied, “I will. It is the least I can do for you.”
When they neared the door, they met up with Noah and Sylvester in front of them. Eve offered a small bow to the men. A look of surprise appeared on Noah’s face, and he said,
“I am surprised to see you here. Is everything okay?”
Eve smiled and replied, “I am accompanying Rosetta to the cemetery.”
.jpeg)
Noah’s eyebrows rose, but he nodded. The Inner Circle’s member’s eyes narrowed at Eve, as this was the second time he was seeing her. The first was during the hearing of what took place in Raven’s dungeon. Noticing the hem of her dress covered in dirt, he commented,
“I would have never expected for a human of low status to be associated with the members of high society. I guess accompanying Mr. Moriarty brings privileges?”
“It is as believable as the same air that you breathe that also the lowly human as myself breath. Something like that shouldn’t come as a surprise,” Eve politely replied to Sylvester’s words.
“For a woman like yourself, you seem to speak too freely. Don’t you know how to speak in front of a Duke or in front of a member of the Inner Circle?” Sylvester slightly glowered at her.
Noah smiled at Sylvester’s words and came to Eve’s aid, “Ms. Barlow is a very sought out governess. She may come from a low status, but she possesses qualities that surpasses women of high status too.”
Sylvester raised his hand for Noah to stop as he wanted the woman to speak. He didn’t like how this lowly human spoke to him a few seconds ago. In confidence, Eve responded,
“Duke Noah is right. It is because I am well taught and educated, that I do not weigh people on their status and position. Only the people who don’t have enough knowledge will give importance to such things. People are to be divided by their intentions and attitude, Sire.”
Sylvester sarcastically laughed before he said, “Somewhere your words are true, Miss… But you forget that this is the Council and we don’t live in a world with the same people. Hierarchy is something no one can escape or surpass. I am sure you already are aware of it.” He then loudly said, “It seems like your governess doesn’t know when to hold her tongue. It will result in it being sliced.”
Vincent, who was staring at one of the skeletons, smiled at Sylvester’s words. He responded,
“She is the governess of the Moriarty family, did you expect anything less from her?” Vincent turned to look at them, meeting the man with a thin moustache above his lips. “Considering how sound and sane she is, I doubt there would be an opportunity. Unless someone tries to make one, which I hope doesn’t happen for their own good,” he offered Sylvester a bright smile.
_______________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 235 Turmoil of the hearts
In Darthmore’s local cemetery, graves were dug, and the skeletons and the bodies were placed there. The Inner Circle’s member, with whom Eve had crossed paths earlier, had also arrived at the cemetery with Vincent.
She wondered if this was why Vincent had told her to accompany Rosetta, as it would look less suspicious if her mother’s murderer was keeping an eye on her. While her friend’s eyes were on her aunt’s body, Eve’s eyes were on her mother’s skeleton, where the men started to push the mud into the hollow ground.
Thankfully, the vampire from the Inner Circle left along with the others, heading back to the Council. Rosetta turned to Eve and said, “I will come to visit you soon, Eve.”
“Your parents wouldn’t mind?” Eve didn’t want to welcome another trouble when she was trying to close one.
Rosetta waved her hand, “Aunt Camille is no more there to write them a letter and someone will need to look after her mansion. The butler, the servants, so I will be in Skellington for a week or two.” The vampiress stepped forward and hugged Eve for more than two seconds before she said, “I am so happy that I have you here with me.”
“Me too,” Eve replied, offering a smile while not liking that she had to lie to her friend. But there wasn’t another option.
Before the vampiress could leave, she asked Eve in a whisper, “Did Vincent tell you anything?”
Eve frowned before shaking her head, “About what?”
Rosetta looked like a deer that had been caught before she said, “That-uh, we are not going to get married. You didn’t tell Lady Aubrey or Eugene, did you?”
Eve smiled, “No, I haven’t,” Rosetta’s anxious expression turned into relief.
Remembering Rosetta’s letter, she wanted to know about the heart she had mentioned. But revealing it would only let the vampires know that Lady Camille had visited the Moriarty mansion on the day of her death.
“Have a good day, Eve,” Rosetta said before leaving the cemetery with her coachman, who had followed her to the cemetery.
Soon, the cemetery turned almost deserted except for Eve and Vincent there.
She made her way to her mother’s grave while Vincent leaned against a headstone, pulling out a cigar and placing it between his teeth. Once he lit one end of it, he watched Eve turn to look at him.
Eve said, “I need to go to the carriage.”
“Not going to spend time with dear mother?” Vincent pushed himself to stand straight and started to walk towards where Eve stood.
When he got closer, she said, “I forgot the flower in the carriage.”
Vincent turned to look in the direction of where his carriage was and, at the same time, blew the smoke into the air through his lips. He questioned, “Did you pick a white rose in hopes to nullify what others have spoken about her?”
“Yes,” Eve replied, staring into his eyes when he turned to look at her.
“It must have lost its freshness by now, all dry without water,” Vincent brought the cigar back to his lips and took a drag from it.
Guessing his response, Eve said, “I would like to go back to the carriage to get it.”
“Such a waste of time,” he remarked, and Eve’s eyes hardened.
