CHAPTER 407: BETTER KEPT VEILED

The next nightfall practically ran their way. Arabella kept no track of time and was a little taken aback when Persephone, accompanied by the nighttime entertainers, joined them for rehearsals in the ballroom.

"Amazing!" the Lady clapped her hands together once, "You’ve made quite the great progress in such a short period of time," her void-like eyes focused on Abigail who instantly turned red from the attention.

"Good evening, mother," Arabella curtsied.

"And to you as well, my darling girl," she stopped right next to her daughter in law, "Excellent oversight, I must say,"

"Thank you," much like Abigail, Arabella’s cheeks picked a tinge of red in under a second, "I promise to keep doing my best,"

"Oh, I trust that you will," Persephone looked around, clearly seeking something or someone, "And where did Silas go?"

A chuckle escaped the young woman, "We’ve agreed that his presence here would be both as unnecessary as miserable to live through for him,"

"I can but agree," she crossed her arms over her chest with a lot of grace in her motion, "So... Have you two discussed the special cases among the tributes any further?" the Lady did not meet Arabella’s eyes when asking. In fact, it seemed as though she made sure to avoid doing so at all costs.

"If by that you mean Erik, as I am sure his story has been reported to you, then yes but, we still have a few details to go over," Arabella held her hands behind her back and simpered, doing half rotations in her spot, "Silas told me he had a plan to help the boy while still not alerting the syndicate of his situation,"

"Good!" Persephone’s pitch was a hint higher than its usual, "So, you two are getting along well then?"

"I sure hope so!" Arabella let out a tame giggle, "We have talked and put the dots back where they belonged,"

"Thank goodness then! I told him you would have neither the nerve nor the strength to chuck him out a window. I am glad he listened," Persephone uttered those words as though they were a universal habit that everyone practiced, "I am glad he listened," she repeated in more hushed tone.

In hindsight, him believing that she was there to punch him upon barging into his office started to make a lot more sense all of the sudden.

"My Lady," Katherine approached them, an envelope in hand, "This has just arrived,"

Persephone’s expression shifted upon laying eyes on the name of the sender. Her features did not completely twist per se, but it was obvious that receiving news from that specific person or body, whoever they were, pleased her very little.

It wasn’t until she held the paper still that Arabella was able to recognize the crest stamped over the wax seal.

"Is it business related?" by then, the young woman’s face had utterly fallen, her voice turning unsteady.

"No, but it seems Lady Anastasia Dragomir has given birth to her child,"

"Careful!" the warning came from Grace who appeared to have saved a beautiful vase from shattering to pieces.

"I... am sorry... I tripped over my gown,"

The apology, on the other hand, came from Allegra who couldn’t seem to find a place for her eyes to land.

With her near perfect balance, was it even possible for a vampire to be so oblivious of her steps that she would trip over her own gown like that?

Allegra looked shaken, throwing glances towards Lady Persephone every other second.

"Come now, girls! A little more care will go a long way," that was all that the Lady said on the matter before bringing her attention back onto the letter, "There will be a gathering held tomorrow for no other purpose than to celebrate this precious new member of their family. We are expected to attend,"

"Isn’t it too soon?" Arabella cleared her throat, "Doesn’t the Lady need to recover?"

"She is a vampire, dear," Persephone looked at Arabella with a lot of sympathy in her eyes... As though she’d just said the naivest thing to be uttered in her presence, "If she stopped trying to rip people’s heads off already then, she has fully recovered. And before you ask," she quickly added, seeing Arabella’s hopeful demeanor, "Yes, you have to honor the invitation as well,"

She could do nothing but sigh at that. Persephone was, not long after that, dragged away to rehearse the new entertainers’ entrance.

Arabella’s eyes ventured around seeking no one in particular, but when they landed on Allegra for the second time, she focused on her.

Namely, on the way Allegra’s gaze followed Persephone’s figure wherever she went. The vampiress’ state worried Arabella enough as it was, but it looked like things hadn’t gone back to normal with her just yet.

As more questions piled on, a new figure that Arabella did not expect to spot around the ballroom caught her attention.

At once, she walked over towards Edgar with her best smile on, "Good evening, Edgar! I did not think I would see you here,"

The gardener reacted almost instantly and lowered the assortment of flowers he held in hand, "Evening!" he chirped, "After the wedding, the Lady thought we could use a little more of nature’s gifts to decorate the ballroom," his eyes went over to find the Lady as well.

He gazed at her the way no servant beheld his Lady... Filled with longing his eyes were at the mere sight of her.

"Will you speak to her someday?" Arabella broke the silence between them.

"What do you mean? I already do," he wrenched his eyes away from Persephone faster than a thief caught red handed in the act.

"You know what I meant Edgar," she softened her voice further.

Edgar kept fiddling with the flowers as if working when in reality, he was just touching them one by one, over and over again in a repeated circle.

"I believe that somethings... Some secrets are better kept veiled," he spoke as calmly as he usually did, but something was amiss in his expression.