498 Word of death
Far away from Skellington, the carriage that had left from the Moriarty mansion arrived at Meadow and stopped in front of Dawson’s family home.
“The walls are fresh with paint,” Rosetta remarked, while stepping out of the carriage with Eugene’s help.
“Vincent has been too kind in fixing the house. He even got the new furniture made and nothing creaks in there anymore. I should cook him a good meal,” Lady Aubrey replied, who had dropped by the place to check the progress. She now walked through the small gate of their house.
“That isn’t necessary, auntie. He should be doing more than that,” Eve murmured the last words. Because if it weren’t for Vincent lighting up the entire town for his own petty reasons, their house would have still been in perfect condition.
But Lady Aubrey waved her hand, “Of course, I know that he’s helped us because he loves you, but he is my son-in-law, and I should invite him for a good hearty meal. What do you think? I think along with the other members of Moriarty too?”
“Just Vincent for now, auntie. None of us are going anywhere and there’s plenty of time for it,” Eve responded before adding, “Neither are you. I am going to make sure you stay with us for long!”
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“You don’t have to carry them, Miss Eve. I will bring them inside,” Eugene said when he saw Eve pick up a box. “You are a lady now and I am a vampire with more strength.”
“No matter whom I married to, I will always want to help my first family. You will always be Eugene,” Eve replied to him. “Let me get that one. I will be just fine.”
Rosetta, who realised her husband was outside, quickly ran out of the house to help him. Her cheeks burned red, and Eugene gave her the smallest bag to carry. Hearing their chatter, their neighbour, the Edwards, appeared outside and offered a bow.
“It is good to see you all back. Eugene and Eve. How wonderful to have you here again,” Mrs. Edwards tried to get in Eve’s good favour.
It felt like the incident of people calling her a witch and whatnot had faded because of the fire that Vincent had set up in the town. As if a ritual had been formed for people to forget and appreciate… to be kind.
“Let us know if you need any help in anything,” Mrs. Edwards told them.
“We’ll be sure to let you know. Thank you,” Eugene replied with a tight smile, as he hadn’t forgotten what the town had done, but they weren’t going to move away from the place like cowards but bring back all the respect and more than before.
“Genevieve?” A woman on the road and in front of the house called, and Eve, Eugene, and Rosetta turned to look at her.
“Good evening, Heather,” Eve offered a slight bow, while the woman named Heather’s eyebrows raised and forgot to return the bow. The human noted Eve wearing expensive fabric on her.
“You seem to be doing very well. Seems like the news was indeed true when they said you married the Viscount’s son,” Heather said, walking to the front with slight disbelief even though weeks had passed since the marriage of Eve and Vincent.
Rosetta leaned towards Eugene and asked in a protective tone, “Who is this woman?”
“That is Lady Heather. Just someone from the town, and harmless,” Eugene added so that his wife wouldn’t go attacking the woman.
“Hmm,” Rosetta hummed, while judging the human from afar.
“I thought of visiting you, but I have been so busy,” Heather laughed, as she stared at Eve, who looked more refined. Was the woman always this beautiful? It was as if she was glowing. There was a time when Heather had laughed and judged Eve for her worn out shoes. After all, she was the wife of the clerk, who worked for one of the Viscounts.
“I would have invited you for tea, but we only arrived. Maybe we can catch up sometime,” Eve smiled, and Heather’s eyes widened before she gave a nod.
“I should get going now. It was good to see you,” Heather said, and as she walked away, she turned behind to look at Eve one more time and huffed. “How did she end up landing a Viscount?! Because she was a governess?”
“I don’t think I would like to have tea with that woman,” Rosetta’s words were, as usual, direct, and Eugene awkwardly laughed. “She’s not happy that Eve married Vincent.”
Eugene smiled at his wife and said, “Not everyone has a big heart as you.”
The frown on Rosetta’s forehead disappeared, and she fondly smiled at Eugene, “T—that, of course, not everyone can be like me!”
While the couple stepped towards the house, Eve pulled out a transparent glass box that encased her wedding bouquet.
“I was supposed to give this one to you,” Eve whispered, remembering Anaya. But she heard from Lady Annalise before that Anaya had already left Woodlock and had returned to her town with her address. She hadn’t asked for Anaya’s address. Maybe she could ask Noah for it, Eve thought to herself.
Carrying the glass case in her arms, Eve started to walk towards the entrance door of the house when she heard the sound of wings. She turned around and saw it was Vincent, who stood in front of her, making his way to her.
Eve was glad to see him return to her this early. But on noticing the seriousness in his eyes, she asked him, “What happened?”
“It’s about Noah,” Vincent replied, meeting Eve’s questioning eyes and he said, “He’s dead… One of the woodcutters found his body in the woods and brought it to Woodlock. No one knows what happened and his family has raised an inquiry and are demanding answers, and it has caused an uproar in the Council.”