The Knight's Mysterious Maid
Chapter 97: Nice (1)

Chapter 97: Nice (1)

"Mother, please stop adding more to the basket. She is only one person."

"She can share them with her friends," Beatrice said, filling the basket she found for Annalise with many vegetables. "There are many ways you can make use of them. You don’t need to cook them up with something and you can snack on the fruit when you are lying down at night. "

"Thank you," Annalise replied.

"It is time for us to leave. I have other places to be," Rafael said, wanting his mother to stop now. "I will visit again."

"With Annalise?" Beatrice asked.

Rafael glanced at Annalise, who showed an awkward smile. He had a feeling he could not pay her to visit his mother ever again. "I will see," he answered.

Beatrice stood up from the ground with the full basket in her hands. "Don’t wait so long to come visit me again. I am only four houses away so there should be no excuse. I suppose I cannot keep you back when you have spent more than enough time with me. Hold the basket for Annalise, Rafael. Be a man," she said, pushing it into his arms.

"I could hold it," Annalise offered. If Beatrice could walk around with it while adding fruits and vegetables, it could not be that heavy. Sometimes Beatrice looked as though if you pushed her with one finger, she would fall over.

"I raised Rafael to always carry something for a lady. I’m sure he doesn’t mind carrying it for you, and he would have done it if I had not told him to. Right?" Beatrice asked, giving Rafael a look that urged him to say yes. He might be travelling around with thousands of men with only fighting on their minds, but that did not mean he should have lost his manners.

"Yes mother," Rafael replied.

"See," Beatrice smiled since her point was proven. "Now go on before I make stay until after dinner. I would like to walk the two of you out, but I am tired. It was good to see you again Annalise and I promise this will all be over soon. River," she held out her hand for him to walk with her back to their room.

River gladly held her hand and patted Rafael on the back as a goodbye.

"Your parents are interesting," Annalise commented as she watched the two leave. "It kind of explains," she paused, realising she was speaking out of turn, and it might come off as an insult. "I can carry the basket. Although it makes you a gentleman, it is odd for my employer to walk around with a basket for me. I only want to avoid-"

Rafael handed Annalise the basket as she wanted. His mother was nowhere in sight to scold him for not carrying it to the carriage. "I have to go to the market and then one other place before we return home."

"Understood," Annalise replied. She was excited to finally get to see where Rafael would go, whether it be for fun or for his job as a knight.

Annalise followed Rafael out of the garden toward the front door, where Charles waited for them and placed her treats on top of the basket. Thanks to this visit, the next time she did not have to work, she could save money on the fruits she liked to eat when she was alone in her room.

When they returned to Rafael’s manor, she would say that she bought the vegetables if anyone spotted her with them.

Annalise bid goodbye to Charles and walked down the steps to the carriage. Once again, Annalise was confused by Rafael opening the door and waiting for her. It felt wrong and she knew anyone on the outside looking at the two of them would get the wrong idea.

"Thank you," Annalise softly thanked him as she got inside the carriage and placed her basket on the floor. She sat quietly while Rafael got in, closed the door, and the carriage began moving. "Your gestures are nice, but other people will misunderstand."

Rafael looked out the window at the front garden. Am I being told to stop being a gentleman now?"

"Not to anyone else. Just to me. I am only your maid," Annalise explained.

Rafael chuckled at the fact that no matter what he did, there was always an issue. "Just because you are a maid, does that mean you are not to be treated well? All I was open a door for you and hold the basket for a few seconds. Or are you referring to the dress?"

"You know what I mean. The people in this town like to talk and make everything more than it is. You have already experienced it in your home, where you had to talk to the maids about not having a relationship with any of your servants. I only say this to avoid something being said about how you are treating your maid. Many would get the wrong idea," Annalise explained.

"So, you are trying to protect me from rumours?" Rafael asked, placing his right arm on the carriage door, and resting his cheek on his fist to prop himself up as he watched Annalise.

Annalise folded her lips. She was trying to protect herself from having to deal with any more Delilah’s, but if he thought what she was saying for him and did what was necessary to stop her from being thought of as his woman, she would agree. "Yes," she replied.

Rafael smiled, looking away from her toward the window. "You are a terrible liar."

"I pride myself on being an excellent liar, young master," Annalise said, defending her skills. She lied well enough that everyone believed she came from a small town and that her parents worked as farmers. She had been keeping that story going for more than two weeks without anyone finding any flaws in it. "As your personal maid, my job is to help you avoid any trouble."

"You cannot avoid the trouble that finds its way to you. How can you help me avoid it? Your job is just to serve me and follow me wherever I go. I don’t expect any more from you, and don’t worry about what any says about me treating you well. I will not stop treating my servants or knights as they deserved to be treated to get this town to shut up. You will soon find that no matter what you do, people will talk because they have no clue what else their mouths can be used for," said Rafael.

Rafael had gotten used to people taking the slightest thing he said or did and twisting it, so they had something to talk about. It was like this all over the kingdom. Many of his friends, who were well-known in their towns, had to deal with it.

He cared little about what people would think of him opening a door for a maid or the queen. His mother had taught him it since he was young, and he would continue to do it now.

"Delilah is targeting me because she dislikes how you treat me. Everywhere you go, there is someone watching you. Someone who wants you and is jealous of those around you. I would like to avoid any more young ladies being angry with me," Annalise expressed so he understand the position she was in.

"Very well," Rafael agreed since it made her uncomfortable.

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