The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 358: First impression (1)

The next day, Rafael was the first one to wake up while Annalise was sound asleep on his bed. Getting up from his bed without waking her was one of the greatest challenges he ever faced because the slightest movement had Annalise stirring in her sleep, on the verge of walking up to see who was walking around the bedroom.

After what felt like an hour of trying to sneak out of bed, Rafael succeeded and tried to walk around lightly as much as his body would allow him to let her sleep more. He would soon wake her to let her go across to her bedroom before the maids would come around to clean.

Rafael wanted to clean up what was left of their dinner and put it outside for Edwin to take care of and also clean up his bathroom. There was much to do before Annalise woke up and the maid taking her place would come to his door.

Rafael didn’t see the need for him to have a maid any more since he gave Annalise that position because of Delilah who didn’t seem to be an issue these days. At least he hoped she wasn’t. Enough time had passed for her to have taken an interest in another man.

Rafael left the side of the bed and walked over to the table still full of food. He asked Annalise if she wanted more in the middle of the night, but she was too tired to think about food.

Rafael gathered all the plates back onto the tray Edwin brought it to him on and then walked to the door to open it first so he could hold the tray with two hands and not struggle with opening the door.

"Edwin," Rafael said, narrowing his eyes at the nervous butler who stood before him after he opened the door. "Were you here all night?"

"No no. I’ve just arrived. There is a little problem at the gates. An envelope was first given to the guards by someone in a carriage, but then the carriage didn’t move off. It is still out there and the name on the envelope worries me," Edwin said, handing it over to Rafael.

Edwin wouldn’t come here to disturb Rafael had it not been so important. That was why he spent a few minutes trying to decide if he should knock on the door, but luckily, Rafael opened the door.

Rafael flipped the envelope over to see the back and found the name Travis at the back of it. He opened the envelope to see what was inside. It had been a while since his uncle sent him a letter. Rafael checked the letters sent during his time away from the manor and there was not a single one from Travis unless someone was throwing them out.

Rafael balled up the letter after reading the first line of it. It was an invitation to a party Travis was hosting. He wondered if his mother’s family wasn’t sane in the head and his father had saved his mother.

"Burn it," Rafael said, handing the paper and envelope back to Edwin. In what world would he attend a party Travis was hosting? He wouldn’t step foot in Travis’s home or wherever he was hosting this party unless he was going there to kill him.

Rafael was about to go back inside his bedroom, but then he remembered that the carriage was outside. This was an attempt for Travis to bring him outside so they could finally talk. Rafael considered ignoring this but didn’t because he could finally put a face to the man making his mother’s life miserable.

"Give me a moment," Rafael said to Edwin and then he closed the door.

His back was marked thanks to Annalise and it was something he wanted to keep to himself.

Rafael glanced at Annalise sleeping with her arms hugging a pillow she must believe was him. He had to be back before she woke up so she wouldn’t know he spoke with Travis. Rafael would need to distract her with the dungeon if she were to wake up before he returned.

Rafael picked up a simple shirt to put on and walked out of the bedroom to join Edwin. He wore pants that stopped to his knees which he had put on later in the night when he got up to close the window and start a fire in the fireplace.

"Keep the maids off this floor. I won’t need the maid who took Annalise’s spot to enter my room. If you don’t mind, I prefer going back to only you or Mavis entering my bedroom. I will inform you if I need a maid again," Rafael said as he placed the shirt over his head to put it on.

"Understood," Edwin answered. He preferred it this way with him taking care of Rafael’s room so no one could be fishing around for something to say about his relationship with Annalise. The manor finally had a lady and it should not be meddled with before it became official.

He already informed Mavis of having to remind the maids that they are not to spread around what happens in the manor or they would be fired.

They would have to be stupid to risk a good-paying job over having something to talk about for a day. The town will have too much interest in Rafael and Annalise soon. The young couple shouldn’t have to worry about gossip when they are in the manor.

"Call the best dressmaker you know to the manor to have dresses made for Annalise and buy clothes for her guests. Make sure her coats for winter arrive today. Winter has started in Lockwood," Rafael said

"I will get everything she will need by the end of the day. Should I get your sword or armour?" Edwin asked, afraid of Rafael going out to meet his uncle without something to protect himself.

"That won’t be necessary. Just make sure Annalise does not come out of my bedroom," Rafael answered, walking downstairs while Edwin remained on the second floor to follow Rafael’s orders.

Rafael didn’t need his armour or sword because Travis had no intention of killing him. Travis needed him alive for the plan to get him married to Siena. Rafael was safe to walk near Travis, but if Travis were to get angry and try to attack him for not answering his letters or going through with the engagement yet, Rafael didn’t need a sword to kill Travis.

Rafael walked down to the front doors which were wide open and like Edwin said, there was a carriage by the gates with a man standing beside it.

As Rafael got closer to the gates, the carriage door opened and out walked Travis.

Travis smiled, excited to finally meet his dear nephew. "You are as tall as the rumours say. Your grandfather will be happy to see the man you have grown to be," he said, walking close to the gate to get a better look at Rafael.

He stopped at a distance where Rafael couldn’t reach to grab him.

The only thing Travis could say he disliked about Rafael from first glance was the resemblance Rafael shared to his father, the man who had nothing. He also hated the attitude Rafael had the more he looked. Rafael wasn’t hiding the fact he wanted his uncle dead.

In Travis’s eyes, Rafael should consider it an honour that he came here to see him. Travis rarely travelled to stand outside a gate and wait for someone.

"I hope to see you at my party-"

"Are you a fool?" Rafael asked since Travis spoke as if they were familiar with each other. Rafael was close to opening the gates to break Travis’s neck while Travis spoke of a party. freēwēbnovel.com