Bab 21: Another sibling

Music Recommendation: Tea Later- Nathan Barr

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By the time Eve was done teaching Allie for the day, if it was possible, her stomach had started to digest even the air that she breathed. She had drunk more than five glasses of water to appease her stomach, but that hadn't stopped her stomach from growling in hunger. Instead, it did make her visit the bathroom.

"You did very well today, Miss Allie. Tomorrow let us do a little writing on what you learned today," Eve informed the little girl, and the only way she knew the girl was happy was from the girl's eyes that shone. Closing the book, Eve said, "I will see you tomorrow, Miss Allie. I will be taking my leave now," she offered the little girl a bow.

Eve picked up her lunchbox and stepped out of the room. She started to walk in the corridor when she noticed the little girl following her. She stopped and turned to ask the little one,

"Are you heading towards the entrance door too, Miss Allie?" The little girl quickly shook her head and even stopped walking. "If you are, I would be happy to accompany you."

The little girl didn't respond and only continued to stare at her. Eve smiled before carefully turning and walking. The youngest of the Moriarty family again started to walk behind Eve, but at a good distance.

Just when Eve was about to enter the hallways, someone called the little girl,

"There you are, Allie!"

Hearing someone's voice behind her, Eve turned and caught sight of a young woman who appeared to be around the same age as her.

The young woman wore a lilac and white coloured dress, which swept the clean floor of the corridor as she made her way toward Allie. Her black hair had been parted at the centre, and had been pinned at the back, letting the curls rest on one side of her delicate shoulder. She shared the same hazel eyes as Vincent Moriarty, but it held no luster in them and was dull compared to her beautiful face.

"I have been looking for you all over the mansion, and the maid told me you were in the piano room. But you weren't there either," the young woman's voice chimed, and she placed a hand on little Allie's shoulder with a smile.

But before the young woman could continue to speak to the little girl, sensing someone's presence in the corridor, she turned with a sharp look in her gaze, which was quick to soften.

"You must be the new governess, Miss Barlow," the young woman had a look of surprise on her face, and she smiled.

Eve returned the smile and bowed, "I am."

The young woman left Allie's side, coming to walk where Eve stood. She introduced herself, "We didn't get a chance to meet before. I am Marceline Moriarty. Allie's elder sister. I wasn't in town and returned only an hour ago."

How many children did Mr. Eduard Moriarty have? Eve questioned in her mind.

Eve nodded, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Marceline. I hope your journey back was peaceful," she said, being polite.

"It was wonderful. Have you been to Hollow Valley?" Asked Marceline, her voice sweet to listen to. Eve shook her head. Hollow Valley was similar to the town of Skellington when it came to its appearance and wealth. A look of surprise appeared on the young woman's face, and she remarked, "How strange that you haven't. Well, it is never too late. I hope Allie is behaving well with you?"

"Oh, she is," replied Eve, glancing at the little girl who didn't move an inch from where she stood. "It has been a delight to teach and help her learn. She's a good child."

"That she is," Marceline smiled, "She is after all a Moriarty. We have excellent manners."

Though outwardly Eve continued smiling, she didn't agree with the last sentence uttered by Lady Marceline.

Did the woman not live here to know about it?

"I should get going now, Lady Marceline, otherwise I might miss the local carriage for this hour," Eve informed. She was glad to see that apart from the little girl and the mansion's butler, there was another person in this mansion who appeared to be humble.

Eve looked for the umbrella that she had placed in the morning on the stand, which now was missing. Her eyes searched, to find it sitting in the corner and against the wall.

A male servant who stood at the door informed Eve, "The stand is only for the use of the family members and guests. Not for servants or any other person who works for the Moriarty family."

It looked like she would have to carry her umbrella further inside the mansion from tomorrow, thought Eve. She picked up the umbrella and smiled, "I will remember that. Thank you."

The servant looked slightly taken aback because of Eve's appearance. Though there were many women he had greeted in and out of the mansion, this woman held something special with how she elegantly carried herself.

But as if his thoughts jinxed her, when Eve just stepped out of the entrance door and turned around, the tip of her umbrella jabbed the wooden door, chipping a piece of the carving.

Both Eve and the servant guard's eyes widened by noticing the minor damage she had just caused.

Even little Allie, who stood with her sister Marceline, turned frozen, hearing the loud bump on the door. The pleasant smile that was on Marceline's lips was soon to fall. It wasn't just because of the expensive blackish-red wooden doors built two generations ago, even before her sibling was born. But because those doors had been carved by one of the finest craftsmen, who was now dead.

