The Duke's Masked Wife

Grace scoffed, amused by Alessandra suddenly acting like she was important. "Look at you already playing the role of someone high and mighty. I remember how easy it was to mess with you. You used to be our way of having fun and you still are. I've always said there was something evil about you. Stealing the man your sister loved."

"Should I get rid of them, Duchess?" Caleb looked down at Alessandra. He disliked the way the young woman was speaking about her. This was something to inform Edgar about.

"No."

"It's no wonder she got along so well with the queen. Women like that will find friendship in each other," Lila commented.

"How different is it from trying to get Edgar to notice you behind Kate's back? I've spent most of my life sneaking around my father's home. It was easy to hear you two talk about Kate when she left the room. That's why I sometimes found myself pitying my little sister," said Alessandra.

"You pitied Kate? Wait until I tell her this interesting news. Do you think Kate will care about us trying to win Edgar's heart too? It's not like she never noticed-"

"So you two are hypocrites," Erin stared at the two young women in disbelief at how they skipped over their hypocrisy. "Talking badly about the Duchess while you two were eyeing the man Kate had feelings for. You two certainly are dumb and dumber. Thank goodness I did not turn out like the two of you."

Erin couldn't be happier that she had not turned out like the other young ladies she grew up around.

"There's no need for us to converse if you do not like the Duchess. We're all just here to buy something and be on our way,"  Sally tried to defuse the situation before it became bigger.

It wouldn't take long for news of this to spread and for Alessandra to be painted in a bad light.

Lila eyed Sally with suspicion. "Don't we know her, Grace?"

"Why would we- wait. Didn't you use to be Kate's maid? Wow," Grace could not believe what she was seeing. "You truly are going after everything belonging to Kate. What next? You're going to try to look just like Kate?"

"I have these ones that might suit what you are looking for. Is there something wrong?" Olivia felt tension between the two groups of customers she had.

"Yes. We were here first, but you ran off to find something for them. Please take care of us first," said Grace.

"It's a shop targeted to married women, Grace. Unless you are buying for one of your married friends, you have no business being here. You're the one who likes to talk the most about unmarried women doing things like this."

"It costs nothing for you to mind your business, Erin. I am here to buy a gift for a friend. I want something cute not like that," Grace pointed at what Olivia brought out for Alessandra. "Dressing as if she's a prostitute," she side-eyed Alessandra.

"Excuse me. My designs aren't for prostitutes, they are for women who like to be adventurous and seductive for their husbands. These are not your normal nightwear for sleeping. I don't allow judging to be done in my shop and if that's what you're going to do, I will have to ask you to leave. What is your decision?" Oliver asked the two young women she was certain had no plans to buy anything.

They had been in her shop for an hour now and had not picked out anything to be bought.

"Let's go, Lila. This is obviously a place that cares more about customers with fancy titles. I'll be sure to tell all my friends about it. It reeks of outcasts anyway," Grace scrunched up her nose as she walked past Alessandra and everyone else to go out the door.

Lila ran behind her happy to get away from being in a closed-up space with Erin.

"Those girls are such a pain in the ass. Oh, excuse my mouth," Olivia quickly remembered who she was in the presence of. "They weren't here to buy something for a friend. These nightwear have become popular among housewives and like always, the unwed young ladies want to be a part of the trend so they come looking to buy some. I do not need any more of their mothers yelling at me.

"Will you lose business if they tell their friends about this? Grace is extremely popular with a lot of young women," said Sally.

"Absolutely not. As I said, my nightwear has become popular and there's no one making them like me. The married women will always come looking to buy and if they don't want to be seen here, I deliver them. My shop will be fine as long as I keep helping women seduce their husbands. Will these do?" Olivia showed  Alessandra the nightwear she picked out.

"They're actually for her," Alessandra pointed at Erin. Just from looking at the clear material of the dresses in Olivia's hand, Alessandra knew they weren't something she could wear.  She was not that intimate with Edgar yet.

"Right, let me tell you my size so I can try one on," Erin took Olivia's hand and led her to the back of the shop.

'She's going to buy those for Alessandra,' Sally and Caleb had the same thought.

"I can see why a little gossip won't hurt her business," Caleb stated after a quick look around the shop. "I'd be mesmerized if my woman showed up wearing this. The more provocative the better."

"And you think I'd marry you?" Sally looked up at the tall man she was now seeing as a player. "Some of the clothing in here seems so little. You might as well go to bed with nothing on. What's the point of wearing it only for it to be taken off moments later?" Sally whispered her question so Olivia wouldn't be offended.

"When you find someone you wish to spend time with, buy one of these and compare it to the other times you've had sex. I'd bet there will be a more intense feeling. By the way, these aren't meant to be worn every night. They are meant to be a surprise to make your partner stunned. Should we have a class in our club for this? I think it'll be better for you to experience what I mean," Caleb suggested to Sally.

"There's no doubt you work for Edgar. You both like to take advantage of all situations. Sally, I think you've dug yourself a hole when it comes to this club you jokingly started. Now, what is it that Erin is up to that she keeps whispering to the shop owner and looking my way with a smile." Alessandra became suspicious of the conversation Erin was having with Olivia."Sally, make sure she does not leave behind any of what she buys here in the carriage."

"I'm surprised you saw right through what she is planning. However, wouldn't it be a good idea to have one for when you want to make your husband's heart skip a beat? All of the nightwear I see in your closet is so plain. In this honeymoon phase, you should spice things up a little bit. Maybe you could wear one but have no intentions of being intimate to torture the Duke," Sally held back a laugh as she pictured Edgar's reaction.

'Torture Edgar? I'd be the one tortured if I went along with that plan,' Alessandra said to herself. Sally wasn't aware how Edgar could easily flip such a plan on her.

"I agree that you should keep one on hand. Excuse me, I have to look around the shop to make sure there is none else present," Caleb said right before leaving Alessandra's side. The shop was small but there were many places for someone to hide.

"See. Everyone thinks you should get one," said Sally.

"This feels like peer pressure. I will get one to shut up all of you but that does not mean I will put it to use anytime soon or ever. Now Erin can stop being so secretive. Erin, I will purchase one of those that you are secretly buying for me. Only one," Alessandra said in a stern voice. She would not end up with a closet of these. One would be easy to hide from Edgar.

"It's a start," Erin excitedly clapped her hands. The real fun was beginning now that Alessandra agreed to buy one. One meant that it had to be the sexiest one she could find.  Erin imagined Edgar knocking on her door the next day with a carriage full of money to thank her and then she would be able to move out of her mother's home. "The next time we return I will get you to buy two new ones. Start undressing."

"What? Why?" Alessandra clutched the top buttons of her dress. "You already know my size, just pick one."

"Oh no no Duchess. We're not letting you out of this so easily. Sally, grab the hands. I'll get the feet."

"Caleb!" Alessandra called for him to save her.