Eve didn’t know if he was purposefully being rude towards her to push her away. She replied, “I am not asking you to accompany me, I can do–“
Vincent pulled out a single stemmed white rose from the inside pocket of his overcoat and handed it to her. He said, “If you are doing something, do it right.”
She was left speechless.
The rose wasn’t the one she had plucked out from her garden, and it looked like a fresh rose that had been plucked only a few minutes ago. She stared at the flower and then met Vincent’s coppery-red eyes.
She knew, he warned her. It was only a while back they had exchanged words with each other about it, but why…
“Don’t like it?” Vincent questioned her as if ready to toss the flower. But Eve took it from him, and murmured,
“Thank you.”
She turned her back to him, while facing her mother’s grave and kneeled in front of it.
It didn’t matter how Vincent was with her, because her heart trembled when he was mean and trembled when he was kind. Now that her mother had been found and she was finally able to say her goodbyes properly, she wondered if it was time to quit working for the Moriarty family.
She knew her chances of survival were slim without the pureblooded vampire’s protection, but she wanted to protect her heart from him. Vincent had protected her from everyone but himself.
Eve placed the white rose on her mother’s grave, sitting there for several minutes and thankful that Vincent didn’t demand her to leave with him to go back to the Council. Noah, who was passing by the cemetery in his carriage, noticed Eve sitting in front of a grave and the vampire standing next to her.
A deep frown appeared on the Duke’s forehead at the sight in front of him. He then tore his gaze away from them, his eyes holding things for the girl he was not supposed to speak to and ordered his coachman, “Let’s go to Woodlock.”
Back in the Council’s building, Patton looked stressed. He had moved his eyes away from the young vampiress for less than ten seconds, and in that time, the vampiress had disappeared from his watch. Right now, he walked in the Council’s corridors, his head moving left and right. Exasperated, he muttered,
“Mr. Moriarty is going to skin me alive! Where did she go?!”
While one of the Moriarty siblings was at Darthmore’s local cemetery, and the second was lost somewhere in the Council’s building, at the same time, the third Moriarty sibling had stepped into the streets of the town that wasn’t hers and one she had never step foot on.
Marceline wore a shawl around her head to cover her hair and the sides of her face. She looked down upon the people who walked around her, and she clicked her teeth in distaste.
“Now,” the vampiress drawled, looking at the people, “Where do I start,” and a small sinister smile appeared on her lips.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
________________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 236 False cry of rumour
Author- Chapter 1 and 2 of this book has been turned into comic and posted on the ‘Webtoon’ app, if you want to look at it ^^ Thank you <3
—
With the pale-colored shawl covering Marceline’s head, which also hid the intricate embroidery around the collar of her dress, she slowly walked with careful steps, her dull red eyes searching for the right person. She entered the bustling market, and when she caught sight of a familiar face, she made her way to the man.
“Excuse me, do you know where Dawson’s house is?” Marceline inquired.
“If you take a right from the front, it comes three streets away from here,” replied the man, noticing the woman’s face peek through the covered shawl. He said, “Right now, there’s no one at Dawson’s house. What business do you have with them? I would be happy to pass the message, milady.”
The vampiress stared at the human, wondering if he could do the job she had in her mind. She had heard from one of her servants that he was interested in the lowly governess, and considering the lowly woman and man weren’t married, she could only guess that the woman had rejected him.
Marceline pursed her lips before she said, “This is something I have been told to relay personally to Ms. Barlow.”
Hearing Eve’s name, Mr. Humphrey’s eyebrows raised in curiosity, and he stated, “Ms. Barlow isn’t here right now, and she might return late–“
“As I thought,” Marceline murmured with a frown, which caught the man’s attention.
Mr. Humphrey felt like he had seen this woman before, but he couldn’t tell where and now that Eve was brought up, he decided to think about the latter.
“Is everything alright…?”
Marceline shook her head, “Nothing is alright. Not since that woman showed up to work as a governess in the mansion I work. My Mistress is upset and maybe it’s better I don’t speak about it with you.”
But Mr. Humphrey turned curious about what was going on about the woman he was so in love with and wanted to marry her. He looked left and right and lowly said, “You don’t have to worry about me, I am very good at keeping secrets,” he actioned locking his lips.
But that wasn’t what Marceline wanted, and internally she clicked her tongue in displeasure. She needed to provoke him, and just as the thought passed by her mind, a woman appeared at the place.
“Patrick!” It was Mrs. Humphrey who walked in haste to where her son stood.
When the woman reached where they stood, she demanded from her son, “Why aren’t you at work? I didn’t know you were going to drop by for lunch.”
Patrick Humphrey offered a tight smile to his mother, who stared at him for answers in confusion. He answered, “I decided to leave early. I am on vacation now.”
“Vacation?” Mrs. Humphrey’s eyebrows furrowed and she asked, “What for? Are we going somewhere?”
After seeing Eve off in the local carriage this morning, Mr. Humphrey had meant to go to Quintin’s mansion. But the elderly man at the local carriage, who had remarked to stop working for Quintin’s family, had gathered a few more people, which had ended up with him not being able to go to his work. He couldn’t afford to let his family or the people of his town know about what he had done.
