The Duke's Masked Wife

"I do not have any feelings for Alessandra. I only view her as a little sister. There is no need for you to get competitive," said Mario. He believed the Duke was only saying these things out of jealousy. Never once had he caught himself feeling some type of way towards Alessandra.

"For your sake, I suggest you stop referring to her as your sister. When you are no longer in denial, you will see how gross referring to her as your sister is. Are you going to help me move her things or do you plan to continue trying to threaten me? I have no time for the latter and you should not continue to embarrass yourself."

Mario envied how Edgar feared nothing. To enter someone's home and kill them or to laugh at a man taller or bulkier than himself, Edgar appeared to fear nothing. Mario knew the rumors about Edgar being a monster, devil, or madman must have some truth in them.

"Protect her. That's all I have left to say," Mario picked up the two bags he dropped on the floor, hoping he had not broken anything of value. "Oh-"

"There's more? I thought there was nothing less to say. I was ready to enjoy the silence," Edgar rolled his eyes, mentally preparing himself to hear another lecture. It was already bad enough Alfred came to him early in the morning to give a lecture and now the cook was giving him one about protecting Alessandra.

Mario scoffed, annoyed by Edgar's sarcastic responses. "I just remembered something Alessandra's husband should know. You are referring to her as your wife but I don't know if that means you two are already married. Alessandra used to keep her mother's wedding dress in her closet but Kate took it and had it buried with the dead kitten she killed."

"What?" Edgar's eyebrows narrowed as he looked at Mario in disbelief. He remembered Alessandra had a dead kitten the day he came to propose to her which meant this incident happened the same. Right after he gave clear instructions to Desmond to treat Alessandra well.

It was becoming less and less easy for him to allow Kate and Katrina to walk away without any punishment. It wasn't his battle to fight but Edgar had always disliked seeing others be treated as if their lives didn't matter. This was why he was never kind to those who did not deserve it.

Rather than doing something to the mother and daughter right now, Edgar knew it was best to have a conversation with Alessandra.

"It happened the same day you proposed to Alessandra.  I have to add in that Alessandra threw a bucket of shit unto Kate because of it.  I wish I could have been there to see it myself. You are right that I have done nothing but now I would like to ask a favor. Please find Alessandra's mother. She has been waiting long enough for the woman to return," Mario said.

The family Alessandra had to live with for seventeen years was messed up. Though the previous Baroness had run and left her daughter, there was still hope for the woman to return to her daughter and make amends.

"Alessandra deserves one caring family member."

"You are looking at that person," Edgar pointed at himself as the one caring family member. "I am not aware of the circumstances with Alessandra and her mother but I am going to make the assumption Alessandra does not want anyone to force her mother to come to see her. Her mother should come searching on her own if she truly wishes to see her daughter. I will deny your request."

"But-"

"Denied!" Edgar exclaimed, taking the bags from Mario and then leaving the room. He was feeling hot with no wind flowing into the room and his skin was still itching. "Alessandra owes me something big for this torture."

He needed to be compensated for being in the Barrett house soon.

"Edgar!" Katrina called as he walked to the front door. "You are a Duke. It is disrespectful to have you carrying bags. James, please take them from him."

"You can hand the bag to me, Duke Collins," James left Katrina's side to help Edgar.

"No thank you," Edgar denied the offer. He knew if he stayed behind while others took the bags to his carriage, he would have to speak with Katrina again. He was not in the mood to do so. "Help the cook bring the canvas and other bags. I'll be waiting in the carriage."

"Edgar, the young girl you requested is coming. Don't you want to interrogate her now instead of waiting to get to your home and dislike her? I can offer a room for you to have privacy. Come child," Katrina glared at Sally, wishing the young girl would hurry rather than drag her feet on the ground. Anyone would love to be in her place going to live with Edgar.

"I will speak to her in my carriage. I am meant to be with my wife right now but I have spent so much time in your presence. It has been an interesting experience here at your home. May we never have to see each other again," Edgar bid goodbye.

"You know what to do or else," Katrina whispered to Sally as she passed by. It was unfortunate Kate had not treated Sally well as the young girl would be loyal to their family. "I need to seriously discipline that girl," she muttered.

Kate's past behavior created numerous problems for the present. Katrina had been so busy paying to other things that she failed to realize Kate's flaws to fix them in the early. Kate was in desperate need of a tutor coming again to correct her behavior.

"Can I help, Duke Collins?" Sally mustered up the courage to ask Edgar as they walked to the carriage.

"Do I look weak in your eyes? Being a Duke does not mean I am not meant to be lifting anything. I am more than capable of carrying my wife's bag," Edgar replied. If someone were to ask him about the bags one more time he might end up throwing them at the person.

"Wife?" Sally's eyes went wide. 'When did he have time to marry Alessandra?' She wondered.

From the moment Katrina sought her out and told her Alessandra was requesting her presence, Sally was confused as to why Alessandra would want someone who could not follow a simple instruction to be around her. Unless Alessandra was calling her to her death?

'Is the Duke going to kill me?' Sally mentally panicked as the walk to the carriage became terrifying. She quite possibly could be walking to her own death. 'Is Alessandra truly petty enough to cry to the Duke about what happened?'

Sally hugged her bag as the thought of her death being close scared her.  Rather than being on edge, she wanted to know whether or not she was going to live or die. "Am I in trouble, Duke Collins?" She regretted the words as they left her mouth.

Edgar handed the bags off to the coachman then turned to look at Sally. He didn't know what to think of her just yet. "Did you do something to be in trouble?"

Sally's palms started to sweat as she continued to panic. It was terrifying to have Edgar tower over her and his eyes scanning her for a flaw.