Eve nervously chuckled, "The mansion must be really old. I should get going," her feet quickly moved before another silver coin would be deducted from her next month's wage.

The servant guard turned to look at Lady Marceline as if not knowing what to do while she stared at the back of the new governess, who quickly dashed out from the front part of the mansion. In the meantime, the little girl ran back to her room.

Marceline turned on her heel, making her way through the corridors, while the back hem of her dress continued to sweep the floor.

The young woman's eyes moved left and right, looking at the corridor, before taking a left, and she entered the tea room, where Lady Annalise sat on the plush chair, accompanied by her brother, while they played a game of cards.

"Good evening, mother and Uncle Charles. I have returned from Hollow Valley," Marceline announced with a sweet smile on her lips.

"Welcome back, Marceline. How was your trip? Anything worthy to look at or hear about?" Inquired Lady Annalise, while a servant who stood next to them shuffled the cards in his hands before dividing them and placing a card each on Lady Annalise and Charles's side.

Marceline took a seat on the spare plush chair. She said,

"More than a dozen. The place swelled my eyes. Such beautiful ornaments that I have ever been fortunate to look at, but the tales were never ending. Did you know that Mrs. Hoult's daughter has run away with their servant?"

"I did hear a little about it. The poor misfortunes of Mrs. Hoult," responded Lady Annalise, picking up the three cards drawn out for her to hold. "This is what happens when a family doesn't distinguish between the upper and lower class of servants who are beneath us."

"The only miserable part was the weather there. So hot that I felt as if my skin would burn," stated Marceline. Her eyebrows scrunched together, and she turned to look at the man. "Uncle Charles, why do you smell like poultry?"

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Bab 22: A gift for birthday

Charles's hand that had picked up the cards slightly crumpled them.

"It is the governess's fault," came Charles's disgruntled voice.

"The new governess?" Marceline's eyebrows raised. "I thought she was quite nice."

Lady Annalise softly huffed and commented, "Your brother was the one who hired the woman, not me. He refuses to replace the current governess, when he clearly knows it is going to affect our reputation. He did this only to annoy me!"

"I believe brother Vincent is fully aware that doing something like that will also affect his reputation," replied Marceline.

"Your brother doesn't care about his reputation, and he's ready to burn ours along with his," Lady Annalise stated with a frustrated sigh.

"Speak to him, Marceline, and make him understand that this isn't funny."

Marceline licked her slightly dried lips and said, "I think you have a better chance of making him listen than I. Vincent doesn't listen to me. It would be more right to say that he doesn't listen to anyone but himself, which is never good company," she stared at the deck of cards that were placed on the table.

"You do not have to worry about it, sister," said Charles, looking up from the cards in his hand to look at Lady Annalise. "Leave it to me. I will take care of the matter."

"Don't act in haste, Charles," Lady Annalise warned, "Do you think Vincent will sit quietly and let you harm the governess?"

"What did Eduard have to say about it?" Questioned Charles while Lady Annalise placed her cards on the table to show.

"Eduard is pleased that Vincent took the initiative to find a governess for Allie. Though he isn't completely pleased with the woman's status," said Lady Annalise, and her eyes held annoyance. "We just have to wait for the governess to make a mistake, and it will be easier for us to kick her out."

Vincent was the firstborn of Viscount Eduard Moriarty, who grew up on his terms and had an innate skill to annoy people and do what he pleased. And when it came to her, he enjoyed pressing her buttons. Lady Annalise still remembered what happened in the past, during the initial years she had married Eduard.

One of the years in the past, Eduard had to leave to meet one of the Baron, and she had finished her bath. When she stepped out of the room, cockroaches crawled on the bedroom floor.

'AHHHH!' She screamed.

Lady Annalise was horrified, not because she was scared of the little insects but because they were dirty and ugly to look at. She wore her shoes quickly and stepped on them. But they were too many to kill, and one even flew and came to settle on her chest.

'AHHH! Why are there so many cockroaches here?!" She shouted and quickly dashed out of the bedroom. 'Maids! Guards!' She screamed for someone to come and clean the room.

Hearing light footsteps from the other side of the corridor, Lady Annalise turned and caught sight of the young boy with silver hair. He stood there, staring at her.

'Looks like my mother's ghost is not happy with you sharing her room,' the boy spoke in a tone of indifference.

