The Duke's Masked Wife

"You're pregnant?" Heather exclaimed. "I'm sorry," she looked around to make sure no one was nearby to hear the news. It should be passed around before Edgar heard it. "Congratulations!"

"I need to have a doctor visit my home but Priscilla is certain I am," Alessandra said.

"You are. You don't have to prepare yourself for disappointment because you are pregnant. I know a pregnant woman when I see one. I was once pregnant. You are with child," Priscilla said for the last time.

"This is good news. It's a good decision to leave instead of staying with these women. I will join you. I cannot wait to see Edgar's reaction. The two of you will make excellent parents. Excuse me. I need to have my carriage brought around," Heather said, leaving the two momentarily to inform a servant she was ready to leave and needed her carriage.

"Duchess!" Caleb called when the carriage stopped by the steps. He was here alone to guard her today. "It is early. Did something happen?" He side-eyed Priscilla. The woman was nothing but bad news. It was odd to see her holding Alessandra's bag.

"I am not feeling well. Caleb, please send for a doctor to meet us at home-"

"Are you sick?" Caleb panicked, eyeing her from head to toe. Why did he have such bad luck with her being sick when it was his turn to guard her?

"Caleb, please do not worry. I will tell you when we get home. Priscilla is offering her carriage to be sent for the doctor and she will ride home with us. Please pass the message to the doctor that this is urgent. Caleb," Alessandra called his name again as he had not moved. When they all heard she was pregnant they would run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

"You are scaring me, Duchess. Give me a moment," Caleb left to do as he was told.  He moved quickly to not leave Alessandra alone with Edgar's mother.

Priscilla watched the man who looked similar to the one who had come with Edgar to take her to his dungeon. She knew they were twins and she could tell the difference between the two but she was still uncomfortable around Caleb. "Careful," Priscilla warned Alessandra who was trying to get in the carriage by herself.

"I am. I am perfectly capable of getting in the carriage without hurting myself. I did it this morning," Alessandra said, already feeling like she and the word careful would become enemies in the next few weeks. Her overprotective husband would be the one to say it the most with Alfred shortly behind.

"I am just looking out for you. There is still a bit of snow on the ground so it will be slippery and those heels you are wearing won't be helpful even if they are short. You need to buy comfortable shoes. The person who made mine is still in business. I can give you the name. The heavier you get, the more comfortable clothes and shoes you will need. You will need to start having bigger dresses made now," Priscilla said, entering the carriage after Alessandra was seated.

"There is much to do from having clothes to fit you as the baby grows, to picking out which room you want as the child's bedroom or just for playing, buying clothes, toys, looking for a good nanny early, and more. What would you do without me?" Priscilla took a deep breath after she exhausted herself from talking.

"It is a lot to be done on such short notice," Alessandra realized. She played with her fingers as she thought about how busy her life will become now. It seemed like a long time before a baby would be here in her arms but she heard time goes by quickly when children are involved.

Priscilla regretted mentioning the things Alessandra needed to prepare for when they had not seen the doctor or told Edgar the news. "Don't think about those for a while. You have plenty of people around you to take care of them. If I am allowed to, I will take care of the clothes. I can't let you dress my grandchild in any old thing."

Alessandra didn't take offense to what Priscilla said and laughed. "If you wish," she replied. "I would love for my children to have a grandmother to spoil them."

Priscilla hesitated for a moment but knowing what Alessandra was thinking she said, "I knew your mother. We were married to noblemen so it was inevitable we would run into each other. She married a few years after I had gotten married to Edmund. You look just like your mother. Thank goodness," she added as Alessandra's beauty might be different if she looked like her father.

"Did the two of you get along?" Alessandra asked.

"We were cordial with each other but never friends. Both with husbands we found irritating from time to time. I could tell life as Baroness bore her. She was always looking out a window like she craved to be elsewhere. Maybe she thought life with your father would have been exciting but she quickly learned it was not. I felt the same during the first year of my marriage. She was an interesting woman," Priscilla said, looking out the carriage window.

"From everyone's tales, it seems that she was," Alessandra replied as she had no tales of her mother.

"As mothers, we make a lot of mistakes our children will never understand. Not even when you have your children. After years of pleasing others, we seek a moment to be alone and it, unfortunately, means leaving our children behind. I don't know what happened with Melanie but I understand," said Priscilla.

"Unfortunately, I am past the point of trying to understand but thank you for telling me a bit about her. Does that mean you would understand Rose's-"

"Of course not," Priscilla quickly ended that thought. "That woman is simply controlling and the devil in disguise. There is no understanding of her even if someone were to put her thoughts in a book for me to read. My day is ruined just hearing her name. If you think of your mother as I think of Rose then you should never forgive your mother."

"Oh how quickly your views changed," Alessandra chuckled. Surprisingly, Priscilla did a good job at taking her mind off of worrying about the future with her child.

"Only because Rose is involved. During my divorce, it seemed like I was separating from her instead of Edmund. I received a letter that she wanted back everything she ever gave to me. She only gave me one thing which was her son and I was already giving him back. You must not let her find out I am helping you. She will make your life hell. She can get all the other Collins to pester you while she sits back like an angel," Priscilla shook her head.

"There's going to be too much in my life in the next few months for me to tiptoe around to avoid Rose finding out you are near. Luckily, no one gets to come through the gates without our permission," Alessandra replied. Alessandra didn't have to concern herself with family drama as Edgar would not let anyone get near her.

While she prepared to be a mother, everyone should be preparing for the new level of anger Edgar would have for anyone trying to stress her during this time.