The Duke's Masked Wife

One month later.

"Where did you get your bag? I need a new set before spring comes. I've started to plan out my looks for the season."

"I've already sat with my dressmaker to look over fabric. You will be jealous when you see what I have planned."

Alessandra drowned out the conversation about dresses, shoes, and bags. She was more focused on the juice that calmed her stomach. She hoped the conversation wouldn't turn to her about what she was planning for spring. She was going to wear whatever Erin had planned for her.

"Duchess, excuse me for being late," Heather said as she sat down beside Alessandra. "Did I miss anything important?"

Alessandra was happy to see Heather was present. A few women received an invitation to attend a small sit-down with important women in Lockwood. For the last two weeks, Alessandra made an attempt to be more social with her peers. She critically picked through all the invitations she received with Alfred's help. Today's invitation came from an older woman Edgar was familiar with as he helped her in the past.

"You have not missed anything. They are on the topic of dresses for spring already. Thank you for showing up," Alessandra hugged Heather. She was in dire need of someone to talk to.

Men were not invited so Edgar was not present. After sending letters back and forth to Hazel, Alessandra learned the Queen was busy. Hazel was not making much of an appearance these days and Linda was out of town.

"I take it you wish to be excluded as you have not started to prepare for spring. Neither have I," Heather whispered. She preferred to wait until spring was at least one week away to start rearranging her dresses. "Something looks different about you today. Have you stumbled upon a new cream? I need one for my face."

Alessandra touched her face. "I don't have a new cream," she replied. She stopped applying the cream from the palace to save it even though Edgar could easily get more.

"Oh. Maybe it is your dress or jewelry that makes you look different today. I heard of a new business with creams coming to Lockwood soon. We should plan a day with Eleanor to see if it is good. We have not spent a day together for the last week," Heather said.

After the ball, Heather found herself closer than ever to Alessandra and Eleanor. It was thanks to Dominic who kept inviting her over for dinner at the Collins estate. Now Dominic was out of town in his new home but Heather continued to visit Alessandra.  Eleanor would visit Heather's home from time to time and once spent the night. It was a refreshing change for Heather to be surrounded by women who genuinely cared for her.

"I didn't know she was going to be here today."

Alessandra looked around to see who it was the women at her table were talking about. To her surprise, it was Priscilla. Even though Alessandra was being social these days, she had not once run into Priscilla. Not even at the ball as Priscilla did not attend.

Priscilla's marriage to Edmund was officially over and the day it was, Alessandra heard Priscilla walk around like a new woman. During Rose's time in town, she tried to make Priscilla an outcast but it did not work. Priscilla continued to be the powerful social Queen that she was with young women rushing to her side as she entered.

"Duchess," Nadine, the Viscountess, sat down in the empty chair to the right of Alessandra. "It has been a while since we last saw each other."

Alessandra looked away from Piscilla to the woman with the fake smile in front of her. Weeks had passed since she met Nadine while she was in town shopping but Alessandra did not forget Nadine's friend speaking negatively to her. Alessandra knew Nadine put the young woman up to it but Nadine continued to act innocent.

It was always amusing to Alessandra how from the very beginning she was never the only one wearing a mask. Her mask was just visible.

"Viscountess," Alessandra greeted Nadine.

"I always look forward to seeing you but you never attend the same gatherings I do. Luckily, I had the pleasure of getting to know your sister. Sweet little thing. Her wedding is drawing near. She told me the Marquess prefers to get married in spring. She doesn't like the wait but what can she do?" Nadine smiled as she remembered the troubles of finding a good date that pleased her husband.

"Hmm," Alessandra gave a simple response as nothing about Kate's wedding interested her.

"When you attend the wedding, maybe we can try to sit together-"

"If you have been spending time with Kate as you said, you would know we are not close for me to be attending or for me to be interested in any details about her wedding. If you weren't aware, I am letting you know now that what you speak of is none of my concern," Alessandra said, ending the topic of Kate quickly. Life was going well as she did not think about Kate or Katrina since the ball. Nadine would not be the reason she started to care about either.

Nadine pitifully looked at the other woman seated at the table and said, "I apologize. I thought the two sisters would be close. Have I offended you in any way, Duchess? We have hardly spoken to each other but it feels like you have some sort of animosity toward me. Is it because I mentioned your sister?"

"Not at all. I am just not in the mood to pretend," Alessandra replied. She was not joining what the other women did by playing friendly with women who did not like her.

"I don't understand what you mean. As noblewomen and wives, I thought we could become close enough to offer each other advice. I could offer you advice on children when you have one," Nadine rubbed the bugle of her stomach. "Or how to have one. It has been some time without any news from you."

"When your child is born I can help to teach them the manners you clearly lack," Alessandra replied. The questions about when she would have a child for Edgar needed to stop.  Alessandra thought of it as a classless jab other women should avoid using. Life was strange where Nadine could find herself desperately wishing to have another child but would not be blessed with one.

Nadine didn't take any offense to Alessandra's words as in the end she was able to be blessed with the child her husband wanted. Nadine's eyes lit up when she noticed who entered the room. "Duchess, do you know you worry about the saying like father like son?"

"What?" Alessandra replied as she didn't see what Nadone was referring to now.

"Well, talk about Edmund Collins' mistress has been going around since the divorce. There have been other women before you. The Duke was seen with a few women on his arm. Aren't you worried he will be like his father? Where the former wife and the mistress run into each other?" Nadine pointed to the woman who entered the room with a smile and ignored the murmur around her. "Collins men can do as they want. I just hope you aren't one day in the same position as your mother-in-law."

Alessandra looked at the woman Nadine pointed to. She had never seen this woman before and though she knew of Edmund once cheating on Priscilla, everyone made it seem like the woman was dead.

Alessandra thought Nadine was lying until she looked in Priscilla's direction and saw her frowning for a second before a smile appeared on her lips to mask what she was feeling.