Music Recommendation: Gehenna- Thomas Newman

An hour ago...

'You want me to go alone and talk to him?' Eve had asked Vincent earlier when they were still in the carriage, on their way to the Marshall's mansion.

Vincent gave her a nod, 'No man from high society will talk about the women they slept with, unless it is to gloat with like men, less bother to remember a specific one. Talking to him alone will give you a window of space and time to extract information. You know what to say. Don't be direct.'

Eve had believed that Vincent would accompany her when she would meet Mr. Hart, but what Vincent told her made sense.

Vincent had questioned her, 'Scared? Don't worry, little girl, I will keep an eye.'

Back in the mansion where the guests were spread across the room and halls, Eve met the Inner Council member's eyes. She offered him a sweet yet sultry smile, something she had never done before. When she offered her hand, Mr. Hart was quick to take it and kiss the back of her hand.

"A very good evening," Mr. Hart greeted Eve with a smile while he looked at her. The man had trouble getting his eyes away from her, and he said, "I feel like I have seen you before, but at the same time I haven't. I would have remembered noticing a beautiful lady like yourself."

Eve felt a shudder in her heart, but she didn't stop smiling. She said, "The world is small, we must have crossed paths some time before. Maybe in Hollow Valley?"

Mr. Hart gave a nod and replied, "That could be it! It's a pity that we didn't stop to speak."

Though Mr. Hart was a relatively elderly-looking man, it didn't stop his eyes from raking through Eve's dress. Eve caught the man's eyes moving from her neck before it paused on her bosom and then to her slender waist. Realising he had stared far too long at her, the man's eyes quickly moved up to look into Eve's eyes before a question appeared in his eyes,

"How do you know my name?"

Eve turned guarded and replied, "It would be a folly for a person to not know you." She lowered her eyes before they looked up at the man, which held a delicateness enough to capture and divert Mr. Hart's mind. "Every person in here knows you and the people who belong to the Inner Circle of the Council."

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Mr. Hart was beguiled by Eve's beauty, as he hadn't come across a woman this beautiful in a long time. He laughed at Eve's words, "Of course, how could I doubt it. How can I help you?"

Eve looked around the place before she said, "Pardon me for interrupting you, and not introducing myself before. I am Genevieve."

"What a lovely name, Lady Genevieve," Mr. Hart remarked before asking her, "And does the lovely lady have a last name?"

"Just the name," Eve stared right into the man's eyes, having all his attention on her. Thanks to her luck, there weren't many people where they stood, and no one came to interrupt them.

Mr. Hart's eyes slightly widened, and Eve's words were enough indication that she was someone's companion for the night, a woman who earned her living this way. Eve had no trouble misleading the man, knowing he had taken enough alcohol and was already slightly intoxicated. She didn't have to worry about him finding out her identity.

She remembered asking Vincent back in the carriage, 'What if the plan doesn't go accordingly?'

'He has no reason to believe it to be a lie. I have had many women hang on my arm before kissing them goodbye. Just add me in the conversation,' the vampire had wickedly smiled, letting her use her imagination.

Mr. Hart's eyes went back to roam around Eve's voluptuous body, and she cleared her throat,

"I came here with Mr. Moriarty, but I seem to have trouble finding him."

Mr. Hart's eyebrows raised and he asked, "Oh, Vincent Moriarty?"

"Yes," replied Eve, and then she asked him, "Might you know where he is?" She put her weight on her left leg, which gave a little push on her waist for the man to fall into her spell.

Mr. Hart shrugged his shoulders, "He must be somewhere here. How about I help you look for him?" The man didn't even bother to look for Vincent in the room, as if eager to get her away from others.

Eve smiled at Mr. Hart, knowing he was getting comfortable with her. She said,

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"That would be very kind of you, Mr. Hart."

