“I would most certainly hope so,” I said with a bow, bringing her hand up to my lips, before letting go and straightening back up.
With a look on her face that was almost nostalgic, she swept past me and made a beeline for the entryway where Madame Leona was no doubt welcoming in late stragglers to the fete.
Would she mention me? It was likely. But she didn’t know I was connected to that so-called Snake of Eden.
For now.
I espied Jardin by an overgrown fern that almost hid him from view, and indeed, he had stood so still, I almost would’ve missed him if it hadn’t been for the slightest glint of the snifter catching the light from the massive crystal chandelier overhead, as he drained the tiny glass.
He didn’t say a thing, only raised a brow.
“If Lady Yeats is indeed a close confidant of Madame Leona, she is prepared to meet her second death before revealing as such,” I said.
“Just as well.” Jardin nodded over to the dance floor as couples whirled about in their finery and jewels, beautiful and yet so very cold.
Like watching mannequins waltz.
I couldn’t stop a shudder from running up my spine. “It’s quite a sight.”
“We have always been rather light on our feet,” said Jardin mildly. “Do you see the girl in red? The one with dark hair? She’s with that red-haired imbecile, Ferdinand. What a fop.”
A flash of crimson and creamy pale skin caught my eye, and I witnessed the girl in question, whirling about in the arms of a red-haired vampire dressed in a frock coat of a rather eye-watering shade of robin egg blue.
She laughed at something he said, the smooth, elegant curve of her neck exposed for all to see.
I was... transfixed.
If beauty exuberance had a face, a form, surely it would have been identical to the vision twirling on the polished marble dance floor.
“--you can do?”
I blinked and mentally shook my head, silently cursing myself for my inattentiveness. Jardin would not miss it. “I beg your pardon. You were saying?”
He was still for a moment, observing me carefully. “I said, that girl there is Madame Leona’s second daughter. I hadn’t even known she existed, but the whole soiree is abuzz about her. Leona’s first daughter wed last week, if I recall correctly, and if I’m not mistaken, the younger daughter seems to be of, ah, marriageable age.”
The bottom dropped out of my stomach. “You want me to marry her?”
He scoffed, waving a hand in the air. “Don’t be absurd, Arden. But the girl is clearly enamored of our world, for all of her mother’s worldly knowledge regarding us. It seems as though she has not shared that information with the girl. I think we can use that to our advantage.”
He crossed his arms, staring at the girl whose smile reflected in her large, dark tip-tilted eyes. “Forget seducing those in Leona’s circle of friends. Go straight for the jugular.”
“The jugular.”
The corner of his eyes crinkled. “The daughter, of course.”
Truly, my master was a cold-hearted being.
But he was my master, nonetheless, and I could not refuse him. “As you wish.”
“Ask the girl to dance. Use your charm. She’ll not be able to refuse you.” There was a note of bitter sarcasm I couldn’t miss.
I would’ve said he was jealous, but what could a man like Jardin possibly be envious of a gutter rat like me?
“Of course.”
The music slowed to a halt as the musicians paused to partake of lemon water and tiny cucumber sandwiches.
Most of the couples migrated to the edge of the dance floor, but a few remained stubbornly, already waiting for the six-piece orchestra to take up their instruments again.
One of them was Madame Leona’s daughter and her escort, the man with the red hair and the unfortunate coat.
He had his gloved hand placed rather proprietarily on the small of her back and a vapid (I thought) smile on his thin lips while she chattered about something that made her eyes dance.
Before I was even aware of it, I was already on the dance floor and beside the couple.
Up close, her appearance was even more stunning. Dewy pale skin, with sparkling eyes that smiled even more than her red lips… and a figure that could make a saint kneel and beg for penitence for all his dirty thoughts.
And as the orchestra started back up again, I slid myself adroitly between the pair, eliciting a huff of indignation from the ginger, while Madame Leona’s daughter merely gave me a raised eyebrow that was oddly reminiscent of her mother.
And if her partner wanted to contest his position, it was already too late because we were halfway across the dance floor.
“You are the loveliest woman here,” I said, slipping quite easily into the charming rascal that had come in useful many times during my service under Benedict Jardin. “Did you really think the rest of us men would have been content to watch that redhead monopolize you for the rest of the night?”
She gave me a pretty smile, but there was an edge to it, as if she could see the cracks in my facade.
It was oddly disconcerting.
After all, she was only human. A young human girl, at that. If there were any humans capable of seeing the truth behind the mask, they needed decades of wisdom running through their head.
But this girl?
“You are far too kind, sir,” she said in a soft, lilting voice that made my ears hunger for more. “There are plenty of other women who far outshine me.”
With some other women, I would’ve chalked up her words to false modesty, but with her, no, this beautiful thing genuinely believed she was a weed in a field of roses.
I introduced myself as Arden de Charpentier, that I was here as a business investor.
The corners of her scarlet lips kicked up becomingly.
Jesus, this girl was dangerous. With a single smile, she possessed the ability to wriggle through the cracks of my mask…
Suddenly, the task of charming Madame Leona’s daughter seemed far more difficult than I initially anticipated.
