The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 41: Caught (2)

For Laura, Delilah’s offer was something she would have to be a fool to let pass If she worked with another maid, she could keep an eye on where Annalise was while she went into the room to get the dress. There was no need for her to tell the other maid how much Delilah was paying her. She only needed to offer them about ten coins.

"I will do it. Will you be standing here for me to bring the dress to you?" Laura spoke softly, so no one would know of their plan.

"For someone to see that I have it? Of course not. I will be sitting in my carriage, so bring it as fast as you can and try not to be caught. You shall be paid right after," Delilah said, and then she walked out the front door to leave before anyone could see her with the maid.

If the maid did not come to her by a certain time she would leave since it could be assumed that the maid had gotten caught.

Delilah did want Rafael or Giselle to hear that she was so jealous of Annalise that she was sending another maid to steal the dress. She would leave before the maid was caught and deny putting her up to it. Surely, it would be believable to anyone that the maid was jealous of Annalise and looking for someone to blame for her actions.

Laura watched Delilah walk to her carriage and then ran to find Tanya, who would accept keeping an eye on Annalise for a few coins. Plus, Tanya would never expose her for taking the dress since they were good friends.

She ran to the kitchen, keeping an eye out for Mavis, who would scold her for leaving her duty. Laura had a feeling that if she told Mavis what she was up to, she would be in on taking the dress from Annalise, but then she would have to give Mavis more money than she was willing to give Tanya.

Laura stood by the doorway to the kitchen and peered inside to see if Mavis or Edwin were there. By some luck, there was only the head cook ordering around the maids and the cooks below him. He was distracted enough for her to grab Tanya’s hand and pull her out of the kitchen without any greetings.

"What are you doing, Laura? Shouldn’t you be sweeping the foyer? Mavis is not in a good mood. What is it?" Tanya asked since Laura wore a big smile like something good had happened.

"I have a way for you to make money. Ten coins for a simple task. Just don’t ask any questions, and keep an eye on Annalise for me. I need to go into her room for something-"

Tanya stepped away from Laura with a frown. "I am not getting into anything that involves her anymore. Didn’t you say that she was going to find a bigger snake if we troubled her again? There is no doubt in my mind that she would do it. Whatever you are planning, let it go because I will not be joining you. I can’t get the sight of that snake on the floor out of my head."

"I will pay you fifteen coins if you do it. It is not like she will know that it is us if you do your part to watch out for her while I go into her room. You could use the extra money, but you must make up your mind now. We are losing time," Laura said, looking around at who was passing them.

Tanya wondered where Laura could possibly be getting the money to pay her for this. Laura was in no better position than her to be giving away money just to do something to Annalise. Was Laura that angry about the snakes, or was someone putting her up to this?

"Fine," Tanya sighed, giving in. She wanted to get back at Annalise for placing a snake in the room they had to clean. If they were somehow caught, she was going to place all the blame on Tanya. She did not want to stumble upon a bigger snake or whatever Annalise would come up with to get back at them.

News of Annalise receiving a dress from Rafael had already reached the kitchen. Because Annalise had ended up in a room with Connor, she was receiving gifts. Why had no one come to ask who else Connor had been inappropriate with?

Tanya would have raised her hand, though her run-ins with Connor were always pleasant. He was always eager to buy gifts to show off that he had a bit of money. He was the first knight she had ever had a relationship with until she learned that he was spending time with another maid. His gifts weren’t that good for him to forget about it and keep receiving more gifts.

"Be quick with it," Tanya said since she needed to get back into the kitchen before Jonah would notice she was gone. freewēbnoveℓ.com

"Good. Stop her if you see her leaving her task," Laura said as she ran back to the servant quarters.

"Wait!" Tanya called out, trying to stop Laura, who was already a good distance away from her. "Where is she, you fool?"

Tanya had no reason to know where Annalise was now since they were in different groups. She was left to look for Annalise before Jonah would notice she was gone, Mavis would come across her, or Annalise would pass through the servant quarters for some reason. Laura had not thought this through.

Meanwhile, Laura ran down to the servant quarters, which were empty as usual during this time of day. Everyone was either working or enjoying their day off somewhere away from the estate.

Laura reached Annalise’s room and knocked on the door to see if she was inside. When there was no answer, she turned the doorknob to go inside. "You-" She paused before she could step inside.

"What are you doing?" Annalise asked in the middle of tying up her hair. "I didn’t think we were good friends for you to come visit me. Let alone walk into my room without an answer. I feel bad for not knowing we were friends. Is toying with me your way of showing love?" She asked, continuing to tie up her hair.

It was too hot for her to walk around with her hair down. Annalise had to turn around quickly after already placing the dress in her room, to get the string from what the dress was wrapped up in to tie her hair. She was confused by the knock on her door and thought Mavis had come to scold her for not returning soon. Laura was a nice surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Laura asked, confused by Annalise’s presence. She should be working right now, not in her room playing with her hair.

"This is the room assigned to me. I should be asking you why you are here. Oh," Annalise smiled when she caught Laura glancing in the direction of her bed, where she had placed the dress for now.

"Did you come here to ruin it or to take it? I am wounded that you think I would have left my door unlocked for one of you to just come inside after that little prank you pulled. I am hardly in the mood to wash that blanket again. I thought we learned our lessons, Laura."

’Crap!" Laura panicked.