The Duke's Masked Wife

"Do not push your vegetables to the side, Alessandra."

"Stop watching me eat," Alessandra palmed his head with her free hand and pushed it to face his own plate. It was uncomfortable to have someone watching you while you ate. "How much longer do you plan to torture me for letting your parents come inside?"

"Till we fall asleep. I told the two of you that inviting them in would be a bad idea but you and Alfred are so stubborn. Now you must deal with the consequences, "Edgar looked at Alfred as he said this. He was messing with Alessandra now but Alfred would soon have his turn.

"There is someone at the door. I will go check," Alfred excused himself.

"You cannot abandon me now, Alfred. The two of us must stay together," Alessandra stated as Alfred continued to leave her. "He abandoned me. Were you supposed to be having guests over or do you think it's your parents?"

Edgar pushed the vegetables Alessandra had placed to the side of her plate back in the center. "I'd rather it be no one. I'm not in the mood to deal with anyone else."

"When are you ever in the mood to deal with anyone? You are far more antisocial than I was expecting," Alessandra chuckled. It was odd how she wanted to mingle and make friends with others in the future but Edgar would want everyone in town to disappear. "I have a feeling you once had the dream of living somewhere deserted where no one could easily access you."

"Somewhere far out in the ocean. I plan to make my gates higher and buy off the land where roads lead to my home. It would be so much more simple if people would just stop visiting me. Would you like to take a trip out of Lockwood? You can cross off many things from your list if you do."

"I would love to go somewhere warmer now that Lockwood is starting to get cold. I hope it is not a bad thing to say but I wish to leave when it is time for my father's funeral. I don't want to meet with any more relatives," Alessandra said as it was obvious they would seek her out as Clark did.

"It's not wrong. I will have Alfred make preparations for you only if you eat the carrots and celery you pushed to the side," Edgar commented after looking down at her plate where the vegetables remained. "You normally eat everything. Why aren't you eating your vegetables tonight?"

"Message from the palace," Alfred interrupted their moment. "Do not look so upset, Edgar. It is not addressed to you. It's to the Duchess from the queen. Go on and open it," Alfred handed the envelope with the seal of the royal family to Alessandra.

Alessandra was in disbelief that the queen had sent her a letter. They had a brief talk at the ball but she did not think it would result in a letter. Alessandra quickly opened the letter as she could feel the excitement radiating from Alfred and curiosity from Edgar. "It's an invitation to have brunch with her tomorrow," she stated after reading the letter.

Alessandra chuckled when she reached the last part and read it out loud, "After listening to my husband's cries I've been made to add that Tobias would love for Edgar to visit at the same time as you. You are invited to the castle along with me, Edgar."

"His tactics have changed," Edgar commented as Tobias would use the relationship forming between Alessandra and Hazel to get him to visit the castle. "I will go just this once."

"Duchess, it is an honor to be personally invited to the palace by the queen. I don't think she has been inviting any young ladies for a while. You must have left quite the mark on her. Well done," Alfred applauded Alessandra. He was glad she was making another friend. "Should I have a gift prepared?"

"Why? It's no one's birthday, wedding, or funeral." Edgar did not see the point of a gift.

Alessandra became puzzled as to why you would bring a gift to a funeral. Who would you give it to? "Edgar, please tell me you have not prepared a gift for a funeral. If you did, who was it for?"

"The person that died of course," Edgar stated the obvious. "After years of being a pain in my ass, he finally died. It was only right that I brought a gift to celebrate him being gone forever."

Alessandra opened her mouth but then quickly closed it. Something warned her that she should not ask what Edgar gifted a dead man. Instead, she got up from her seat and left the table.

"I'm afraid one of these days you are going to break the Duchess. Be mindful of the things that come out of your mouth," said Alfred.

"Would you rather me be a boring husband instead of telling her good stories? She did not eat all of her vegetables. Add some to the menu for breakfast tomorrow," Edgar stood up from his seat to follow Alessandra. "You seem to be in a good mood now but that'll change when it's your turn to deal with the consequences of wanting my parents to come inside. Good night Alfred."

"Good night, young master. Is it time for me to retire?" Alfred seriously started to consider the matter.

Meanwhile,

In the Barrett household, Katrina laid without any clothes on her bed and stared out the window at the night sky. There was peace right now but as soon as Clark returned there would be hell. She was so close to no one being able to take away what she wanted.

"I should just kill all of his family," Katrina said out of the blue. "What do you think, James? Why are you in a rush to put back on your clothes?" She turned on her side to look at him. "I've always had a good eye when it comes to men. You were much better than my late husband. Just as I thought."

James paused in the middle of buttoning up his shirt before continuing. Katrina had thoroughly used him until she was satisfied. "What if you become with child? I finished inside of you many times. That should not have happened. This entire situation should not have happened."

"It's not fun when you don't feel the finish. A while ago you didn't look this upset when your hands were gripping my thighs and forcing me to take more of you," Katrina chuckled and moved to lay flat on her back to look at the ceiling. "Relax. I have gotten rid of many unwanted children before."

"What?" James stared at her with confusion written all over his face.

"The ones before the Baron and with him. One child for Desmond was more than enough and I never wanted a son so that his future wife would live in this house. It is mine.  Do not worry about me becoming pregnant. I would never bear a child for a butler," she smiled.

"But you'll fuck one," James spat.

"As much as I like.  You can sleep with someone and not ever want a child from them. Do not irritate me now. I've finally relaxed after dealing with Clark," Katrina sighed. "Get dressed and leave quickly before Kate comes to visit me or another servant sees you. Come back tomorrow but much later in the night when the house will be dead."

"Tomorrow? Baroness, I am not-"

"James, how many times must I go through this with you?" Katrina's carefree attitude shifted into a more serious one in a matter of seconds. "You will do as I say. I have made up my mind to use you as I see fit. Whether it be to poison someone or to sleep with me. A smart person in your position would try to gain something out of this. I'll be nice so tell me what it is you want."

"There's nothing that I need from you," James completed the last of his buttons so that he could hurry up and leave.

"Everyone in this world wants something they cannot have. Some are open about it like Clark. While others act innocent like you. I will give you some time to think about it until tomorrow night when you visit me. Clark will look to bring you onto his side at some point. Fill his head with hope. Now get out," Katrina motioned with her hands for him to leave her bedroom.

As of right now, James had nothing more he could say to Katrina when she spoke so confidently about him returning tomorrow. Their relationship before this was fine and he was certain sleeping with her would drag him into a deep hole. Why couldn't she have listened to him not wanting to sleep with her?

"Good night Baroness," he excused himself from her bedroom.

After James exited the room and closed the door, he leaned up against the wall thinking about the unfortunate events of tonight. If he stated to anyone that the Baroness had taken advantage of him, they might laugh in his face either not believing it or ask why he was complaining.

"I should have quit the night Desmond died," he mumbled.