The Knight's Mysterious Maid-Chapter 42: Caught (3)

"I am only here to check on you. That is all," said Laura.

"Is that so? It would have been a more believable story if you said that Mavis sent you to get me. You, coming to check on me?" Annalise almost laughed. "That would be the day the sky turns red and fish suddenly survive out of water. Be honest with me, Laura. Lying will only get me angry."

Laura did not have a better excuse for why she was there. She had to try using Annalise’s own assumption. "Mavis was the one to send me to check on you. You are not to be in your room now," she said.

"See, if you had started with that, I just might have believed you. I have the wonderful talent of picking up when someone is lying because I am an excellent liar myself. Had you forgotten my threat last time?" Annalise asked, letting go of her hair, which was now in a ponytail. "There are so many bushes around for me to grab a snake and hide it in your bed. Or perhaps, sneak into your room and let it wrap itself around your neck while you sleep."

"Why are you here, Laura? Choose wisely if you wish to lie to me again," Annalise said, turning to face Laura. Her visit had something to do with the dress. She should just come out with it and say that she was here for it.

Laura was never one to hide her opinion of girls who were rewarded for their hard work. Whether it was a compliment from the butler or receiving a slice of cake that was meant for the Callahans. Annalise found it amusing how fast Laura had come to learn about the dress since she did not remember seeing Laura when she was given the dress.

Laura gritted her teeth. "It is not my fault that you have angered Lady Delilah. She wants a white dress. It is better to give it to me, and I will pay you a few coins."

"Delilah sent you? My, oh my, how she didn’t care about you getting caught. I was near her a moment ago. She should have known that I would be here, and yet she sent you here. Or maybe you were just an impatient fool who could not wait for a better moment to come take it. I will let you have it," Annalise said.

She would never leave Laura or Delilah to plan a war, let alone plan what they were going to do in a day. They both acted without proper thought.

Laura was confused as to why Annalise would willingly give away the dress instead of telling Mavis or Edwin and letting her get into trouble for trying to steal it. "What are you up to? There is no reason why you should want to help me."’

"Help you?" Annalise chuckled, as it was the last thing she was trying to do. She would never help Laura. "I am simply humoring myself by giving the dress to you. I have a little surprise for Delilah. It might either upset her or make her call me insane. I have something I want to do with the dress before you take it to her. If you mess with my plans, I shall tell Rafael that you stole the dress he gave me."

"Now," Annalise said, walking to the bed to get the dress. "I will be back in a few minutes. When you give Delilah the dress, be sure to mention at the very end that I send my regards. You will not need to worry about paying me, but I advise you to take the money she promised you before you hand her the dress. Oh, one more thing," Annalise added after she passed Laura and stood outside her room. "Get out."

Annalise had to pat herself on the back for being smart enough to never write any letters for Thomas before she was free of work. Just like her in Rafael’s study, there were others who just could not keep out of her room.

Annalise wished to start over with Delilah after making it clear that she was not a threat to the dream relationship with Rafael that Delilah had in her head.

Messing with Delilah would not get her in trouble since Delilah would have to explain why the dress was in her care. If she continued to let Delilah treat her with this attitude because of her wrong assumption, life as a maid would be difficult for her.

Annalise walked outside with the dress in her hands. She wasn’t going for a snake. A lady like Delilah would lose her mind with something smaller, so there was no need for Annalise to risk getting bit in the bushes by snakes who weren’t pleased with her presence.

There shouldn’t be many snakes around since Rafael had ordered his knights to cut down the bushes and get rid of any snakes found.

’My poor friends. You will be missed.’

Minutes later, just as Annalise had said, the dress was handed to Laura, who did not wish to hold it. There was no telling what Annalise was crazy enough to put inside the dress. She didn’t feel anything moving, nor was there an outline to say that there was a snake inside. Annalise would have to be crazier than they thought if she were to wrap up a snake in this dress that had to go to Delilah.

Laura walked as fast as she could to the carriage, where Delilah was still waiting for her, so that anything inside the dress would not jump or fall out now when it was in her hands. She had taken a bit longer than she planned and thought Delilah would have given the task to someone else. The coachman opened the door for her and pointed for her to get inside.

"I got the dress just as you wanted, Lady Delilah. The money-"

"I’ve been waiting out here longer than I would have liked, but you cannot be patient before asking for your money. Your payment," Delilah said, taking a pouch full of coins from beside her and tossing it right next to Laura. "Leave the dress and get out. Forget that we spoke today."

"Yes," Laura replied, putting the dress down and then taking up the money she now had. Laura opened the door herself, and right as she hopped out she said, "Annalise sends her regards. I’m afraid I found myself in a bit of trouble. Please forgive me." freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Laura didn’t want her relationship with Delilah to be like this. She hoped to be one of the maids under Delilah’s command, but Annalise was a tricky person to go up against. She hoped Laura could understand how hard this was for her.

Delilah’s brows knitted as she didn’t understand what the maid was talking about. Did Annalise just give the dress to the maid? Were they friends? Either way, Delilah now had the dress.

Delilah picked up the white dress, which she felt suited her better than Annalise. When she raised the dress in the air, she heard the sound of something falling onto the floor of the carriage. It was more than one, since she felt two things hit her shoe.

Thinking there might have been jewelry that came with the dress, she pushed the dress back onto the seat where Laura had sat and looked down at the floor. Her heart almost stopped for a moment when her eyes went to some sort of insect crawling around on the floor and up onto her shoe.

"Benjamin!" She screamed for her coachman while trying to shake the insects off her shoes. The crunchy sound of her accidentally stepping on one caused her to stop shaking her feet as her body trembled, unable to look at the mess that would be on the bottom of her shoe. "Benjamin!"