The Duke's Masked Wife



"It's getting late," James said, closing the front door. He returned from making a trip to the gates to see if the town guards had paid a visit at any point. Strangely, they had not. "Why haven't they come? Surely all the talk in the town should have made them come to inspect Katrina, but they have not come. They must be working with Edgar."

James went to the window to look out the sun going down and the pathway to the gates slowly lighting up. There was a small crowd outside asking about Kate and Simon then there were some asking if the woman in the paper was Kate or Katrina. Mother and daughter could not get a break.

James worried that as the town got darker and quieter Edgar would make a move to get Katrina. The woman was already prepared for anything that could happen tonight or the day after. She spent the day focusing on making sure Kate would be taken care of if something were to happen to her.

'No one can deny that she loves her daughter,' James sighed. It was unfortunate that they were in this position of not knowing if they would have to say goodbye for a long time. 

Kate and Katrina were both on edge since aside from the small crowd outside, it had been too silent from Edgar's end, the court, and the guards. All of this information was spread around with a portrait which pointed to Katrina, but no one made a move to take her. At this point, the silence was making Katrina paranoid since she could not figure out what was happening to be able to plot something.

James left the window and went to the dining room where Katrina already sat. She had a paper in front of her on which she endlessly wrote something.

"James, why are you walking around looking so depressed? It is not you who has to worry about what is to come," Katrina said without looking up at him. She could imagine how he looked now without having to see it with her own eyes. The man always cared too much. He was more concerned about what was to come than she was. 

"I came to say the dinner will be served in an hour as normal. The servants will need to clear the table before then so if you don't mind," James replied.

Katrina sighed. "I suppose I have sat here long enough. I will be out of their way shortly. Where is Kate?" She looked around for her daughter. Kate had surprisingly gone back to acting like nothing was wrong. Spending the day like she normally would in the past talking about dresses. "I will go see her for a moment," she stood from her seat.

"The last I saw her, she was in her father's study, but it seemed like she was going back to her room right after," James replied.

"What could she have possibly wanted from that room? That girl must still be looking for a way for the two of us to get out of here. I told her there is none. I'd like for Edgar to just drop dead so I can feel like I have not completely lost. Keep an eye on the gates," Katrina said as she walked off to find Kate. 

Katrina started to make her way to Kate's room, but on her way there, she heard sounds coming from Desmond's old study. She figured Kate might not have returned to her room like James thought. "Kate!" She called out to her. 

After receiving no response, Katrina became suspicious of who was in the room. It could be a servant digging around to find something of value before running away. Katrina hadn't missed some of the concerned looks from the servants who worried about their jobs. 

All of them knew what was being said in the town as some came from their homes in town at different hours to start working. Two were already fired for whispering rumors about her.

Katrina entered the room, expecting to find a servant, but it was Kate. "Kate, didn't you hear me call you? Why have you made a mess in this room?" 

Just like Kate's bedroom, Desmond's study was now a mess with books shattered all over the floor and furniture pushed around.

"Mother, wasn't there a secret space in father's room where he hid his cigars from you?" Kate asked, continuing to rummage around the room.

"There was, but I could not find it. Please don't tell me you are resorting to smoking. It does not suit a lady like yourself-"

"No! It might be a big enough space that when the guards come you can hide in it. They won't be able to find you and take you away. They will think that you've somehow managed to run away and while they are distracted, we can finally leave," Kate revealed her big plan. She only needed to find the space for her mother to hide.

Katrina didn't share Kate's excitement about the plan. "Kate-"

"What are you doing here?"

Katrina turned around after hearing the faint sound of James seemingly yelling at someone downstairs. She listened carefully, trying to make out what was happening, but could not make out anything more. "What now-"

"No," Kate grabbed her mother's arm. Why would her mother go down there now when people were coming to take her away to be questioned? "You must hide," she said.

Katrina removed Kate's hold on her. "I am not going to hide in my own home, Kate. I was just down there with James. It could not be the guards. I hope it is not Clark," she muttered as Clark would take this opportunity to try getting something for himself. "I have to see who it is. You should stay here."

"No, I am coming too," Kate decided. She could not let her mother go alone. She needed to be right by her mother's side to defend her if anyone was there for her. Kate didn't know how she was going to help her mother, but she had to try anything when the moment came.

Katrina was hesitant to let Kate come with her because of the weird look she was getting from Kate. Kate looked like she would be unable to stay still if Katrina asked her to be and Kate kept playing with her fingers which Katrina now noticed were full of bite marks. However, she had no time to waste trying to make Kate stay here. 

Katrina left the room, followed closely by Kate whose nerves grew with each step she took. 

"You cannot be here! You are forbidden to enter someone's land!"

Katrina heard James' voice more clearly as she started to walk down the stairs. It was evident from his tone that this wasn't the town guards. It had to be someone James was familiar with because the guards would have every right to step on her land at a time like this.

"You!" Katrina's eyes widened when she entered the dining room and saw the number of people surrounding James. "What the hell are you doing in my home!"