Eve was as surprised as Noah to see him in Thresk Hills at this hour. In the haste of wanting to get away from Meadow and Vincent, she had forgotten to send a word to the Duke of Woodlock that she was moving to Berkshire.
Noah walked towards Eve, coming to stand in front of her and asked with deep concern, "Is everything okay? What happened to your forehead?"
Embarrassed and ashamed to talk about what had happened back in Meadow, she offered him a smile. She shook her head and said, "I was walking without light at night and hit my head against the wall. She touched her wound even though it stung to let him know she was fine and there was nothing to worry about.
A little confused, Noah asked her, "And the trunk?"
"Ah, I decided to go to Berkshire where Aunt Aubrey has gone to visit a friend of hers. I became worried about her because she had complained about her back," Eve replied, looking at Noah, and he nodded.
By the look in her eyes, Noah could tell that something had happened as they looked sad and she didn't want to talk about it.
Noah said, "The carriage will be coming on the other side. Did you come here to eat something?"
Eve turned to look at the inn, which was now closed, "I thought I would buy some cakes."
"Unfortunately, most of the shops here close early since the activities of the rogues have increased. I know a place where you can carry something along with you for the journey," Noah suggested, but Eve quickly shook her head, refusing,
"That's fine. I can manage until tomorrow morning," Eve waved her hand, but at the same time, her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten anything since early noon.
Noah chuckled hearing it, and said, "I don't think your stomach agrees with you. The place is nearby, and the food must have already been prepared."
"Okay," Eve replied, and when she went to pick up her trunk, Noah caught hold of the trunk's handle.
"It would be rude to have you carry, and I walk empty hands," the Duke was ever polite and they walked to the next street.
The little inn where Eve and Noah stopped was on the way to where she would climb the carriage. While Noah spoke to the owner, Eve turned to look at the streets around them. Once the owner went back inside, she asked,
"Did you finish your work for the day?"
Though Noah did have to be somewhere, he had decided to stay. He smiled, "Almost done." The wound Eve said she had received from the edge of the wall was fresh, as if it had happened very recently and made him worried. Before she could say something, he asked, "Are you alright, Genevieve?"
Eve didn't like the question because it brought in emotions that she was trying to keep away so that she could put on a brave front. She was far from alright, and she swallowed the lump she felt in her throat.
Noah noticed Eve turned silent and did not reply to his question. Her eyes moistened and sparkled under the light of the lanterns. Unable to help himself and wanting to comfort her, he stepped in front of her and hugged her. He consoled her,
"I don't know what happened, but everything will be okay."
When Eve closed her eyes, the traces of tears passed to her lashes rubbed against Noah's coat, absorbing it. She whispered, "I hope so too."
Eve wondered if Vincent was still in Darthmore.
Noah had held back his feelings for so long that, now that she was in his arms, he closed his eyes trying to give her anything she would need. Dropping his hand, he stepped back and said, "I know you want to leave for Berkshire right away, but during the night, the rogues sometimes show up at the edge of the land. If you go by morning, the problems would be less and you would have crossed over the edge. I will arrange a carriage so that you can reach where your aunt is."
Eve didn't have the heart to stay here, but Noah's words made sense and the time of night... did bring unknown trouble. She didn't want to go back to Meadow now, and she had nowhere else to go.
At the same time, Noah didn't want Eve to be alone and added, "Tonight you can stay at the quarters where Lady Anaya and her family are staying. My carriage is parked in the next street." Taking the food from the inn, they carried the luggage, and made their way to the vehicle.
By the time Vincent reached Thresk Hills, he fervently looked for Eve before meeting the local carriage man who had brought her and the other two passengers to this town. He demanded,
"Did you see a woman with golden blonde hair climb the carriage for Berkshire?"
The local carriage remembered the woman and vigorously nodded, "Yes, that lady! She climbed the carriage that left ten minutes ago." As Eve had covered her head with a scarf, the man didn't register her, but the other passenger woman, who had earlier asked him for directions.
Without wasting another second, Vincent disappeared from the town and looked for the carriage. His bat-like wings flapped behind his back, his eyes on the forest path and when he finally caught up with the moving carriage. Going ahead of the path, he descended to the ground while his wings disappeared.
On seeing someone who appeared to be stranded, the coachman pulled the reins to stop the carriage. He shouted,
"What are you doing in the midd-forgive me for my insolence, Mr. Moriarty!" The coachman recognised Vincent and offered his deepest bow.
Vincent walked to the carriage door and pulled it open. But Eve wasn't there, and it was another woman. Where was she? He gritted his teeth and snapped at the coachman, "There was another woman, who climbed this carriage. Where is she?"
"Only one passenger was picked up from Thresk Hills, Sire!" The coachman quickly replied.
Vincent's hands clenched into fists, before one of his hands banged the carriage next to him, straightening both the coachman and the passenger's back, who sat inside the carriage.