On noticing a woman standing next to her son, Mrs. Humphrey looked at her and questioned, “Who is this, Patrick?”
Marceline watched the way the lowly woman continued to question her son in a shrill voice that made her wince. She said in a low voice, “I work for one of the reputed families in Skellington and am here to talk to Ms. Barlow. But it seems like I will have to come back later.”
Mrs. Humphrey’s eyes narrowed in curiosity, and asked, “Ms. Barlow and we are close. Most of us are in this town. I am sure you can tell us.”
Marceline noticed the glint of eagerness in the lowly woman’s eyes as if wanting to know more about the tea she wanted to spill. Seems like she had found a gossipmonger, and she shook her head before saying,
“I do not know how to tell you, but my Mistress’s marriage is at stake with my Master. Ms. Barlow has been… I don’t… I feel embarrassed just by talking about it.”
Patrick and his mother were taken aback before their suspicions were confirmed. Mrs. Humphrey knew that something was going on! Not to mention, Mrs. Edwards had told her quite clearly that Eve had different carriages, picking and dropping her home! As his mother, Patrick’s assumption came out to be true about last night, and he blurted,
“Was it because of last night?”
Mrs. Humphrey and Marceline turned to look at him, and the older woman questioned, “What happened last night?”
Patrick looked apprehensive about sharing the details. It was because he wanted Eve to be his wife; if they did marry, he would have to honour her reputation.
“Did my master meet her last night?” Marceline tried to throw a stone at the well to see the depth of it, and noticing the man’s expression, she couldn’t believe she had found a pot of gold here. Who knew that her demure and modest governess was actually doing things behind people’s backs. How interesting! She internally smiled at the thought of it.
“Patrick! How could you have not told me about this?! When did this happen?” Mrs. Humphrey demanded from her son with wide eyes.
“I wasn’t sure if what I saw was true,” Patrick said in a doubtful voice.
“How can you not be sure? Either you saw a man with Genevieve or didn’t,” his mother glared at him.
Patrick’s mind quickly raced at the thought that Eve was the only one who knew in this town that he worked for the Quintin’s. Now that her characterless character was out, he didn’t see a reason to take her side but save himself.
Not wanting to admit that he was drunk the previous night and had visited Eve’s house, he quickly covered by saying, “There was someone whom she met past midnight. It was in one of the streets here.”
Mrs. Humphrey scoffed at this, “I cannot believe that I was hoping to have a woman like her as my daughter-in-law. She behaves as if she is above us, not accepting your proposal and behaving immorally!”
Marceline watched the duo talk to each other, and she decided to blaze the fire she had started. She said,
“My Mistress had her doubts before she found out what this woman, who poses to be governess, did to my master. I am not one to gossip, but I came here so that this governess could stop working for us for good. I heard from another woman that she tried to do something similar with her husband too.”
Patrick couldn’t believe that Eve would do something so low. It seemed like she was rejecting his proposal only because she wouldn’t be able to earn money by sleeping with men. Right now, the very thought of her disgusted him. He would never marry a woman sleeping around, like a dirty piece of cloth being passed from one man to another.
Marceline covered one side of her face with her hand and expressed her sorrow, saying, “I don’t know how to save my Mistress’s marriage. They have a little son, who is no older than a year. Only if she could quit working in the mansion.”
Mrs. Humphrey’s face held a deep frown and he placed her hand on Marceline’s shoulder, making the vampiress grit her teeth in disgust. The older woman said,
“You don’t worry about it. Me and the other few respectable people of Meadow will make sure she will never step foot in your Mistress’s mansion or break anymore marriage. A woman of that character needs to be severely punished for adultery.”
Marceline took a step backwards so the lowly woman could drop her filthy hand from her shoulder. The vampiress looked at the mother and son and said,
“Thank you. My Mistress will be forever in debt for your kindness and for saving her marriage.”
As Marceline walked away from the duo, with her back facing them, she heard the human woman’s words,
“Genevieve has been throwing mud into our eyes, behaving as if she is innocent and pure, when this is the truth. A woman like her has not just brought shame to her family but our entire town! And one would think why Meadow isn’t as sought as the other towns,” harrumphed Mrs. Humphrey. “Let me see what to do about it.”
Hearing these words, Marceline smiled and walked towards the edge of the town, where her carriage was waiting for her.
She had fulfilled the purpose of coming here. Now it was time to wait. If there was one thing she knew, the ire and lack of respect of the society could chase one out of the town.
Patrick asked his mother, “We should inform Lady Aubrey about it and write–“
Mrs. Humphrey shook her head and said, “You won’t be doing anything as such.” Because Eve was educated, the woman looked down upon the Humphrey family. Mrs. Humphrey wanted to ensure this one was worth it and said, “I will be visiting Mrs. Edward’s house.”
_____________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 237 Feelings of subtlety
In Darthmore, Eve continued to kneel in front of her mother’s grave with feelings of turmoil in her heart and mind. Vincent had stepped away from her, watching her from a distance while he smoked his cigar instead of letting the smoke fall on her.
