Chapter 123

AVA was rushing toward the horse that she tied back at the end of the trail of the meadows that she was exploring before she heard the call of the ocean. She was smiling along the way to the mansion as she rode as fast as she could.
I could manage a man if I have been given a chance, mother, Ava mused before the stable boy was coming to greet her.
“My lady,” he said before he took the horse as Ava was making her way to the mansion. The gas lights were filling the rooms of the house before she was slipping in through the servants’ quarter.
She was not dressing in her own dress as she was only wearing a white cotton gown and a shawl, barely showing that she was a lady and her hair was not braided or in a chignon. Hardly acceptable in Society.
She rushed through the door and the long hallway before she was walking into her chamber, shut the door as she was untying the bodice and the corset that was holding the gown. Then, she was wrapping herself in the silk robe that her mother provided for her. A knock interrupted her before she shoved the cotton dress under the bed.
“Come in,” she said as she was taking a brush and sat at the vanity as if she was about to get ready for the opera. The door opened and her mother, Lady Randolph, was coming into the room. She looked at her daughter before grimacing as Ava was hardly near ready for the opera.
“Ava, I thought you were ready for the opera. It was only an hour away,” her mother said before Ava turned to look at her as she was putting the hairbrush down. She smiled at her mother before she stood up from the chair that she sat on.
“I was about to get into the bath. And you know an hour is long for me to get ready. I will be ready in time and I did not have to worry about anything. Father will understand that a Lady has to be representable in Society,” Ava said before her mother was narrowing her eyes on her.
The sweat was gathering on her back as her mother was stepping closer to her. She has hidden the cotton dress and there was nothing in here that indicated she has gone out without permission. Then, her mother bent down and picked up a shell.
Caught.
“Have you been to the beach? I thought your father doesn’t want you to go there anymore. It has been—what 15 years—since that accident but I know it was not safe for you to go there. Alone,” her mother said as she was sighed. Ava shrugged.
“But that was when I was 5 years old and I don’t know any martial arts to protect me,” Ava protested before her mother held out her hand, meaning that this conversation was over. Ava bit her tongue before her mother took the shell with her as she was making her way to the door.
“Get ready and please just don’t be too long,” her mother said before she closed the door of her chamber. Ava sat on the edge of the bed before she huffed.
“So much for my adventure to have a shell necklace,” she mumbled before she went to the dressing room as the bathtub has been drawn and the hot water was calling to her. Stripping of her silk robe, she was sliding into the hot water as her muscles relaxed under it. Ava sighed before she was washing herself to get ready for her outing with her parents tonight.

“THERE'S an invitation for you, Master Felix,” the butler said as Marsh was looking up from the ledgers that he has to learn before he can go to meet and greet his tenants. It has been ten years before his first visit and that was with his father.
Marsh did not know the tenants like his father did. Maybe he ought to learn and know them as well since he was determined to be taking this region and make sure that they strive like Grea, the small village that was supporting the capital under the supervision of Duke of Belikov.
Niklaus has given some pointers for him to take care of his tenants and crops. Marsh did not know if he can handle it.
“Thank you,” he said as he was putting away the ledgers for a while, trying to figure out the total loss of the revenue from the last 10 years. The old butler bowed to him before he left him alone so that he can have the privacy of the study room that was once his father’s.
Marsh tore the seal of the parchment paper before he was reading the invitation. It was from the queen that was asking him to make an appearance for the opera grand opening night. Marsh sighed as he put the invitation down before he saw a tiny print on the invitation again.
‘I know you will not regret it if you come to the opera. I think you will love it,’ the handwriting said as he was arching his eyebrow. What could the young queen’s promise him that would tempt him enough to attend the opera?
But it did make Marsh intrigued by this promise.
He looked at the ledgers before he was biting his lower lips. The ledgers will not be done tonight so he might as well get to know this promise that young queen Arabella was asking him to come and find out.
Might be worth his while.
“I am playing right into her fingers,” Marsh said as he went out of the study room and made his way to the bedchamber to get ready for the opera that might be for his destiny to seal in place.

“IF I did not know you better, I say that I will believe that you want to come for the fresh air but I know you, my love, and this is one of your intentions to get someone married by the end of the month,” Aiden said as he was whispering to the young queen as she was looking from her private seating in the opera as she was holding her spyglass.
AKA opera glasses for them to look at the performance.
Arabella turned to look at her husband as she was arching her eyebrow at him. She smirked at him before she returned to look around the crowd that was gathering around. She was watching for a certain lord with an auburn head.
But instead, she saw someone else.
“What do we have here?” she said as she was focusing on one of the lords that was serving in the Higher court as well but he was not a Vampyre. Lord Davenport was talking to someone that was clearly a performer of the opera as she was glaring at him. His gesture was making him desperate enough to get close to her.
But of course, the performer was shaking her head and getaway.
Arabella snapped the opera glass before she was tapping her chin again. She smiled before Aiden was shaking his head.
“No, no, no! You told me that Marsh will be the last one that you’re going to match make,” Aiden said before she turned to look at him, batting her eyelashes.
“But this was for the good of our people. I know you think that I was not doing a great job when I was meddling with people’s lives but that’s what I do. I was thinking of the future of the island, my love,” Arabella said before she slid onto her husband’s lap. Aiden sucked in a breath as Arabella was playing with the lapel.
“Ara, control yourself, we’re in public,” Aiden whispered to her before she laughed out loud. She was leaning to her husband as her chest was hitting his hard one.
“And why are you afraid about it? This never stops you before,” Arabella mumbled before Aiden’s eyes were turning black. She smirked before Aiden kissed her deeply.
“I swear sometimes you’re the one that flaunting the fact that we’re Vampyre to the public, my love,” he said as Arabella chuckled lowly.
“What can I say? I am the queen and I have the best interest for my island and my people,” she said before Aiden smirked.
“Later, I really want to enjoy this opera, and tonight, you will be mine to explore,” he said huskily before he was kissing her throat.
“Agreed,” Arabella said before she sat back on her seat, trying to keep her hands to herself as well as plotting for the next match make that will be coming from heaven.
Only the victims will not know it.

I swear I will kill her, Ava said as she was trying to breathe through her tight corset that was sitting on her bodice when they were in the carriage en route to the opera house. She can hardly breathe in this stupid gown, thanks to her mother as Ava was sending glares at her.
“Do not fret, dear. You look stunning and I can assure you the lords will not take their eyes from you,” her mother said before she was smiling as her father was stiff beside her.
He looked tired.
Ava was crossing her hands in front of her chest before she was turning to look outside the carriage. It has been a nice night as there were stars that blinking in the skies as far as the eyes can see. Ava sighed.
“It will be fine, dear. If there is a lord to disturb you, I will show them how to get their hands on you,” her father said as she smiled. Her father smiled before the carriage stopped and the footman was opening the door for them.
Lord Randolph get out of the carriage before he was helping his wife and daughter out of it. Ava looked at the opera house and gasped as it was the grandest that she ever saw in her life.
“Shall we?” her father asked before her parents were walking ahead and Ava was stepping behind them. She felt something was watching her but she ignored it for it would not be good to be paranoid in the crowd.
But perhaps she should have if she wanted to make out of there alive with her heart.