บท 243: Alone (3)

"The children have a habit of taking a long time to get out of the carriage, don't they?" Beatrice noted after Rafael and Annalise did not get out of the carriage right away after it stopped. "They must be waiting for us to go inside. I need your help getting out of this dress, River. I swear it has become tighter as the hours went by."

River held Beatrice's hand to walk her inside in case she might fall from how tired she was since she was nodding off to sleep on the ride home. "You can turn in for the night," he ordered the knights since Rafael was taking his time to get out of the carriage.

Whatever Rafael was doing with Annalise, he should have stopped to let the knights who were with them at the ball go off to get food and rest as the others stayed awake to guard the house during the night. River didn't see the reason for the two to be so secretive when it was obvious they liked each other.