The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 52: Old friend (2)

Chapter 52: Old friend (2)

"It would have been good if you could stay until the contest," Rafael said as he walked through the front door with Edgar. He could use Edgar as a distraction for the young ladies in town to turn their attention to Edgar instead of him.

"It would be a good opportunity for me to continue hiding from my mother and Tobias, but Alfred would miss me and I am still in charge of the case in Lockwood. I cannot stay away for too long. It is another reason to kill Tobias," Edgar said as his days had become busy looking for the person who was taking young girls.

"Right. Word of that has reached here. We also have a case of young girls being forced into the red-light district or being bought since their families need the money. What is becoming of this kingdom? Do you have any clues yet?" Rafael asked.

"Not yet, but Tobias claims that the Baron, Desmond Barrett, has information. I am supposed to be visiting his home when I return to see what it is he wants to share. That bastard is using my name to get people to attend a party he is hosting at the same time. I might stay home and send a town guard instead of going to that old fool," Edgar muttered, not in the mood to be entertainment for Desmond’s guests.

The baron was nothing more than an annoying old fool who spent more money than he had.

"Then there’s his daughter," Edgar palmed his face. It was one big headache waiting to happen. "I am not going."

Rafael felt sorry for Edgar who had to deal with the countless offers to marry young ladies. What he went through daily was child’s play for Edgar. Just like him, Edgar did not wish to get married, but for a different reason.

"You should go. You only need to stay to hear information and if he was lying to get you to attend his party, kill him," Rafael suggested since any fool who used a tragic situation to lie and get a duke to attend his party should be killed.

Edgar liked the suggestion. He was already itching to kill the baron because of the things he gathered about Desmond. "See, this is why you and I get along so well," he said.

"Because I encourage your violence?" Rafael mused.

"Well yes."

While the two men conversed as they walked up to Rafael’s study, Annalise finally stepped out of the blind spot where she hid when she saw Rafael coming toward the front door with a man beside him. She was looking around for Mavis to inform her that the chickens were put away and the eggs collected. Annalise needed to be told about her next job.

’Who?’ She wondered. Rafael’s guest looked to be important. She wished to be a fly on the wall or for it to have been night for her to climb up the wall outside Rafael’s study or bedroom and sit near the window to listen to their conversation.

"What are you doing?!" Mavis exclaimed upon seeing Annalise stand around doing nothing. "I thought I told you-"

"I have been looking for you. The chickens have been put away and the eggs are on the way to the kitchen. The young master has a guest," Annalise pointed upstairs, hoping to distract Mavis from the fact she was standing around doing nothing. "A young man who looks to be wealthy. There is a black carriage out front that was not there before.

Mavis was still angry with Annalise, but if there was an important guest here, there was much that needed to be done. "Goodness," Mavis said as she knew who it belonged to when she saw the flag on the carriage. "Is he staying long? Were there bags carried in?" She asked Annalise who was now important.

"There was another man behind them holding something big-"

"The duke is here and he might be staying with us. I wasn’t told he would be coming. We must prepare a room and have the finest dinner," Mavis said, starting to panic. The duke was not meant to be here until the contest.

’Is it Duke Edgar?’ Annalise pieced together as she knew one duke Rafael was close to was Duke Edgar Collins, but that duke lived in Lockwood. If it is Edgar Collins, why was he here?

"You need to see if he will be staying here. I will join you in case you need to send a maid to do something. I will not mess up," Annalise promised. She would not pass up a good opportunity to listen or see what was happening wherever the duke and Rafael had gone.

Mavis would never pick Annalise to follow her, but time was of the essence and she needed to see if the duke was staying the night or going to the home everyone knew he owned here. "Follow me and keep your head down. They might request something to drink so you might need to go find Edwin and have him give you a good bottle of wine for the two. If you act a fool before the duke, your work here shall be over. "

"Understood," Annalise replied as she followed behind Mavis. That bad luck was turning around quickly since she was in the right spot at the right time to see Rafael and the duke together.

Mavis fixed her appearance as she walked upstairs. She viewed being in front of the duke as being before the king. Working for Rafael was terrific and there was an appearance she kept up as head maid, but she had to look better in front of the duke. The Collins were well known for their status and wealth.

Edgar Collins was born into wealth while only Rafael’s mother came from it and Rafael had to work his way up to be acknowledged just like his father. If given the chance to, Mavis would rather work for the duke instead of being stuck in this town. She would be close to the palace to see the queen and king.

Annalise didn’t see why Mavis kept stopping to fix her hair and twist around her dress. ’Does she have some sort of relationship with the duke?’ She asked herself. Mavis wasn’t an ugly woman though Annalise called her an old hag many times, but she couldn’t picture the man she saw being with Mavis.

Annalise did not want to picture it since it made her want to puke. She already had enough nightmares after seeing Mavis flirt with Jonah.

Mavis and Annalise stopped outside Rafael’s study where the door was slightly ajar.

Annalise listened to their conversation about war which was quickly interrupted by Mavis knocking on the door to make their presence known.

"Young master," Mavis said in a sweet tone as she pushed the door open without waiting for Rafael to tell her to enter. "I heard that you have a guest. I am here to ask if you will be needing a room prepared and an extra plate for dinner."

Rafael looked away from the gift Edgar had bought him to the door of his study. It wasn’t Mavis that got his attention when he looked at the door. It was the young woman innocently smiling behind her.

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