In the room were three council members, Lord Nicholas, and Leonard who listened to the questions and answers. First, it was the relatives and then came the servant’s turn. And then it was Vivian’s.
Pushing the door slowly, Vivian stepped into the room.
With no fireplace which was lit, the room was cold to a chilling point not that it mattered to the vampires but being a human, Vivian felt goosebumps rise on her skin as she made her way towards the chair which one of the men pointed her to sit down in. Taking the seat which wasn’t exactly comfortable, she waited for the people there to start asking her questions. She noticed that Leonard had stood up to go and stand near the window on the other side of the room.
When her eyes met the Lord’s, the Lord smiled, “Vivian, right?” he asked her, testing if it was the right person.
“Yes, milord,” she responded back, her voice trembled as she sat in front of high social standing men of the society.
“You don’t have to be nervous. The council will only ask you easy questions which you will have to answer for. Okay?” seeing her nod her head he then said, “That’s good. Lionel, you can start,” to this, the man in his round glasses and beard cleared his throat.
“Miss Vivian. We heard from the Duke that you witnessed Mrs. Carmichael’s death. Is true?” the man asked.
“Yes.”
“Could you explain to us what you saw? We would like you to give us as much detail as possible,” another council member waited for her to speak.
Vivian felt her heart beat rise which didn’t go amiss by either the Lord or the Duke in the room. Rubbing her clammy hands over her nightdress skirt, she opened her mouth, “Mrs. Carmichael looked different. She…she looked lost,” she said looking down at the ground, “I don’t think I have ever seen her that way since I remember working here. She has always had kind eyes, even though they were red, there was compassion. She lacked those things tonight. She came to attack me and then…master Leonard.”
“We spoke to the other maids and found out that you weren’t in the kitchen nor in the main hall for work as you had excused yourself from there. Not to forget the broth you were in charge with,” Lionel, the councilman pushed his glasses up his nose. Vivian didn’t understand why he would mention the broth, seeing her expression, the man explained, “Milady, you would be quite stunned to know that something was mixed, or should I say you mixed something in the broth so that others could take charge of it. That very same substance which was added was the reason why what has happened tonight.”
She didn’t know what to say. Her head began reeling in and out, trying to remember the events and works she had performed. Frankly, if someone asked her she couldn’t remember everything as the day seemed to have moved like a blur. The only thing she had been excited was to wish Leonard happy birthday and give him the present she had made especially for him by hand.
“I didn’t do anything like that!” she answered firmly to see Lionel raise his brow.
“And what proof might you have? Do you deny that you excused yourself from a working place when the mansion was full and needed complete attendance from the servants? Or do you deny the fact that you were one of the servants to reach the mishap scene first when you were supposed to be asleep?” he asked her.
“Vivian,” Lord Nicholas interrupted, “You have to be cooperative and tell us what you did so that we can judge your motives.”
“I wasn’t that tired and I took a little time to tidy my room before getting some sleep. I heard something fall down from my room and I came to see if everything was alright when I heard a scream.”
“Do all the maids have access to the kitchen and authority to cook?” the third council member who was younger than the other three councilmen questioned her.
“They do. All the senior maids who have lived in the mansion for a long time are allowed to take part in the cooking.”
“And how long have you been working for the Carmichael’s?” Lionel asked.
“More than a decade,” she answered, waiting for more questions to be asked and did it come.
“One last question. Was there any disagreement in the family? I mean anything that the Carmichael’s or others would have scolded you for harshly?” Vivian wasn’t sure if there was a direct matter. Feeling her hesitance to the question, the councilman remarked, “Seems like there is one.”
“It was a small one. Negligible,” said Vivian, feeling her toes curl under her long dress.
“If it were negligible, you wouldn’t have remembered. Is that why you poisoned the Lady?” Lionel asked her as if they had already decided she was the culprit.
“I didn’t kill anyone. I would never think something so harsh,” she whispered, clutching her skirt and glanced towards Leonard who still had his back facing her.
“I think that’s enough Lionel,” Lord Nicholas cut in, “You can go back to your room now. Please send the housekeeper on your way,” he smiled at the girl who bowed before she left the room.
