Music Recommendation: Seis Meses Despues- Ivan Palomares
When everyone gathered in the dining room, Viscount Eduard said to his son, "Vincent, from now on, I want you to sit here. You will be the one to lead the Moriarty family." He patted the chair where the head of the family sat.
"That is right," Lady Annalise agreed to her husband's words and walked to the other side.
But Vincent refused it by saying, "You are the eldest in our family, father. And until you are here, I wouldn't like to take that place from you which rightfully belongs to you. I am more than happy how things are, and have my lovely wife Eve next to me."
"Ugh," Marceline muttered under her breath and received a few looks at her in the room, while she looked in the other direction and said, "Can we eat? I am hungry and need to leave for the South."
"What's the hurry? I just got married and you are leaving already?" Vincent asked Marceline, who took a seat across from him.
Marceline offered him a tight smile and replied, "I don't think I can handle the amount of love that is being filled in the room. It is better I leave than suffocate me."
"Marceline," Viscount Eduard warned his daughter.
"Always seeing only my mistakes," Marceline muttered before her eyes fell on the lowly governess, who shared the table with her. She said to Eve, "You must be very happy. Not only are you chasing me out of here, but you married into a wealthy family. Now you don't have to work, but attend soirees and relax. The perfect life, isn't it?"
Eve noted the bitterness Marceline's words held. She replied, "You don't have to go to the South. Stay with us."
Lady Aubrey, Lady Annalise and Vincent's eyes moved to look at Eve before they looked at Marceline, who stared back at Eve. Marceline questioned,
"What for? You stole my family, and now you are stealing my peace. Why should I stay here?"
Eve was giving Marceline one last way out from stepping into purgatory, it was subtle, but it was an option that the vampiress could choose if she wanted to make amends. She said,
"We all make mistakes, but if you are willing to fix the mistake that was made, things can always turn for better. You are Vincent's sister, and I would like for you to be close with our future children, to get along as their aunt."
"I love that you are talking about children," Vincent remarked to Eve, and he said, "We should work hard to make the children's aunties proud."
Marceline clenched her hands, her breath coming heavy as she controlled herself. She said in a civil tone, "I would never want to be related with the dirty blood of yours. Others might have agreed to accept you, but I will never accept you as part of my family."
"Don't have to worry about that. You are not part of the Moriarty family, and even if you are, it is by name," Vincent responded to Marceline before adding, "What a pity that you aren't related but have dirty blood running in your veins too."
"Let us all have our breakfast. This might be the last time we sit together to eat," Viscount Eduard announced.
Marceline had hoped, like many other times in the past, her parents would come around and request and coddle her before giving in to her demands. But seeing nothing had changed, she stood up with the chair harshly screeching.
"Where are you going?" Viscount Eduard asked his daughter.
"I think I shall pass from having the meal with you. It isn't worth eating here. I will eat once I reach the South mansion," Marceline stated with an arrogance that everyone was surprised she still carried it.
Vincent responded, "You sure about it? You are going to miss everyone one of us, once you leave."
"I rather eat in a place where I am valued, than eat here with--What are you smiling at?" Marceline's eyes narrowed slightly when she caught Vincent chuckling.
"Marceline, sit down and let us have a peaceful meal. It is time you start acting like an adult," Lady Annalise was not happy with Marceline's display of disrespecting nature.
"It's alright, dear mother," Vincent responded as he stared at Marceline. "You can take a horse to the river but not make it drink water. That is on the horse."
Marceline stormed out of the dining room, with the door shutting loudly with a bang that had the Viscount and his wife close their eyes at the harsh sound. Viscount Eduard apologised to Lady Aubrey, who was sitting at the table too,
"Forgive her for her behaviour. Usually, she's much more composed and nicer."
"That's fine, Viscount Eduard. Children have their phases, some grow out of it and some continue to cling to it," Lady Aubrey replied politely.
The maids started to bring in the freshly prepared food that was made early this morning for the family members. Before they could begin eating, Eve said,
"There is something that I wanted to talk to you all about."
"If it's about Marceline, you don't have to worry about her as you know where she's going," Viscount Eduard gave his word to her.
Eve shook her head and said, "No, it isn't that. It is about Eugene and Rosetta."
"What about them?" Vincent asked her, tilting his head as he waited for her to speak.
Eve's eyes moved to look at Aunt Aubrey, who looked curious, and she then looked back at the other members of the Moriarty family before she said,
"As all of you know, they are married and I thought it would be right to have Eugene work in a higher post. This way Rosetta can also somewhere be more at ease in the future."
"If it is work, I am sure Vincent will find one. Isn't that right?" Viscount Eduard asked his son.
But Vincent could tell that was just one sentence supporting what Eve was yet to say. He said, "You don't have to hold back on your thoughts, Eve. You are part of the family, more importantly my wife."
Eve then revealed her request, "Eugene is my family, someone who ate with me and Aunt Aubrey. I was wondering if it is alright for him and Rosetta to join us at the table for meals."
Hearing Eve's request, Lady Annalise's face hardened. As much as she had given Eve a pass, she wasn't comfortable nor willing to let a person of servant class join them at the table. She opened her mouth to refuse when the Viscount placed his hand on his wife's hand under the table. He replied,
"Your request is a tough one, Genevieve. We will need to discuss it before I can answer about my thoughts on it."
Eve then said, "Pardon me for my words beforehand. Isn't it often considered that when a person marries another person, it ups their status. And Rosetta is the daughter of a marquee and a marchioness's daughter." She didn't like that Eugene and Rosetta weren't sitting at the table, when she wanted them to be treated rightly as she had in the past.
"That's because women often take the status of their husband," Lady Annalise replied to Eve's words.
"I think both men and women bring things to each other, milady. But it is also why I asked if Eugene gets a better job than what he has now. They will be returning to Meadow once the house gets fixed, but until then, I would like to spend time together with them," Eve explained politely. She turned to Vincent, who smiled at her and said,
"Eugene is your family, and Rosetta has been your friend. It would be rude to treat them anything below it."
Eve smiled, but then turned to look at her in-laws, who held grave expressions on their faces. Viscount Eduard said, "I guess as a family, it would be wrong to not have them here. What do you think, Anna?"
Viscount Eduard played by letting the decision in his wife's hands in front of everyone, so that the answer would come from her mouth, and she couldn't refute it. Feeling the eyes on her, Lady Annalise, with great difficulty responded, "Okay."
Vincent turned to look at Alfie and ordered him, "Tell Mr. and Mrs. Weaver that they are invited to join us for breakfast and the rest of the meals until the time they stay here."
"Yes, Sire," Alfie bowed and left the room.
Eve turned to look at Vincent and mouthed, 'Thank you.'
Vincent leaned towards her and whispered with a wink, "You can thank me once we are alone."
