Maggie stared at the man wide-eyed and suddenly snapped her head to look at the front of her chair where Grace had her own head that was yet to turn around as her eyes were strained on the man who had come. Maggie didn't know why but it felt like the man had come here to commit suicide. Her father had already been displeased with her working in a stranger's house, and to make it worse, Grace had tattled on her about seeing a man without anyone's notice.
Darting her eyes on the food, she picked it up and put some of it on her plate before starting to eat.
She tried hard to keep her eyes to her but it went to drift towards where the vampire took his seat not too far away from her or her father.
"Maggie," Lady Fleurance called her and Maggie looked up to see her step-mother giving her a look of disappointment, "You need to wait for the butler and the maids to serve the food than behave like a starved person."
"Apologies mother. I was hungry," Maggie bowed her head, her cheeks turning slightly red at Lady Felurance calling her out in front of everyone.
Caitlin, who heard it, leaned forward to say to Penny, "You should have seen my uncle and aunt who would go bonkers when we did something like this. Not that it mattered. One should be able to eat food at any point in time."
Lady Fluerance eyes narrowed at the woman who was only a guest in this house for a few days. She had the audacity to talk like that right in front of her, "Maybe where you come from it is alright as people don't have enough food, Miss Caitlin," the woman struggled with the last words as if she were finding it hard to use a proper honorific word.
Penny frowned at the comment that was passed, "Where we come from have enough food but we also have the liberty to eat. Mr. Wells, I hope we didn't disrespect you."
Mr. Jerome who sat there looking at the women at the table who had started a round of discussion smiled at Penelope's words, "'Course not. If Lady Maggie is hungry and wants to eat, she should eat without needing another person's approval."
Lady Fleurance could only smile for the briefest moment to see that the young vampiress couldn't be twisted the way she wanted as the other two women had ganged up against her words, "Let me take this moment to apologize to you," Lady Fleurance said even though the guest had spoken out loud to let her know he found no disrespect in it.
"What are you doing, mama?" came Grace's voice next to hers.
"Apologizing to our guest instead of your sister," Lady Fleurance answered her daughter but that was not what Grace meant.
"The man you call a guest is a very same man I caught Maggie with. What a shameless man you are to have the nerve to come inside our house," Grace let her spoon clatter on the plate.
"What? That can't be. This is Jerome Wells who is an architect," Lady Fleurance cleared her daughter's doubt and the young vampiress frowned at the thought of it.
"Are you not going to say anything, father? And look at you," Grace said looking at Maggie, "To behave like nothing is going on, I saw them f.u.c.k.i.n.g kiss!"
Maggie gripped on her spoon as she continued to drink her soup while ignoring Grace's words as well as presence.
"Why won't you tell anything? Are you ashamed of him? To not even greet, does it mean she has been going around kissing other men then?" Grace had a big smile as she realized that it might be so, "She was so heartbroken with the other man that she's sullying our family name."
"I think you are doing that enough already. I don't have to do anything," Maggie finally commented on her sister's words.
"Both of you sit down already," Senior Quinn spoke in a calm voice. The man was so used to the daily bickering that it had turned out to be a norm for years now. His wife Fleurance and his three children- Grace, Damien, and Maggie were always part of the daily debate and discussion.
"But father, look at what she is doing!" Grace pointed her finger towards Maggie which switched between her sister and Jerome.
"Yes, I have and you should keep your own legs closed before pointing out at someone else. Don't think I don't know what happens out of this house," Senior Quiin gave his youngest daughter a look that meant to shut up to sit down and behave but Grace was having her usual tantrum on. She couldn't believe her father had told her that!
"Grace," Maggie said her sister's name, "Just because you don't have a life of your own, don't turn others' lives into yours. You are needed there."
Grace gritted her teeth that her father had not spoken a word of disapproval at Maggie, instead, he appeared calm. What happened?! She had planned it all well and she had planned to make Maggie the worst daughter of this household who didn't obey his words. Why wasn't he saying anything?
The young vampiress turned to her mother, moistening her eyes, "Did you hear that, mother? My very own sister tells me I am not needed," she said twisting her words, "And father says I am opening my legs to people…"
Jerome had come to the mansion to discuss the new blueprints while also hoping to get a glimpse of Maggie after their last meet, right now he didn't know what was going on. The subject was jumping back and forth making him wonder what he stepped into.
From the corner of his eyes, he looked at Maggie who had stood up from her own seat like her younger sister. His mind drifted to the thoughts of when he had last seen her. She had a smile on her face and with her standing so close to him, he had leaned forward to leave a kiss on her cheek.
Undoubtedly, the lady was gobsmacked and she had left in the carriage right away after which he had not seen her. She had stopped traveling and visiting to teach the children. It had made him question if he was the reason if he had scared her but it seemed like the situation wasn't so.
Gerald Quinn ignored the people in the room and turned towards Jerome who had not moved an inch since everyone had started to speak, "Mr. Wells. What are your intentions with my daughter?"
Jerome straightened his back. He bowed his head, saying, "I have taken a keen liking towards her. I would like to get to know your daughter better if you allowed me."