A slight frown appeared on Eve's face upon hearing what Lady Ravette told her. The old vampiress said,
"I am sure Carla will feed your cat. She already betrayed me once, so I don't think she will not follow my orders. She knows better to comply than her head sitting on the edge of a spear. Come." She waved her hand at the servant, who had earlier followed her, for the servant to bow at her and Eve before leaving the place.
Eve wondered if Timotei had gone to the kitchen or had run away somewhere else after what Lady Ravette revealed to her. Considering how hostile the old vampiress had behaved with her earlier, right now, the woman appeared to be saner and less threatening.
Once they reached the dining room, Eve noticed how Vincent's grandparents sat on opposite ends of the table. While Eve and Vincent took a seat next to each other and near grandfather Strix as he was more reliable and sane compared to Vincent's grandmother.
Before the servants brought the food inside the dining room to be served, Strix told Vincent, "Now that you are married, your grandmother and I would like to give you something." The old vampire took out a rolled parchment from his coat's inside pocket and handed it to Vincent. "This is for both of you."
Vincent took hold of the rolled parchment and unrolled it. Eve leaned to the side to look at it as she was curious. The parchment read,
'To our grandson Vincent and daughter-in-law, Genevieve, we wish you both a marriage like ours filled with love, commitment, compromise, and the courage to still be together even after all the odds have come to pass you. To give us grandchildren so that we can turn into great-grandparents. As a wedding gift, we would like you to have the mansion in Holy Oak.
Your loving grandparents.'
"Are you sure you want to give us the mansion?" Vincent asked his grandfather. Even though he had enough money to build his own mansion for himself and Eve, everyone knew the value of the mansion; it was old and invaluable as many generations had lived here.
Strix nodded with a thoughtful look, "Your grandmother and I believe that it is time we pass some things to you and your wife. It is time for the next generation to take over, while we enjoy and relax, isn't that right, Ravette?"
Lady Ravette, who was slowly sipping blood from her glass, pulled away from it, "Strix is right, Vincent. This mansion isn't ours but something that has been passed down, and it is time for you to have ownership of it. It is a pity that Eduard decided to live in Skellington, and not here."
"Eve and I have important things to take care of in Skellington, and if this is your indirect way of tying me to this place, it won't work. And we are still deciding where to live," Vincent responded.
"Well, you don't have to move here right away. Finish whatever that you both need to finish, this mansion is not going anywhere," Strix replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "It is a wedding gift, Vincent, so accept it. You too, Genevieve."
Eve offered a bow and said, "Thank you for your generous gift, grandfather and grandmother."
Strix stared at Eve, and he suddenly said, "I will get you another gift, Genevieve. It will be just for you to keep!"
"We should perhaps throw a soiree to the newlyweds, Strix," Lady Ravette suggested to her husband, who nodded in agreement.
"That is not necessary, grandmother. Eve and I are staying here for two or three days the most before we return to Skellington," Vincent responded, which had Lady Ravette frowning.
"Such a short visit," Vincent's grandmother wasn't impressed by Vincent's decision. "Here I thought we would get to spend a month or two."
"Don't be saddened, Ravette. He did say they have some urgent matters to attend to. I am sure once they finish it, they will be living here and in no time we will have little ones running around and filling the mansion. Maybe get Eduard and his family too with a possible ploy. What do you think?" Strix asked his wife, and Lady Ravette agreed with a nod.
"I would definitely love to hear that," The old vampiress answered.
Vincent rolled the parchment and placed it inside his coat before he murmured, "Marceline is going to be unhappy when she hears about the gift," a sly smile appeared on his lips.
The word unhappy didn't even cover how Marceline would feel. That was right, Eve thought to herself. It wasn't Vincent but Marceline who had been looking forward to living and owning this mansion. If word reached her, she would combust in rage.
"If she wanted the mansion, she should have come here to spend her vacation," Lady Ravette replied in a crisp tone. "Though my granddaughter, Marceline, has always had the habit of wanting and taking things that don't belong to her. Has she changed?"
"It was an old matter, Ravette. She was a child," Strix smoothened the conversation that his wife started.
The expression on Lady Ravette's face didn't change, where it looked serious. She recollected the memory by saying, "I thought I lost one of my necklace, when in truth I later came to find her hiding it with her. I know a brat when I see one."
"You should loosen up, darling. See, Vincent grew up just fine and even found a special granddaughter. Marceline must have come around too," Strix responded to his wife.
Soon the food was brought in and served by the servants on the dining table one after another. One would think that more people would join them because of the number of dishes served in the room. Once the four of them finished breakfast, the old couple left the dining room, leaving Vincent and Eve alone to have time together. Vincent noticed the serious look on Eve's face and asked,
"Did something happen?"
Eve pursed her lips before she said, "It is just something that your grandmother said earlier that is stuck in my head." Her eyes shifted to the closed doors of the dining room, and she said, "It is about Timotei."
"Did she find him talking?" Vincent asked her. Considering how the black cat had the habit of causing trouble wherever it went.
"No, it isn't that. You know how Timotei was behaving suspiciously earlier, and when he saw your grandmother, I felt him turn frigid. As if worried about something. Do you think perhaps he knew your grandmother?" Eve asked him in a low voice. She doubted that she would be able to find Timotei now.
Vincent gave it a thought before he replied, "I don't think that's possible, considering how he said that this is his eighth, or in real being the ninth life of his. Maybe he was once their cat."
"That one," Eve pointed, her eyes turning slightly bright with the mystery that filled the black cat now. She said, "Lady Ravette told me that the Moriarty family have been possessing black cats for a while. Do you think you could ask Carla for the key to the cellar room of this mansion?"
Vincent nodded, "I can, but Carla won't deny you. Considering how you are the mistress of this mansion now."
