The Duke's Masked Wife

"Is there something you need from me, Edgar? Aside from getting a reaction out of me from your teasing. Why did you want to come inside the bathroom?" Alessandra knew there had to be a reason why he was here. Unless he was only here to tease her? If so, was Edgar truly a bored person?

"I wanted to confirm that there is no one here. Did they leave as soon as they brought the basket? They were supposed to help you get dressed." Edgar gave clear instructions earlier while Alessandra was asleep and hated to think his servants were going to ignore his order and mistreat his wife.

"I met a girl who looks around my age named Jennifer. I think she has a crush on you, Edgar. She tried to brush out all of my hair," Alessandra placed her hand on the sore spots.

"I see," Edgar picked up his brush which was now full of hair. "What does she look like?"

"Do you have no idea who I am talking about?" Alessandra found this to be surprising. Jennifer causally called his name as if they had spoken before.

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked you to describe her. It appears she pulled out quite a lot of your hair. Silly thing. Is this her way of asking to be punished? She only needed to come to me," Edgar smiled, placing the brush back down. They'll be in need of a new female servant today.

"I will take care of it myself. I am sure there are many others who are protective of you. I must use Jennifer as an example to warn them. Please, leave it to me," Alessandra begged. This was not a battle Edgar needed to concern himself with.

"Do as you wish."

"Thank you. From the way she acted, I assumed the possibility of her being your mistress-"

Edgar's faint laughter interrupted Alessandra. "You wound me by thinking I would be foolish enough to send a woman I was bedding to tend to my wife. I am smarter than that Alessandra. Luckily, there is nothing you need to fear. I have never slept with anyone who worked for me. I do not like to mix business and pleasure."

"I see. I am sorry for having such a thought. I would prefer if your mistresses had no association with this house. It would make my life much easier," Alessandra said.

"Your life will be easy due to the fact I will have no mistress. Enlighten me, Alessandra. What type of man do you take me for? Is there some sort of rumor going around that I am bedding countless women? How awful of them to make me out to be such a man when I am nothing more than a saint."

Had this been anyone else, Alessandra might have believed their words. However, whenever Edgar spoke she picked up on his sarcasm and refused to accept his words.  "Are you a virgin?" She bluntly asked the question.

Edgar touched the two top buttons on his shirt and turned away from Alessandra's sight. "That is such an intruding question, Alessandra. Why do you want to know? Do you wish to ravish me?"

Alessandra stared at Edgar with a lack of reaction to his words. "You are the one to say you are a saint. Wouldn't a saint be a virgin? You don't have to be ashamed. I am also a virgin."

"I have to apologize for not saving myself for marriage. I am not a virgin but I am also not a manwhore. I can control myself and unlike what rumors you've heard, I have not bedded many women. Keep in mind that any woman who approaches you and hints at it is a liar. Let's avoid that drama before it can even start," Edgar replied, as he knew women would try to say they shared a bed in order to mess with Alessandra.

"Honestly, if I were to meet anyone you have slept with, I wouldn't care. Anyone who tells me you have slept with them is only trying to get a rise out of me and I won't give them that satisfaction. Right, do you have any idea what could be making Jennifer so bold? To harshly comb a Duchess's hair means there's someone behind her."

The maids back at the Barrett household would sometimes mistreat her because they had Kate behind them to help rescue them if the butler were to find out. Edgar had not mentioned anyone else living with him which means it must be a relative living close by.

"It is probably my mother. She plants a few of her spies here and there to keep an eye on me. It appears I missed one.  That was Alfred's mistake. How should I break this to the perfectionist?" Edgar grinned.

Alfred would have a panic attack if he knew he missed getting rid of one of his mother's spies.

"Why is it Alfred's mistake and not your mistake?" Alessandra accidentally asked out loud.

"Alfred is the one to deal with the servants. I passed him the basket and told him to send someone to serve you. Anyone working for my mother should not have been still working for me. It is not hard to recognize who is her spy as they are always following me around. Alfred should have picked up on this and fired her. I like to keep my mother out of my business."

"What is your mother like?" Alessandra had never heard anything about Edgar's mother. She didn't even know her name.

"Dramatic. I have to be rude and step out for an errand therefore I cannot attend breakfast with you but Alfred will be here to help. There are more gifts waiting for you downstairs. What you don't like, set aside and I will send for something else," said Edgar.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I don't have anything to offer you," Alessandra once again felt saddened by not having anything to give to Edgar. She was the only one receiving something.

"If you stand right now that would be a gift," Edgar cheekily replied.

"Can you please leave and never refer to yourself as a saint?" Alessandra covered her face with her hands to hide her cheeks turning red from embarrassment. She contemplated getting a mask that entirely covered her face so she wouldn't satisfy Edgar's teasing.

"If you were to ask me to stand naked before you, I would have no problem doing so. You are the shy type, Alessandra. I came by to say I will be going to collect your things and speak to the Baroness about her late husband. Is there anything specific you desperately need to come along with you?" Edgar asked.

"No. Everything is in my bedroom but there is no guarantee either Katrina or Kate did not destroy them because of my father's death. Whatever is there you can bring. Oh! There is a girl I chose to be my personal maid. Can you bring her along or is that too much?" She asked, due to the fact Edgar would be the one paying for Sally's services.

"Seeing as we are about to fire someone, it is not a problem but I first need to inspect the type of person this maid is before I allow her into my home. I am off to visit hell," Edgar bid goodbye.

"I hope he doesn't kill Katrina or Kate," Alessandra softly muttered.  She contemplated going with Edgar to make sure no one would be harmed but then decided against it.  The goal was to never step foot in that house again and she planned to stick to it.

Katrina, Kate, and Edgar were grown enough to be able to speak calmly.