Eve felt her heart melt at the little girl's gesture, for giving the drawings she had made with her effort and time. She said, "They are very beautiful and I like it very much, Allie. I will be sure to treasure it with me."
Allie beamed with happiness.
Rosetta, who had taken a seat, felt bad that she hadn't bought a gift for Eve. But to buy a gift, she would need money, and she had none. Not to mention, the vampiress didn't have a talent in art and give it to her friend. Her shoulders slumped, feeling the inadequacy of being unable to give anything.
On the other hand, Vincent pulled out a box from his coat, handed it to Eve, and said, "Happy birthday again, Eve. This is a little present from me."
Eve had already received Vincent's present and murmured, "You didn't have to bring me anything."
"What did you give Ms. Barlow, Vincent?" Lady Annalise asked him.
Eve wondered what it was, and under everyone's curious eyes, she opened the box, and Rosetta exclaimed in awe, "Are those…."
Even Lady Annalise and Viscount Eduard looked impressed by seeing what was inside the box while Eve stared at it. Inside the box was a high-quality pearl necklace. Each pearl held a sheen of silver on them that stood out in a line.
Everyone in the room, except Eve and Eugene, stared at Vincent's gift in awe. It was because finding mermaids these days was hard a fleet, and in that, to find quality pearls was even harder. Not to mention, they were priced higher than diamonds because of their rarity.
Eugene, who was pouring water in everyone's glass, noticed the pearl necklace and wondered if this was Mr. Vincent Moriartys way of throwing people off of Miss Eve's scent of being a mermaid. The necklace was undoubtedly beautiful.
Viscount Eduard praised his son, "Those are some excellent quality pearls you got your hands on, Vincent."
"I think it has been a while since I last saw quality pearls. Not even on the lord's wife's neck," Rosetta agreed with the Viscount.
On the other hand, Lady Annalise softly harrumphed and proudly said, "Expect nothing less from the Moriartys. We only choose the best even when it comes to gifting people."
The small vampiress, Allie, leaned forward and stared at the pearl necklace in amazement. Lady Annalise then asked, "How did you get your hands on that in such a short time?"
Vincent's lips stretched wide and into a grin, with his eyes crinkling at the sides. He responded, "It is a rare mermaid I met many years ago, when I was young."
After Vincent had killed the Head guard and the other guards in the Raven's town's dungeon, Eve had cried in his arms when they were in the carriage. He had saved all the pearls without throwing them away. Not because pearls were of value, but because these pearls belonged to Eve.
When everyone started to have their breakfast, Viscount and his wife were talking to each other, and Rosetta was busy staring at Eugene, who was serving in the dining room. Eve whispered to Vincent, "I didn't know you collected the pearls."
"Did you think I told Briggs to throw them away?" Vincent asked her before taking a bite from his fork. "They rightfully belong to you, and I am merely returning it to you. Except for one."
"One?" Eve asked him with a question in her eyes.
Vincent hummed and smiled at her, "The one that rightfully belongs to me. The very first one I collected."
Eve's cheeks turned warm when she realised which one he was talking about. Their very first encounter was when they were young. He continued to hold it close to his heart.
He said, "Now there are people who know that you have a gift and it isn't something you acquired in secret." No one would blame her if one day they saw Eve with pearls.
Lady Annalise addressed Rosetta, "Rosetta."
"Yes, milady?" Rosetta turned startled, quickly looking away from Eugene and turning to look at Lady Annalise.
"Your mother told me yesterday that she would be visiting us later with the seamstress who has already begun working on your wedding gown," Lady Annalise informed the young vampiress, whose back straightened at the mention of the wedding gown and her mother in the same sentence.
"Oh," Rosetta nodded and slightly felt dread.
As if that wasn't enough, Alfie brought in the newsletter and Rosetta picked it up to read on what happened last evening, which was on the front page. First was the mention of the announcement of her soon to be married to Vincent, and right below it spoke about her throwing up in the soiree. Her face turned red in embarrassment.
Lady Annalise asked her husband and Vincent, "Has the wedding venue been picked?"
"Yes, Anna," Eduard replied to his wife, "We decided to use the family altar for the wedding, and have it repainted before the wedding day arrives. The musicians have already spoken to after discussing with the Hookes."
Not seeing Marceline arrive in the dining room, Lady Annalise turned to Alfie and questioned, "Did you inform Marceline to come join us for breakfast or is she throwing another tantrum?"
The butler bowed and replied, "Lady Marceline wasn't in her room when I went to inform her, milady."
Viscount Eduard and Lady Annalise frowned. The older vampiress said to her husband, "I didn't see her in the ballroom last evening either. Did she tell you where she is going? Lately, she seems to be leaving early in the morning."
"More correctly, she hasn't been going to bed, dear mother," Vincent stirred the blood tea in the teacup he held. "I heard that she's been leaving the mansion in the middle of the night."
Viscount Eduard frowned and said, "I was hoping she would mend her ways by now, but she's been behaving even more reckless than usual. Do you know where she has been going?" He asked his son.
"You should ask her," and Vincent took a sip from his teacup.
