The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 404: Reunion (4)

"You wanted to use me as an excuse to drink, but you didn’t drink any," Rafael said as he peered at Edgar’s glass. "This is why I don’t think you are the Edgar I know. You want to drink but can’t bring yourself to go against what you promised your wife."

Edgar swirled his glass around, watching the wine move around. Normally, he could drink it with no issue but Alessandra who loved these kinds of drinks could not enjoy them now so there was something pricking him in his chest when he tried to drink.

"I think she’ll be able to smell it on me that I had something to drink," Edgar answered, putting the glass down as even Alfred, his butler, might be sniffing around.

He left the two doing as they liked with the estate. Between his wife wanting to paint everything in sight and Alfred wanting to clean everything in sight, Edgar wanted to stay out of their way.

"I’m trying to follow what Alfred said about happy wife, happy life," said Edgar.

Luckily for him, Alessandra was not someone to make life hell for him. She rarely got angry with him though there were many moments when she would shake her head because of something he did, but he knew she still loved him either way.

Rafael on the other hand wished for it to be explained further how this all started with a contract and Edgar had fallen in love. The duchess seemed to be a wonderful woman, but he was still stuck on how she convinced Edgar to go along with it, especially when Edgar hated the former baron.

Perhaps she caught Edgar in a good mood or there was more to the story that Edgar was leaving out.

"Did you not tell me everything about how you met your wife? I’m starting to believe Tobias that you’ve been a bit dishonest with us," said Rafael.

It was only because he had known Edgar for many years and heard him talk about marriage so often saying it was something he was never going to do that Rafael couldn’t believe the way Edgar’s marriage started.

"You’re like a needy lover who needs to know everything. Not even Alessandra is this way. Do you mind passing over this behaviour to her when you see her again?" Edgar asked. He would love for Alessandra to be a bit more clingy, but the woman was always so shy at first. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I remember when we were in the palace, you made one of the young ladies fall into the pond because she was too clingy and you did not want to be touched. She is no Alessandra Collins, but I wish I knew your future back then to tell you how you would change," Rafael said, smiling as he thought back to the future.

Edgar remembered the time Rafael spoke of the embarrassed young lady who was soaked when she fell in the pond. He didn’t consider that to be his fault. How was he to know that getting out of the way as she came near him and putting out his foot would lead to her falling?

It was her fault for trying to touch someone who said many times that he did not want to be touched.

"They certainly are no Alessandra Collins. If my grandmother reaches out to you, ignore her. I’m growing bored of her ways and to answer your earlier question, I do not know why I went through with a contract marriage at first. I was amused by her approach at first and I truly didn’t think she would show up at my home the next day," said Edgar.

It was known back then that the baron’s daughter didn’t come out to save others from the foolish curse which had spread around. When Alessandra had found a way out and came to him, she amused him even more and it was then he knew she would entertain him. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"Also, I thought that she would have been great at keeping people away since they wanted to avoid being cursed by her face," Edgar added.

"I hope you never tell your wife that this is one of the reasons you accepted marrying her. It is strange for me to see you so in love, but I am happy for you. I don’t need to worry about you growing old alone," Rafael said as Edgar was the one friend he thought no one could convince to marry.

Edgar only had Alfred who was like a father, but Alfred wasn’t young and when he were to pass, Rafael worried about Edgar being alone in the estate though he had many guards walking around and plenty of servants.

Edgar wasn’t like others to think that growing old alone was such a terrible thing. He liked peace and quiet. Rafael was not in Lockwood enough to see why being alone was better. Once people started to be curious about who the infamous knight Rafael Callahan was courting, Rafael would want to take Annalise and go out of town.

"Do you know Tobias is hoping he has a son and you a daughter so-"

"I’ll kill the bastard if he brings up an engagement," Edgar declared, annoyed by Tobias making plans for his child. None of his children were going to be caged up in the palace.

Edgar had witnessed what Tobias and Hazel endured during their rule. There was still plenty of time left for Tobias to sit on the throne and already, the two had suffered more than Edgar would allow. He would have to be a fool to send his daughter into the palace even though he could protect her.

"Would you send your daughter into the palace should you have one?" Edgar questioned. He couldn’t be the only smart one to see how bad the palace was.

Rafael shook his head. He didn’t like being in the palace as a man and knew it would be worse for a woman. Besides, he would settle down with his family near the border. The border wouldn’t have many rules for his children to follow.

"So when I shoot that idiot for talking about our children getting married don’t get in my way. He’ll have to find someone else to help him when Alessandra and I move. Perhaps he will order you to be in the palace," Edgar said, enjoying Rafael’s displeasure.

"I told him in the beginning that I am not a knight who will stay in the palace. I am not changing that now with all I must do at the border," Rafael answered.

Edgar looked out the window at the home he prepared for Rafael coming up in the distance. He would like to sit around and chat some more, but they both had women to get back to.

In a day or two, they would see each other in the palace. After all Edgar was putting up with concerning the people around him and Alessandra, Rafael and Annalise were a nice change.

"If there is anything you need, come by the estate. Alfred would love to see you," Edgar said, taking the empty glass from Rafael. "He sees you like a son. Just remember that I am his favourite. I’m hard to beat."

"Wait until you have a child and see how fast Alfred will forget about you. I might even forget about you and only come to see the duchess and the young one. I won’t keep you away from her any longer," Rafael said, opening the carriage door now that they had stopped.

Rafael opened the door, not wasting much time so Edgar could get back to his pregnant wife.

He untied the horse from the carriage and then went back to the open door to look at Edgar. "Tell the duchess that I look forward to seeing her again," he said and then closed the door.

Edgar nodded his head, agreeing to pass on the message.

Rafael stepped back to be away from the carriage as it moved off. He watched it leave for a moment and then proceeded to enter his gates.

He was not out long and hopefully Annalise was still sleeping. Rafael handed the horse off to a knight walking around outside for it to be put away somewhere warm and fed.

He continued on his way to the room he shared with Annalise and as he got near, he found Heidi standing outside.

Heidi stood up straight when she noticed Rafael returning.

"What happened?" Rafael questioned as he caught glimpse of her panic expression before she smiled to greet him.

Heidi was confused by why Rafael assumed something was wrong. Nothing happened. At least nothing she was aware of. "Nothing happened. She is sleeping longer than she said that she would and I don’t know if I should wake her like she asked."

"Leave her be," Rafael replied. He prefered to let Annalise rest well than wake her now. "You are free until she wakes and calls for you," he instructed Heidi.

"Thank you," Heidi answered and then walked around Rafael to leave him to check on Annalise.

Rafael opened the bedroom door and spotted Annalise curled up on the bed still asleep. He closed the door behind him and locked it so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

As quietly as he could, Rafael approached the bed to get a better look at her. Only when he reached the side of the bed did he see the kitten fast asleep on a pillow near Annalise.

Since it had kept her company while he was away, it earned itself a warm place to stay from now on.