The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 271: Hurt (2)

Rafael stopped walking after the question. "What is this about? Don’t tell me you suspect she is working for Travis."

"That is not where I am going. I don’t think she is a spy for him. I simply wish to know more about the girl," River said, continuing to walk toward the kitchen.

"Like my mother, I know that there is something important you want to talk about in private, and the first thing you mention is Annalise. Be honest with me. Why are you asking about her?" Rafael asked, reaching out to touch his father’s arm to get him to stop.

It wasn’t that long ago that they were tangled up in each other and he was asking Annalise to stay with him. If his father suspected something, he needed to know now.

"I am only curious about her background. We need to be careful. You can never be too safe about who is around us," River said, removing Rafael’s hand from his arm. "I’d worry less if you tell me about her background and tell me honestly that you trust her."

"I do. Travis sent a woman into the manor to take Annalise. She couldn’t be on his side and I have never for a second felt like I could not trust her. If Annalise were someone wanting to harm our family, she would have done it long ago. I trust her," Rafael answered.

He didn’t think Annalise would have slept with him if she had been here to harm them. Annalise only did things when it felt right in her heart. She could have tried taking advantage of his feelings to get what she wanted, but she didn’t. She remained as she was from the beginning and never asked for something.

Still, he decided to tell his father what he knew about Annalise to clear his doubts. At a time like this when they were being attacked at every corner, it was expected for his father to be paranoid with who was around his wife.

"Her family are farmers. She has one brother staying with her in town. She says he came from her father’s affairs. Her father worried for her and taught her how to use a sword. How to defend herself. That is all I know for now since I am still getting to know her. Now, is there anything you want to share with me for me to be concerned about the woman I have waiting for me?" Rafael asked.

River felt between a rock and a hard place. It was starting to feel like the past when his father revealed the woman he fell in love with was someone from the border. He didn’t meddle then and he didn’t think he should meddle too much now. He could only stand back and watch, waiting for when he needed to protect his son.

It was only a guess he had because of Annalise looking at a marking. To assume that she was from the border would put her in danger if it reached the wrong person’s ears. If she truly was from the border, he didn’t think Rafael would be quick to send her away.

Rafael was too smitten. It was evident by the look on his face as if he wanted to silence his own father for speaking on Annalise.

River decided to drop his assumption for now. If Annalise was from the border, she was taking awfully long to get whatever she came for. Then there was the fact that River had watched Rafael and Annalise like everyone else and knew that the two had feelings for each other.

"Should you have children one day, I hope their love life isn’t so complicated. End the curse we seem to have over family," River said.

"Was it only that you wanted to check if she was tied to Travis or something more?" Rafael asked, still stuck on his father’s suspicion. "I’m giving you the opportunity to speak now. I am serious when it comes to Annalise. If she wishes, I will take care of her in the manor. I don’t want to be surprised by your suspicion in the future. Tell me if there is something I need to know about the woman I love."

"There’s nothing. I was just a little paranoid after today," River answered. He hoped that keeping what he assumed a secret wouldn’t come to bite him in the ass one day.

River was not going to speak of the border with Rafael, but he needed to have a conversation with Annalise. See if her feelings involved love and if she had plans of hurting his son. River was someone who believed in the saying that you couldn’t help who you loved.

It happened with Nicolas, with him falling for Beatrice, and now there was a chance that Rafael’s romance might be complicated.

"If only your mother could see you now getting so defensive. She would start planning a wedding for you two. As I said, I was being paranoid with no evidence. Annalise has been around us for some time now. Accompanied your mother and even protected her. I should be thanking her rather than questioning her. I’m sorry," River apologised.

"It might have been that she was able to kill a man that you questioned her. I was a little surprised by her talent with a sword, but she has done nothing to make me question her motives. Honestly, your only concern should be about her putting something in your bed to scare you. I have my work cut out for me to not piss her off in the future since I fear waking up to a snake in my bed," Rafael said.

River chuckled and looked to his side when Rafael did not laugh with him. "You are serious?"

Rafael nodded his head. "She loves them. Perhaps more than I can ever get her to love me."

"Now your mother making me sleep in another bedroom when she is angry with me doesn’t sound so bad. There is one last thing when it comes to Annalise," River said, stopping before they entered the kitchen. "This house isn’t filled with noise like the manor. Be careful. Your mother and I don’t want to hear anything."

Rafael stared at his father in disbelief. He was left standing alone after his father entered the kitchen. He was curious if his mother and father had been able to hear them earlier or if his father thought that was what they planned to do later when everyone would be sleeping.

Whatever his father thought, Rafael never wanted to hear his father tell him to keep his voice low again. This was at the top of the list of reasons he could not wait to return to his manor. There wouldn’t be anyone to tell him what he could and couldn’t do in his home.

Rafael followed his father inside the kitchen and prepared himself to deal with his father smiling, happy with making him uncomfortable. He entered the kitchen, going to the opposite side of his father so this conversation would not go any further.

"Avoiding me now son?"

Rafael heard every bit of his father’s enjoyment in asking that question. "I need you to remember that the house will be quiet. I am unfortunate to have memories of hearing things that I should not when I was young. It will still scar me at this age so please be mindful. Next time, I will go with my suggestion to use two houses."

"You know your mother wouldn’t allow that. You would need to start working on expanding this home. It’s good to see you have joined in on acting as a butler," River said, watching Rafael pick out plates for his food and Annalise’s. "These women. Look at what they turn us into." freewebnøvel.coɱ