Her eyes were closed, her hands joined in prayer for her mother’s soul, while her delicate features appeared lonely. Earlier, when they reached the Council building, Vincent noticed that she had left the flower back in the carriage. Knowing how important this moment meant to her, he had ordered Patton to find a white rose.
The breeze that swept across the cemetery, gently wavered the fringes on Eve’s forehead and also the side pieces of her hair.
Once they returned to the Council building, they met Patton, and the man started to sweat bullets. The pureblooded vampire stared at his underling and stated,
“You lost her, didn’t you,” his tone was so unnerving that even Eve, who hadn’t realised it at first, felt chills run down her back.
Patton quickly bowed and tried to move his lips to speak, before the pureblooded vampire would put him in the grave. Nervously, he said, “I was telling her the number of rooms in the Council and about the garden you told me to visit earlier. I promise, I kept my eyes on her all the time, I don’t know how she disappeared so fast.”
Vincent rolled his eyes at Patton and took a step forward, placing his hand on the worried man’s shoulder with a smile, “There’s no reason for you to be scared, Patton.”
Patton gulped down the nervousness. He said, “I have been looking for her all around the building, but I haven’t been able to find her.”
“One can only hope that she’s alive and unharmed, right?”
At Vincent’s question, Patton started to sweat even more than before. He hoped the little vampiress had not been kidnapped! As if being blessed, Allie appeared from the other end of the corridor and next to her walked a person of her size. It was the head of the Council, Clayton.
Vincent asked Clayton, “Since when did you and my sister turn into playmates?”
Clayton’s eyes narrowed at the pureblooded vampire, and he replied through gritted teeth, “I was working on sealing the parchments when she appeared in my chambers. I had to pause my work to bring her back.”
“My apologies, sire!” Patton bowed at Clayton for forgiveness. “Mr. Moriarty ordered me to keep an eye on her, but she escaped from my sight.”
Clayton turned his stern gaze to Vincent and stated, “I would like to talk to you alone.”
Patton was the first one to bow and leave them alone. Vincent turned to Eve, meeting her blue eyes that stared back at him. Getting the hint, she said, “I will take Allie back to the carriage.”
Eve offered her hand to the little vampiress, who was quick to hold it with her small hand, and before they could leave, Allie turned to Clayton and said in a sweet voice,
“Bye bye, Clayton.”
The head of the Council raised his hand, which was between a wave and a sign of dismissal after his time had been interrupted. Vincent watched Eve and Allie leave the place, while Clayton shifted his gaze from the little girl who had made him play with the quills in his room before he wanted her off his hands.
Clayton noticed Vincent staring at the young woman. He said, “You both seem close.”
“We are friends,” Vincent turned his gaze back on the short vampire.
“Never knew you had friends,” Clayton didn’t mean to taunt, but it was a fact.
Knowing the tragedy that had taken place many years ago with the Moriarty family, Clayton had seen and known that Vincent had the habit of rubbing people in the wrong way, making it impossible for anyone to be his friend. The pureblooded vampire didn’t depend on anyone or didn’t let people depend on him. It was a lost concept, which was why Clayton was astonished at the fact that he kept this woman near him.
“Now you know,” Vincent’s eyes brightened, and he said, “All the unidentified bodies along with Marquee Hooke’s sister, Lady Camille have been buried. Was that what you wanted to know from me?”
Clayton’s lips set themselves in a thin line, and he responded, “That and also about the case that you have been working on. Some of the Inner Circle’s members are agitated about Fowler’s case. Especially after your remarks at them.”
A smile cracked upon Vincent’s lips, and he replied, “There is no need to be anxious if they aren’t involved in the case. Patton will hand you over the proof of the murderer.”
“Who is it?” Clayton asked Vincent.
“All the evidence pointed at Stoker,” Vincent revealed and Clayton frowned. “But it was only to divert it from the main culprit. Makes you question why take out Fowler first and then try to set up Stoker for it. Perhaps a secret that needs to be buried? You can ask Sylvester.”
“Sylvester?” Clayton’s eyes widened in question.
The proof had been tricky enough for anyone to believe that what was pointed at was the truth. But Vincent wasn’t any ordinary person in the Council. Being someone who had the ability to set up people for their misdeeds or people he wasn’t particularly fond of, he knew where the truth lay in cases like these.
“I will take a look at what your men have gathered and take a decision from there,” Clayton let Vincent know, who gave a nod.
Vincent responded, “Whatever you see fit. He might just be a small pawn.”
“Mm, it could be,” Clayton had his own doubts, but he had thought and hoped it to be otherwise.
“Anyways, I am done with my jobs here and need to go to Thresk Hills. I will be leaving,” Vincent informed the Head of the Council, who nodded.
“Okay. I will see you tomorrow,” Clayton replied, and when he continued staring at Vincent, the latter asked,
“Don’t tell me you have fallen for my little sister just because she is of your height,” Vincent’s eyes narrowed slightly while a crooked smile appeared on his lips.
Clayton’s eyes narrowed at the remark before it cooled down, and he said, “I was just thinking that you smile better now. The governess affects your mood in a good way.” For a boy, who was detached and incapable of caring for someone apart from his family, this was a change.
