The Duke's Masked Wife

"My apologies for disturbing your family so early in the morning. We have a lot to discuss," Mark said, entering the front door with papers in his hands. He came alone for this visit. "Lady Scott," Mark greeted Priscilla.

"Finally someone not mistakenly using the Collins name. Where were you during my divorce, Mark?" Priscilla asked. She knew Mark because of attending parties with Edmund which involved members of the court.

"I don't normally deal with divorces unless a case I am dealing with calls for it," Mark replied.

"Then you should have told me to attempt to kill Edmund so you can have the case. The man who dealt with mine kept letting Edmund's mother speak over him. Why did he even let her in the room in the first place? I get annoyed every time I think about it. Go on and speak with the two of them. I will take a tour around a house I have been banished from for years. I will see what changed," Priscilla said, leaving to give herself a tour.

Edgar narrowed his eyes at Mark. "Your eyes, Mark. Look away before you lose them."

Mark looked away from Priscilla to Edgar. "Calm down, Duke Collins. I have no intentions of suddenly being a father to a man like you. I am only here to speak about what you sent to us," Mark said. "And also, your mother is a grown lady. Where would you like to speak, Duchess? I am here for you."

Alessandra tried to ignore Edgar who was not pleased with Mark looking at his mother. The same Edgar who not long ago was bickering with Priscilla, but was now angry with a man for looking at his single mother. "We can speak in the drawing room. Edgar, can you please tell Alfred to let the servants take what Priscilla brought from her carriage and then you can join us?" She asked.

Alessandra wanted Edgar to stop glaring at Mark so she was sending him away for a moment. If Mark and Priscilla had something going on, which Alessandra doubted, Edgar had no right to meddle. Still, it was amusing to see Edgar be protective of his mother.

Edgar kept his eyes on Mark while he touched Alessandra's stomach before he left to find Alfred. "Don't leave right here. I don't want you in a room with him," he said.

"As if I have plans to harm her," Mark said loud enough for Edgar to hear as he left them. "Congratulations on your pregnancy, Duchess."

Alessandra looked down at her stomach which was flat and showed no signs of her carrying a child. 'Am I gaining weight already?' Alessandra internally panicked. She had not mentally prepared herself for that.

Mark noticed her panicked and said, "I can tell because of the Duke touching your stomach before he left. I am an observant person. It helps with the job. I'll be keeping an eye on your family with this baby on the way. I don't need your husband going around threatening anyone who tries to harm you or your baby. Over a month ago, I had to deal with a man trying to attack you at the ball."

"What?" Alessandra said, knowing nothing about someone wanting to attack her at the ball. "Was Edgar aware of it?"

"The King sent the person to the palace dungeon to stop your husband from attacking him. I spent the next day looking into who paid him to try taking advantage of you. It is not easy to do because of how secretive the business he is a part of it," Mark replied.

Alessandra found it odd Edgar had not mentioned this to her. She understood not telling her the night it happened but why not the day after or even a week? She would like to be informed that someone was out to get her. The man was caught but what about the person who paid him? She needed to keep an eye out for that person.

"I didn't mean to rattle you with this. However, if you remember someone acting odd during the ball, please inform me. They might have to do something with it."

"I wasn't really paying attention to anyone at the ball since they were staring at my face. The only thing odd was my half-sister wanting to speak with me in private. We are never on good terms to speak with each other in private or even with others around. I wouldn't put it past Kate to do something like that. Our fights are nothing like normal sisters," Alessandra said, subconsciously touching her face.

Mark noticed the action. "I am still looking into your former stepmother. There is a man lingering around her for a while now. He is using a different name but I am aware his real name is Randall. Have you ever heard of him?"

Alessandra shook her head. "No, I have not. I never heard Katrina or my father mention this name before. What does he do? Is that why you are here today?"

"He is setting up a business in the red-light district. I've learned of the past businesses he had in other towns and I have a feeling he is more of a friend to Katrina than your father. I can't tell you much about that right now but that is not all of why I am here today. I am here about what Edgar sent to us about your mother," said Mother.

Alessandra felt like she was missing out on a lot of information from what was happening around her. "What did Edgar send about my mother?" She questioned. What could Edgar possibly know about her mother?

"I thought you were notified before the court was. Perhaps it would be best to ask your husband about why I am here before we get started," Mark said, looking at an unsuspecting Edgar who was not aware of his wife's growing anger from being left out of something important. Mark didn't regret spilling all of this to Alessandra when Edgar was not around. He considered it payback for Edgar always causing him trouble.

"Edgar, what did you send to the court about my mother?" Alessandra asked the moment Edgar returned to her side.

Edgar looked at Mark who could not keep his mouth shut while he left them for less than a minute. "I sent the court her whereabouts yesterday. I didn't inform you then because you just found out about the children-"

"Child," Alessandra corrected him.

"You're in for a shock when the big day comes," Edgar stuck to his belief that there was more than one child in her stomach. "I didn't want to add knowing where your mother is onto celebrating the fact you are with a child yesterday. I intended to tell you. If I wanted to hide it from you forever, I wouldn't have sent what I found to the court. I did not want to ruin yesterday because I did not know how you would react."

"What about the man who tried to attack me at the ball?" Alessandra asked. The only reason she was upset was due to the fact she was learning about this from someone else. One of the things she loved about their marriage was not keeping secrets even if they felt it would upset the other person. That way they could be both aware of what was happening around them and be prepared for any danger.

"You just had to open your big mouth and reveal everything, didn't you?" Edgar glared at Mark. Why did Mark have to inform her about this? What did it have to do about her mother? "I hid that from you simply because I didn't want to worry you."

"Mark, can you please go ahead to the drawing room? We will join you shortly," Alessandra forced a smile and pointed to the drawing room.

Mark didn't want to miss the show of the great Edgar Collins being scolded but he respected Alessandra's wishes. He could live with the fact he irritated Edgar for once.

Alessandra pinched the bridge of her nose and then said, "I know it seems foolish to get angry with you when you are trying to protect me but I prefer when you don't leave me out. I would have preferred to hear that you found my mother from you. You had plenty of time to tell me when we were sending the guard back to let Mark through the gates. I always tell you everything. Hearing it from Mark was more of a shock than if I would hear it from you."

"I'm sorry," Edgar genuinely apologized. He understood how learning her mother was found and then her husband was the one to do it from Mark would be a double shock for her. "I won't leave you in the dark anymore and will tell you all that I know that concerns you. Those were the only things I kept from you, I swear."

"I believe you and thank you for searching for her," Alessandra said as no one else could provide her with a location for years.

"Am I forgiven now- Are you crying?" Edgar asked, trying to pry her hand away from her face.

"I am not. There is just water in my eyes."