Eve wanted to get going, and if she left the mansion now, she would be able to catch the local carriage coming to pass by this town for this hour. But Lady Marceline had already started walking towards the closed double doors.
Marceline raised her hand, and a servant quickly approached near the doors and pushed them open for the ladies.
Having never gotten the opportunity to walk around every place inside the mansion, when Eve took a peek into the huge room, she noticed the maids in there working on making the place pretty with decorations. There were four big chandeliers in this huge hall and they were all brought down.
"Mother's birthday is going to be the grandest, and she's going to be very happy once she sees it," Marceline smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. "Come I will show you the other things," she said enthusiastically.
Realising she would miss this hour's local carriage, Eve didn't protest; instead, she followed Lady Marceline. Stepping out of the huge hall along with Lady Marceline which was still under preparation, Eve caught sight of four men carrying a big box. A man walked in the front, his hair black and his eyes olive green with a flicker of red.
"Good afternoon, Lady Marceline. I am here as I have promised you," said the dark-haired man with a wide smile on his lips.
"It is so good to see you here, Clayton," there was a gleam in Marceline's eyes, and her eyes shifted to look at the box, and she said, "I hope you brought my present the way I wanted it to be."
The man named Clayton stepped in front of Marceline and picked her hand before kissing the back of it. As he raised his head, he said, "Just as you asked and maybe in a much better condition. I have asked my men to bring a case for your gift. I hope you will be pleased to see it."
"Oh, I will be," Marceline replied, where she had a smile that could light up the place but with arrogance there. "I cannot tell how much I appreciate your efforts here, Clayton."
"Anything for you, milady. Your wish is my command," replied the man, who was a vampire.
The command here was only through the money that the pureblooded vampires held was what spoke and made people do their biddings.
Eve wondered what was inside the box and if it was something heavy. It seemed like Lady Marceline had arranged a gift to give Lady Annalise this evening. Being a governess, she doubted that she would need to bring any gift. Even if she was to bring one, she doubted that the lady would even take a look at it.
Marceline walked near the box and placed her hand on the side surface of the box. She turned to the man named Clayton and said, "I want you to be there until the present has been gifted to mother, Clayton. I wouldn't want any mishap by the servants and would like you to handle it with care until then. You are invited to the ball that way."
"It would be a pleasure to be attending the ball hosted by the Moriarty family, Lady Marceline" Clayton placed his hand on his chest.
Marceline then turned to look at Eve and said, "Ms. Barlow, you must be getting late as you will need to travel back and forth."
For a second Eve blinked, and she finally nodded, "Yes, you are right." She offered a quick bow and walked away from there.
Marceline and the man named Clayton stood there, looking at the human walk, the man asked, "Who was that hideous looking thing standing next to you?"Â
"Not someone of importance, just a human trying to behave kind," replied Marceline, while her eyes went back to look at the box with intrigue in them.
The man named Clayton scoffed before he said, "All humans are like that, aren't they? Trying to gain favours from a woman as kind as yourself."
"That's fine. I cannot help but pity such lowly creatures," murmured Marceline, and she then said, "Some even provide amusement. Don't you agree, Mr. Walker?"
"I sure do," he nodded in agreement.
Marceline eagerly anticipated the time of the ball because there were many things to look forward to. Firstly an expensive gift that she was going to give Annalise, and secondly the shoes and dress that Eve was going to wear this evening. Even if the girl chose not to wear the gown and wore something from her own dull wardrobe, the human would stick out like a sore thumb.
She ordered Mr. Clayton Walker, "Tell your men to take it inside. It is supposed to be a surprise and I wouldn't want people knowing what it is before I reveal it to them. And," she said to the man, pulling out a bag of coins and dropping it in his hand. "The remaining amount will be paid once I see it in my own eyes."
"As you please, Lady Marceline," replied Clayton, and he said to his men, "You heard the lady, we are taking it inside." The four men carried the box away from there, with the man leading it in the front.
Eve, who had left the mansion, had reached the local carriage stop thirty-five minutes before one was going to arrive and waited under her purple umbrella over her head. Though there were other personal carriages that rode past her, she didn't dare to ask for a lift.
Finally hopping on the local carriage, Eve returned home. As the minute hand in the pocket watch moved forward, the anxiousness started to build in her chest. The Moriarty family were a well-known family and their guests would be as grand as them. She didn't know how the evening would proceed, considering how she was someone not on par with the other guests.
"What has gotten you in such deep thought?" Questioned Aunt Aubrey, who noticed Eve standing at the dining table with a glass of water in her hand and staring into space.
Eve broke out of her thoughts and turned to meet Aunt Aubrey's eyes. She offered a smile and said, "I feel nervous."
"It is perfectly normal, Eve. Every man and woman's first ball is always filled with a mixture of emotions. Some eager, some nervous, some happy, and some who comes for food and sometimes sex," stated the older woman, and she gave Eve a knowing look. "What I want you to do is enjoy it. These things are something to remember and make memories. Who knows, you might find a gentleman in there, who might want to accompany you to the dance floor."
Eve wondered if she would have time to enjoy, considering how Lady Annalise had ordered her to take care of Allie.
"You remember what I taught you. If you feel you aren't as much as the person in front of you who tries to make you look small."
"Look straight in the eyes and they will not look anywhere else," replied Eve, and Aunt Aubrey nodded. But both of them knew it was easier said than done when there were going to be many people attending the ball. "Aunt Aubrey, can you help me today in getting ready?"
The old woman smiled, "I was going to help you even if you weren't going to ask. Let us get you ready to make it look like you are cut from the same cloth as them."
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