The Duke's Masked Wife

"Make sure you put up all of the offerings well. We do not need to repeat it being stolen again and then we cannot buy food for those in need. All types of people visit the church and not all are coming to pray. Be careful," Peter advised another priest. "Hopefully we get enough offerings to be able to help families when the winter comes."

"The woodsman said he would bring wood for us to throw into the furnace when winter comes. We'll need to start collecting more in our free time since the church gets so cold in the winter. Oh, we have a wealthy guest."

Peter looked out at the road where his fellow priest saw someone arriving. "Oh no," Peter's eyes widened when he realized who the carriage belonged to. "I will go out and start gathering the wood for winter."

"But you are in charge of taking care of our visitors today. You cannot leave me to deal with the offering, prayer for those who visit and providing shelter to those in need. The other priests are not here. Peter," the young priest Lucas called for Peter when he began to run away.

"I will return when the monster goes away," Peter picked up his robe to help him run faster. 'Why on earth is Edgar here,' he cried.

Peter ran away from the entrance of the church all the way to the back which would take him out into trees he could hide until he thought Edgar was gone.  'I should truly consider digging a hole to hide in whenever that man comes around,' Peter thought.

"Where are you going, Peter?" Edgar stuck out his foot, making Peter fall as soon as he exited the back door. "Now your robe is all dirty," he looked down at the disgrace of a priest.

"H-How? Your carriage just arrived?" Peter coughed as his nose and mouth were flooded from the disturbed dust where he fell. Edgar was truly a monster to be able to teleport from his carriage to the back door. "I married the devil to an innocent woman," Peter began to panic.

Edgar rolled his eyes at Peter's stupid conclusion. He bent down to grab the collar of Peter's robe and pulled him up in one swift motion. "This would not be the first time you ran to the back door when you saw my carriage arriving. You should be more clever with your escapes."

Edgar had exited his carriage before it came into view of the priest standing outside of the church and went to the back to wait for Peter.

"I should but uhm, can you put me down now?" Peter didn't like how Edgar had him causally dangling in the air to the point his feet could not touch the ground. "You certainly work out a lot, Edgar. I am not light enough for just anyone to do this."

"No, you are not," Edgar released Peter.

"What have I done to deserve this treatment, Edgar? Your wife wouldn't be happy to know this is how you are treating the man who wed the two of you-Ow!" Peter grabbed his aching head after Edgar smacked him. "Must you always be so violent?"

"Do not try using her against me. It's going around in the paper that someone saw us in the church. Surely, you wouldn't have sold news of my marriage to the papers? Do you know how sad I am for not being able to announce it myself? I thought the church minds its own business and does not spread the word about what happens in it. Right or wrong?" Edgar tapped his fingers on his sword as he awaited the answer.

"Do I look like I have a death wish, Edgar? I don't speak about you to anyone. Quite frankly, I don't even like seeing you. You have the wrong person but we are investigating who sent it to the papers. We cannot keep someone who will talk about what they see here. It has caused quite a lot of problems for me," Peter stepped back to be far away from Edgar in case he wanted to use his sword.

"What kind of problems?"

"For one, everyone is coming to ask me for the details about your wedding. Secondly, I had an unpleasant visit from one of the town guards. What was his name? Olive?" Peter looked up at the sky as if expecting the right name to fall from it.

"Oliver. What did he want?" Edgar asked. Oliver's obsession with being mixed in his business was beyond irritating. He already said he was married to Alessandra. Had Oliver come here to confirm it?

"Ask me yourself instead of prying information out of a priest. Have you no shame, Edgar?" Oliver spat at the man he hated more than anything.

"It is no different than what you did, Oliver. Are you stalking me? Should my ego grow for having male fans? If you wish to be my friend again, you only have to ask, Oliver," Edgar smiled.

"Friend? Who wants to be friends with a man who abuses his power? I cannot understand what that woman sees in you to marry you. Peter, you do not need to worry about him. Go inside," Oliver ordered the priest.

"Not so fast," Edgar stepped closer to Peter and placed his hand on Peter's shoulder. "I was having a lovely conversation with my friend before you arrived. It would be rude for you to send him away in the middle of it."

Oliver looked to Peter for an explanation. "Why are you friends with him?"

Peter awkwardly smiled, wishing he could be elsewhere. "We are not friends. Not even acquaintances. We are just a priest and a Duke. Why are you here? Is it to speak about your upcoming wedding?"

"He's getting married? How interesting. To whom?" Edgar questioned as it was odd for Oliver to be getting married given the inner battle he had with himself.

"It is none of your business," Oliver replied.

"Seeing that you are still too emotional for me to talk to, I will find another guard to update me about the missing girls. Peter, find out who leaked the news and alert me. Before I go, I must offer you some advice, Oliver. From one married man to one who is about to get married," Edgar left Peter's side to stand close to Oliver. "Do not waste the young lady's time and tell your father what you have been struggling with."

"You bastard," Oliver grabbed a handful of Edgar's shirt and pushed him against the wall. "What on earth do you know about me!"

"I know your dirty little secret, Oliver. I've always known it from the way you acted towards me. Now, about this," Edgar pointed to where Oliver was grabbing him. "You are in luck that I do not want to return to my wife with bruises on my knuckles from punching your face for grabbing me. I suggest you release me before my mind changes."