The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 402: Reunion (2)

Rafael slowed down his horse as he was approached by a familiar dark carriage. One that everyone in town should know because of the style and the popular falcon flag moving around in the wind belonged to the Collins family.

It was a last-minute answer that Edgar would meet with him as soon as he arrived in town. To know what was happening in the palace or what anyone was planning in regard to Annalise, there was no one better to ask than Edgar.

Edgar had his way of getting information. He went so far as to rent a room in the red-light district and take a book to read as he listened to the conversations there. Having the woman sit on the bed with her mouth closed was her way of pleasing him.

The carriage stopped and it wasn’t long before out stepped the infamous Duke Edgar Collins. Dressed in casual clothes but still screamed wealth.

Rafael got down from his horse and pulled it by the reins as he walked towards Edgar.

"You’re not out at war anymore, Rafael. Why are you riding around on a horse when I spent good money to buy you a carriage?" Edgar asked as he stepped down from his carriage. "You know I hate to waste money. The snow is a good time for you to make use of the carriage."

"The horse is quicker. I don’t want to be away long," Rafael replied. He was going back to Annalise before she woke up from her nap as he promised.

Edgar smiled as he knew the reason behind Rafael wanting to be quick. He was right in thinking Rafael had some feelings for his maid before Rafael liked to admit it. "Your mother must be happy to see that you are close to someone. Perhaps there will be another wedding in the future. My advice is to do it in the middle of the night at the church with no one around. You don’t have to speak to anyone other than your bride."

"Oh, I’ll recommend you a better priest. The one who did mine was an idiot and after his near-death moment, he seems to be losing his mind whenever I am around," Edgar added.

"We both know that my mother would kill me if I were to do that and she would strangle you for suggesting it. I have no need to rush to a church like you did. Our situations are different," Rafael said, referring to why Edgar married so fast. "How is your wife?"

"Finally, her long-lost family and her other family will not be bothering us. Sometimes I wish that I tortured her family a little more but now I don’t have to worry about them. I have no time for it because we are expecting a child," said Edgar.

"You know, there are moments that I wish to kidnap you and question you to reveal where the real Edgar is. How is it possible for you to be married and have a child coming into your life? It still does not feel long ago that neither interested you. The duchess is a woman with a wonderful talent to change you," Rafael said as she changed his friend.

It was a nice change that Edgar who rarely let someone in his life had gotten married and was going to be welcoming a child.

"It is only she who can get me to love new things. She loves to be around others while I do not and I find myself sitting around people I wish to throw out of my home. Like my mother, and recently, I have stopped inviting my grandmother. You are lucky to not have many relatives. I envy you, but then again, I would be stuck with my parents," Edgar said, frowning since they weren’t any better.

"I’ve heard of your mother’s divorce. I didn’t want to bring it up in our letters in case you did not wish to speak about it, but I’ve heard from Tobias that you’re starting over with your mother," Rafael said, happy to hear about this.

While Rafael didn’t love Priscilla, he still wanted Edgar to be on good terms with his mother. Maybe now with all this change Beatrice and Priscilla might start to get along with each other.

Edgar’s lip twitched from hearing that Tobias was talking about him in letters. "That bastard gossips too much. He needs something tied around his mouth again to shut him up. It is true that I am starting over with her. She helped Alessandra the day it was discovered she was pregnant and since separating from my father, she is easy to be around. Less stressed and trying to control my life."

After a pause, Edgar said, "You can still take her and give me Beatrice."

Rafael shook his head as there was no way he would trade his mother with Edgar’s. Edgar could offer all his fortune and Rafael would never accept the deal. He was grateful for his mother since others sometimes had it bad with their mothers. "I doubt your mother would be thrilled to have Annalise as a daughter-in-law."

"You are engaged?" Edgar asked.

"Not yet but I intend to propose to her when the truce is dealt with. She wishes to explore the kingdom. Before then, I hope you set her up to meet your wife. She will not hurt your wife. The only thing to be concerned about is her finding a spider in your home and scaring your wife when she holds it. I need help to convince her not to get any more pets," Rafael said as he knew another was coming after the kitten.

Edgar shared Rafael’s problem with his wife Alessandra starting to speak to his butler Alfred about a dog. "Alessandra already has two cats I gifted her and now she speaks of wanting a dog. I don’t see why she wants another pet when she keeps picking up lost things off the road like my mother."

Rafael stared at Edgar for a moment and then said, "I see why your mother might not like you. Is your relationship any better with your father?"

"Why would it be when he has gone back to that woman? He picked the family he cared for. He should stay there and not bother us. He’s lucky that I did not dispose of his little lover for approaching Alessandra and my mother. Only a fool would approach the former wife. My mother should have slapped her," Edgar muttered.

Rafael smiled as sometimes Edgar showed that he was on his mother’s side and very protective of her. Rafael recalled seeing the woman said to be Edgar’s father’s lover and how she used to try to approach Edgar.

As a child, Edgar used to say he wanted her to disappear so if she knew what was good for her, she would not approach his wife or mother again because Edgar at this age could truly make her disappear.

"Will you be joining us to discuss the truce? I can use your presence because they will not want to let Annalise speak. Your presence alone scares many of them," said Rafael.

Edgar had built a reputation as a man to not be toyed with. He lacked patience when it came to fools and had many ways to destroy someone if they were to come after him. Edgar was a man Rafael saw as truly skilled at killing someone and hiding bodies all over the kingdom.

Edgar basked in the compliment about his presence. "Well, I suppose I must come since my dear friend needs me. I want to see more about this future leader you are courting. I was hoping you would bring her here for me to see her again. The one who stole my tricks."

"She is tired," Rafael answered.

"It is a long trip, or did you get her pregnant already? Then again, Alessandra is quick on her feet these days so I don’t think tiredness means anything."

Rafael considered the possibility of Annalise being pregnant. A lot of time had passed since they were first intimate with each other and sharing the same room, there were many times after that they were intimate again.

They had a long trip so it was most likely the reason for her tiredness, but they still needed to be cautious. If Edgar had not mentioned it, he would not have thought about this being a reason they should avoid a fight in the palace.

Though it was on his mind now, Rafael was not going to bring it up until Annalise showed any signs.

"Look at you all lost in thought, trying to think if you’re going to be a father. I’ll be there when it is time for the truce to be dealt with and arrange for Annalise to meet with Alessandra."

"Alessandra loves meeting new people as long as they don’t try to use her so the two should get along. She will be just as interested as I am to learn about the border. Perhaps we should all spend the day in the palace," Edgar suggested.

Edgar had too many people visiting his home these days for him to suggest they meet at his estate. Alessandra would love seeing Hazel so they could talk about what they were experiencing being pregnant and her other friends could be invited to make Annalise feel more welcomed.