Allure Of The Night

With the time of night came the memory of darkness from the past. Crawling near her and into her mind as she continued to sleep.

Eve’s dream took her back to when she was small and was in the meadow with her mother.

‘Mama! Mama! Look what I found!’ Came Eve’s bubbly voice while she squatted down on the ground.

‘What is it, dear?’ Asked her mother, who was plucking flowers. Seeing Eve not move, she finally made her way through the long stalks of the grass, one hand holding the flowers and the other holding the front of her dress.

Eve’s cheeks had turned pink out of happiness, and her blue eyes danced in joy’ as she stared at her hand that she hadn’t moved since the last minute.

‘Oh my, look what you have there!’ Her mother looked surprised, watching a butterfly sitting on little Eve’s palm.

The butterfly moved its wings gently as if ready to fly with the slightest movement around it. The butterfly’s wings started deep blue before turning lighter as it moved to the ends of its wings, which had a smudgy black outline.

‘Isn’t it pretty, mama!’ came Little Eve’s excited voice as she continued looking at it. When the butterfly flew away a few seconds later, the little girl turned to look at her mother, who stood there with a blank expression on her face. ‘Mama…?’

A hole started to form in her mother’s chest, and it widened. Bigger and bigger with every passing second, blood began to stain her mother’s clothes.

‘Mama?… Mama!’ Little Eve cried, but her mother continued standing there unresponsive to her cries before falling. ‘MAMAA!’

A gasp escaped from Eve’s lips. Her eyes opened, and looked at the ceiling in the dark, and sweat covered her forehead. She sat up on the bed, feeling something cool on her cheek. She touched it to find it wet.

Even after years, the pain that was caused by her mother’s death continued lingering in her heart. She missed her mother terribly. And if there was one thing she wished she could do in the past, it was to bury her mother with respect, something the people of this and the other towns had been incapable of doing.

She hadn’t got to say goodbye to the person she loved the most in this world. Who was her world. It was because of a man, and she didn’t remember who it was. She had no recollection of the name or the face. Everything from that memory had been wiped only to be filled with the blood that belonged to her mother. Her heart clenched.

Next morning when the sun rose in the sky, the streets of the Meadow town were back to their usual hustle and bustle. Eugene stepped out of the humble house, ready to go to the market to fetch milk and newspaper when he heard footsteps approaching from behind him.

“Lady Eve, good morning. Do you have another interview today?” He inquired, but the lady hadn’t been dressed like yesterday.

“Good morning, Eugene. If only that was the case, but no,” replied Eve, and she closed the main door behind her. “I am going to accompany you to the market.”

Eugene nodded, “Very well then.”

Some of the town folks offered them their morning greetings by slightly bowing their heads, and Eve and Eugene returned it by doing the same.

“Achoo!” Eugene sneezed into his handkerchief.

“Bless you. Did you catch a cold?” Asked Eve, turning her head, she saw Eugene scrunch his nose and shake his head.

“I hope not, milady. I have to take Lady Aubrey and you to Grandmore’s house this afternoon, as the Grandmore’s have invited you both for lunch,” answered Eugene, blinking his eyes a couple of times. “I am glad that you didn’t catch a fever.”

“I don’t remember when was the last time I caught a cold,” replied Eve with a subtle frown on her face.

“Oh, I do. When you were little, you,” Eugene paused for a moment before sneezing again, and he continued, “You fell severely ill, and the physician who came to look at you told us that you were on the verge of your death. It had Lady Aubrey very worried, of course, I was very worried too. You were so little,” he gestured with his hand to show how small she was. “So sweet and adorable.”

Eve chuckled, seeing Eugene remember the first time she had come to live in Dawson’s residence. While Lady Aubrey was the one who taught Eve the etiquettes of society, Eugene had become Eve’s friend.

“Once we return home, I will make you a warm chamomile tea and you will feel better soon,” said Eve because the man had always been susceptible to cold.

“That is very kind of you, Lady Eve,” Eugene was touched by just Eve’s thought.

On noticing the newspaper stall, Eve quickly walked up to the vendor and handed five shillings to him.

“Have a good day, milady,” wished the man, handing the newspaper, and Eve nodded before she muttered to herself,

“I can only hope for one.”

Eve went through the front page, the next page, and the one after that until she reached the last page while her eyes scanned the headlines of every news. A relieved sigh escaped from her lips. There was not a whisper written about her slapping Mr. Walsh, and she raised both her arms towards the sky.

“Yes!” Her happiness startled an older woman walking past the stall, who passed her a glare as if Eve had tried to give her a heart attack.

Eve turned to the vendor and said, “A very good day to you too, Sir!”

“It seems like the wealthy family decided to hush the matter without wanting anyone to know what happened,” remarked Eugene. “That doesn’t mean word hasn’t reached people, milady.”

That was true, thought Eve to herself. Instead of blowing up everywhere, the matter was handled better than she thought it would be, where she could have turned infamous overnight. Though by Mr. Walsh’s words, she should have known that he wouldn’t want anyone questioning why he was slapped.

“Hopefully people will forget it, once they hear another scandalous news. And then I can go back to visiting houses for the job,” Eve hadn’t brought her purple umbrella as she believed it wouldn’t rain this morning. “Look, we already have one here.”

“What does it say, milady?” Asked Eugene as they continued to walk.

Eve held the paper in both her hands and read, “It is found that Mrs. Lawnder, who has been actively looking for a bride for her bachelor son, isn’t so bachelor. Her son fathered a boy with their maid, who was sent to live in the countryside.”

“Poor maid,” Eugene pitted the woman. “I guess that does overshadow what happened with you and the person.”

A few days passed, and in those days, Eve received two letters from the families. It were letters that were sugar coated on how they had found their governess and wouldn’t be needing her to come pay them a visit. The people in the Dawson’s residence could only come to conclude that the families had heard about what Eve did in Skellington town.

One late morning, Eugene was watering the plants at the front of the house. Humming and singing to himself, when Lady Aubrey stepped out of the house and asked him,

“Eugene, do you remember where the ribbons have been placed? We need to wrap a present.”

“It should be in the back drawers, milady,” replied Eugene.

“It isn’t there. I think we ran out of ribbons,” said Eve, who stepped out of the house and stood next to Lady Aubrey.

“I am sure I saw the blue one last week. Please, let me take a look,” Eugene placed the water can on the ground and stepped inside with Lady Aubrey.

Eve walked to where the water can was, ready to water the plants, when someone clinked the gate’s latch. It was the mailman who had arrived at the front of the gate.

She signed and took the letter from the man, wondering if it was for Lady Aubrey. But it was addressed to her. Turning the letter in her hand, she read who it was from.

“Moriarty?” She didn’t remember applying to be governess to this family.