Allure Of The Night

Mr. Morris tried to save his face and tried to convince Vincent, 

“It wasn’t I who tried to sway this woman’s mind.” He jerked his head towards Eve and said, “She was the one who tried to attack me out of nowhere, asking me if I murdered someone. You psychotic woman!” 

Eve defended herself, “I was heading back to the piano room when you dragged me into this room and threatened to kill me. It was the only reason why I even asked you that question, you barbaric man!” If Vincent had heard their conversation, she would have to make sure that he wasn’t going to be suspicious of her earlier words. “You dare to put your hands on me,” she blamed it back on Mr. Morris. 

Vincent’s eyes moved to have a look at Eve’s neck, where it held redness in lines around it. 

“I think Ms. Barlow is incorrect, don’t you think, Mr. Morris?” Questioned Vincent, his eyes shifting back to look at the man, who finally stood up, but hunched his back as he was still in pain. 

“Of course, she is!” Mr. Morris was quick to agree. 

Eve’s eyes held shock, and her eyes met Vincent’s, who offered her a slight smile. Without looking away from her, Vincent said, 

“It is not right to call you a molester, but your obsessive wife wouldn’t be happy if she found out that you not only tried to spend some time with another woman in Hollow Valley, but also attempted to touch our governess.Especially I don’t like the idea of you trying to harass our governess,” Vincent turned to look at Mr. Morris, whose mouth fell open. 

“You must be joking, Vincent. You favor this woman and—”

“Mr. Morris, where are your manners,” Vincent held a disapproving look on his face. 

Mr. Morris now glared both at Vincent and Eve. He said, “You dare to threaten an Earl?”

Vincent softly chuckled, and the chuckle turned louder as he was amused. The chuckle of laughter finally died down, and he turned serious, “Oh, Morris. You speak as if you are the King of these lands.”

“I might not be the King but my position is higher than your very own family,” Mr. Morris reminded him. “While you are not even a Viscount yet,” he huffed while looking down at Vincent. “You are in fact nothing, but an ordinary person.”

When Vincent took a step toward Mr. Morris, the man immediately took a cautious step backwards. 

“I am not an Earl or a Viscount like my father because I aim for something higher than that. My ambition is something that you can only dream of,” Vincent calmly stated and his hand shot up to Mr. Morris’s face, “Looks like Miss Barlow did quite a number on you. To be hit by a woman, I think that will be more than enough for me to talk about you.”

“I will cut all profitable relations with your family and then you will pay for your words. For looking down at me, you spoilt—”

Vincent flicked his finger on Mr. Morris’s forehead. And the flick held the force similar to a heavy stone thrown at the man’s head. Mr. Morris fell on the floor with a thud, and in pain he groaned louder than before. 

“Tsk, I thought the Earl would be stronger and not weaker like a commoner like me,” Vincent mocked Mr. Morris, and his lips curled in mirth. “I will have Alfie send you home. Always a pleasure to do business with men like you.” 

When Vincent turned to look at where Eve was standing. The woman had disappeared. 

Mr. Morris continued groaning, this time unable to stand up on his own and Vincent warned him, “Don’t even think about retaliating. Like good men of our society, let us drop the matter here.” He turned, ready to leave the room,but before that he said to the man, “You might have a higher position by name, but don’t forget that we are the ones who control this place.”

Eve, who had left the room, quickly walked in the corridor, making her way toward the piano room. Before things could worsen, she had left the room, while both men were dealing with each other. The Moriarty mansion was a hot pot that never stopped boiling, and she was in it. 

Though this time, she was the one to be blamed, as Mr. Morris had seen her in the inn. But then people often came across other people they knew in different places, which was why she had considered her presence in the inn to be less  suspicious. What she didn’t expect was for Mr. Morris to try strangling her. 

Eve closed her eyes, remembering what she knew of her past, and tried to match it with the present. Mr. Morris couldn’t be that person. The man had an affair with a woman, but he wasn’t strong, and this one seemed scared of his wife. 

“You really are something.” 

Eve’s eyes flew open. She turned and saw it was Vincent, who walked towards her. Gathering herself, she responded, 

“It wasn’t I but Mr. Morris who caught me. I wouldn’t have broken his nose if he—”

“I don’t care if you broke his nose or his balls,” came Vincent’s crude reply. His eyes held curiosity in them as he looked at her. “I didn’t know little girls were allowed in ‘Little Teeth’s Inn’. Didn’t take you to be someone who enjoyed nights there. You surprise me.”

“It was my first time there,” said Eve, and suddenly she felt as if she was under interrogation. 

“I see,” Vincent’s words drawled, and then he said, “What a coincidental world we live in. For you to end up in the same place where Mr. Morris visited.”

Eve and Vincent stared at each other without breaking eye contact between them. She asked him, “Is that all you wanted to talk about, Sir? I should get going, Miss Allie must be waiting for me.” 

“Don’t fret about it. Allie is still in the dining room having her lunch, and you have plenty of time,” he stopped her from escaping into the piano room. 

Vincent’s eyes slightly narrowed before he offered her a pleasant smile that only turned Eve worried. 

Eve pursed her lips and replied, “I have to arrange the books and pick the next subject for Miss Allie.”

“Are you trying to escape, Miss Barlow?” Vincent stopped a maid walking by and handed his empty tea cup, and dismissed her. 

“Why would I do that? I take my job very seriously and wouldn’t want Lady Annalise to have any complaint on how unproductive I am,” Eve stated while taking a deep breath to keep her heart beating at the same pace. 

Vincent nodded, “Mm, that is true. I am curious though… Your questions to Morris caught my interest. Do you know him?” 

Eve shook her head and frowned, “You heard everything… he could have killed me.”

Vincent stared into the young human’s blue eyes. She looked taken aback by his unresponsiveness when she could have died at the hands of Mr. Morris. 

“You seemed fairly capable of handling the matter and I didn’t hear you scream for help. If you weren’t capable, you wouldn’t have been hired and if it was a mistake, I would buy flowers for your grave,” Vincent replied with a straight face that left Eve speechless.