321 Subtle warning
Music Recommendation: Gehenna- Thomas Newman
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It was only the time near noon, when one of the councilmen arrived at the Moriarty mansion with a scroll of parchment in his hand. Lunch was being set up in the dining room, and on hearing the sound of the carriage pulled in front of the mansion’s entrance, Eve who was passing by there appeared in the hallways to see if Vincent had arrived home.
The councilman was greeted by Alfie, who offered the man a bow. The councilman informed, “Is Lady Marceline Moriarty present in the mansion? There is something important I would like to talk to her about.”
Alfie shook his head, “Lady Marceline isn’t here as she left the mansion early this morning. Is there something you would like me to relay to her about?” the butler politely asked the person.
The councilman was none other than the person who was handling Lady Camille’s murder case, and he was displeased by the butler’s response. Byron said, “I would like to sit here and wait until she arrives. Or if you can tell me where she went, I will meet her directly there to save time.”
“Unfortunately, Lady Marceline didn’t inform where she was going when she left the mansion. Forgive me for not being able to be helpful. Maybe you would like to speak to the Viscount?” The butler suggested, and Eve, who was at the other end of the hallways made her way to where they were.
“Is everything alright?” Eve asked Alfie, as the councilman appeared hostile and not in the mood to leave the place.
The butler smiled at her, “Yes, milady. This man here is looking for Lady Marceline.”
The councilman refused the butler’s suggestion and said, “My business here is with Lady Marceline. I will wait for her until she arrives. Also, I would like to inform that Vincent Moriarty is now facing interrogation and temporarily placed in the dungeon under the suspect of Lady Camille Wright’s murder. Enough proof has been submitted on this matter to the Head Council.”
“What?” Eve whispered in shock, and the butler was taken aback too. “When did this happen?”
“Just an hour ago. Before I left Darthmore,” the councilman named Bryon, responded to Eve’s question, “I think instead of sitting down and waiting for Lady Marceline, I would like to question something with the people here who failed to answer the truth earlier. I would like to start with you, the butler.”
Eve couldn’t believe that Vincent was put in the dungeon, and she said to Alfie, “I will go visit Darthmore.”
“Wait a minute, Miss…” the councilman stopped Eve.
“Ms. Barlow. Genevieve Barlow,” Eve said her name.
“Ms. Barlow, I am a councilman. Hatice Byron. I have a few questions for you, I would appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes of yours to answer the questions?”
Eve gave him a nod, “Okay.”
“Let me lead you to the drawing room,” Alfie led the councilman and Eve to the room. And once they reached the room, he hurried out of there to inform the Viscount about the councilman’s presence and his master’s current situation.
Once Eve and the councilman entered the place, she gestured to the person towards the couch, “Please take a seat,” and took one herself. “What would you like to know?” She asked him, while all she wanted to do right now was to see how Vincent was doing.
Byron took a seat, leaning his back against the couch, while locking his fingers. He said, “I am sure you have already answered it before, but it seems that there were some loose ends. Did you by any chance see Lady Camille the day she went missing?”
Eve shook her head, “No, I didn’t.”
“Are you sure about it?” Byron repeated the question, his light red eyes staring into her blue eyes.
“Like I mentioned earlier, I didn’t. My work here has been teaching Viscount Eduard’s youngest daughter as a governess. Teaching is all I have been concerned with, before going straight home,” Eve responded to the councilman.
As Eve gave her answer, the councilman, who was a vampire, tried to tune in his hearing ability with the woman’s heartbeat, trying to find an abnormal heartbeat when she would lie. But so far, her heartbeat seemed normal.
“Did you hear anything about her in this mansion?” The man continued to question her.
“Nothing that not everyone is already aware of,” Eve answered. This had the councilman raise his eyebrows.
“And that is?”
“That Lady Camille was found in Darthmore and she was murdered. Lady Camille’s niece, Rosetta Hooke, who is also my friend” Eve stared back at the councilman.
“I heard that Vincent now wants to marry you. Considering the man’s reputation, it must have been hard to gain his affections,” Byron paused for a moment, looking at the door where no one had arrived and with just them in the room, he said in a low voice, “Marchioness Hooke mentioned about your aunt in Berkshire. I pray that she will travel back safely home, considering whom you decided to lock your horns with.”
“I wasn’t aware that councilmen liked to threaten people this openly,” Eve held her ground, while deep down she became worried about her aunt’s life. The Hookes wouldn’t harm her aunt, would they? Her aunt had nothing to do with Rosetta or Hooke family.
“I am not sure if you are feigning innocence about Vincent’s actions, or you just don’t know whom you have tangled yourself with,” Byron said to her. “It would be best for you to leave this town and don’t come back. You are a lowly human who is aiming too high and will fall quite badly.”
Eve wondered if this man had come here to relay a message by Lady Aurora. She answered, “I did it once, but it didn’t go well. I don’t think I want to do it again. Not to mention, these lands are my home just as much as it is yours, Councilman.”