The Duke's Masked Wife

"Clark, this is not the time for you to speak. Anything that comes out of his mouth is nonsense. He is only here to see how he can get money out of this. Ignore him just as I am. He should not even be present," Greta muttered, glaring at her younger son. She would not have minded if it was Clark who died instead of Desmond. "Such a waste of life."

Clark frowned. "Your favorite son is involved in shady business and yet, I am the one to receive a bad look from you. Ha!" He licked his lips. "She only loves Desmond, you know. Even when we were children she would always let him get away with his behavior because he was the smart one. She put all her faith in him to be the one to make our family proud."

"Why would I waste my time with someone who wasn't going to do anything for our family? I paid attention to the son who wanted to do well. When Desmond was making a name for himself, what were you doing? Drinking yourself away and spending time with women who emptied your pockets. The wrong son was taken from me too early," Greta grumbled.

"Mrs. Barrett," Mark said as her words weren't right to her son.

"That's nothing new. She didn't have to say it was me she wanted dead. I could feel it the moment we met after my brother's death. The look in her eye as she imagined me going into the ground instead of my brother.  That's the type of mother she is. She's right, I am trying to get money out of this but since I won't, I should speak freely. Right?" Clark looked at the court men.

"You should," Mark urged him as he was curious about what the younger brother had to say. If looks could kill, Clark would be dead from the look he received from his mother alone. Mark thought Katrina would have more of a reaction but she was calm. Her daughter looked at her uncle as if he was crazy.

"Clark-"

"My mother," Clark began to speak over his mother. "Will never think what Desmond does is wrong. When he didn't want to borrow any more money from people like William, he came to our mother. She wouldn't lend me money to keep my house but she would lend him money to get into a business of selling orphans to a red-light district. Maybe she didn't know what he was using the money to invest in," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's talk about the fact that when Desmond got married, our mother took money that was in my inheritance to give to my brother. It would have been enough for me to live on for a few years. She told me not to speak of it because my brother was on his way up to mix with important people. I would get back double that money because Desmond became a Baron and he would be amongst a good crowd of people he could invest in," Clark continued.

"Desmond was never a fool. No one should be blamed for what he got himself into. He was a part of those dirty businesses because he wanted to get quick money. Everything you claim my brother was a part of was true. Once I got him drunk enough he would give a bit of information about his deals and I did know a bit about William. He was obsessed with Alessandra," Clark said, looking down at the table where Alessandra sat.

Greta grabbed a handful of her dress to hold back from throwing something at Clark. He didn't realize he could be punished for knowing about all of these things but not telling the guards or the court. He was ruining more than just Desmond's name.

"What else do I know? Oh, we were all aware of how Alessandra was being treated. When we all learned of her scars, it was such a waste. My brother and mother had a list of families who wanted to arrange marriages for Alessandra with their sons in the early. She had the same beauty as her mother so why wouldn't they? Her face was her value in our family and once it was no longer worth something, she found out what happens to useless people in this family," said Clark.

"Who was the one to harm her face?" Zachary asked as Alessandra's life in her father's home was a case they needed to take up against the Barretts like Katrina and her daughter. That was a case they were going to build another day.

Clark smiled and looked directly at Kate. "I don't know. I wasn't present when that was discussed. You would have to ask soon to be not Baroness or my mother," he said.

Mark didn't buy that Clark was unaware of who was responsible for Alessandra having to wear a mask. He didn't miss Clark briefly looking at Kate and the panic that filled her face. At this point, Clark was toying with all three of the Barrett women. It must be because it sunk in that there was nothing he would gain from helping his family.

Alessandra was surprised to hear Clark go against his family. She wondered if he was expecting something from her or Edgar for doing this. Alessandra was not going to offer Clark money or any other gifts for being a decent human being and telling the truth. Still, she enjoyed that she could remain silent while the Barretts argued with each other.

"When will it be our time to speak? You've allowed them to have all of these accusations on my family and we have sat here silently!" Greta yelled, smacking her right hand down on the table. It stung but she ignored it at that moment. "You," she pointed at Zachary. "Take over this meeting. He's not fit," she glared at Mark.

To Greta, it felt like Alessandra had paid off the man sitting at the table.

"For the last time, you do not control the court. Since you have much to say, go on. How can you debunk your son's involvement in these shady businesses when there is the evidence? He signed his name on documents and was seen by witnesses going to these secret businesses.  Do you not have a sense of empathy for your granddaughter-"

"She is not my granddaughter," Greta declared. "And he is no longer my son," she looked at Clark.

"Mrs. Barrett, you can love your son but still admit to when he is wrong. We have enough evidence on your late son but wanted to hear from the family first. Today showed why your son will lose his title. Desmond Barrett will no longer be referred to as the late Baron," Mark said as Declan placed a paper before him. He pushed it toward Katrina for her to sign away her title as Baroness.

"The land given to Desmond will be taken back by the King and a new nobleman will take over. There is no Barrett man fit to take over the land. His wife will be referred to as Katrina Barrett from the moment the King signs this document. There will be consequences if you continue to use the title, Baroness. You must sign it now," Mark said as Katrina had not moved to sign her name.

"Do not sign that!" Greta yelled, moving the paper in front of Katrina to tear it up. "How could you take away his title when we have not yet defended him?"

Mark held out his hand for Declan to give him another paper. "As I have said, the decision was already made but we wanted to hear what the relatives wanted to say. You," he pointed at Greta. "Think of your son as innocent and blame his peers. His wife and daughter have nothing to say. Why do I need to drag this out any further?"

"I want a divorce. I want to officially not be known as Desmond's wife anymore," Katrina said, taking the opportunity to be free of Greta. The Barrett name was only good when it was attached to a Baron. She would be free to move on to another man if she wanted with her marriage officially over. She didn't want to hear a dead man be called her husband.

Katrina only prolonged officially signing her marriage was over to avoid affecting Kate's chances with Simon in the beginning but she was tired of Greta and Clark who would help ruin the Barrett name.

"You," Greta turned to Katrina. "You won't get anything that belongs to my son. You will leave just as you came into this marriage."

"That is not true. By law, there is a portion of her husband's wealth she is entitled to and she will get what else is in the will. We can have that prepared now if you wish," said Zachary.

"Can we leave?" Alessandra asked as she knew her father had not left behind something for her.

"She's going to stay right here. How about we discuss her trifling mother who ran away?" Greta asked, deciding to drag everyone down so Desmond's name wouldn't be the only one ruined. "And how this whore plotted to marry my son," she added, referring to Katrina.

"I hope we can talk about my mother letting Katrina get away with trying to poison me," Clark smiled.