The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 370: Something new (3)

"You must look out for Delilah and her friends. There is also talk about Rafael getting married to a woman no one knows much about. I’ve learnt that Rafael has an uncle from his mother’s side in town. Have they accepted you?" Giselle asked because there was something she heard this morning about Rafael.

"I don’t need them to. Rafael’s opinion is truly all that matters to me. What is being said by Delilah about Rafael? With how much time has passed and I have not seen her coming around, I thought her one-sided crush would be over by now. How annoying," Annalise said, not looking forward to seeing Delilah again.

After Delilah was banned from the manor, Annalise thought that would be the last of her. Why would Delilah still be holding onto feelings for a man who forbade her from coming to his home?

"I love Rafael and I find him to be a special kind of man, but isn’t there any other man in this town close to how good he is for other women to move on? It gives me more insight into why we should move," Annalise muttered.

"You are thinking of moving? You cannot when we are starting a friendship. If you move away, who will I be left with to speak to? My brother? My servants? A stranger on the roads? You must stay so we can have fun together," Giselle said, reaching over to the other side of the table where Annalise sat to hold her hand.

"I won’t be moving away for a long time in the near future. That will take time and a lot of planning, but I will have to leave every few weeks to see my family. I’ve enjoyed our talk so far, but I cannot stay here and not visit my family for you. Though if it all works well between you and Thomas, that problem will be solved since he will want to go home," said Annalise.

If she started to set up some of the women here with people from the border and introduce the knights to women she knew back home, if any knights would travel with her on her way back, they would start putting together the new town fast.

Annalise tapped her fingers on the tabletop, starting to pair everyone together. Giselle was partially taken care of since she seemed to have taken a liking to Thomas already. Thomas was a little taken aback by Giselle approaching him, but he talked with her. It was a big change for Annalise since Thomas wasn’t open to talking to anyone here before.

"I wouldn’t mind getting away from this town to start fresh as long as your home is not somewhere boring. Listen, we won’t be the most welcomed, but I have a few invitations to parties if you would like to join me and attempt to make more friends. You’ll be able to get acquainted with women whose families are close to the Callahans," said Giselle.

"I won’t mind if afterwards you make new friends and cast me away," Giselle said, trying to make Annalise feel sad for her to never do it.

"You remind me of a puppy. I would not abandon you if I were to make new friends. I doubt I will be making a lot of friends since I have taken the man everyone wanted. Tell me," Annalise said, leaning forward on the table. "Is there anything I should know other than Delilah?"

"Only about the news that there is a woman Rafael will be getting married to. This morning, my uncle received an invitation from Travis Norman to attend a grand celebration in honour of Rafael. My uncle said it was a secret engagement party which was why I asked if they accepted you," Giselle said, hoping there wouldn’t be any drama for the new couple.

"Maybe I have heard it wrong," Giselle added so Annalise wouldn’t worry about it.

"It might be right since there is someone his uncle wants him to marry. She is a lovely person trying to free herself from what everyone around her wants her to do. I would love to meet her again to see if she needs any help. Why must there be so much pressure to get married when we are young?" Annalise asked, finding it to be crazy how women here were expected to jump into marriage so soon.

"Because these are our prime years to have children. To ensure our spot in our husband’s family by giving him a son to be his heir. I’ve always wanted to marry because it is what I was prepared for and my tutors have all made it sound like a dream. To be with a man who loves you. I want to know what it feels like to be loved," Giselle answered, knowing it might be odd for Annalise, but she didn’t care.

Other than her family, she didn’t experience any other kind of love. Giselle was holding on to experiencing that love she could have with a man.

"It isn’t a good feeling to be all alone and watching couples form. I have been so lonely that I have been stealing my brother’s dirty stories," Giselle whispered.

"Dirty stories? Tell me more," Annalise said, intrigued by it. It might be just what she needed for more ideas for her intimacy with Rafael. Then she wouldn’t need to go to the red light district. "Are there drawings?"

"Why do you know that?" Giselle questioned, unknowingly giving Annalise a look as if she was judging her.

"Well, why are you reading them?" Annalise asked. She couldn’t give away her knowledge from when she stayed in a red-light district.

"They are drawings and they are..." Giselle stopped, blushing as she recalled a few.

"Detailed? Can you bring me one or two? All, if you are finished," Annalise said, excited to see what was making Giselle blush.

"N-No. You have a good-looking man by your side. Why would you need my books when you can just do something with him? No, you should wait till marriage. We shouldn’t be talking about this," Giselle said, looking at Heidi who could share this conversation.

"I won’t share what is said today," Heidi said. One, she was too much of a friend to Annalise to share her conversation and two, she wanted to see the books Giselle spoke of.

It was well-known that there were books of better quality only those with money to waste could get their hands on. Some scandalous books which brought to life affairs known around the town. Some were banned and could have you taken by the guards if you were found with them. Heidi wanted just a glimpse at one of the pages.

"If you don’t want to share, tell me where I can get one of these books," Annalise said, ready to pay whatever was needed to get her hands on one.

"What book?" Rafael asked as he entered the drawing room. He had grown bored of sitting around doing nothing after he only needed to send out letters to the palace so he decided to sit with Annalise even if it meant he had to be near Giselle.

"N-Nothing," Giselle stuttered, afraid of him knowing her secret. Her brother was bound to find out if Rafael knew.

"I am trying to buy dirty books," Annalise said as she needed Rafael’s money to buy them. "They have drawings."

Giselle’s mouth fell open slightly, surprised to see Annalise so casually mention this to Rafael. When most women read these books, they were read in secret from their men.

Rafael wasn’t expecting to hear about dirty books, but seeing Annalise so excited to get one, he was interested in buying one to see what she was willing to try. He hoped they were on the same page for what a dirty book was since this was the same woman who misunderstood what it meant to let someone down hard.