The Duke's Masked Wife

"Everyone has gone to bed so you can rest now. You were like a bunny tonight," said Edgar.

She was constantly moving around with Erin and Dominic and then going to Alfred's side.

"It is fun when there are more people at the table and Alfred seemed to enjoy the company. He is looking better already. You said you found special plates and cups in the carriage the day he was injured. I was thinking of buying more for Alfred tomorrow by going to town for a change of scenery. With Caleb and Reed of course or is it too soon?" Alessandra asked since Alfred getting attacked wasn't that long ago.

Edgar would like for her to stay where it was safe but Alessandra was always home and it was time she got to go out to have fun by herself. He was more worried when she was surrounded by other women than when she was by herself.

"My mother is here but we have not found the man Federick yet. I doubt he is still in town. I fear leaving you out of my sight because you never know who will try to approach you but I won't let you be caged up here. I will assign you another guard," Edgar said, already thinking of the person.

"What about two? I enjoyed being around the two who helped take care of Alfred before the doctor arrived. The four of them should make anyone think twice before approaching me. And I won't wander off to anywhere that is lonesome. I will head to town when the roads should be busy with other carriages," Alessandra said as she wished to avoid getting attacked there.

"Edgar, why are you patting my head like I am a dog?" Alessandra asked after she felt his gentle pats on her head. Next thing you know he would be waving a treat in front of her.

"It is good that you are aware of the dangers and always think of ways to avoid them. It would be a bother if you were blind to the danger and everyone had to be looking out for you. I don't think you'll be in any danger. At least not from William if you go into town tomorrow. My sources tell me he left Lockwood after meeting with someone from the Barrett house."

"Are you watching both of them?" Alessandra questioned.

"One of them wishes you would drop dead and the other wants you to be a live doll. I would be a fool to not watch the two of them. They are no doubt trying to team up to do something for you. Perhaps Katrina is taking charge since William is out of town. I am waiting for her to step foot out of her house," Edgar stated, referring to the gift he needed to give her for showing up with Greta.

Katrina was owed another cut on her face. She knew it too considering how much she was hidden away in her house. It was rare for the woman who liked to be seen to remind inside.

"In the past, she and Kate would leave home every other day. She must be scared. I don't understand what is going on inside her head. For years she has wanted my father to send me away and now that I have left, wanting nothing to do with them, she is still coming after me. I hope the court finds out about her past quickly," Alessandra said as she walked to the bed to lie down.

Edgar followed behind Alessandra to go to bed."Mark and I don't always see eye to eye but he is good at what he does. He will find out what she has hidden. Perhaps faster than me. From what I know so far, it is likely that she once worked at a red light district out of town. She would meet all types of people there who would help her meet and fool your father."

"If you know this, shouldn't you already know more about her? Shouldn't there be some notes about her life?" Alessandra asked.

"It is not so simple. The red light district doesn't care about the life you had before and when you finally pay your debt. There are no records of the people in that area and most of the workers have different names when they start working. It is a tight-lip business; no matter how you poke around, no one will spill any information. That is why you must go there to find out what you want," Edgar replied.

That was part of the reason he would book a room and sit around to hear what was being discussed outside the thin walls.

"Oh. Well, I know that she is not a good person so it shouldn't be long before you stumble across someone else who has been looking for her and knows about her past. I don't understand one thing. Shouldn't the court have information about her when she married my father? What did they write about her to not question her life?" Alessandra wondered, curious about what they were told in the past.

Alessandra was learning a lot about the kingdom and the way the courts worked in her free time. As Duchess, she knew that one thing she needed was knowledge.

Edgar agreed that it was odd the court had not found anything strange about Katrina. Surely, they would have looked at the woman who was about to become the new Baroness. "Perhaps she labeled herself an orphan so there was no need for them to look too much into her background or my theory continues that she had someone with connections helping her back then," he said.

Edgar had a feeling Katrina and this person couldn't be working together in the present. Perhaps they only worked to help her become Desmond's wife.

Alessandra laid down close to Edgar as she did every night and said, "Each time we speak about her hidden past, I become impressed and fearful of how well she has settled down here without anyone knowing who she really is. Have you reached out to Clark to see what he knows?"

"Not yet. Right now, my main concern is getting rid of William and seeing what he has hidden in that house of his. You won't have to think about him much longer. Instead, you should think of the suggestion I gave you for my birthday gift," Edgar smoothly changed the conversation to himself.

"Good night," Alessandra said, turning on her side to look away from Edgar and go further across the large bed to escape him.

Unfortunately, she didn't get too far away when his hand touched her stomach and pulled her back against him.

"Like I said, a bunny."

"I have woken up a sex-craved beast," Alessandra muttered. All that was on Edgar's mind whenever they were alone was the two of them being intimate.

"You have. Your ego should be through the roof knowing how alluring you are to make me always want to touch you. Even now I feel tempted to take off your dress and please you," Edgar said in a low tone. His hand trailed the side of her body, squeezing her hips for a moment before sliding under her dress to the warmth between her legs.

He licked his lips when he felt how wet she was though he had not done anything but speak. "It hurts that I am always the one doing the seducing. Why don't you do something to knock me off my feet on my birthday? Seduce me as best as you can and I will ensure you enjoy that day as much as I do," he kissed the back of her neck.

Alessandra bit her lip to hold back the sounds that would let Edgar know she was enjoying his fingers inside of her.

"I don't see why you are against a day of love-making I have planned. First this room, the bathroom, and then we shall take a trip outside our bedroom. I have a few places in mind that I would love to fuck you."

Alessandra's breathing hitched because of the word Edgar chose to use instead of making love. One would say that it was not proper.

"The window where Alfred interrupted us, the stairs, and if it was not snowing, I would take you to the garden but," Edgar removed his hand right when he felt she was at her end. "It is not something you want. Goodnight," he said, turning on his side to back her. "Now you know how I feel."