Music Recommendation: RV: 297 "L'inverno": I. - Antonio Vivaldi

Marceline's coachman stopped the carriage at the centre place of the town Hollow Valley, where one could effortlessly notice the young vampiress making her entrance. Getting down from his seat, the coachman quickly reached the carriage's door and opened it, while he bowed.

Soon Lady Aurora stepped out of the carriage, followed by Marceline. The people of the high society who were visiting Hollow Valley noticed the two women in their expensive dresses. They couldn't help but talk among themselves.

"I didn't know the Hookes were close to the Moriartys," one of the passersby from afar whispered.

Then came another remark from the onlooker near their carriage, "For the highly positioned Marchioness to be riding along with a young lady like Marceline, they must know each other very well. People of similar status do move together."

As the murmurs continued, both Marceline and Lady Aurora seemed pleased hearing the remarks that fell on their ears. Lady Aurora commented, "Once the announcement of Vincent and Rosetta's marriage is made public, they will understand what is going on." She smiled with her eyebrows raised in arrogance.

"That is true, and I cannot wait for the union of our two families. Everyone will envy us. Knowing two powerful families are coming together," Marceline happily smiled, and she turned to look at her coachman, where the glimmer in her dull red eyes reduced. She ordered, "Stay here, and wait for us."

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"Yes, milady," the coachman bowed and watched the two vampiresses take a stroll through the town's streets.

Slowly sunlight started to fall upon the town and the nearby lands. The snow that had spread all around the town melted the ice, and when the sun went back to hide behind the clouds, it started to harden the surface.

Every time Marceline caught the sun's rays, she couldn't help but smile. And on noticing this, Lady Aurora inquired, "Something good must have happened with you, Lady Marceline. You have been smiling for quite some time now."

Marceline turned to look at the Marchioness, "Some happiness comes with patience and when it bears fruits, the joy is unexplainable, milady. I have always wanted my family to be purely with the members who are vampires. I do not want my brother making a mistake like how my father made."

The Marchioness was excited herself, looking forward to the wedding. Even though they wouldn't have full access to the Moriarty's wealth, but with Rosetta's wedding to Vincent and how much people of the high society value their reputation, the Marchioness knew that the Moriartys wouldn't let them sink and would pull them up, if not with goodness, but out of obligation.

"I am sorry about your mother, Lady Marceline," Lady Aurora offered sympathy that only came from the tip of her tongue. "It must have been hard for you and your family."

"It was" Marceline answered, taking the sympathy offered, "It is so hard to lose a mother at such a young age." She then asked, "Were you able to send out the invitations to all the people you want to invite? Forgive me for not being able to assist you earlier."

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"That's fine, you are here now and that is what matters, isn't it? And yes, I have sent out all the invitations, made sure all of them were written by me and sent by my butler. I didn't want any mishap taking place," Lady Aurora responded, and as they continued to walk, she noticed Marceline slightly wobble and said, "The snow is slippery, please be careful."

Marceline was more than happy to be building a solid relationship with the Marchioness, and she smiled. But internally, she could feel her sprained foot bothering her. It was as if it was swelling and couldn't fit into her shoe anymore as it felt tight. A sliver of pain passed through her face, and she covered it with a smile.

With seconds that passed by, the pain in her foot only worsened every time she took a step forward. To keep her mind off the pain and bear with it until they returned to the mansion, she asked, "Lady Aurora, earlier you mentioned about helping the lowly human." This was something that was on her mind. She couldn't harm the governess, but that didn't mean Lady Aurora couldn't do it.

The smile on Lady Aurora's lips widened, making Marceline curious. The Marchioness said, "I thought it would be rude to leave the human unmarried, after all, she must have told some of her people on how she's getting married. I have an excellent match for her."

Marceline's eyebrows raised, and she asked, "Who is it?"

Lady Aurora stopped walking, and looked ahead of her as if her eyes caught sight of someone. She remarked, "There he is!"

Marceline turned to follow the woman's line of sight, and when her eyes fell on the man, she looked taken aback. She murmured, "Henry Quintin."

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The man came to where they stood, offering a bow each to the ladies and kissing the back of their hands,

"Good afternoon, Marchioness. Lady Marceline, it is so good to see you two here. You both look lovely."

Marceline had a distaste towards this man because some time ago, he was wooing her, and after Eve entered in their lives, he had started to woo the lowly human.

"Henry here mentioned his interest in Ms. Barlow when we were speaking, and I thought, why not help them get together. This way, no one will be left out and everyone will get to live happily, what do you think, Lady Marceline?" Lady Aurora asked with a smile and her eyes brightened in wickedness.

Marceline's lips twisted, and she nodded, "I think you are right. Causing harm would do no one good. We should see that every person is compensated in one way or the other." She turned to look at the human man and remarked, "I thought you lost your interest after the soiree as I didn't see you invite our governess again," her words were soft and polite.

Like many other men who had come across Genevieve Barlow, Henry Quintin wanted to have her for himself, but the young woman was inaccessible with her prude self even though she came from a low background. He offered the same smile as many people and answered, "I thought the lady's interest lay somewhere else, but I was wrong. Lady Aurora has been kind enough to lead me to another opportunity, and I thought to woo the lady once more."

"It must be nice, to not feel ashamed with the first rejection," Marceline was still slightly bitter that she was cast aside because he wanted to woo Eve.

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The truth was that the young vampiress didn't want to see Eve joining the high society as if she was part of it. She preferred to see the human in the low class, where she could easily trample on the lowly being and no one would know.

Henry continued to smile and responded, "If the woman is worth it, I don't see a reason why I should stop myself from wooing her until she submits to my confession."