Eugene proudly said, “My mistress is a former governess. She taught me what she knew.” To add to that, Rosetta said,
“That’s right. Lady Aubrey taught Vincent Moriarty’s wife and his youngest sister. Eugene is a quick learner,” the vampiress praised with a dutiful nod.
The clerk looked at the couple and then said to Eugene, “We will inform you when the application gets processed. You can start your work here, and your wage will be discussed at that time.”
“I cannot wait for it,” Eugene offered a bow, and with Rosetta, he stepped away from the office room.
Eugene and Rosetta, after visiting the office, now walked towards the other building, which was located farther away from the main buildings. They walked towards the dungeon, where Rosetta’s parents were confined in the cell rooms.
The nervousness and anxiety were back to bite the vampiress, and she fiddled with her handkerchief. When they reached the front, the guards there looked at them with intimidating eyes.
“Commoners aren’t allowed in here. Go back where you came from,” said one of the guards with a gruff voice.
“We are here to visit Walter and Aurora Hooke,” Eugene let the guard know and added, “We were told by Mr. Vincent Moriarty that we could visit.”
“Do you have the seal?” The guard questioned him, and Eugene quickly pulled out the folded envelope, handing it to the person. The guard unrolled the parchment and didn’t bother to read the content but only noticed the signature before he jerked his head and ordered, “Follow me.”
Eugene asked Rosetta, “Would you like to talk to them alone? I don’t mind staying out here and waiting for you.”
“No! Come with me!” Rosetta quickly caught hold of Eugene’s hand in hers as if not wanting to part from him and wanting his moral support and physical presence while facing her parents.
“Okay. Let us go then,” Eugene offered her an encouraging smile, and they followed the guard inside the dungeon.
The dungeon was slightly dark, with only little windows that wasn’t enough to let much light inside the dungeon. Rosetta picked up the pungent smell in the air from the cells, which was or had been used by the prisoners here. Rosetta doubted she would be able to survive in the place even for a day.
While Rosetta walked, someone jumped from inside the cell to the iron grills and shouted, “Help me, lady!”
The sudden action had Rosetta crash into Eugene, who put his hand around her waist to keep her close. The prisoner begged to her,
“Please! Please! Help me! I didn’t do anything and was put here!”
The guard leading the couple raised his baton and hit it against the iron rods that dinged loudly, enough to have the prisoner move back, cowering in fear.
When they finally arrived at the cell, the guard turned to Eugene and said, “This is the one. Go ahead. Five minutes. That is all the time you get before I come to fetch you. I will be counting the time.” Saying this, the guard left them be.
Rosetta didn’t walk to the front and show herself as her heart was beating too loudly. She heard Eugene assuring her,
“Don’t be scared. I am here.”
The vampiress finally took four steps in front of the cell, and if it weren’t for the torch of fire burning in front of the cell room, it would have been an utterly dark place to step into.
“R—Rosetta?!” Rosetta heard her mother whisper her name. “Is that you??”
“Mother?” Rosetta stepped in front of the cell.
When Rosetta’s mother approached where she stood, the young vampiress’s eyes widened on noticing her mother’s condition. Next was her father, who came to see her, and both of them were in a far worse state than she had imagined.
She felt guilt starting to brew in her chest, and she asked, “Mother… father…” her lips trembled.
“Oh, Rosetta! It is so good to see you here!” Her father exclaimed.
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Her parents were barely recognizable. How many days had passed since they had seen each other? No matter what had happened in the past, Rosetta was still attached to her parents and tears formed in her eyes. Their clothes were torn and mixed with blood and dirt, the stench of the place and their eyes were hollow. As if they had been left to starve.
Lady Aurora said to Rosetta, “It is good that you are here. You must have come to free us from here, right?”
Rosetta was at a loss for words and stared at her mother with sadness. Her mother repeated the question,
“You are here to take us out of this place, aren’t you? Rose!”
“I am sorry, mother…” Rosetta said with guilt dripping from her voice. “It isn’t time yet.”
“What do you mean?! We have been here forever! What are you doing here then?” Rosetta heard her father say to her; his voice sounded weak yet contained anger.
“Do not speak to her in such a tone,” Eugene stepped up, standing next to Rosetta.
Lady Aurora’s eyes widened before they narrowed at Eugene, “What are you doing here?” She asked with gritted teeth.
“I am her husband and it is my duty to accompany her,” Eugene responded, where there was a mild glare in the way he stared back at the woman who had caused trouble in his family.
Lady Aurora wanted to snap at the human, and she took a step forward, raising her hand even though on the other side of the grill, but she whined in pain,
“Ahh…!”
The older vampiress placed her hand on her lower back as the lashes continued to feel fresh, and she hadn’t been able to sleep well. Tears formed in her eyes, and she whimpered, “Oh, Rosie! Look at what they did to us? They said we killed your beloved aunt Camille when we had nothing to do with it! The days here have been unbearable and I haven’t been able to sit with support or lay down to sleep,” Lady Aurora complained.
Rosetta felt even worse and heard her father say, “We thought we could keep the family name, keep everyone happy by marrying into the Moriarty family, Rosetta… Why did you do this to us? Haven’t I fulfilled every wish of yours?”
“I—I never wanted to marry Vincent Moriarty. I am sorry,” a tear slipped from Rosetta’s eyes.
Lady Aurora moved her hand between the gap of the rusty iron rods and picked up her daughter’s hand, “I am sorry, Rose. We never knew that you were so against it. We were so blind, that we didn’t realise.”
“Forgive me for what I did. I will do my best to get you both out of this place! I promise!” Rosetta was happy that her mother had turned a new leaf, and she wished to help her parents. So that they wouldn’t be tortured anymore. “I am so sorry!” She sobbed.
“Oh, darling. Come here,” Lady Aurora raised her arms so that she could hug her daughter.
“I am so sorry,” Rosetta cried, hugging her mother with the iron rod between them.
Lady Aurora rubbed her daughter’s back and said, “Everything will be fine, Rose. You will see. Once we get out of here, everything will be fine.” She looked at Eugene with her eyes narrowed at him.
