Music Recommendation: Professor Stoddard- Ben Frost
Alfie didn't quite understand how that could happen, but he hurried along with the maid who followed him closely with concern. Once they reached the front of Marceline's room, and before the butler could knock on the door, he heard the crying sounds of the vampiress from the other side of the door.
Being the butler of this mansion, Alfie had keys to every room. He pulled the key bunch and looked for the right key, before inserting it into the door. When he turned the key and opened the door, he and the maid with him were welcomed by the worst stench his nose had ever picked upon.
Both of them looked left and right, searching for an intruder before their eyes fell on the vampiress, who was sitting on the floor. The vampiress had tears smeared on her pale cheeks.
As Marceline's right foot had been decaying for quite some time and now broken, neither Alfie nor the maid noticed it at first glance.
Before Alfie could ask, his eyes went wide when he realised the thing on the ground was not a wooden log, but the vampiress's foot. The maid gasped, covering her mouth in horror.
"W—what do you think you two are doing here?!" Marceline screamed at them with tear-filled eyes. "Get out of the room!" She yelled at the top of her lungs for many people near her room to hear her outburst. "I said get out of my room. NOW!"
Alfie and the maid quickly stepped out of the room, and the butler closed the door behind him with their hearts pounding as if they did not believe what they just saw.
"I will go and inform Lady Annalise," the maid said in a whisper with her eyes wide before she made haste out of there.
Alfie turned back to look at the closed door. He then walked away from there with a serious look on his face, crossing many corridors before knocking on one of the doors. The door was opened by Vincent who was with Eve and asked,
"What's the matter?"
Alfie bowed his head and informed, "It is Lady Marceline, Sire."
On the other hand, the maid, who had left the butler's side, ran, while holding the front of her skirt and ensuring she didn't slip and fall on her way. Not finding the lady in her room, she asked one of the maids who was walking by in the corridor,
"Where is Lady Annalise?" The maid's voice came out urgently.
"She's in the parlour room having tea with the Marchioness and Lady Rosetta. Did something happen?" The other maid asked in concern.
The first maid wanted to explain, to spill out what she saw, but this was not the time. She whispered, "I will tell you about it later," and hurried out.
On reaching the tea room, the maid schooled her expression and stepped inside, "Milady," she said, deeply bowing her head. "Lady Marceline is requesting to see you." She didn't want to explain what she saw in front of everyone.
But Marceline's luck was running short. Lady Annalise said, "Tell her to come here and see me. I have something to talk to her about."
"That is indeed true," Lady Aurora agreed, as she wanted to discuss with Marceline the failed attempt of getting together Henry and the governess. "Where is the lovely Marceline?"
The maid fidgeted and replied, "S—she is in her room, milady. She is feeling unwell today."
Lady Annalise pursed her lips and then placed the teacup on the table. She got up and walked to where the maid stood, "Did you tell Alfie to bring the physician in?"
"Alfie has gone to call Master Vincent," the maid replied in a low tone, which got Lady Aurora and Rosetta curious as they couldn't hear what was being discussed. The maid added, "I think this might take a while," and she looked at the Hookes.
Lady Annalise glared at the maid for speaking in circles and demanded, "What is going on?"
The maid knew if she were to speak about the matters concerning the family in front of the Hookes, it wouldn't be right, and she requested in a low voice, "It is about Lady Marceline. Please, milady."
Lady Annalise turned to Lady Aurora and said, "Excuse me, Lady Aurora. My elder daughter needs me and I will need to attend to her. I will tell Alfie to arrange a carriage for you to go back to your mansion. I will see you tomorrow, Marchioness," and she left the room.
The maid accompanied Lady Annalise, following two steps behind the lady, and when they reached Marceline's room, they found the room to be closed. It was because Marceline had crawled across the room and locked the door so that no one could enter it again.
At the same time, Vincent, Eve and Alfie came from the opposite direction of the corridor. Lady Annalise anxiously questioned, "Is someone going to tell me what is going on here?" She looked at everyone.
"Your dear daughter has done something that she was not supposed to do," Vincent said in a calm voice. He then ordered, "Alfie, open the door."
When Alfie tried to unlock the room, this time the door didn't open. He turned to Vincent and said, "The door must be bolted from inside, Sire."
"No, issues. Step aside," Vincent ordered, and Alfie and the others took three steps away from the door. The pureblooded vampire raised his leg, and with one kick, the door cracked and broke open.
"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" Marceline hysterically screamed.
Like Vincent and Lady Annalise, Eve had stepped inside the room. Her eyes widened on seeing a detached foot lying on the floor.
"What is that!" Lady Annalise shrieked on seeing the detached foot that was green and brown in colour, with pus covering it. She covered her nose and mouth when the pungent smell in the room attacked her nose.