“I’m Eloise.” Stars veritably danced in her large eyes. “Eloise Hart. My mother is the host.”
“What an absolutely charming name.” And I absolutely meant it. How odd for me. “Eloise.”
The name tasted like something sweet, but tart at the same time, like lemon cake, and I savored the syllables on my tongue.
“It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Eloise Hart,” I said. “May tonight be only the first in our continued… relationship.”
“I don’t think I know you enough to have a relationship, continued or otherwise,” she replied with a laugh. “I’ve only known you for all of two minutes, Sir de Charpentier.”
I got the feeling that she only laughed to lessen the blow of her words, which were, to be honest, rather harsh.
Then again, I had started it by implying that there was anything happening between us.
Of course, there would be, but she didn’t know that.
“Perhaps we can fix that, Miss Hart.” My hand tightened on her back, drawing her ever so slightly closer. “You have absolutely captivated me. Don’t tell me I’m the only one who feels like this.”
I injected just enough desperation into my voice, let my brows contort enough for her to see just how much she affected me.
The terrifying thing was, I didn’t have to try too hard.
This Eloise Hart… regardless of her position in this never ending battle between Jardin and his competitors… I really did want to see her again. There was something captivating about her innocent gaze, her honest laughter. She hadn’t been ruined by the world I knew, and it showed in every facet of her being.
We continued to spin dizzyingly. “You say you are an investor? Tell me more.”
I puffed my chest. “Yes, I invest on the behalf of a very wealthy client. He spends quite a good deal of money on your mother’s particular products.”
“So you
merely represent a vampire of good social standing, then? You’re not a well off client, yourself?”
I was taken aback. That was the last thing I expected to come from the tiny damsel in my arms.
“I suppose not, Miss Hart.”
She bit the corner of her lip as her gaze flitted to the side where a certain red-haired man was watching us with piercing gray eyes, wearing the equivalent of a fashion massacre.
Good God.
She’d choose that over me?
She clearly had expectations for the standing of the men she wanted to entertain.
The song came to a gentle stop, and reluctantly, I let go of her.
I knew when I’d lost a battle.
“Perhaps your heart has been taken by another.” I sounded penitent, regrettable, even. Perfect. Good thing I never got into acting, I’d be taking home those acting awards every damn year. “What a shame. If only I had met you sooner, Miss Hart.”
She tilted her head to one side, even laughed a little. “Do you really think that would’ve been enough, Mister de Charpentier?”
Her tone was enough to let me know that it was best I take a step back, which I did.
With a quick nod of her head and hastily thanking me for the dance, she hastened back to her gingerhead, never sparing me a second glance.
But I didn’t take it too hard.
After all, she might have won the battle… but I would win the war. Jardin expected nothing less of me.
Five
Eloise
I hadn’t put the gown away, I couldn’t. I had hung it up on one of the bookshelves so that I could glance back at it occasionally while I went about my morning. There was a large influx of letters that came in only hours after the ball ended, all hand delivered by the servants of various vampires that I had even only briefly met. Many were requests to meet me for social calls which instantly had me giddy with excitement. My days weren’t going to be boring or monotonous any longer.
The sound of my mother’s heels on the flooring outside my door reverberated in the otherwise quiet rooms. The servants had stayed away all morning. I think they could sense that a storm was brewing. She hadn’t come to see me after the ball as I expected. Instead, she locked herself away in her suite and fumed alone. But I knew she was probably only building up to the boiling point before paying me the visit that I knew was inevitable.
Sure enough, the footsteps grew louder and louder but didn’t retreat after like they had for the past couple of hours. She’d been pacing by my door, but this was different. My door flung open and she stomped in, chest rising and falling quickly. Her face was reddened and her hair was down instead of its usual state of perfectly pinned up. She was in her sleeping robe, the straps flying wildly behind her.
She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and finally the words fell out, tumbling one after the other. “I just want you to walk me through what went on in your head to make you think waltzing in there last night was anywhere near a good idea. This will set off a chain reaction of consequences that you can’t even begin to fathom. I can’t fix this and-”
“There’s nothing to fix,” I cut her off before she could pass out from lack of breath. “This was something long overdue.”
She threw up her hands and groaned. “El, I love you so, so much, but I have kept you in the dark. These people are nothing like this fairytale you have in your head.”
“You said that last night and I had a wonderful evening,” I pointed out. And I had had a wonderful evening. My feet ached from all the dancing and my stomach was full from the miniature tarts and pastries.
My mother crossed the room hurriedly and sat herself on my bed. “El, you have to promise me you will not get tangled up with them. The vampires.” Her voice was hushed and her eyes were watering.
“I’m not going to do anything stupid, mother. I will be cautious when dealing with anyone, human or vampire.”
I could tell she wanted to make a remark regarding my saying that I wouldn’t do anything stupid. Probably to tell me that I already had done something exactly that. But she simply nodded her head and studied me intensely. Her voice quivered uncharacteristically with her next words. “I will do everything I can to protect and support you. That’s my job as your mother. Simply promise me you’ll at least listen to any advice I give? You don’t have to do whatever I say, but don’t block me out.”
