The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 93: Suspicious (4)

Chapter 93: Suspicious (4)

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have brought juices and a variety of pastries and fruits for you to snack on," Charles said as he entered the room with two maids following him with trays.

"Thank you, Charles. We can spread them out on the table or better yet, eat on the balcony. Is it still wet out there?" Beatrice wondered out loud, getting up from the bed to check. "There was a bit of water out there when I woke up. I almost slipped."

"I cleaned it up," River said. He had to when he saw her almost fall.

Rather than go downstairs to eat breakfast, Beatrice started to prefer eating out on their balcony to be alone and watch the passing carriages. Before she could slip and fall the second time, River cleaned it while she was getting dressed.

"Then we should eat and talk outside," Beatrice said, preferring that over staying inside. They should get to enjoy a bit of fresh air like they were at a picnic.

River moved quickly to catch up to Beatrice in case there was still water outside to make her fall.

Annalise didn’t know whether she was to stay here, go to the balcony to stand or leave the room. She stood up to ask Rafael what she needed to do right now. She waited since he was speaking to the butler.

Annalise watched him take a cup and a jug from the tray the butler was holding and walked to the table where she stood. He placed them down and without a word, he went to where the maids stood with trays carrying food. Wasn’t he going outside to eat with his parents?

Rafael returned with two plates. One full of sliced up fruits and the other filled with pastries. "Sit here and eat," he said.

"Yes, I will- What?" Annalise asked, thinking she misheard him.

"Has your hearing gone bad? I told you to eat. All of it," Rafael said, pushing the plates toward her. "The bread you ate won’t be enough to get you through the day. You should not just eat bread. Last I checked, you are provided with a good breakfast."

"You say that while trying to feed me more bread. Which I am grateful for," she added after he gave her a look. "Shouldn’t I be standing outside to serve you?"

"I have long learned how to use my hands so that I can serve myself. Stay here and eat. Do not think of moving until you have eaten most of it," Rafael gave an order.

"You are not my father. Oops," Annalise bit her lip. That was not meant to be said out loud. "Please forgive me."

"How have you not been fired yet?" Rafael asked, curious about her secret to still be here.

"Why haven’t you fired me?" Annalise retorted. "I didn’t mean to say that out loud. About you not being my father, I mean. He is the only person to ever force me to eat something."

"I wish to find the strength he has to deal with a troublesome daughter like you. Sit," Rafael said.

’Great. Now it sounds like I am a dog,’ Annalise thought, sitting down as Rafael wanted.

It was strange of him to offer her food, but she would gladly accept it since she had never tried such pretty treats. Rafael was being too kind to her. Unless there was something she was missing?

Annalise stared at the pastries, feeling suspicious about them. Was he trying to kill here now? He was working with Delilah, wasn’t he?

"I have not poisoned you," Rafael sighed.

"Did I say that out loud too?" Annalise asked, touching her mouth which didn’t know when to stay close.

"You didn’t. It is evident from the way you stare at them. What reason would I have to poison you?" Rafael asked, taking up one of the pastries to bite and show that they were fine.

"I thought you were working with Delilah. You’ve kept her by your side for so long that I am starting to think you might secretly like crazy women," Annalise answered.

"I do not. It is clear now that the food is not poisoned so eat while I am outside with my parents," Rafael said, taking the pastry he bit into along with him.

Annalise now believed that he had not poisoned her and picked up a pastry with a red jam on top of it.

"There is still a chance I might have bitten into the only one without poison," she heard from Rafael.

Annalise stopped herself from letting the pastry touch her lips. Why did he assure her there was no poison only to fill her mind with doubt right after?

"That was evil of you, sir," Charles shook his head.

Rafael thought differently and smiled as he imagined her cursing him to the moon and back.

"What is funny?" Beatrice asked, seeing Rafael and Charles sharing some kind of joke. "Were you snacking before you came outside? Trying to eat all and leave a few for me and your father?"

"No. I was giving Annalise some to eat. She only had bread this morning," Rafael explained.

"Oh,’" Beatrice commented, sharing a look with her husband.

"Do not make something out of nothing, mother. It was only food that I offered her, not a ring. I cannot deal with you also claiming that I want Annalise," Rafael said, looking in the opposite direction of his mother.

"I didn’t say anything," Beatrice said, pretending that it had not crossed her mind. She resisted the urge to smile and confirm that she did think Rafael liked Annalise. She raised him to care for others, but she couldn’t help reading too much into him knowing Annalise had only eaten bread and then feeding her.

If there was the smallest spark there, Beatrice wanted to do whatever was necessary to make it grow. She needed to find a moment alone to speak with Annalise.

"Your family has been sending letters saying they will soon come to visit me."

Beatrice stopped her plan to look at Rafael. "They are coming here?"

They could not come here. They would disrupt the life she had here. Beatrice sent back letters warning them not to show up in front of Rafael, and yet they were still planning to come. "What did you say in response?"

"I have not responded to any of the letters they sent. I have no reason to since I do not want to meet the relatives who only want to be around now that we might be useful. I would never betray you by meeting with any of them, mother. They can all go to hell, and I will be the one to send them off," Rafael promised.

He could not stop them from coming to town, but he could stop them from approaching his mother, whether she was at home or outside. Their power and wealth meant nothing to him.

"I always wanted to keep you out of my problems with my family. My brother has always been persistent and does whatever he can to get what he wants. That is why he is so angry with me because I managed to sneak away from him and my parents. You must be careful, Rafael. You can turn him down as much as you want, but that will not matter to him. He will find a way to meet with you," Beatrice warned.

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