The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 366: Friends (2)

Chapter 366: Friends (2)

"Are you truly going to abandon me to sit with Giselle? The woman I finally stopped from entering the manor?" Rafael asked, holding Annalise’s hand to stop her from going off to greet Giselle.

What sort of punishment was this for Annalise to befriend Giselle? Rafael didn’t hate Giselle but he was so used to running away from her because of the way she dressed and acted around him to leave rumours about their relationship.

He wouldn’t go as far as to call it a relationship. He was letting her visit her brother, but then it ended with her flirting.

"I am holding off us laying around for an hour or so. I have to make friends while I am here and at the competition you held, Giselle suggested we become friends. Of the three young women wanting to court you, I like her along with Siena. It can’t hurt to start a friendship with Giselle," Annalise said, removing his hold on her arm.

"Don’t worry. I will let her know that she cannot bother you and if she tries to flirt with you behind my back, she might end up missing. I’m joking," Annalise added after Rafael gave her a look of disapproval. "Sort of," she muttered.

Rafael sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do about this strange friendship forming. Annalise did need friends during her time here. Giselle had given herself a bad reputation, but when she wasn’t trying to flirt with him, he could stomach her presence better than other women.

Rafael also now considered that since Giselle had a hard time with the other women, she might stick around Annalise when it is revealed she was from the border. It was harsh to think, but Giselle needed to hold onto any friend she could find at the moment.

"Have fun and please do not look for me while she is here," Rafael said, lifting Annalise’s right hand to kiss the back of it.

"My lips would have been better for a goodbye. Did you do that because you are upset I am leaving you for Giselle? You are a giant child," Annalise said, shaking her head. "I hope I don’t regret this."

Annalise was hoping for the best with her talk with Giselle. She had given up the opportunity to lay around in bed with Rafael so early in the day so Giselle should not ruin this.

Annalise walked to the front door to greet Giselle as she entered. She also needed to look for Heidi’s return with her candy. She stopped to stand beside Mavis who was also waiting to greet her guest. "I would love to talk with you alone later, Mavis. Don’t look so surprised. I just want to hear more about the young women here. The ones I shouldn’t waste my time with."

Mavis relaxed after Annalise explained what she wanted to talk about. "I am free to tell you everything I know when you are ready. I’ve given the maids another warning that they are not to bother or hit you. Would you like to address them properly as the lady of the manor?"

"I will soon address everyone because I need to give a proper introduction of myself, but that must wait a little. I want to enjoy all of you not knowing who I am a little bit more," said Annalise.

Mavis slowly turned to Annalise, curious what she meant. To her, it sounded like Annalise was saying she was someone important. ’It couldn’t be she was already a lady pretending to be a maid,’ Mavis thought.

Now that she thought about it, it would explain why Annalise was hard to deal with. Annalise didn’t know all the rules she should follow as a maid.

This made Mavis panic even more that she had been at odds with someone from a family with money. It helped make sense of why Rafael was drawn to Annalise. Maybe he knew about Annalise’s family.

"Excuse me for asking this. Aren’t your parents farmers?" Mavis asked.

Annalise smiled, turning Mavis’s way to answer, "My mother likes to grow our vegetables sometimes, but I wouldn’t call her a farmer because she gets so busy that the vegetables die. Most of the time we buy our vegetables or receive a lot of offerings from a lot of the people around us."

Mavis once again felt clueless because it didn’t sound to her like Annalise’s parents came from wealth now, but it still concerned her that Annalise had always said her parents had a farm in a quiet area. What was the need to lie? Was Annalise lying again now? Was Annalise lying about starting over and messing with her?

Annalise looked away from Mavis to Giselle stepping out of her carriage. At the same time, she spotted Heidi returning without a bag in her hands which meant no candy.

Giselle eyed Annalise’s dress as she walked up the steps. "Are the maids playing dress up today?" She asked.

Mavis cleared her throat to get Giselle’s attention. "Annalise is now that lady of the manor. As a guest, you should properly address her."

"Lady of the manor?!" Giselle exclaimed, stepping forward to Annalise to hold her hands. "Is it true? There was really something between the two of you? How long has this been going on? Since the first time I saw you here? How did you do it?"

"Aha," Annalise nervously laughed. She didn’t know what question to answer first.

"This is exciting," Giselle said, looking forward to the women who had their eyes on Rafael finding out. "I can’t wait for everyone to find out. Especially Delilah. They were all talking as if they were close to getting his attention. I need to know everything."

Giselle found it funny that all the women who said she didn’t have a chance didn’t have a chance themselves. Annalise came out of nowhere to snatch Rafael. Giselle preferred Annalise being with Rafael over someone like Delilah who would have rubbed this in her face.

Annalise didn’t think Delilah could still be interested in Rafael after he had sent her away last time and from what little she knew, Beatrice did not see Delilah anymore. From what Giselle said, it came off as Delilah might still be talking about Rafael.

"Mavis, can you take us to a room for me to talk with Giselle and have warm drinks sent along with snacks? It is too cold for us to sit on one of the balconies," said Annalise.

"I have the perfect place for the two of you. Please excuse me for a moment," Mavis said and then hurried off to have the room ready.

It wasn’t used much since Rafael didn’t entertain guests outside of his study, but now that Annalise might be having guests, it would finally have some use.

Mavis looked forward to women of all ages coming to the manor for parties Annalise would host. It meant they had to pay careful attention to the garden and add more of a woman’s touch to the manor.

"I’ll try my best to answer your questions when we are alone. Something looks different about you," Annalise said, giving Giselle a look over to find what it was.

"You don’t have to pretend not to notice that I am not dressed to get anyone’s attention and I also cut my hair a little bit. I’m going back to the old Giselle who was ignored since it was becoming hard to keep up with my new act," Giselle answered.

"Then there’s the fact the attention I got wasn’t all that I wanted. Now rumours are starting that I am dressing modestly because my family wants to abandon me. I can’t get a break no matter what I try so I am here hoping for the best," Giselle said, crossing her fingers for Annalise to be different.

She had grown tired of sitting at home because if she accepted any of the invitations sent to her, she would just become the topic of jokes. Giselle was desperate so she came here to see her brother and talk to Annalise who was supposed to be Rafael’s maid. She was in luck since Annalise was now Rafael’s wife-

"Are you married?" Giselle asked, pulling Annalise’s hand to look for a ring. She hadn’t heard the faintest gossip about a wedding.

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