Rosalie hurried up the stairs, her face pale with worry and her steps quickening. News of a commotion that happened at the mansion’s compound had reached her, and the knowledge that her husband, Anryr, was involved in it filled her with anxiety. A servant had inford her that the steward had gone to the first floor to prepare the guestroom for Clara, as ordered by the grand duke.
Upon seeing her husband standing in the hallway near the guestroom door, the chief maid’s worries began to fade. Relief washed over her, and she instinctively placed a hand over her chest. Nevertheless, she approached him, wanting to know what had transpired.
"Are you all right, my dear?" Rosalie asked, concern lacing her words.
Her eyes scanned Anryr’s condition. She delicately held his hands while her own paled.
"I’m perfectly fine. Nothing has happened to ," the steward reassured his wife calmly.
"Oh, I was so worried! I thought you were hurt!" Rosalie began to cry, her emotions overwhelming her.
Such a commotion had never happened before. So, its occurrence had alard her greatly. Anryr smiled as he witnessed his wife’s deep concern. He gently squeezed her hand and then wiped away her tears.
"There, there. Stop crying. We still have our duties to attend to," he comforted her.
Rosalie nodded, doing her best to regain her composure. Noah and Elis, who stood nearby, watched the couple with admiration. Despite being married for many years, their love for each other remained strong.
Noticing Noah and Elis’s presence, the chief maid gestured in respect to the knight and nodded at the maid.
"You’re here as well, Miss Canton," she said.
"Yes, Mrs Foster. I’m assisting Sir Brooks in arranging Da Verns since she has been relocated from the treatnt room," Elis replied.
"Thank you for that. You’ve been a trendous help in caring for her," Rosalie said, thanking Elis.
She was genuinely pleased to have her in their service. Since the maid from Gerhard’s Castle had arrived, Elis had consistently displayed exemplary behaviour, obedience, and a strong work ethic. She was not one to engage in idle chatter, which suited Rosalie’s preference for focused and diligent servants.
Moreover, despite Elis’s attractiveness, she never exploited her looks for personal gain or engaged in romantic entanglents with the n in the mansion. She maintained a professional distance and solely focused on her duties, not allowing herself to be distracted.
While so servants may have been interested in her, Elis never encouraged their advances and stayed away from them as much as possible. The only man she seed comfortable with was Garin.
As word spread among the servants about the seemingly close relationship between the maid and the knight, so began to keep their distance, speculating that romantic feelings had developed between them.
However, with her astute observation, Rosalie was confident that their connection wasn’t driven by romance. She recognised that their bond was rooted in friendship and mutual trust rather than romantic love, understanding that their interactions were genuine and devoid of such intentions.
"I heard that many were injured. So of the knights and guards even fainted during the attack. What exactly happened?" the chief maid inquired, turning her attention to Anryr, seeking an explanation.
As the steward recounted the shocking events that took place in the mansion’s compound, Rosalie’s eyes widened in disbelief, her expression filled with bewildernt.
"Oh, my God!" she exclaid, her voice reflecting her surprise. "How could they be so strong? Fighting against the guards, knights and His Highness? Just the two of them?"
Anryr nodded in agreent.
"Yes, I was deeply shocked as well. Their strength far exceeded that of an ordinary person, and the battle between His Highness and the prince was intense. At one point, I witnessed the grand duke being knocked down by a powerful punch by the prince, and he even held his sword to His Highness’s neck."
Rosalie gasped, clearly shocked by the unexpected news. "Did His Highness lose the fight?"
"Of course not!" Noah interjected, defending the pride of Gerhard. "The fight hasn’t ended yet, but the authority suddenly ca. I think one of Lady Raychard’s friends who ca called them."
Rosalie furrowed her brow and asked, "Why would the prince attack the mansion?"
The question slipped her mouth as she tried to understand the event that had occurred.
"It was because he and his entourage were denied access. His Highness had issued orders to heighten the security and instructed us not to allow suspicious individuals to enter the mansion this morning," Anryr explained.
"Why was he so insistent? What was his motive?" asked Rosalie again.
Anryr then sighed, his expression reflecting the gravity of the situation.
"The prince claid that Lady Raychard is his betrothed, and he ca intending to take her with him. The siblings believed she was stolen from him. That’s why they were very adamant."
"The prince is Lady Raychard’s betrothed? But our lady is already married to His Highness! This is utterly baffling," Rosalie exclaid.
Anryr nodded, his tone serious as he said, "Indeed, it is a perplexing situation. The prince’s insistence and the subsequent confrontation were unexpected and challenging to handle."
Rosalie’s frustration and concern grew as she listened to her husband’s explanation. "This is preposterous! They can’t simply take a married woman away!" she complained.
Noah nodded.
"I agree with you, Mrs Foster. However, the situation is complicated because Lady Raychard is a concubine and not a lawful wife of His Highness. It puts her in a vulnerable position since the claim is valid and official."
Rosalie shook her head, feeling a deep empathy for Anna.
"Oh, dear! Our poor lady! She’s been through so much already. Why can’t things go easy for her?"