Hearing the Head of the Council’s words, the smile on Vincent’s lips didn’t leave, but the look in his eyes changed.
“She does, doesn’t she.” Seeing Vincent not deny his words, Clayton wasn’t sure if Vincent was being sarcastic or telling the truth. Vincent then said, “See you around, Clayton,” and walked away from there.
After a few minutes, Mr. Briggs rode the carriage through the forest. Eve stared outside the carriage, while this time it was Vincent who stared at her with his hand supporting his jaw.
As if tired, Eve leaned her head to the side of the carriage and closed her eyes.
Vincent noticed a piece of her golden blonde hair came to hover in front of her face, and she raised her hand to tuck it behind her ear. Though her side of the window was closed, the air from Allie’s side of the window ruffled the hair, pulling out the piece of Eve’s hair to come to bother her face again.
Lowering his right hand that was supporting his face, Vincent used it to close the window next to Allie.
________________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 238 Heart’s reflection
Music Recommendation: Watching Ulla- Alexandre Desplat
—
When the carriage returned to Skellington, Eve asked Mr. Briggs to stop the carriage near the local carriage stop of the town.
Mr. Briggs pulled the reins of the horses to stop it, and Eve stepped down from the carriage with her belongings. Before Mr. Briggs closed the carriage door, Allie said in a small voice,
“I will miss you.”
It was because Eve had an off day from her job the next day, allowing her to take time for herself. She offered a smile to the small vampiress, which had a hint of sadness as she said, “Me too, Allie. Please take care of yourself.” The small vampiress quickly nodded.
Eve’s eyes then fell on Vincent, who, like her hadn’t spared a word after getting into the carriage. His eyes met hers as if he had been watching her for quite some time. There was no humour in his eyes but a seriousness that she hadn’t expected to form between them.
It seemed like she had proven him right. A woman and man couldn’t always stay friends, as one of them was bound to like the other one day. It made her question why it was easy with Noah but not with Vincent.
She was thankful to him for finding her mother, letting her see her mother and bringing a rose back in the cemetery. She offered him a deep bow to appreciate his help and stepped away from the vehicle. The coachman closed the carriage door, climbed on the driver’s seat and rode the carriage into Skellington town.
When the local carriage arrived, Eve paid the fare for it and got inside, travelling with two other passengers back to Meadow. A day had passed since she confessed her feelings to Vincent, but she could feel the awkwardness between them, creating heaviness in her chest. She doubted these feelings would disappear anytime soon and wondered if it was feasible to work in the Moriarty mansion anymore.
Her eyes had sought to look at him the moment she had stepped into the Moriarty mansion this morning, and she doubted it would change. She would continue to look for him anxiously, while her feelings for him would only grow.
With her mother buried properly, Eve had nothing holding her back from this place. She could keep Lady Aubrey and Eugene from being exposed that they had been sheltering a mermaid all these years.
When the local carriage arrived at Meadow, Eve started to make her way toward her home. But when she walked through the streets, some women, who often greeted her with a smile, stared at her as if thinking something, making her wonder what had happened.
The rumour about her among the women had already started to spread, and a few watched Eve’s back as she walked past them.
One of the women whispered to another, “One would think she’s the epitome of purity and character?”
The woman next to the first one leaned in to whisper, “Did you hear about it too?” Her nose scrunched with disgust at the new information circulating for a few hours now. “I thought she wanted to be a governess which is why she decided to be a spinster, but who knew that the reason was far from it.”
The first woman clicked her teeth, “I have to agree to your words. It was only a few days ago when I was talking to my husband, and we wondered if she was a witch to not marry.”
“Witch?” The second woman raised her eyebrows and laughed, “She does look beautiful than any other in this town. We humans have a certain limit in appearance. But she’s been with Aubrey for so long, and Aubrey was once married, wasn’t she?”
“She was,” the first woman nodded, watching Eve disappear at the end of the street. The lady then looked at the other woman and said, “She is a witch because of her immoral deeds,” she shook her head in disappointment. She then continued, “Mrs. Humphrey was still willing to take the girl’s side after all these things, it’s a pity that Genevieve would refuse to marry Patrick.”
“Why would she, when she’s earning quick money from sleeping with different men? It was just a few days ago, when I saw this posh carriage arrive at noon to pick her up. The servant carried these baskets that appeared to look like gifts,” the women continued to whisper among themselves.
When Eve entered the gates of her house, she noticed Mrs. Edwards sitting outside the patio of her house with four apples that hadn’t been peeled. The woman’s eyes met hers before starting to peel the apple.
“Good evening, Mrs. Edwards,” Eve offered her greetings to her neighbour, who looked startled as if she hadn’t noticed Eve until now.
“Uh-good evening,” Mrs. Edwards responded while keenly looking at Eve’s appearance.
To Mrs. Edwards, the young woman looked tired as if someone had kept her up all night, which wasn’t completely untrue. She questioned Eve, “Has there been any news from your aunt?”
Eve shook her head, “Aunt Aubrey said she would be writing to me once she reaches halfway of the journey.”
“That seems quite a lot of time, hm,” Mrs. Edwards offered a small yet tight smile.
