The Duke's Masked Wife

"You don't need to visit us in this weather, Sally. I don't want you to get sick and your employer might not keep you around if you are sick."

Sally didn't see Alessandra firing her if she were to become sick. "If I were to fall sick I think the Duchess would try nursing me back to health."

Dorothy Wilkinson, Sally's mother, shook her head. "The world doesn't work that way. They are nice until they see you cannot work as they want you to. You seem to have a good job going for you. Try your best to not worry about us and live a happy life."

"I cannot just forget about my parents. I am making good money and I will soon take care of both of you. It is my way to repay you for taking care of me from the moment I was born. I will get us a house. The Duke has offered me a space on his land if I-"

"Sally," Adam Wilkinson, her father, cut in. "There is always a reason behind these people's actions. You will find yourself in debt if you take his offer. I have been around men like the Duke."

"No offense father but the men you have been around are nothing like Edgar Collins. He would have mentioned a catch if there was any. He is not the type to hide if there would be something I must pay. I've been around him more than you to not be concerned," said Sally.

Adam feared Sally was too trusting of the people she worked for. He found it odd that the Duchess gave her the coat she now wore just so she could be out in the cold and he had seen an expensive-looking carriage dropping her off. "Sally, you are not having an affair with the Duke right?"

This would make more sense than the Duke just choosing to be kind to his daughter. Men with high status fooling around with maids behind their wife's backs with nothing new. He once had many friends who would tell him their scandalous tales and he was almost tempted in the past.

Sally almost choked on her spit. "Father!" She exclaimed as his assumption was ridiculous. "The last thing I shall ever do is sleep with a man for money. The Duke is handsome and wealthy but he is quite scary. Besides, I have a good relationship with his wife and I don't want to be a homewrecker."

"That's good to hear. This family does not need to be sullied anymore," said Judith Norman. She had been listening to the conversation of the small family.

Sally frowned, annoyed with her aunt joining them.  The woman was always looking for trouble and to remind them of their fallen household.

"I have to say that I am a bit surprised that you have not subjected yourself to selling your body or any other measures to regain the life you once had. I don't need you causing trouble for your parents and most importantly me. I'd hate to have to turn my back on the three of you," Judith said with a smile lingering on her lips.

She loved being in control. Her brother was once the golden child but now look at him and his family. Their mother must be rolling around in her grave. Judith would pay a large sum of money to see her mother's reaction to Adam losing everything.

"I will not ruin what is left of our name. I am working hard, aunt Judith. There will soon come a time when we will no longer need your help," said Sally.

Dorothy nudged Sally, urging her to keep quiet. "Your aunt has been kind enough to let us stay with her in a desperate time in our life."

"What did I say that was wrong?" Sally asked as she only mentioned not needing help in the future.

"I fear you are the only one who is never appreciative of the things I have done for your family. I didn't have to take you in but I did from the kindness in my heart-"

Sally scoffed, not falling for her aunt's lackluster performance. "You didn't do it because you were kind. You did it because you wanted to make my parents your servants. Then for some reason, you detest me so much that I was not given a chance to be with my parents and had to seek shelter elsewhere. You do not have a kind heart so save the act."

"Sally," Adama spoke up but Judith was quick to cut him off.

"You rotten little girl. I always warned my brother not to spoil you and now look how you have turned out. Never be grateful for the things others do for your family. I do not detest you. I have no reason to hate you," Judith replied. Sally literally had nothing but the rags she cleaned with.

"I have a feeling the only reason you didn't take me in and try to make money off of a potential marriage was that you didn't want your daughter who is now at the age to marry to be upstaged by your niece who has nothing. If you were kind you would treat your brother's family better-"

Judith silenced Sally with a slap. "I have had enough of you and these ridiculous claims."

"Judith, how could you lay a hand on my daughter?" Adam snapped at his sister. He was in need of her help so he put up with her treatment toward him but his wife and daughter were where he drew the line. There was no need for things to get physical.

Dorothy inspected the forming red mark on Sally's cheek. This was why she was fine with Sally just sending them letters instead of coming to see them. It was hard enough to put up with Judith treating her like a slave but now Sally was slapped. "Sally, please go," she urged her daughter. "Do not return. Letters are just fine sweetheart."

Sally felt helpless for not being able to make her parents leave with her now. She had nowhere to take her family if she were to make them follow her. She never wanted to use her closeness with Alessandra for personal matters. At the rate she was saving money for a home, her parents would be with her aunt for much longer than she wanted them to be.

'I have to stop being stubborn,' Sally realized. She had a good offer she could no longer turn down.

Sally hoped that after how much she had been avoiding Caleb, he would still be open to lending her his home. The problem now was convincing her parents to come with her. They would think Caleb was only offering his home to get something out of her just like she had assumed so she had to be one step ahead of them.

Sally hugged her mother and whispered in her ear, "I will return for you soon."

"Dorothy, get me a drink," Judith said to separate the mother and daughter.

"Do not return, Sally. I will get the drink," Dorothy replied to Judith before hurrying inside before the woman could get angry again. She was patiently waiting for life to hit Judith with karma and make her realize that she could one day end up helpless too.

Sally began to walk out the gates without telling her father goodbye. If she were to stay any longer, she would get into another argument with her aunt. She knew her aunt would take her frustration out on her parents since she was now leaving. Her aunt would even go as far as to throw her parents out onto the cold street and Sally would not have any way of knowing if it happened because there would be no one to inform her.

Sally looked up and down the street for a sign of Alfred returning with the carriage. He was more than an hour late which started to concern her as he would always be on time and lecture the maids about timing. Not wanting to be close to her aunt, Sally started to walk the lone road until she would come across a carriage to pay to take her to the Collins estate.