ALLURE OF THE NIGHT (C)

Chapters 51-60

In one of the mansions in Skellington town that stood proud along with the other buildings, inside it waited a fair maiden. The young woman was no more than twenty-two years old in appearance, but she was a few more years older than she appeared like the other vampires in the town.

She wore a spotless white gown which was mid-collar and had full sleeves. The dress had been ironed free of any wrinkles on it. The material had a sheerness above her bosom and a centrepiece pearl-embedded thread work which belonged to the creatures of the sea.

"Where is he?" Young Miss Rosetta Hooke demanded from the butler, who stood a few distances from her.

The butler was an old man and replied with eyes on the ground, "We received a message that said that Mr. Moriarty would be here by thirty past eleven, milady." His eyes darted to look at the clock on the wall. It was eleven past twelve now.

Miss Rosetta wasn't pleased with the tardiness, and her lips had a frown along with her eyebrows. She had decided to make the man wait by taking her time in getting ready. She had stepped out of the room fifteen minutes ago, only to know that her suitor had not arrived yet.

"Be patient, Rosetta," said Lady Camille, who was Miss Rosetta's paternal aunt. "Mr. Moriarty should be here any moment. He must be held up by important work. Make sure you are on your best behaviour."

Miss Rosetta rolled her eyes. She had come to stay in her paternal aunt's mansion for some time away from her parents, who were trying to make her meet suitors. But she should have known better that her father was intent on getting her married.

"I am always on my best behaviour," Miss Rosetta rolled her eyes. "I do not like men who makes a woman wait for them. It is not very gentleman-like of them."

The butler's eyes moved to look at the young lady ever so slightly for her hypocritical words.

The young lady continued complaining, "The man better be worthy of my affections, as I am not someone who tolerates such an attitude. Men stand in line outside our mansion just to have a glimpse of me."

"Do not worry about it, Rosetta. Vincent Moriarty is a handsome man, and his family is one of the few superior vampire families. You will like him just fine," replied her aunt, to which Miss Rosetta softly harrumphed while crossing her arms across her chest. "The Moriartys are not only highly respectable family in our class and status, but they come from an old lineage of the pure-blooded vampires."

Rosetta turned her eyes to look at her aunt, "How come I haven't heard about them?" Lady Camille only stared at her niece because the younger vampire had been living in her own little world.

Hearing the sound of the carriage wheels and neighing of the horses, the butler quickly walked to the door and informed them, "The Moriarty's carriage has arrived!"

"If he was one minute late, I would have gone to my room and changed my clothes for such lateness, hmph," remarked Rosetta as she stepped out of the mansion. The butler quickly opened a delicate-looking umbrella that matched her dress and handed it to her.

When the young lady reached the carriage, she saw the coachman standing near the door. He took hold of her umbrellas and opened the door for her to step inside, and the young lady frowned. Where was this Mr. Moriarty? Wasn't he supposed to greet her by standing outside the carriage?

Being stubborn, she stood outside the carriage without attempting to get inside. This had the coachman, her aunt, and the other people looking at them, wondering what was going on.

"Milady," the coachman bowed his head as if to remind her to step inside the carriage rather than stand here. He offered his hand for support, but Rosetta continued to stay stubborn.