On seeing Eve enter the house, Mrs. Edwards dropped the apples to the side and quickly headed out to meet Mrs. Humphrey. Reaching the house, Mrs. Edwards knocked on the door, and the woman of the house opened it.
Mrs. Edwards informed the other woman, “Aubrey and the servant aren’t going to be coming back anytime soon.”
Then this was the right time to punish the adulterer, Mrs. Humphrey thought in her mind and said, “Keep an eye on her. I will take care of the rest.”
In Dawson’s residence, Eve got herself into the bath with the bath salts for the second time in a row. Because of the size of the bathtub, her translucent, feathery tail rested on the edge of the bathtub while her upper body was immersed under the water. She stared at the wooden ceiling, remembering the closeness she had shared with Vincent.
Last night, he was only a breath away from her, and now there was distance between them that she doubted could be reduced. Her feelings towards him had increased so much that it had ended up burying her, and it was hard to breathe without feeling an ache in her chest.
Eve placed her hand beneath the surface of the water, gently running her fingers as if trapped under the water.
Once she was out of the bathtub, she dressed and sat in front of her desk. She pulled a clean parchment from the drawer and a quill and ink bottle. For a few seconds, she stared at it before she started to write–
‘To Mr. Vincent Moriarty,
I would like to thank you for hiring me to be the governess of your little sister, Miss Allie Moriarty. It has been a great pleasure and opportunity to teach a precious girl like her, who has now exceeded her studies in such a short time.
Unfortunately, my time has come to leave the job for reasons you are already aware of. I hope you can accept my resignation as the governess of the Moriarty family. I have decided to move to Berkshire with the hope that I will get a job there. You gave me the job when no one else did, and like many other things, I cannot express how grateful I am for it. I will always be indebted to you, and if you could offer a letter of recommendation to me, I would appreciate it more. If not, I can understand.
Forgive me if I have made a mistake while I have worked for the Moriarty family.’
Eve stared at the last line of the letter. There were a lot of things that she wanted to tell him, that she would miss him terribly. She felt a moment of weakness, wondering if she should throw away the letter and continue working in the mansion. But that would only lead her to have unrequited feelings and may one day cause bitterness.
This was for the best. This way, she would carry only the good memories from here.
She signed at the end of the letter before folding it and pushing it inside an envelope.
_______________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 239 Packing for departure
The next day, the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds, leaving certain gloominess in and around the towns. Having not slept well the previous night, Eve stayed in her bed for a long time before getting out of it.
Walking near the table where she had placed the letter addressed to Vincent, she picked it up. This had to be sent today so the Moriarty family could start looking for a new governess.
Wearing a dull green coat around her body, Eve stepped out of the house along with the letter in her dress pocket. She looked for the postman, Mr. Fox, and when she finally caught him, the man bowed at her,
“Good morning, Mr. Fox. I was wondering if you will be delivering letters to Skellington today,” there was a hint of anxiousness when Eve asked him.
“Not today, Ms. Barlow. I will be going to Thresk Hills to deliver the packages and letters. Was it something urgent?” Mr. Fox asked, and Eve nodded.
“I was hoping to get a letter of mine delivered to the Moriarty mansion before this evening. But it’s okay if you aren’t going that way,” Eve smiled at the postman. Thresk Hills and Skellington were in the opposite direction, and she didn’t want to burden the man.
“How about I send my son to deliver it?” Mr. Fox proposed and asked, “It is only one letter, right?”
“You will?” Eve asked the man, and he nodded before offering her a smile.
“I would be happy to get your letter delivered, Ms. Barlow,” Mr. Fox answered. Eve pulled out the envelope, and handed it to the man. “My boy has a few errands to run in Hollow Valley. Dropping a letter on his way shouldn’t be much trouble.”
Eve bowed at the man, grateful she didn’t have to go to Skellington herself. When she put her hand in her pocket to pull out a shilling, the man shook his head and said,
“That won’t be required, Ms. Barlow. I do it for your kind heart,” offering a bow to her, the man walked away from there.
Once she was gone, Eve would miss the people in Meadow amid whom she had grown up. She would miss the streets, the shops and the other little things that she held close to her heart.
Taking a deep breath, Eve started to walk back towards home as she would have to start packing her clothes in the trunk. She didn’t know if leaving this place was the right choice, but she hoped it would be. After all, it had taken a lot of resolve for her to write that letter.
While Eve was lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the harsh eyes that fell on her, and they belonged to the townsfolk. Mr. Humphrey, who noticed Eve handing an envelope to the postman earlier, turned curious and tried to follow the man to take her letter. As he didn’t have another job, he had decided to keep an eye on the activities of the young woman who had tried to deceive him and the other people in Meadow.
Soon Mr. Humphrey arrived at Mr. Fox’s house, who looked surprised. The older one asked,
“Mr. Humphrey, what a pleasant surprise to see you here. How can I help you?”
Mr. Humphrey didn’t bother to greet the postman as he was beneath him. He demanded,
“Genevieve gave you an envelope. I need you to give it to me.”
“Ms. Barlow?” Mr. Fox was taken by surprise. “Does she not want to send the letter?”