The chief maid’s heart went out to their lady, who seed to face one challenge after another. Rosalie couldn’t help but question the grand duke’s actions.
"Why can’t His Highness simply drive them away? It would be the most straightforward solution."
Noah’s expression turned sombre as he responded, "I share the sa thought. However, when the authority’s army arrived, His Highness suddenly declared the commotion to be a ’drill’."
"A drill? What do you an by a drill?" the chief maid questioned in confusion.
The knight’s expression remained serious.
"A staged attack to test the mansion’s defences. That’s what His Highness claid. He ntioned it was a training exercise."
Rosalie shook her head again. "This is all so sudden and unexpected. Why would His Highness make up such a story? Such training was never communicated or conducted before in this mansion!"
"Perhaps he didn’t want any interference from the authorities in this matter and wanted to solve it himself," suggested Anryr.
"Where are those people now?" the chief maid asked, eager to find out about the unexpected guests’ current whereabouts.
"They’re inside, eting Da Verns as she is the only witness who had t the prince before, as he claid. I’m pretty sure they are having a ’good’ discussion now," Noah responded.
His excellent hearing has caught so details of the argunts inside.
Rosalie let out a weary sigh, fully aware of the tension and conflict that must be unfolding in the room between their lord, lady and their guests. She felt a sense of helplessness, wishing she could ease the situation and ensure her lady’s safety and well-being.
Anryr interjected, redirecting their attention to another matter, "You better go down to the parlour because the lady’s friends, Lady redith Grey and Lady Sylvia Rogers, are here. They ca during the commotion and are now waiting there to et the lady. His Highness ordered them to stay there for the mont."
"Yes, I heard. I’ve arranged so refreshnts for them. I will go down to the parlour imdiately to attend to them," the chief maid replied.
Anryr added one more instruction. "Also, the boy nad Arl, who ca with the prince and princess, is waiting in the foyer. Please serve sothing for him, too."
Rosalie acknowledged the instruction with a nod.
"Why would you bother attending to him? He’s not that important," Noah remarked, his tone dismissive.
Anryr, the steward, calmly responded, "He may not hold significance to you, Sir Brooks, but I overheard Lady Raychard ntioning that he’s a friend. Furthermore, His Highness himself allowed him to wait in the foyer despite his commoner status."
Noah maintained his stance, acknowledging Arl’s background but explaining his concern.
"Indeed, he is a commoner. My reservations stem not from his status but from the fact that he caused trouble for Lady Raychard in the past. I simply want to prevent any further jeopardy to her due to him."
Understanding the knight’s worries, Anryr responded, "I understand your concerns, but our duties remain unchanged. You have yours, and we have ours. As long as His Highness accepts Arl’s presence here, he should still be considered a guest."
Noah relented, conceding, "Fine. I won’t argue further."
Responding to the instructions, Rosalie declared, "I will go down and check on our guests."
Anryr nodded in agreent. Rosalie then turned her attention to Elis, who had been silent, and asked, "Miss Canton, will you wait here, or would you like to accompany ?"
Elis considered the options and responded, "I think I better wait here, just in case Da Verns needs any assistance."
"Very well then. Please excuse ," the chief maid said politely before turning and walking to the stairs, leaving Elis behind to attend to Da Verns.
As Rosalie departed, the conversation concluded, and the hallway again fell silent.
Soon after, the guestroom door swung open, revealing Callis, accompanied by Anna, Kiev, and Kyren. Noah, Elis, and Anryr respectfully bowed in the grand duke and his wife’s presence.
"We’re heading to the treatnt room," Anna announced.
"Is soone injured?" Noah inquired.
"Her Highness, Princess Callis requires treatnt," she replied.
Noah glanced at Callis with a hint of disdain. "She appears fine to ."
The princess explained, "The ailnt may not be visible to the naked eye. That’s why she requires further examination."
"Very well, my lady. I shall escort you," Noah conceded, choosing not to argue with her decision.
Noticing Elis standing nearby, Kyren was reminded of the unresolved matter regarding the maid’s presence in the mansion.
"Where is Garin now? Is he still in the treatnt room?" the grand duke inquired.
"Yes, Your Highness," the knight responded promptly.
Kyren stepped forward and looked at Elis, causing the maid to lower her gaze nervously.
"Co with us," he commanded with a stern look.
"But, Da Verns..." Elis hesitated in a quivered voice.
"No need to wait for her. She will rest for now," Kyren stated firmly.
"Yes, Your Highness," the maid acquiesced.
As Kiev observed the interaction between Kyren and Elis, he couldn’t help but sense the grand duke’s noticeable annoyance with the beautiful maid. The intrigue piqued his curiosity, prompting him to wonder about the underlying reasons behind the grand duke’s reaction.
Kiev’s gaze montarily locked with Elis’s when she lifted her head. He noticed a flicker of unease in her eyes before she quickly averted her gaze. The maid’s behaviour intensified the prince’s interest, stirring questions in his mind.
Why did she seem to avoid the attention of n so much?
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