Chapter 70: Together (3)
’Someone needs to put a bell on this man,’ Annalise thought as she panicked. It should be impossible not to hear such a large man walking around. Why was he sneaking around in his own home?
"Many of the other servants have left, so I was going up to see if there was anyone I could spend time with on the second floor. Other than the butler, of course. I did not find anyone on the first floor, so now I must check here," Annalise said, wanting to pat herself on the back for the quick lie.
"It seemed to me like you were sneaking up there when there was no reason for you to. The second floor is not off-limits to maids. Only my study is," said Rafael.
"I don’t want to be caught by Edwin. What if he tries to make me work or spend time with him since I am alone? I like the butler, but not enough to spend time with him. Forgive me if this is out of my place, but what are you doing here?" Annalise asked. She thought Rafael would join whatever the town was doing, but here he was in comfortable clothing like he was going to bed.
"I do not enjoy festivals. There is the crowd and the attention that I prefer to miss," Rafael answered. It would be no different from a party where he would be swarmed with women. He had not gone to a festival since he was young, when his mother would take him during the time his father was away. Even then, he only went since it made her happy.
Annalise found that hard to believe since he led an army of knights. "How can you hate crowds when you are the commander of knights? You lead like thousands of men. All eyes are always on you. From the moment I came to town, I heard your name. You picked the wrong job if you do not like crowds or attention."
"There is always attention on me, so when I can avoid it, I stay home. Being around my knights and being around women and their mother’s trying to court me is different-"
"Mothers want to court you too?!" Annalise exclaimed, surprised by this.
"No," Rafael shook his head as he made his way up the stairs to where Annalise stood. "They are aiding their daughters in courting me. To have women of my mother’s age try to court me would be a tragedy.