The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 54: Conflict (1)

Chapter 54: Conflict (1)

Annalise didn’t know what to make of Rafael quickly shutting the door in her face. Had she done something wrong or were they talking about her?

"I wish I could hear what they are saying inside. Why are you so thick?" Annalise kicked the door and quickly regretted doing so for two reasons. There was now a pain in her toes and the door made a noise while it shook.

"Go go go," Annalise repeated as she ran away before anyone could open the door to see what had happened.

Annalise did not slow down until she reached the stairs in case Edwin or Mavis would find her running around and questioned her.

Annalise was certain the duke came to talk to Rafael about something important. She could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation when she stood outside the door. They were hard to hear because of the thick door and they were talking far away from where she stood.

If only they would have allowed her to stay in the room to pour them their drinks.

’I have not found or heard anything useful since I have come here,’ Annalise sighed. The only thing she could look forward to was the king coming to the competition with the knights. If not for blending in, she would join to show these men how to fight.

"Annalise!" Cara called as she ran to be by Annalise’s side. "I have been looking all over for you.

"Really?" Annalise asked, not seeing why Cara would be looking for her. It was not like she had gotten in trouble with Mavis again. Or did she? It happened so naturally that it was becoming hard to tell when she was in trouble.

"No," Cara replied, hooking her arm with Annalise’s. "I have been working unlike you who has been doing strange things. I heard you had to catch chickens, but that’s not important right now. Have you heard that a duke is here?"

Annalise looked away from Cara, already bored of the conversation. Knowing Cara, this conversation was about to be of the duke’s looks and his status. What Cara had to say would not interest her unless it was about what the duke came here to tell Rafael.

"You and I will be working serving dinner tonight so we will get to see the duke up close. I know that doesn’t interest you, but you should really enjoy this moment. We don’t get to see much of nobles from Lockwood so it is something to enjoy," said Cara as the nobles here were nothing like those in Lockwood. Everyone longed to visit the capital to see how lavish everyone in Lockwood lived.

"You are aware he is normal, like the two of us. He just holds a title and more money than either one of us can imagine. It is not like he is the king for you to be this excited," Annaise replied. The duke was a handsome man just like all the knights she saw here, but she didn’t see why Cara was so excited to see him.

"You are no fun," Cara said, disappointed with Annalise’s reaction to the duke being here. "Aria! You should share my excitement."

Aria looked at Cara and Annalise walking together. "We are meant to be working," she said, walking around them to take the sheets she picked up from outside to the right rooms.

"We are on a short break right now since it is near noon. You are also on break right now, Aria. There is no need for you to overwork yourself. Our next break will be after dinner, so take a moment to relax. I have wonderful news. Duke Edgar Collins is here and he will be staying for dinner. The three of us will get to serve him. Isn’t that wonderful?" Cara smiled, unable to stop herself from jumping up and down.

Aria found it to be good news. It was another opportunity for her to prove herself as a maid who could serve Rafael’s guests well. She had already lucked out with Breatice thanks to Annalise, and then she overheard maids talking about seeing Annalise with Giselle.

"I can’t wait to see him," Aria said, silently thinking of ways to make herself stand out from the others tonight. She needed to be better than Annalise.

"Let us help so you can be on break faster," Annalise said, taking a few of the folded bed sheets from Aria’s hand. She was now reminded of the room she was tasked with cleaning. After that, she would only need to be around for dinner unless Mavis had another job for her to do.

"Annalise is not excited like the two of us," Cara said, also taking sheets from Aria. There was no point in not helping and having to leave to find someone else to speak to. "She has no idea what the duke is like."

"I do. I saw him a moment ago before you saw me. I brought a bottle of alcohol and a few glasses to the young master and the duke," Annalise revealed. It was quicker than she would have liked.

Aria frowned, angered by the fact that Annalise had already made a move to be near the duke and young master. How was it that Annalise was always picked to do these jobs when Mavis did not like her? There had to be someone Annalise was close to for her to be getting all these good jobs.

"That is not surprising. I wonder what it is you have been doing to be able to help not only Lady Beatrice but the Duke too. I thought you said you were not interested in seducing anyone," Aria said, her voice getting louder with each word as her anger got the best of her.

It was only so long that she could hold back being upset that Annalise, who was new and hardly good at her job, was doing well. Aria didn’t see how it was fair that Annalise was ahead of her when she was the one working hard. Even now, she was the one working when they were supposed to be on break. The news about Annalise receiving a dress from Rafael was hard to swallow.

Cara was the first to stop after hearing Aria’s tone. "Hey!" She grabbed Aria’s shoulder. "What the hell is wrong with you? Don’t accuse her like that."

"I did not seduce the young master or the duke if that is what you are hinting at. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to help Mavis get drinks," Annalise answered, not angry like Cara, but wanting to hear more of what Aria’s issue was.

Annalise noticed the way Aria was acting recently, where she would be distant one moment and then act like everything was fine the next. "If there is something about me that upsets you, say it now so I don’t have to try guessing what is up with you."

Aria took the sheets Ananlise was holding for her. "There is nothing wrong-"

"Don’t lie like we didn’t just hear you rant about her doing something to get ahead of us by seducing the young master. You want me to believe that she seduced the young master?" Cara said, pointing beside her at Annalise.

Annalise stood silent, not knowing whether to feel offended or appreciative of what Cara was saying.

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