Chapter 45: Bad luck (1)
An idea came to mind on how to make the most of Rafael watching her. "Wouldn’t it be better to make me your personal maid so you can keep an eye on me?" Annalise asked. She would be free to enter his bedroom, study, and other private areas without being questioned.
"I don’t need a personal maid, and if I need to watch you that much, I would rather fire you," Rafael answered. He only intended to watch her for a few days to see if she would go back to scaring others. "I promised you a new dress and I like to keep my promises. In the room where my mother stayed, there are dresses she has not worn yet."
Beatrice would leave dresses, with the reasoning being that should she suddenly have to sleep over, there would be something for her to wear. Rafael never saw why she wouldn’t just return to her home which was not far away or send for a dress, but he allowed her to keep storing the dresses there. He didn’t mind when his mother stayed as long as she didn’t bug him about resting.
"You can take one or two that you like, or there is the option to go with Edwin next time. I must warn you that being alone with him is a bit intense," said Rafael. He was used to Edwin’s ways, but he heard many of the knights complaining about Edwin.
Annalise didn’t see how being around Edwin could be bad. She preferred the butler over the head maid, and he had come to her side when Delilah was questioning her about the dress. "I will take a dress from your mother’s room," she decided, so this issue of the dress could end. "If you would allow it, I will go to the room late at night so no one will see me getting another dress. I do not wish to get through what I did with Lady Delilah with another maid."
Rafael had no issue with that since he wanted to avoid the maids being at odds with each other and him having to find a new dress for her. ’What am I to do with this?’ Rafael wondered, looking at the dirty dress.
Annalise saw him looking at the dress and said, "I can take that dress instead of one that belongs to your mother, or there is a maid I am close to who would love this dress if you have no idea what to do with it."
"Take it and get one from my mother," Rafael said, handing her the dress. It was the only way for him to move on from the fact that Connor had ruined her dress. "Are you curious about what has happened to Connor?"
"No," Annalise shook her head as she took the dress from his hands. She had not been thinking about Connor since last night. "He seems to come from a family with money, so I don’t expect that something would happen to him. I can protect myself if I ever bump into him again. I am sure he must be plotting to do something more. I am still allowed to speak freely, right?" She added because Rafael now looked angry.
"You are. I like to protect my people from others. As a servant here, you are one of my people. Our fathers had a relationship from the time I was a young boy. I have also reported the matter to the town guards. I don’t know what you think of me, but I shall see to it that he gets what he deserves," Rafael answered.
Annalise was surprised to hear how much he had done after Connor’s actions. She had a feeling Connor would never be back on the estate because of how much Rafael had punched him. Annalise didn’t see why Connor would want to come around again, but to end a relationship with his father, who he knew for years just for her, who he only knew for a few days, was surprising.