On their way, her eyes looked for Vincent, and when she looked up, she noticed the devil standing on the floor above and watching her. One corner of his lips curled, and she then stepped out of the room with the member of the Inner Circle next to her. Seeing a servant with tray, Mr. Hart picked up two glasses of wine and offered it to Eve,

"The wine here is exquisite."

Eve didn't refuse, and she took it from the man. Just because she was holding it didn't mean she had to drink it, she thought.

As they continued to walk, Mr. Hart said to her, "Only if I had met you sooner. You would have been kept in a better place. In fact, I will give you a little extra something, if you can give me something in return. I haven't met a beauty like yourself," he gave her a sleazy smile, and Eve's stomach turned into knots.

Not because Eve thought she was going to be in trouble, but because she couldn't believe that her mother had spent making a life for both of them through cheap men like this. Her heart broke further for her mother.

Taking the opportunity that Mr. Hart had opened with his words, Eve asked him, "I find your compliment hard to believe. Surely, you must have met many better looking women before me. At least one of them."

"Definitely not, Genevieve," Mr. Hart didn't bother to give her any status. After all, women like her didn't deserve one.

Eve smiled at Mr. Hart, "Vincent wouldn't be pleased if he finds out about it."

"He doesn't have to know about it. Leaving you by yourself, it is his fault. You can make a few extra silver coins." He downed the entire glass of wine in excitement

"You mean gold," replied Eve, and Mr. Hart smiled at her.

"Whatever you want," Mr. Hart and Eve were walking in the corridor, when she stopped walking. "Is everything alright?"

Eve was waiting for the alcohol to hit his senses much more. She wondered how to borrow time without going somewhere far. She said, "Shall we take a stroll in the garden?"

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Mr. Hart couldn't be happier by Eve's words, assuming the young woman wanted the thrill amid the bushes.

He agreed, "Certainly."

When they reached the garden, Mr. Hart had started to walk with a slight wobble. When the man looked in the other direction, Eve quickly threw her wine into the bushes. He said,

"The weather is just right for us. You will get your money once we return inside."

Guests were scattered in the front side of the garden, taking a stroll. When another servant appeared with a tray of wine, Eve gauged Mr. Hart's state before suggesting, "I don't know why but I feel parched." She picked up the two glasses and offered it to the man, "We didn't cheer earlier."

"How careless of me," Mr. Hart answered, taking the glass from her. They clinked their glasses. The servant left their side to serve other guests. Eve brought the glass to her lips, tilting it enough to make it appear like she took a sip, then lowered the glass and saw the man had taken two sips from his glass. He blinked for a few seconds before saying, "Oh, my! I think I need to sit on the bench for a moment."

"Anything you want to do, Mr. Hart," came Eve's sweet words, and they sat down on the bench.

Though Eve had maintained a distance, the man scooted closer to her. Before the effect of alcohol would lower in his body, she asked,

"Do you bring your companion for today's soire?"

Mr. Hart smiled at Eve and said, "Looks like you want to be my companion." Then he said, "I believe in having one woman for myself, it is so much better."

"Women who don't work for many but just one person?" Eve kept the tone of her voice to be pleasant. So far the man was answering her questions without questioning her back.

"Don't worry about such things. I have never gone with women who have gone with the others, though I wouldn't deny that a little flavourful change once in a while isn't too bad," Mr. Hart laughed softly.

"Do you remember the names of the women?" Eve was eager to get the answers, while the man was eager to get his hand on Eve's body.

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"Mm," hummed the man, as if he was trying to keep his head from spinning, and he touched his head. "So many questions. If you came here by yourself, I would have thought that my wife sent you after me," he laughed at the end of his words.

Eve didn't stop smiling and placed her hand on the man's arm, enough to bring his attention back to her questions. She said, "I would be saddened if you were to forget me. It is nice to remember people's names."

Mr. Hart gave it some thought before replying, "There were several women that I can barely remember, but you don't have to worry. I won't forget you." By the state of his intoxicated mind, the man wouldn't remember her or their conversation, thought Eve. "There was one. Rebecca."