Allure Of The Night

The next day, the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds, leaving certain gloominess in and around the towns. Having not slept well the previous night, Eve stayed in her bed for a long time before getting out of it.

Walking near the table where she had placed the letter addressed to Vincent, she picked it up. This had to be sent today so the Moriarty family could start looking for a new governess.

Wearing a dull green coat around her body, Eve stepped out of the house along with the letter in her dress pocket. She looked for the postman, Mr. Fox, and when she finally caught him, the man bowed at her,

“Good morning, Mr. Fox. I was wondering if you will be delivering letters to Skellington today,” there was a hint of anxiousness when Eve asked him.

“Not today, Ms. Barlow. I will be going to Thresk Hills to deliver the packages and letters. Was it something urgent?” Mr. Fox asked, and Eve nodded.

“I was hoping to get a letter of mine delivered to the Moriarty mansion before this evening. But it’s okay if you aren’t going that way,” Eve smiled at the postman. Thresk Hills and Skellington were in the opposite direction, and she didn’t want to burden the man.

“How about I send my son to deliver it?” Mr. Fox proposed and asked, “It is only one letter, right?”

“You will?” Eve asked the man, and he nodded before offering her a smile.

“I would be happy to get your letter delivered, Ms. Barlow,” Mr. Fox answered. Eve pulled out the envelope, and handed it to the man. “My boy has a few errands to run in Hollow Valley. Dropping a letter on his way shouldn’t be much trouble.”

Eve bowed at the man, grateful she didn’t have to go to Skellington herself. When she put her hand in her pocket to pull out a shilling, the man shook his head and said,

“That won’t be required, Ms. Barlow. I do it for your kind heart,” offering a bow to her, the man walked away from there.

Once she was gone, Eve would miss the people in Meadow amid whom she had grown up. She would miss the streets, the shops and the other little things that she held close to her heart.

Taking a deep breath, Eve started to walk back towards home as she would have to start packing her clothes in the trunk. She didn’t know if leaving this place was the right choice, but she hoped it would be. After all, it had taken a lot of resolve for her to write that letter.

While Eve was lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the harsh eyes that fell on her, and they belonged to the townsfolk. Mr. Humphrey, who noticed Eve handing an envelope to the postman earlier, turned curious and tried to follow the man to take her letter. As he didn’t have another job, he had decided to keep an eye on the activities of the young woman who had tried to deceive him and the other people in Meadow.

Soon Mr. Humphrey arrived at Mr. Fox’s house, who looked surprised. The older one asked,

“Mr. Humphrey, what a pleasant surprise to see you here. How can I help you?”

Mr. Humphrey didn’t bother to greet the postman as he was beneath him. He demanded,

“Genevieve gave you an envelope. I need you to give it to me.”

“Ms. Barlow?” Mr. Fox was taken by surprise. “Does she not want to send the letter?”

Mr. Humphrey smiled, getting with the lie and nodded, “Yes. She changed her mind and wants the envelope back. Where is it?”

Patrick wondered what Eve must have sent out this early in the day and whom it was for. Even though the woman’s name was being sullied, it didn’t erase his feelings of wanting her. After all, he had harboured his thoughts of her being his wife one day for many years.

The postman turned in the direction where one of the carriages rode away a moment ago towards the edge of Meadow. Mr. Fox turned back to Mr. Humphrey and said, “My son left with it just two minutes ago.”

Mr. Humphrey didn’t wait to chat with the postman and quickly ran in the direction that led outside the town in hopes of catching the postman’s son, who had Eve’s letter. Seeing the young man run, Mr. Fox tried to stop him,

“Mr. Humphrey, wait!” But Mr. Humphrey didn’t hear him and disappeared from his sight. The postman sighed, “Where does he think he is going?” His son had climbed the local carriage when it was passing by earlier and hadn’t gone by foot.

Back in Dawson’s residence, Eve started packing her clothes and other belongings that she would need for her journey to Berkshire.

Right now, she stood in front of the open trunk, folding her clothes and placing them inside one after another.

She sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the wall as the feeling of heaviness grew in her chest. She wanted to apologise to Allie for quitting so suddenly.

A while later, Eve wondered if she should carry her bath salts. Carrying it would put her at ease from turning into her mermaid self, while it also worried her. There was no telling if someone would get their hands on it.

Between the thoughts of what to pack and not pack, her thoughts drifted back to Vincent. She wondered how he would react on receiving the letter of her resignation. Probably indifferent as he had no use of her blood anymore as he had decided not to drink from her.

While Eve’s thoughts were consumed by the pureblooded vampire, on the other hand, at the edge of Meadow town, Mr. Humphrey could be seen walking back after he had unsuccessfully chased after Eve’s letter. Tired, he stopped walking and placed his hands on his knees, huffing for air. A sheen of sweat had formed on his face before drops of the sweat dripping down his thick neck.

Upon reaching home, Mrs. Humphrey noticed her son drenched in sweat and quickly made it to where he was with a glass of water for him,

“Patrick! What happened to you?”

Patrick was tired from all his walking, and for a couple of good seconds, he didn’t answer his mother’s question, who only grew anxious.

“I…” Patrick took a deep breath and replied, “I walked for too long… looking for Fox’s son,” he paused again, “He had her envelope.”

Mrs. Humphrey said, “Tell me clearly again.”

“I was keeping an eye on Genevieve when I saw her hand this envelope to Fox. I think it was a letter.”

“What letter?” Mrs. Humphrey’s eyes narrowed, and her son shook his head. “You should have taken it from her! It should definitely be to one of the men she’s sleeping with,” she nodded to herself. “We have no control over what happens in high society, but that doesn’t mean we cannot do anything here. Let us not waste any time.”

“Yes, mother,” Mr. Humphrey nodded and as if on cue, he stepped out of the house.