"Sophie, dear. You need to be careful with the teacup," laughed Lady Rosamund, giving a look at Sophie, who had been mostly quiet nowadays.
Madeline felt a pair of eyes on her, and she could tell it was her mother who was staring at her. When her eyes slowly moved, she saw the look of worry change to a smile on her mother's face.
"How are you doing now, Lady Lucy? Are you feeling better?" asked her mother to the vampiress who offered a kind smile.
"Yes, Mrs. Harris. Much better. I am not used to travelling and spending my time away from home," came the polite words of Lucy. Since the time she had caught her husband having an affair with the maid, Lucy was trying to spend less time with Samuel. Life felt unkind, and the pain was heavily weighing on her heart. She had tried to find the maid in the castle, wanting to talk and question but the maid had disappeared.
"You should travel with Samuel, Lucy dear," stated Lady Rosamund, "Calhoun sends your husband away for work. You should ask him to take you with him. You will even get to see the world."
Lucy wished they would stop speaking about her marital relationship and her time with Samuel. "I think it would be unsafe to travel with him, considering the enemies. Also, I wouldn't want to trouble him."
"What a sweet girl you are," commented Lady Rosamund, picking up her teacup and taking a sip from it.
"Your husband is very lucky, Lady Lucy. To have a wife like you," praised Madeline's mother.
Madeline who was listening in on their conversation could see the uncomfortable look on Lucy's face, "Lady Lucy is down to earth despite her being the princess of Devon," said Madeline, "She even promised me to teach the game of checks and cross-board."
"It is the least I can do," smiled Lucy, "After Sophie's words, I thought it would be good to spend time together as we are soon going to be sisters-in-law." She looked relieved that the conversation had been diverted.
But Lady Rosamund was not done with their previous conversation, she then said, "That is how Lucy has been. Though I must say, you should be careful with Theodore," and she then turned to Mrs. Harris to say, "I saw him follow our dear Lucy in the middle of the night. He is quite a leech-" and before more words could be uttered, the teacup that was raised near her face suddenly shattered.
The ladies at the table gasped, "Are you alright, Lady Rosamund?" asked Mrs. Harris as the pieces of the teacup had hit her face to leave angry lines on the older vampiress' face.
"Let me come with you, mother," said Sophie, getting up from her chair and quickly following her mother.
"The teacups must be truly delicate to break so easily," said Lucy in a worried tone. She then looked at Mrs. Harris and Madeline to make sure they were alright. "Let me call the maid. Let us move to another room," suggested the vampiress.
As they were leaving, Madeline met her mother's eyes, who stared at her with a worried look.
Madeline knew the reason the teacup broke wasn't because of Lady Rosamund, but it was because of her. Seeing Lady Lucy's distress with the topic of conversation, Madeline had quietly glared towards Lady Rosamund. But who knew it would end up breaking the teacup without her needing to touch it.
"Are you alright, mama?" asked Madeline to her mother, her eyes looking innocent.
Her mother stared at her before saying, "Yes."
Madeline could tell that her mother was worried, and maybe even tense. Her powers of being a dark angel were returning, and Madeline only prayed that she would not kill anyone. She didn't want somebody's blood on her hands.
Madeline didn't tag along with Lucy and her mother, but when she was walking in the open corridor, looking for Calhoun, she noticed a familiar man who was sitting on his heels and talking to one of Calhoun's wolves. Hearing her footsteps, the man turned around.
"It is good to see you, Lady Madeline," Raphael bowed his head in greetings.
Madeline did the same, "Mr. Sparrow."
"How are you doing? I heard something very interesting from Calhoun," mentioned Raphael, patting the wolf's head and standing up.
Madeline wondered if it was safe to say anything in here out in the open, "Are you aware of my kind?"
"I have only heard about them as mythical creatures. But if the King and I exist, I guess I shouldn't question about you," his lazy eyes looked at her. Raphael was a demon like Calhoun, the only difference was he wasn't a vampire which was why his eyes were black.
"I think I finally understand what the previous readings meant," said Madeline to him, "The skull, the tulip and the tombstone. I have killed, and I will kill again. I have been in the tombstone, and I wish none of it repeats again."
"You are searching for answers to stop it," Raphael's eyes softened further.
She gave him a nod. "Yes," responded Madeline, and then she asked after a pause, "I was wondering...If it is possible to find what I have lost during my childhood. My memories. It is important that I find them, and also my sister's."
"Lady Elizabeth?" Raphael tilted his head.
"Her memories have been tampered. I think I will find a piece of what I am looking for through her. Do you think it is possible? To bring it back." She looked at him anxiously for an answer with hope in her eyes,
Raphael answered, "That's possible, but memories can be tricky, Lady Madeline. There is a possibility of lapse that can either bring it back or tamper it further."