Eve apologetically looked at Marceline for spewing her tea on the vampiress's expensive dress, which was light-coloured. Though the lady didn't scold her for ruining her dress, she could tell the vampiress tried not to look upset with her.
"I am extremely sorry for that," Eve apologised to Marceline, who had frozen for a moment.
"It's... It's alright. It isn't like you did it on purpose," said Marceline, while her red eyes met Eve's blue eyes in slight suspicion. When the useless human went to offer her the handkerchief, the vampiress refused, "That's fine. I have to change my dress in a few minutes. The maid will remove the stain after that."
Eve had not meant for it to happen, and she internally cursed. It was one thing to spill tea from the cup and a whole different thing to spray it from her mouth.
As if not wanting to drink the tea anymore, Marceline placed the teacup on her side, and Eve did the same as she didn't want to cause another mishap.
Marceline politely smiled and continued with her earlier words, "As I was saying earlier, is there something going on between you and my brother?"
"He is my employer, and I work here as Miss Allie's governess," Eve didn't understand why everyone was so keen on knowing what was happening between her and Vincent when nothing was happening.
The vampiress didn't look convinced and said, "I know you both are hiding a secret from everyone else. You do not have to hide it from me, I am a very good secret keeper. I saw you and he leave the ballroom that night, and I found it to be quite strange that Vincent, who loves blood, would leave the mermaid I bought to the mansion without tasting it once."
Marceline's words had Eve sweat a little.
Eve asked, "Master Vincent was only helping me with a little injury of mine."
"Injury?" Marceline behaved oblivious about the shard of glass she had placed for Eve to step on. Eve gave her a nod.
"I know I shouldn't say this, but I find it quite strange that my brother who doesn't like to get involved with anyone, especially their problems, would help you. He's never refused blood. Did he drink from you?" Marceline's words were direct, and Eve didn't know if she should refuse or agree.
And though Eve didn't utter a word, Marceline realised her brother had drank this human's blood.
"Is that what you wanted to know, Lady Marceline?" Eve wanted to leave the mansion as quickly as possible, but Marceline wasn't done talking to her.
"No," Marceline continued to smile while saying, "I know my brother the best, and if he didn't drink blood from a possible human who was near him, that wouldn't be him," the vampiress placed her hand on Eve's hand that was resting on the bench to comfort her.
It would have been astonishing if her brother hadn't taken a bite from the human yet working for them for so long. Though Marceline and her brother didn't get along the way she wanted to, at the same time, she didn't want her brother to be having any feelings towards this lowly woman.
But the words that came from Marceline's mouth was, "I wanted to know if you and my brother did something more than just give and take blood," her eyes curiously looked at Eve's expressions.
"What more is there to do?" Eve couldn't remember for her life what else she and Vincent had done except bicker with each other. Having never considered Vincent in a romantic way, Eve's thoughts never crossed in the direction Marceline was talking.
Marceline didn't know if this governess was purposely behaving to be dumb about what she just asked. She lowered her voice, "If he's taken you to his bedroom."
Eve was glad that she hadn't taken another sip of tea, else, this time, she would have sprayed the tea straight at Marceline's face. She cleared her throat and replied, "No, he hasn't, Lady Marceline."
"Please don't take me wrong. If you both are in love, I will be more than happy to support the relationship. We would be sisters then," Marceline's smile seemed so genuine that even Eve failed to see what was going on. The vampiress continued, "I tell you this only because we are close and you are a good person. My brother has never taken any women to the dance floor, even if he has, women have come crying from there. My brother has broken quite a lot of women's hearts, and I would be upset if he did the same to you."
"I assure you, Lady Marceline, that is the last thing you need to worry about. I mean, Master Vincent is only my employer and nothing more than that," Eve wondered if today was the day of awkwardness.
"You aren't attracted to him?" This time Marceline's question appeared as if Eve was indirectly telling her that Vincent was bad to look at.
"I am sure the average woman would find him attractive, but no, he isn't the man for me," Eve pulled out her hand beneath Marceline's hand and waved it in front of her.
"Then have you found someone already?" Marceline's eyes turned bright in question.
"No, I don't have my sights on anyone. Right now my focus is my job as a governess," Eve cleared the vampiress's doubts.
Marceline felt at ease, believing this human was as miserable as her by not having any man next to her. The vampiress wasn't fond of humans, but she liked to humour and show them where they belonged, which was beneath her. She didn't want Eve to be part of her family, nor did she want Eve to pursue Noah Sullivan.
Though Marceline had been careful, she slipped when she said, "How unfortunate, I hope you will find a person to live your life with. I was hoping that you would join Noah and I along with the person you plan to court for a good meal."
Eve stared right into Marceline's eyes for a good two seconds, she didn't respond, that had the vampiress blink at her. Eve then said,
"I didn't know you and Noah are together."
"We are," the smile on Marceline's lips were sweeter than the berries in the Winter. "Why? Do you find it surprising?" She asked Eve.
Eve calmly said, "It is because the Duke is courting Lady Anaya Chambers."
This was enough for the smile on Marceline's disappear, appearing as if she had swallowed something sour. A soft laugh escaped from the wealthy vampiress's lips, and she said,
"I don't think I have heard about this. Are you sure you haven't mistaken it? The Duke and I have been exchanging letters, and he has been sending me gifts," Marceline turned to one side of the inner garden and said, "Do you see those flowers that are white in colour? He said he found me as pure as them."
Eve knew Noah longer than she knew Marceline, which was why she knew Noah would never promise two women at a time.
Marceline suddenly turned upset, and she covered her face with her hands. When she pulled her hands away, the vampiress had unshed tears in her eyes, and she whispered,
"I cannot believe that this is happening. I thought he liked me, and there's another woman."
Unprepared for Marceline's tears, where the rim of her eyes quickly turned red along with her nose, Eve gently patted Marceline's back and tried to console her,
"It must be a misunderstanding from my side."
"No wonder I didn't receive any response from him today" Marceline took a deep breath. "If I ask, it might seem desperate. Can you ask him to meet me?"
Marceline had cornered Eve with her request, and Eve nodded, "I will see what I can do, Lady Marceline. Please don't be sad."
Eve watched Marceline softly sniffle before wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes. Somewhere she couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman, after all, she had gone through the same loss as Vincent.
Marceline said, "Don't tell him I told you anything. Who knows if he might come to dislike that I discussed him with another person."
The Moriarty's butler, who had come to call Ms. Barlow, his eyebrows went up. They would have disappeared behind his hairline after witnessing Lady Marceline sitting next to the governess and crying. Because it was Lady Marceline, who made others cry and not the other way round.
It seemed like Ms. Barlow was indeed not just special but great. Alfie thought it because he had received his fair share of scoldings from his young mistress.
He cleared his throat and informed, "Ms. Barlow, Master Vincent has told you to meet him before you leave."
Eve gave him a nod, and Alfie left the place.
Marceline whispered to Eve, "Thank you so much, Ms. Barlow. You are a good person."
When Eve walked away from there, the pitiful expression on Marceline's face changed, and her face turned blank.
Comments