26 Brotherly affection
Music Recommendation: Mrs. Elton Arrives at Hartfield- Isobel Waller
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During that week and one of the mornings, when Eve neared the entrance of the Moriarty’s mansion, she caught sight of Lady Marceline standing outside with the guardsman.
“Such a simple rule and you forgot to follow it?” Questioned Lady Marceline while glaring down at the maid, who held fear in her eyes and bowed her head.
“Forgive me, Lady Marceline! I swear on my children to not repeat it again,” the maid’s words came out rushed, hoping her apology would be accepted and the young miss would not punish her.
When the maid looked up to meet Marceline’s eyes, the young miss sent a glare which was filled with anger. This made the maid quickly look at the ground, her shoulders slouched in fear and worry.
“Did you think you could use the passage that is not for lowly humans like yourself as you please?” Marceline questioned the maid, looking down at the woman, who belonged to the lowest of the low status.
“Please don’t kick me out. I have little children to feed,” the maid beseeched to Marceline, and she fell on her knees.
Marceline was going to say something when she heard footsteps not too far from where she stood. She turned and noticed it was the new governess.
When Eve’s eyes met Marceline, she offered a polite bow, and in return, the young miss of the mansion offered her a polite smile. Eve greeted her,
“Good morning, Lady Marceline.”
“Good morning, Miss Barlow,” Marceline chimed, and her eyes fell on the hideous looking umbrella that Eve held in her hand. “It is good to see you before time. I was doubtful if you would be showing up today.”
Eve turned slightly confused and asked, “Doubtful?”
“Yes. Because of the door that you chipped,” replied Marceline, her chin tilting up. Eve’s face turned slightly pale at the mention of the mishap that had taken place. She wondered if she would end up in debt where instead of earning, she would have to pay the Moriarty for the damage that she was possibly going to cause in the future.
The young miss then smiled, “Do not fret, Miss Barlow. I am a kind woman, and would not tattle-tale about it to anyone. After all, you didn’t do it out of purpose.”
Yet, Marceline had brought it up to remind her. Eve didn’t know if she was supposed to be wary or grateful.
Eve let out an internal sigh of relief, and she bowed in appreciation, “Thank you for your kindness, Lady Marceline.” At least she didn’t have to worry about losing her wage.
Marceline held a sweet smile on her lips. When Eve’s eyes fell on the maid, who knelt on the ground, Marceline’s eyebrows slightly rose before she ordered the guard, “Take the maid from here.” And she joined Eve by walking through the front entrance. “Did you have your breakfast?” She inquired while subtly eyeing the umbrella.
“I have, Lady Marceline. How about yourself?”
“I haven’t. I was hoping you could offer me your company at the dining table, but it looks like I will be eating by myself,” hummed Marceline, with a pleasant smile still stuck to her lips. She then commented, “It seems like you are scared of the rain.”
Hearing this, Eve gripped her umbrella, but her composed expression didn’t change, and she asked, “I love the rain, milady. Why do you say that?”
“You have been carrying your umbrella with you everyday, when there’s not a single sign of the rain,” responded Marceline.
“I guess it is a habit. When I was little, I used to fall sick quite often whenever I got drenched in the rain,” Eve explained to the young woman who accompanied her through the corridors.
“That must have been bothersome,” Marceline replied with concern and then she said, “I heard your aunt was a former governess to a Countess? You must feel very fortunate, being a step ahead of most governesses. Did you always want to be a governess?”
Eve smiled because where she had found fortune, she had been gifted with clumsiness to balance it.
“I think so. Aunt Aubrey has been someone I have looked up to as I grew up. I think it is a noble job to be a governess. To be able to shape children who are our future,” replied Eve. She wondered what kind of governesses did the Moriarty’s siblings have. Surely two different ones; while Marceline was polite, Vincent was arrogant, and the youngest girl was sweet. Before Marceline could question about her parents, Eve asked,
“Lady Marceline, did the previous governess and Miss Allie not get along?”
A soft chuckle escaped from Marceline’s lips, and she replied, “Why would you think that? Allie has been an utter doll to all her governesses until now.”
“I was hoping to understand what approach would be suitable to Miss Allie and what the previous governess used,” said Eve, and Marceline’s lips parted.
As they walked in the deserted corridor, Marceline then said,
“If you truly want to know, then I guess there’s no harm. Instead of teaching, the previous governess spent hours idly with just chit chat and didn’t understand how to draw line with Allie. Just because one is governess, one shouldn’t dare to think they can do what they please. The governess was fired from the job, to never return to work here again.”
Eve frowned at Lady Marceline’s words.
Outside the mansion, the guard had pulled the maid and pushed her outside the mansion’s gates. He said, “Don’t show up here again.”
“No!” The maid’s eyes turned wide, and tears filled in her eyes. Standing on the other side of the gate, she folded her hands and begged, “Please, I won’t repeat my mistake. I will not enter the mansion from the front side, please don’t fire me!”
“Create commotion, and you will not see the sunrise again,” glared the man. The guard turned around and walked away, leaving the maid there, who continued to cry.
Back in the mansion’s corridors, Marceline accompanied Eve until Vincent showed up with the mansion’s butler, Alfie, following behind him.
“Looks like the sun rose from the West today, Alfie,” remarked Vincent with astonishment on his face, which he didn’t mean as his lips soon curled.
The butler bowed at the two women in the corridor.
“Don’t tell me that you find it to be wrong, me walking with our governess,” Marceline retorted at her brother’s sarcastic words.
“How could I, it is only right that you walk with her as you are her new student along with Allie. I never knew you would heed to my words this quickly,” commented Vincent, and the sweet appearance that Marceline carried slightly cracked.
Marceline smiled and said, “I was only walking with Miss Barlow as I was going in the same direction.”
“To the piano room?” Vincent raised one of his eyebrows.
“No, to get a book from the library that is situated on the same floor. But I just remembered I have something else to do. And not to forget, brother, I have already finished my time with the governess,” replied Marceline, gritting her teeth. The young woman then added, “Maybe it would benefit you more.”
It seemed like Vincent didn’t even spare his sister when it came to pushing people’s buttons for his amusement, thought Eve.
“Are you sure about it?” Hummed Vincent. Then he said, “The last time I checked, spending hours with the governesses wasn’t of much help to you. My adorable slow sister.”
Marceline glared at Vincent but didn’t stop smiling. She said, “Maybe if you attended the classes you would have known. But you were never there. I have other things to do that feed your entertainment.” She then turned to look at Eve and, with a smile, said, “I will see you later, Miss Barlow.”
Eve nodded, watching the woman walk away from there.
“Make sure Marceline reaches her room safely, Alfie I don’t want her getting lost,” Vincent ordered the butler, who was quick to comply and leave his master alone with the governess. He then explained to Eve, “I have only two sisters and I cannot help but worry about them.”
But something told Eve that this was not entirely true, at least not by the expression on Vincent’s face.