The Duke's Masked Wife

"Send your reports about Randall to me as soon as you get them. I'm concerned about this business he is setting up here in the red-light district. It doesn't seem like any of the other businesses in the district. He is collecting girls and setting them up with wealthy men. He doesn't appear to be the type to help others find romance. I would like to soon find all the information I need to put them in a dungeon for a very long time," Mark said.

"Dungeon?" Edgar chuckled as it was somewhat funny Mark thought that was where he wanted the mother and daughter to end up. " That is not satisfying enough for me. I'm going to stick to working on my own if you think I will let Katrina and Kate just rot in a dungeon. I want them to suffer as much as my wife did, and then, I consider letting you lock them away in the palace dungeon. Try getting the two of them first if you want to deal with them in court."

"I will remember to reach the two of them before you do, but I still require your help with Randall. You have the resources to find out more about him and Katrina. I have never met anyone who successfully wiped their past life away so even the court has no idea who she is. KDesmond surrounded himself with skilled women," Mark noted.

First, Melanie disappeared for years without anyone having a clue where she went, and then, Katrina lived in Lockwood without anyone having a clue where she came from.

"You might find some trouble dealing with the lady Kate Barrett since she is getting married to the Marquess. Simon is a quiet man, but we might see a different side to him when you try to punish his wife. He is well liked among other noblemen and you are, well. They are getting married in a week," Mark revealed, but Edgar did not seem interested in the news.

"They will get to enjoy their wedding and marriage until I find out more about Katrina. You should know by now that Kate was the one to injure Alessandra's face. The scars are no longer there so I have a feeling someone who is not fond of me from the court will try fighting on Kate's behalf to say she was a child. This is not a case you will be able to solve through the court, Mark. It needs to be solved the old way," Edgar said, referring to the old way of taking punishments into your own hands. "You cannot always win going by the book."

"It is my goal to follow the laws that were created. You will not understand because you rather the two women dead, but I have principles to stick to. Since you have been helpful to the court lately, I will owe you a favor. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask. I have a feeling your wife might not be coming back any time soon so I will take my leave so you can comfort her," Mark stood and straightened out his coat as he stood. "I will send a letter to the Duchess the moment her mother is back in Lockwood. I will also send one to her grandmother."

Edgar said nothing more to Mark. Right now, they were both on the same track to expose the type of people Kate and Katrina were even though their punishments for the two differed.

"I should say goodbye to your mother before I leave," Mark said to taunt Edgar. Flirting with Prscilla while annoying Edgar was a win-qin situation. A way to upset Edgar did not come easy.

Edgar wasn't fond of this repeated joke which he honestly did not believe was a joke. He truly believed that Mark had some interest in his mother and was testing the waters. "Some morals you have to keep joking about being with a woman who was once married to one of your peers. You are a fake saint. I have a priest I should introduce you to. Keep this up and the court will be looking all over town to find your body."

Mark looked over his shoulder at Edgar. "I had the belief that you did not have a good relationship with your mother. What a good son you are to try fending men away from her. I am almost tempted to become your new father so you can listen to me. Besides, your father and I were hardly friends. You mustn't throw that," Mark said, taking quick steps out of the drawing room.

For a moment, he forgot how violent Edgar could get no matter who was standing before him.

"I can do whatever the hell I want in my home," Edgar replied, keeping the jar he picked up from the small table in the drawing room. "I warned you to stop fucking around, didn't I?"

"You can't kill a member of a court-"

"There's a first for everything," Edgar interjected.

"What the hell are the two of you doing?" Priscilla angrily asked with her hands placed on her hips. She looked around for Alessandra first then back at the two men who seemed to be causing trouble. "Edgar, I hope you do not intend to throw that jar. Excuse my language, but there is a pregnant woman who does not need to witness your shit. I am not pregnant and I do not want to witness it so put the jar down. Why are the two of you fighting?"

"Your son is a tiny bit upset that I made a few jokes about courting you. You have quite the guard dog," Mark chuckled.

Priscilla failed to believe that Edgar, who disowned her as his mother, was getting upset at the possibility of Mark wanting to court her. That was her business at the end of the day. Still, it was a step forward to see Edgar acting like a protective son. "Edgar, you cannot throw a jar because his words upset you, and I am allowed to be with someone after your father," she added as she did not intend on staying alone forever. There were plenty of men out there willing to court her even though she was divorced.

"I don't care if you want to get married again. I am only against it being this bastard," Edgar pointed at Mark.

"Should we do it just to piss him off?" Mark asked Priscilla.

"As fun as that sounds, I don't want to waste my precious time getting involved with someone from the court. I have witnessed how you devote your life to the court instead of your lover. Rest assured I will not be getting with Mark so put down that jar before someone gets hurt," Priscilla replied.

"I am on my way out so there won't be anyone getting hurt. I hope we see each other soon with good news son," Mark threw out a final joke as he made his way to the front door.

'Should I? No,' Priscilla shook her head. She should stick to not getting involved with anyone from the court.

'One of these days, I am going to kill him,' Edgar thought.