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Most of the vampire's Heidi had met today, in truth, were far from being humble and kind, though smiles were exchanged their expressions were quick to turn bland when Warren left her side.
It was the first time she realized that the nightly creatures held less value when it came to humans and Heidi made sure their attitude didn't faze her. On the other side of the hall she noticed the woman named Lettice having a smile on her face which looked forced while her husband stood next to her talking to a couple. It seemed like she wasn't spared either when it came to few of their guests attitude regarding the dislike they held for humans. At one particular instance when Lettice was left alone for a minute, an elderly vampire had come to talk to her making her face pale until her husband came to intervene and glare at the man. Heidi was nothing but a spectator who had only seen and hadn't heard what the context was about as she was standing far away from them.
When it was time to leave the mansion of Meyers, Heidi stood quietly waiting for both Warren and Lord Nicholas to finish talking to Rhys Meyers on the taxation that was levied on the villages and nearby towns. The rain had paused for now. His wife Lettice was no where found and it seemed like she had left early from the hall before Heidi had the chance to say a good bye. After they had come back to the hall where everyone were present she hadn't spoke to the lady of the house.
Even though she told to herself this is what she had to accept as her life it was a little odd to her to know that she was going to marry a vampire and be in an environment where vampires looked down on the humans not that it was major concern to her. There were other things that bothered her at the back of her mind and she didn't know what to do in the future when questions and labels would be pasted on her.
Hiding a yawn that almost bubbled up, Heidi let her eyes wander around their house and found few windows open, the breeze a little higher than on the ground making the curtains fly. The windows were really large, just like the ones in Lord Nicholas' mansion and she wondered if it was built the same way in most of the vampire's household. Her family had smaller windows, ones with the vertical and horizontal grills and so did the Duke's house she had visited.
Hearing her name come up in the conversation, she looked back at the men and saw Mr. Meyers nod his head in agreement to something one of the men said.
"I think that's an excellent idea. Lettice might probably be bored staying in the mansion and having a little company would do her well, " Mr. Meyers said with a frown on his forehead.
"I'll go ask the coachman to get the carriage ready, " Warren excused himself walking away and just as Heidi was about to follow the man, she was stopped by Mr. Meyers.
"Ms. Curtis, I hope you don't mind keeping my wife company. She is a very reserved woman, even when it comes to her own husband. Unfortunately she hasn't got friends to talk making her more secluded."
"And I wonder whose fault it is, Rhys?" Heidi heard Lord Nicholas chuckle making Rhys give him a dry look before he said.
"You will know when you walk the same path as me."
"I don't plan to walk on it. It's a path which only fools would take."
"A smart fool, " both Rhys and Lord Nicholas laughed and Heidi wasn't sure if she found it funny because it seemed to her that both the men laughed over an internal joke which was untold.
When the carriage arrived, Heidi bid her farewell to Mr. Meyers and walked towards the carriage. Lord Nicholas was yet to get in and he stood with Rhys, talking to him.
"Is it necessary for you to constrict the woman? I am sure she would be happy if you let her visit her family once in a while than cage her in the mansion, " spoke Nicholas in a low voice seeing Warren help Heidi get into the carriage. The girl had stepped on the front of her dress, and now she pulled it up to place her feet inside the carriage but not before giving his cousin an awkward smile. Clumsy, thought Lord Nicholas in his mind.
"It is easier said than done, Nicholas and it is for her own good... and mine, " Rhys replied seeing Nicholas raise his eyebrow at him. The man then sighed, "What makes you think I would let her associate herself with those meager humans who you don't know what nonsense or idiocracy beliefs, to turn against our kind."
"And isolating her is the solution?"
"I know it isn't but if it's going to keep her away from her family or the man she was in love with, then so be it, " Rhys said sharply as the color of his eyes flickered, "This way its easier for her to start her new life than dwell in something fruitless."
Though humans often spoke in the society of how vampires were emotionless without a soul, the statement didn't hold true to all of them. As much as most of them were remorseless, there were some who felt things too deeply and it was mostly true for the ones who created soul bonds with their partners. Vampires love ran much deeper than the humans, and each one had their own way of showing it.
"I will have to send someone along when Lettice goes out with Ms. Curtis, " Rhys massaged the sides of his temples to which Nicholas placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Don't to do that. What I am trying to say is, if you give her a little air or make her think that she's having enough space to breath, it would be effortless to gain her attention and trust. At the end of time, isn't that what everything comes down to?" Nicholas smiled, "I'll be going. Until later."
"Hmm, until later, " Rhys nodded. He saw the carriage start, the wheels sound getting distant until it disappeared from sight.
Once Heidi and the others reached the mansion, Heidi went to her room to take off the awful tight dress. Finally able to breath she took a large amount of air into her lungs before letting it out with a great sigh of relief. Seeing that a dress was already placed on the bed for her she changed into it and remembered what Lord Nicholas had done when they had been to Mr. Meyers house. Taking the dress in front of her, she turned around to see two strings that had been snapped. Thankfully there were knots to hold fast in the loops that prevented it from loosening the entire strings that was criss-crossed.
He could have done it without startling her and may be avoiding the hug by making her turn around. She felt embarrassed by the action and no man had ever held her that way before. It was her first time being in a male's arms. What if someone had caught them then? Was he not worried about it? Even though she knew she hadn't anything wrong and Lord Nicholas was only helping her, for a person viewing them, it would look nothing less than an affair which could turn into a scandal. But then she doubted it would cause him any damage because he seemed to be a man who didn't worry himself about such things.
One of his arms had been placed firmly over her waist, not gentle but firm for her not to move as his hand had broken the string from her back. Shaking her head to rid the thoughts away, she took the dress placing it on the chair and opened the drawers and closet to find the sewing box to fix the broken string. Unable to find it, she asked one of the maids to get it which the maid brought without a question, leaving her alone in the room. Putting the thread through the needle she pulled the dress closer to her and began sewing it and just as she began the sudden knock on her door startled her, pricking the needle on her finger.
"Ouch!" she whispered keeping the needle and dress down to open the door she had closed, "Mr. Lawson. I mean Warren, how can I help you?" she was surprised to see him at her door.
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