It seemed like a simple enough request. Just listening couldn’t hurt. But it seemed like it meant the world to my mother that I say yes, so I did. The tension in her shoulders relaxed the slightest bit, and I could see her breathing return to some sense of normalcy. She stood up and pulled me up with her for an embrace. I regretted what I had to say next.
“Mother,” I considered my words carefully. “I have to get ready. I promised I would have lunch with Ferdinand this afternoon.”
“Even if I weren’t your mother, I’d tell you he’s a creep,” she exclaimed rather loudly. “He’s one of my best clients, but his intentions and lifestyle outside of our business dealings are shady at best.”
I pulled away and headed straight for my closet. Grabbing a yellow summer dress, I held it up to my body and examined my reflection in the vanity mirror. My mother’s disapproving stare was there as well. I spun around and tilted my head, full-on puppy dog eyes in action.
“We literally just made an agreement, mother, that I would listen to your advice and that you would trust me to do what’s best. It’s just some lunch, and it’s in the garden, in the backyard even. You’ll probably be watching us from a window the entire time.”
“Well, that’s a given. Be careful what you tell him about yourself. You never know how those crafty bastards are going to turn things against you.”
A laugh slipped out of me and I tried my best to regain my composure so as not to escalate the situation. “You’re so cynical, mother.”
“I have reason to be,” she muttered as she started toward my door. All in all, the conversation had gone better than I expected. Maybe in time, she would come around and a vampire gentleman would meet her standards for approval. But that was still a long way off.
She left me to the quiet of my room again, and I quickly changed into the dress. Last night I had been dressed in my finest, so today I wanted to show my more relaxed side to Ferdinand. I didn’t straighten or curl my hair this time, instead opting for thorough brushing and some hairspray. I added a white gold bracelet to complete the look and gathered a sun hat from my storage chest. I had seen enough vampires in town to know sun hats were a necessity. They wore it to protect themselves from nausea or burns caused by too much direct sunlight, but because of this, it had become an essential piece of human fashion to match.
There was a soft tapping at my door and I opened it to find Jewel, one of the servants of the mansion, standing with her hands clutched in front of her and her head bowed. Her voice was similar to the squeak of a mouse.
“Master Ferdinand has arrived. He’s waiting for you in the entry area.”
I was giddy with excitement as I straightened out the strap of my dress and hurried past Jewel. I was racing down the steps of the staircase and nearly slipped at one point, but thankfully Ferdinand didn’t seem to notice. His eyes were warm as he took my hand as he did the night before and placed a kiss on it. His bow was even lower this time than it had been the previous evening.
“Radiant as always, Miss Eloise. I am ravished for lunch today.”
His voice flowed and sent a shiver down my spine. “Well, the chef has cooked up something divine today. We’ll be having croissant sandwiches, which I think you’ll quite enjoy.”
“And perhaps a sampling of your mother’s fine collection?” His eyebrows arched in question and my shoulders dipped. I hadn’t thought to ask her about that. How could I be so stupid as not to provide blood for a vampire guest?
“I apologize. It slipped my mind and my mother is indisposed at the moment.”
He was visibly disappointe
d, and I was concerned an awkward silence was going to take over the atmosphere. But then my mother appeared at the top of the staircase, looking as grand as ever. When she left my room, she must have fixed herself up fast. I didn’t know how she pulled that off.
With a cocky grin, she stretched out her arms to greet the client she had entertained on many previous occasions. “Ah, Ferdinand. It’s so very nice to see you. Have no worries about the beverages. I’ll have Jewel go fetch some from the cellar right now.”
The smile returned to Ferdinand’s face and I could feel the red come to mine. I was being upstaged by my mother. But maybe it was for the best. If she hadn’t shown up just in time with blood to supply, I would have had one unsatisfied lunch date on my hands.
“Well, to the garden then?” I asked quickly to regain the spotlight in the situation. I held up my sun hat for emphasis and his smile was back on me. He nodded his head and had his own servant come forward with a black wide-brimmed hat that he had taken off when he came into the house. Luckily, he hadn’t yet taken off his gloves. Between those, the hat, and the full suit ensemble, his sensitive skin was completely protected from the sun.
We chit chatted like old acquaintances as I led him through the ballroom where we had first met the night before. It seemed so much larger when it was empty, and our footsteps echoed in the wide space. You had to cross the ballroom to get to the doors that opened onto the veranda. Once out there, I pointed out my favorite parts of the view of the gardens. We had a fountain, though it was smaller in size, and there were rose bushes, daffodils, lily of the valleys, and more flowers than I could name. Set up in the middle of a collection of dahlias was a wicker table with two matching chairs. Food was already laid out in an appetizing array.
It was an old wives’ tale that vampires don’t eat human food. They enjoy the taste of it well enough. It just doesn’t satisfy hunger. It takes blood to do that. And, sure enough, Jewel scampered out right behind us with a crystal glass of the stuff for Ferdinand.
Kiss of Crimson Page 4