Mr. Humphrey smiled, getting with the lie and nodded, “Yes. She changed her mind and wants the envelope back. Where is it?”
Patrick wondered what Eve must have sent out this early in the day and whom it was for. Even though the woman’s name was being sullied, it didn’t erase his feelings of wanting her. After all, he had harboured his thoughts of her being his wife one day for many years.
The postman turned in the direction where one of the carriages rode away a moment ago towards the edge of Meadow. Mr. Fox turned back to Mr. Humphrey and said, “My son left with it just two minutes ago.”
Mr. Humphrey didn’t wait to chat with the postman and quickly ran in the direction that led outside the town in hopes of catching the postman’s son, who had Eve’s letter. Seeing the young man run, Mr. Fox tried to stop him,
“Mr. Humphrey, wait!” But Mr. Humphrey didn’t hear him and disappeared from his sight. The postman sighed, “Where does he think he is going?” His son had climbed the local carriage when it was passing by earlier and hadn’t gone by foot.
Back in Dawson’s residence, Eve started packing her clothes and other belongings that she would need for her journey to Berkshire.
Right now, she stood in front of the open trunk, folding her clothes and placing them inside one after another.
She sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the wall as the feeling of heaviness grew in her chest. She wanted to apologise to Allie for quitting so suddenly.
A while later, Eve wondered if she should carry her bath salts. Carrying it would put her at ease from turning into her mermaid self, while it also worried her. There was no telling if someone would get their hands on it.
Between the thoughts of what to pack and not pack, her thoughts drifted back to Vincent. She wondered how he would react on receiving the letter of her resignation. Probably indifferent as he had no use of her blood anymore as he had decided not to drink from her.
While Eve’s thoughts were consumed by the pureblooded vampire, on the other hand, at the edge of Meadow town, Mr. Humphrey could be seen walking back after he had unsuccessfully chased after Eve’s letter. Tired, he stopped walking and placed his hands on his knees, huffing for air. A sheen of sweat had formed on his face before drops of the sweat dripping down his thick neck.
Upon reaching home, Mrs. Humphrey noticed her son drenched in sweat and quickly made it to where he was with a glass of water for him,
“Patrick! What happened to you?”
Patrick was tired from all his walking, and for a couple of good seconds, he didn’t answer his mother’s question, who only grew anxious.
“I…” Patrick took a deep breath and replied, “I walked for too long… looking for Fox’s son,” he paused again, “He had her envelope.”
Mrs. Humphrey said, “Tell me clearly again.”
“I was keeping an eye on Genevieve when I saw her hand this envelope to Fox. I think it was a letter.”
“What letter?” Mrs. Humphrey’s eyes narrowed, and her son shook his head. “You should have taken it from her! It should definitely be to one of the men she’s sleeping with,” she nodded to herself. “We have no control over what happens in high society, but that doesn’t mean we cannot do anything here. Let us not waste any time.”
“Yes, mother,” Mr. Humphrey nodded and as if on cue, he stepped out of the house.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!
________________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 240 Hands on the letter
The postman’s son arrived at the gates of the Moriarty mansion and was stopped by the guards. The young boy, who was no more than seventeen years in age, said,
“I have a letter for Mr. Moriarty. I was told to deliver it today, and if I add, urgently.
The boy peeked through the gap in the gates, looking at the magnificent mansion. But his view was blocked by one of the two guards, who stepped in front of him and said,
“Give it to me. It will be handed to Mr. Moriarty.”
The boy handed the letter, looking at the mansion again before leaving. The Moriarty guard made his way to the entrance of the mansion. Seeing one of the maids near the main door of the mansion, he said,
“A letter has come for Master Vincent.”
The maid took the letter from the guard. As Vincent wasn’t in the mansion at the moment, she decided to leave the letter in his room and started to make her way there. But on her way, Marceline stopped her and demanded,
“Where is the dress material I told one of you to get to my room?”
Marceline had a sneer on her face and was nowhere in a good mood. After praises about Anaya Chambers had spread on how excellent dress designer she was, most of the elite women in and out of Skellington couldn’t stop talking about her in the women’s tea party. Wanting to flourish her own name, the vampiress decided to surpass the she-wolf.
The maid bowed and replied, “Forgive me, milady. I didn’t hear about it.”
“Now you do. Go and see where the materials are so that I can start to work on it,” Marceline looked at the maid with disdain in her eyes. The maid looked torn between keeping the letter in Master Vincent’s room or following the young vampiress’s order. Marceline, who caught the letter, said, “Give that to me.”
The maid gave the envelope to Marceline and quickly left the corridor.
Marceline glared at the maid’s back and then looked at the envelope in her hand. Turning it around, she noticed it was for her brother Vincent. She murmured,
“Wonder if it is from the Council or maybe someone else.”
She contemplated looking at it, wondering if it was from a woman. But her brother didn’t like dealing with people in general. When she turned the envelope in her hand, the person’s address was missing and she used her sharp nail to open it.
“Lady Marceline, Lady Annalise has summoned you to her room,” one of the maids appeared at the same moment and bowed to the young vampiress.