'Is this your doing?' Lady Annalise demanded, anger bubbling in her veins for being treated this way.

The boy stared at her, and a smile pulled up on his serious face, enough to step on her nerves. He said, 'I heard cockroaches lay their eggs in women's hair. You should be careful,' saying this, he walked out from there.

Returning to the present, Lady Annalise clenched her teeth. She had tried to be as nice as possible, Vincent had always liked to irk her.

A servant stepped into the tearoom, pulling a trunk that belonged to Marceline. Marceline said, "I bought you something that will brighten your mood, mother."

The servant opened the trunk, and Marceline stood up from the chair. Walking to where the open trunk was, she pulled a red velvety cloth in her hand and turned to the servant, who had been waiting on Lady Annalise and Charles. She ordered the servant,

"Clear the table."

The servant immediately cleared the teapot and teacups from the table to make space for whatever Lady Marceline wanted to show. She placed the velvety cloth on the table before unwrapping it.

When the siblings' eyes fell on the necklace, Lady Annalise asked in disbelief, "Is this…"

Marceline nodded with a gleam in her eyes. She said, "The pearls aren't from oysters, but from mermaids."

"You don't say!" Lady Annalise's eyes took in the shiny pearls that shone under the softness of the light of the many candles in the room. "Where did you get these from?"

"I had mentioned it to Mr. Ambrose on my last visit to his store. And tipped him with a large bag of coins in advance," said Marceline, while Lady Annalise picked up the pearl necklace in her hand to observe it closely. "He said, it was the only piece he was able to get his hands on, and of course, it cost him quite a lot to bring it to Hollow Valley through the consignment, especially how in demand they are, not to mention almost extinct."

Lady Annalise turned the necklace in her hand, noticing the silvery shine the pearls held along with its creamy texture. The necklace did elate her deflated mood.

"It is a wonderful birthday gift, Marceline. Thank you for the gift. I will be sure to wear it on the next occasion where it is worthy," Lady Annalise praised Marceline, and the young woman beamed.

"I brought something for you too, Uncle Charles," said Marceline, and Charles raised his eyebrows.

"How thoughtful of you. Don't tell me it is mermaid's blood. It has been a while since I last tasted one," said Charles, watching Marceline pick a little box from the trunk and hand it to him. He opened the box and saw a simple looking quill with a black feather at its end.

"It has been more than a decade. These days it is very hard to find mermaids as they are hard to capture," replied Lady Annalise, placing the necklace on the velvety cloth. "When Eduard asked what I wanted for my birthday, I told him about the incomparable blood of the mermaids. He said he would see what he could do."

Marceline's mouth watered, and she said to Lady Annalise, "I hope you wouldn't mind if I take a few drops from it, mother."

"Of course, why wouldn't I share a few drops with my daughter," Lady Annalise smiled. Noticing Charles's blank expression, Marceline asked,

"Is it not to your liking, Uncle Charles?" Marceline tilted her head with a worried look on her face.

"It seems like you aren't well versed with the quality of quills, Marceline. The merchant must have fooled you," remarked Charles, closing the box.

Marceline held a thoughtful look, and she said sweetly, "Is that so? If I knew the governess was going to spill her food on you, I would have gotten you a scented soap."

A nerve ticked in Charles' jaw, but he hid it behind a smile. Lady Annalise said to Marceline, "Why don't you go and freshen yourself? The journey back from Hollow Valley must have tired you."

Marceline nodded, smiling back, she said, "Indeed it has been exhausting. I will see you later," she offered a polite bow and stepped out of the tea room. The young woman continued to walk in the corridor, her chin up and her nose high with pride. When she saw Vincent instructing the butler in one of the corridors, the smile on her face turned appeasing, and she made her way there.

"Brother Vincent! I missed you," Marceline greeted Vincent, who turned to her with a smile of his own.

"I wish I could say the same," said Vincent. Alfie bowed at both of them before rushing to continue his work. "Don't smile innocently, it doesn't suit you, sister."

The earlier deceitful smile disappeared from Marceline's face and was replaced with her true expression, "I saw you hired a village bumpkin for a governess. It hasn't even been a month since the last one."

"Mm. Isn't that precisely why one had to be hired?" hummed Vincent. He placed his hand on her head and said with a smirk, "Don't be shy if you need some guidance from the governess."

Marceline turned annoyed by his words, and before she could swat his hand away from her head, Vincent pulled his hand back and walked away from there.

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