Chapter 17: Friction in the hallway
The following day, Eve woke up early to be on time. After climbing the stairs, she noticed Eugene having dark circles around his eyes.
"Good morning, Aunt Aubrey and Eugene," Eve greeted them. Noticing the slight frown on the older woman's forehead, she turned to Eugene and asked, "Did you find something about the Moriarty's?"
Eugene nodded his head. Upon Lady Aubrey's word, he had tried to dig out for information about Eve's new employer. He said,
"It wasn't much, milady. As Lady Aubrey mentioned, it seems that the Moriarty's don't like to mingle with people who belong to the middle and lower-class families. Which was why it was hard to get more information. I couldn't find anything more than what is already known."
It being the first family which belonged to the highest of the high society, it was hard to extract without getting caught as the higher family didn't like people snooping around in their business.
"The only thing I could come up with is that they have had a series of governesses but none of them have stuck around. They were turned away within weeks as the governesses were never up to their satisfaction," said Eugene.
Lady Aubrey stated, "It doesn't matter if they are humans or not, just beware of the danger. Also try to avoid bringing too much attention to you."
Eve nodded with a solemn look on her face, "I will do my best."
"I have packed your lunch box, Lady Eve," Eugene brought a square-shaped box covered and tied in a cloth.
Eve took it from him, "Thank you, Eugene. I will be going now," she informed them, giving a kiss to her aunt, and she stepped out of the house, heading to her new job.
When Eve reached the Moriarty mansion, she wasn't greeted by the butler at the front of the door. She hung her umbrella on the stand and started to walk down the hallways.
She caught sight of a woman closely being followed by a maid on her way. The woman was of average height and slender in her figure. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her maroon, silk made dress hugged her body. Pearls adorned her neck, and her brown hair was tied up, pinned to one side.
"What is taking her so long? Tell the seamstress that I need a similar one. The one she previously made was damaged," Eve heard the woman ordering her maid, who held her hands in front of her while keeping up with the woman's feet.
"Milady, I have already informed the seamstress, but she told me it took her a few months last time and she's occupied with other dresses. As you ordered for no similar dress to be made, there's no more material left," answered the maid.
"She made it before. She can do it again," the woman's voice held arrogance. "Unless she wishes for word to spread on how incompetent she has started to be."
As Eve and the woman crossed paths, Eve politely offered a slight bow to the woman. The woman halted her footsteps. The maid's body jerked as she tried to avoid crashing into the lady's back, which could result in her being kicked out of the mansion or worse.
"Where do you think you are going?" The woman demanded from Eve.
Eve was startled by the question, "I am the newly appointed governess, milady."
"To whom?" The woman's eyebrows knitted
"To Miss Allie," Eve's words were polite.
A chuckle escaped from the woman's lips, and she responded, "To Allie? How strange that I wasn't even aware that my daughter has been assigned to a governess."
Eve quickly bowed her head again and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Moriarty." The woman looked beautiful and fairly young to be a mother to a nine-year-old girl. But then, this was the case with every wealthy woman who didn't have to do household chores, as all they had to do was look pretty. "I was appointed yesterday by—"
"No," Mrs. Moriarty stopped her with a polite smile. "I never approved of such a thing. So you can leave. Now."
Eve frowned and said, "I have already been paid for this month's wage."
"Keep it as charity from us. Maybe you can buy a pair of decent shoes," Mrs. Moriarty's eyes fell on Eve's shoes, which were covered in dust and looked slightly worn out. "And who hired you?" The young woman might have a pretty face, but Mrs. Moriarty disapproved of this low-class woman being her daughter's governess.
"Your son. Mr. Vincent Moriarty," replied Eve.
The woman softly sighed before ordering, "There is no need for you to come here anymore. It would be well appreciated if you will see yourself out of this mansion."
But Eve was only hired yesterday, and she was desperate to work in this mansion. She tried to convince the woman, "If you have doubt on my skills as a governess, you can take a look—"
Mrs. Moriarty laughed, her laugh similar to the wind chimes, "For someone who is not able to follow a simple order, I don't think you are suitable as a governess. It looks like you have trouble following my words," she then ordered her maid, "Get Gorron. Tell him that we have an intruder in the mansion."
Eve's mouth fell open as she hadn't expected this turn of events. As this woman was the little girl's mother, arguing would be rude as she needed the job. But that didn't mean the woman could accuse her, and she would listen to it. She said,
"I would ask you to take back your words. If it weren't for the invitation letter that was sent to me, I wouldn't have even heard about this family."
"Well, that is obvious, isn't it? Considering your status is far beneath our feet, you would have never heard about us," Mrs. Moriarty ridiculed Eve, not liking the young woman's audacity who back answered her. The maid, who had been earlier standing next to the wealthy woman, had left her side to bring another servant to drag or push Eve out of the mansion.
"An early quarrel in the morning, just to soothe my eyes and ears. How delightful," Vincent Moriarty's remark came from the other end of the hallways.
Both the women turned to look at the silver-haired man as he walked to where they stood. His eyes lazily took in the two women standing in the middle of the hallway.
Mrs. Moriarty's eyes hardened, and she demanded from Vincent, "With whose permission did you think you could appoint a governess to Allie, who reeks of low-class?"
"Whose?" Vincent repeated the woman's word and then answered bluntly, "Mine, of course."
"You don't have the right when it comes to the decisions regarding Allie."
"That is where you are wrong, isn't it? Being Allie's big brother, it is my responsibility to see to it that she has someone guiding and helping her. Because someone else doesn't want to do it," Vincent offered a slight smile to the woman, and Eve could only sense the growing friction between the two family members.
"Are you trying to imply something, Vincent?" The woman's eyes flared, and she said, "No governess shall be entertained in here, not without my consent."
"I have already decided, and the matter isn't up for discussion," stated Vincent. He turned to look at Eve and ordered, "Miss Barlow, you are getting late for your job."
Eve was stuck between the glare that belonged to Mrs. Moriarty and then the cold yet annoyed stare of Vincent. God, where did she get stuck, she asked herself.
Seeing how she was already on the frying pan because of the two members of the Moriarty family, Eve quickly weighed which option was better for her. When Vincent's eyes narrowed further at her, Eve quickly left their side and headed towards the piano room.
Mrs. Moriarty glared at Eve's back before her eyes shifted to look at Vincent. In a low, threatening voice, she asked him, "How dare you to defy me? Don't think your father won't hear about it."
Vincent's lips curled, and he replied calmly, "Please do. It will save my breath on having to explain that Allie now has a governess."
"You think just because you are the eldest child of Moriarty, everything will always go according to your wish. But you should remember, Vincent, I am your mother," the woman reminded him.
"You don't have to remind me about that, mother. Unlike you, I don't have such a bad memory," Vincent responded. "Now, if we are done with the subject, I would like to be excused," he spoke in false politeness that only struck a nerve in the woman's head.
"Maybe it is a good idea to have a governess from a low-class family," Mrs. Moriarty finally agreed, adjusting the fur shawl that rested on her arm.
"Isn't that lovely that we see things eye to eye? Where would you find a family like ours?"
A small scoff escaped from the woman's lips. She said, "Indeed. Hiring a reputed governess would have only ended up with word spreading about what is wrong with Allie. It is better this way, before it brings in unnecessary shame to the family," saying this, she walked away from the hallway.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone