The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 118: Change (1)

Chapter 118: Change (1)

Annalise stood behind Rafael as he ate his breakfast in peace. She would happily trade what she ate for breakfast with what he received.

When he was finished, Annalise was ready to follow him, but he surprised her and Mavis.

"I need to speak with you right now," Rafael said to Mavis right as she came to his side to ask if he enjoyed his breakfast. "Alone," he said turning to Annalise. She should be worried about him mentioning her name.

Mavis was certain her heart suddenly started to beat faster. She smiled, hoping that he wanted to speak to her about how well she was doing and perhaps give her a raise or was he going to complain about his maid?

Mavis glanced at Annalise who should have never become Rafael’s maid. She was waiting for the problem with Delilah to be over with to get Annalise from by his side and place one of the maids she liked there. Now that Rafael must have been tired of the things Annalise did, she might be able to get rid of her now.

Annalise had her fooled into thinking the girl was suddenly doing a better job, but she must have messed up now. It was only so long the girl could pretend that she would not cause trouble. Trouble was what had the young lady to be coming after her.

"Of course young master. I will follow you," Mavis answered. She had a mouthful to say about some of the maids if he was willing to listen.

"Stay close until I am ready for you, Annalise," Rafael said, enjoying the sight of her panicking. If she could, she would take his hand and drag him somewhere to convince him not to say her name or threaten to put a snake in his bed if he spoke about it all together.

Rafael left the dining room first to go to the small library where he had spoken to Annalise about not getting animals to scare anyone from that point on.

Mavis followed him, unaware that the conversation had nothing to do with Annalise, but with her and what happened when he was not here.

"Is it something bad that we could not have spoken in the dining room, young master? I could have sent all of the maids out for us to speak," Mavis said. He did not need to walk to a private space where everyone could be cleared out for him. She would give anyone trying to listen to their conversion an earful.

"That would have slowed down them cleaning up what was left from my breakfast. Let’s start with what you address me by. I have never liked being called a young master. Sir Rafael or Rafael would be preferred. Young master does not suit me and it has become a joke to some. I am a knight. Address me as that or by my name. I do not care if the servants use my first name-"

"But they are not of the same status as you to be addressing you as such," Mavis argued. In her opinion, letting the servant call him Rafael was an insult to him. They might not see the line that was clearly between them. "They should call you young master or Sir Rafael out of respect."

"We are in my manor where there is no one watching. There is no need for all of you to put on a show and call me young master. I had a simple life before becoming a knight. My father was never referred to as a young master. Even when his name grew around the kingdom and the Callahans were worth something, I was not called young master. Only now has it been used and it irritates me," Rafael explained.

"But you have never had an issue with it before-"

"These days it has started to irritate me more. I expect you and Edwin to tell the maids about it by the end of the day. From tomorrow, I hope to not hear anyone address me as a young master. Secondly, why is it that the servants who stay in the manor are not allowed to leave?" Rafael asked, looking away from Mavis to the shelves in the library.

Mavis rubbed her sweaty palms into her dress. "That was a decision I made with Edwin. To avoid the chance that they might not return when they are supposed to, I have warned them to not be out of the gates after nine-"

"After working all day, there is little time for them to go into town to get what they need and return before nine. You can’t possibly expect them to wait until they are off to buy or do everything they need and not get any rest, my dear wife," Rafael said, walking around the room to look at his collection of books. He needed to add more since he had read most of what was here.

Mavis’s cheeks turned red as his words caused her to be flustered. "D-Dear wife?"

She was moved by the title but she was far older than him and only his servant. She knew that he had to be messing with her.

"Well, you have made all these changes in my absence like you were the lady of the house. I’m sorry that I have missed the proposal and everything that follows. I have been a bad husband to you. I hope you can accept my apology," Rafael said, not once taking his eyes off the books.

"I apologise for overstepping and changing around things in your absence. I will speak to Edwin and change everything back to how it was," Mavis replied, bowing her head to avoid him. She felt the manor worked better with her changes, but it was his home and she was just a maid.

"You do not need to change everything back to how it was. There are some changes that you have done that I liked. I am not angry with you for having them address me as a young master, I am just telling you that I do not like it. I know that you are trying to have me like the nobles here, but that is not something that interests me. As for the maids leaving, it’s just absurd that you would not let them leave after nine," Rafael said, finally turning his attention to her.

He continued to say, "You make a good head maid which is why I have kept you around for so long and leave the manor to your care when I am not here. I only ask that you remember you are the bridge between me and the maids. You are to relay my orders to the maids and speak for the maids when they are having some sort of trouble. You are to look out for them. I am not pleased that Connor’s behaviour never reached my ears."

"Maybe the authority you have as a head maid has gotten to your head-"

"It has not!" Mavis denied his claim. "It has never once gotten to my head. I am the way that I am because I think of your reputation. I want the Callahan house to be just as grand as the homes of nobles so no one can speak poorly of you."

"They will speak regardless. I’m afraid I cannot sew their mouths even though I would love to," said Rafael, disappointed the town guards would be at his doors if he tried. He would be doing the town a favour, but they did not realise it.

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