Marceline stopped picking on the glued letter and questioned in an irritated voice, “What for?”
“I don’t know, milady,” the maid didn’t raise her head because she knew how Marceline didn’t like the servants looking her in the eye.
Marceline softly harrumphed and started to walk towards her mother’s room. Seemed like her mother had finally realised to pay attention to her, but a few steps forward, she paused and turned to the maid and ordered her,
“Keep this letter in Vince’s room.”
The maid took the letter, and on reaching the room, she placed it in Vincent’s room, on the side of his bed, before stepping out of the room.
On reaching her parents’ room, Marceline knocked on the door, “Mother, you wanted to see me?”
Lady Annalise sat in front of the long mirror, wearing her earring. She said, “Come in, Marcie. Word has it that you have taken an interest in learning to stitch. Is that true?”
The young vampiress smiled sweetly and replied, “That is true, mother. I thought to put my free time to good use.”
“Mm,” Lady Annalise responded, “You don’t have to do such things as our family has enough for you to order the seamstress to make whatever dress you want.” Since she had heard about Marceline’s demands on new cloth materials, it had taken the older vampiress by surprise, as Marceline wasn’t someone to participate in such things. She then continued, “The reason why I called you here is because Mr. Tomlinson’s son Horace, is here in town. Your father and I would like you to get to know the man. For marriage.”
The smile on Marceline’s lips faltered, and she softly laughed, “Marriage? I thought Vincent was going to marry first, and then I.”
“As you can see, Vincent is stalling when it comes to marriage. And just because he doesn’t get married doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. The Tomlinson’s family are prestigious, which you must already know,” Lady Annalise stated, but Marceline wasn’t ecstatic about it. It was as if someone had poured cold water on her head.
“Mother, I don’t–“
“I don’t want to hear a refusal, Marcie. I believe you will keep our reputation and not spoil it like your brother. I can hope for it, can’t I?” Lady Annalise turned away from the mirror she had been sitting in front of, meeting Marceline’s gaze. “Your father and I have already discussed it, and he agrees that right now Horace will be a good match.”
Marceline had her sights on someone else. A man she believed was hers, who was of better status and even looks. Internally, she couldn’t believe that something like this was happening to her now.
“You haven’t answered, Marcie,” Lady Annalise waited for the young vampiress’s reply.
“I will try to be hospitable towards him, mother,” Marceline offered a sweet smile, when in her mind, she decided to deflect this little hiccup in her way.
Away from the Viscount and Viscountess’ room, at the entrance of the mansion, Vincent had only arrived at the mansion. He walked through the halls and the stairs, making his way to his room. His face held a shadow as if he had been buried in the Council’s work for hours.
Vincent unbuttoned the cuff buttons, folding both the sleeves of his hands until his arm as he continued to walk. Entering his room, he removed his coat and threw it on the chair. He then walked towards the basin, cleaning his hands and splashing water on his face.
He walked to the bed and lay on his back. The whole night, he had been working with Clayton, as the head of the Council had called him to Darthmore regarding Fowler’s case. Sylvester, the member of the Inner Council was put behind the rusty iron bars of the dungeon in Darthmore this early in the morning.
Since yesterday, Vincent’s eyes had darkened because of the thirst for blood. His senses had started to shift to a darker side than usual while the thought of a young mermaid occupied his thoughts. When he closed his eyes, he remembered her golden blonde hair hovering in front of her face with wind wavering it. Her blue eyes meeting his eyes. Sometimes out of being grateful, or sometimes embarrassed, which she hid behind her glare.
Though Vincent had tried to draw a line with Eve to avoid hurting her further, yesterday, he couldn’t stop himself from not talking to her in the carriage. He had never bothered himself with others before, but it was different when it came to her.
Vincent clicked his tongue and remarked, “Always getting into trouble and making people worry.”
Though the pureblooded vampire had knowledge and experience about many things, seeing things in a different light than what people normally did, it was the first time a woman had frustrated him like this.
He sat upright on his bed before running his fingers through his thick lock of hair.
Vincent moved to the edge of the bed and his eyes fell on an envelope on the side table. He stretched his hand, picking up the envelope and turning it around. Tearing one side of the envelope, he pulled the letter out and started to read the contents written in it.
Soon the relaxed expression on Vincent’s face turned annoyed, and his eyes narrowed, ready to create a hole in the parchment letter. He glared at the parchment before crumpling it in his hand.
“How wilful, to think you can escape from me just like that.”
His jaw clenched at the thought of Eve leaving this place to move up North and not return. He wouldn’t allow it.
Crushing the letter into a ball, Vincent threw it in the dustbin. He picked up his overcoat from the chair and walked out of his room. Alfie, who had just appeared in the corridor to give his master his drink, opened his mouth, but noticing the intense glare closed his mouth.
Vincent ordered him, “Tell Briggs to prepare the carriage immediately.”
______________
NOTE: PHYSINEWS MEDIA WE RESPECT AUTHORS & CONTENT OWNERS WE MADE THIS POST TO ENTERTAIN EVERYONE DISCLAIMERS PLEASE ENTER HERE
--------------
∆∆∆∆∆∆
