In Darthmore, Eve continued to kneel in front of her mother’s grave with feelings of turmoil in her heart and mind. Vincent had stepped away from her, watching her from a distance while he smoked his cigar instead of letting the smoke fall on her.
Her eyes were closed, her hands joined in prayer for her mother’s soul, while her delicate features appeared lonely. Earlier, when they reached the Council building, Vincent noticed that she had left the flower back in the carriage. Knowing how important this moment meant to her, he had ordered Patton to find a white rose.
The breeze that swept across the cemetery, gently wavered the fringes on Eve’s forehead and also the side pieces of her hair.
Once they returned to the Council building, they met Patton, and the man started to sweat bullets. The pureblooded vampire stared at his underling and stated,
“You lost her, didn’t you,” his tone was so unnerving that even Eve, who hadn’t realised it at first, felt chills run down her back.
Patton quickly bowed and tried to move his lips to speak, before the pureblooded vampire would put him in the grave. Nervously, he said, “I was telling her the number of rooms in the Council and about the garden you told me to visit earlier. I promise, I kept my eyes on her all the time, I don’t know how she disappeared so fast.”
Vincent rolled his eyes at Patton and took a step forward, placing his hand on the worried man’s shoulder with a smile, “There’s no reason for you to be scared, Patton.”
Patton gulped down the nervousness. He said, “I have been looking for her all around the building, but I haven’t been able to find her.”
“One can only hope that she’s alive and unharmed, right?”
At Vincent’s question, Patton started to sweat even more than before. He hoped the little vampiress had not been kidnapped! As if being blessed, Allie appeared from the other end of the corridor and next to her walked a person of her size. It was the head of the Council, Clayton.
Vincent asked Clayton, “Since when did you and my sister turn into playmates?”
Clayton’s eyes narrowed at the pureblooded vampire, and he replied through gritted teeth, “I was working on sealing the parchments when she appeared in my chambers. I had to pause my work to bring her back.”
“My apologies, sire!” Patton bowed at Clayton for forgiveness. “Mr. Moriarty ordered me to keep an eye on her, but she escaped from my sight.”
Clayton turned his stern gaze to Vincent and stated, “I would like to talk to you alone.”
Patton was the first one to bow and leave them alone. Vincent turned to Eve, meeting her blue eyes that stared back at him. Getting the hint, she said, “I will take Allie back to the carriage.”
Eve offered her hand to the little vampiress, who was quick to hold it with her small hand, and before they could leave, Allie turned to Clayton and said in a sweet voice,
“Bye bye, Clayton.”
The head of the Council raised his hand, which was between a wave and a sign of dismissal after his time had been interrupted. Vincent watched Eve and Allie leave the place, while Clayton shifted his gaze from the little girl who had made him play with the quills in his room before he wanted her off his hands.
Clayton noticed Vincent staring at the young woman. He said, “You both seem close.”
“We are friends,” Vincent turned his gaze back on the short vampire.
“Never knew you had friends,” Clayton didn’t mean to taunt, but it was a fact.
Knowing the tragedy that had taken place many years ago with the Moriarty family, Clayton had seen and known that Vincent had the habit of rubbing people in the wrong way, making it impossible for anyone to be his friend. The pureblooded vampire didn’t depend on anyone or didn’t let people depend on him. It was a lost concept, which was why Clayton was astonished at the fact that he kept this woman near him.
“Now you know,” Vincent’s eyes brightened, and he said, “All the unidentified bodies along with Marquee Hooke’s sister, Lady Camille have been buried. Was that what you wanted to know from me?”
Clayton’s lips set themselves in a thin line, and he responded, “That and also about the case that you have been working on. Some of the Inner Circle’s members are agitated about Fowler’s case. Especially after your remarks at them.”
A smile cracked upon Vincent’s lips, and he replied, “There is no need to be anxious if they aren’t involved in the case. Patton will hand you over the proof of the murderer.”
“Who is it?” Clayton asked Vincent.
“All the evidence pointed at Stoker,” Vincent revealed and Clayton frowned. “But it was only to divert it from the main culprit. Makes you question why take out Fowler first and then try to set up Stoker for it. Perhaps a secret that needs to be buried? You can ask Sylvester.”
“Sylvester?” Clayton’s eyes widened in question.
The proof had been tricky enough for anyone to believe that what was pointed at was the truth. But Vincent wasn’t any ordinary person in the Council. Being someone who had the ability to set up people for their misdeeds or people he wasn’t particularly fond of, he knew where the truth lay in cases like these.
“I will take a look at what your men have gathered and take a decision from there,” Clayton let Vincent know, who gave a nod.
Vincent responded, “Whatever you see fit. He might just be a small pawn.”
“Mm, it could be,” Clayton had his own doubts, but he had thought and hoped it to be otherwise.
“Anyways, I am done with my jobs here and need to go to Thresk Hills. I will be leaving,” Vincent informed the Head of the Council, who nodded.
“Okay. I will see you tomorrow,” Clayton replied, and when he continued staring at Vincent, the latter asked,
“Don’t tell me you have fallen for my little sister just because she is of your height,” Vincent’s eyes narrowed slightly while a crooked smile appeared on his lips.
Clayton’s eyes narrowed at the remark before it cooled down, and he said, “I was just thinking that you smile better now. The governess affects your mood in a good way.” For a boy, who was detached and incapable of caring for someone apart from his family, this was a change.
Hearing the Head of the Council’s words, the smile on Vincent’s lips didn’t leave, but the look in his eyes changed.
“She does, doesn’t she.” Seeing Vincent not deny his words, Clayton wasn’t sure if Vincent was being sarcastic or telling the truth. Vincent then said, “See you around, Clayton,” and walked away from there.
After a few minutes, Mr. Briggs rode the carriage through the forest. Eve stared outside the carriage, while this time it was Vincent who stared at her with his hand supporting his jaw.
As if tired, Eve leaned her head to the side of the carriage and closed her eyes.
Vincent noticed a piece of her golden blonde hair came to hover in front of her face, and she raised her hand to tuck it behind her ear. Though her side of the window was closed, the air from Allie’s side of the window ruffled the hair, pulling out the piece of Eve’s hair to come to bother her face again.
Lowering his right hand that was supporting his face, Vincent used it to close the window next to Allie.
