The Duke's Masked Wife

"Prepare yourself for a day filled with annoying people, Alessandra. We'll have a lot of visitors coming by to see who I have gotten married to and the men will send their wives to try creating a friendship with you. Should we just close our gates? I am not in the mood to see any of them," Edgar placed the paper on one side as the other news did not interest him.

"When are you ever in the mood to see anyone, young master?" Alfred picked up the paper as he wanted to see what else the town spoke about. "Your mother will be here by tomorrow morning."

"Hmm. I say we close the gates from her too," Edgar replied.

"Wouldn't it be rude to shut the gates from anyone coming to congratulate us? If your friends come to visit, I should at least meet them," Alessandra said. Everyone who might request to personally congratulate them with gifts could not be that bad. Wouldn't Edgar's friends also visit?

"My friends are the ones I wish to avoid the most. I can already hear their shady comments about me finally getting married. Besides, why would anyone want to visit newlyweds? Shouldn't they consider the fact we might be rolling around in bed and not want to be disturbed?"

Alessandra's eyes drifted from Edgar to Alfred who did not look the slightest bit affected by what Edgar said. She was curious about what degree of indecent things Alfred had heard from Edgar's mouth. "It is daytime. Anyone would have stopped by now."

"My sweet innocent wife," Edgar shook his head but it couldn't be helped as Alessandra wouldn't have any knowledge when it came to sex. "As long as there is a burning fire between two people, the time does not matter. In fact, the place does not matter."

He continued to say, "Don't listen to what those stuck-up women mothers bring to their daughters say. Those marriage tutors are the main ones who have either never been with a man or had one bad experience with a man and now they wish to prepare girls for something they hardly have experience with."

"I never had a tutor for that sort of thing," said Alessandra. She never cared to eavesdrop on the lessons Katrina provided for Kate to learn what it meant to be a good wife. She never thought she would marry into a household with many rules she had to follow. "I only assumed you make love together at night in your bedroom and by morning it is over."

"Although the people here try to make it proper that night is when a couple should engage in sex or making love, whatever you want to call it, there is truly no rule to when you should. It is based on instinct and lust. If I am burning to have you in the middle of the day and you feel the same way, be it in a bed, against a wall, on the floor, or table, we shall do whatever we want."

Edgar tapped his fingers on the table as Alessandra obviously became flustered with her opposed cheek turning red and her eyes looking away from him to nowhere.

"Let's talk about something else. How on earth did we go from talking about visitors to this? This is something we should talk about in private. Let's eat," Alessandra picked up a piece of sliced fruit with a fork and placed it in her mouth.

"Wrong fork. I don't see why we can't talk about something that everyone does. There are no children in here for us to have to hold our tongue. You there," Edgar called to the maid with the tray of drinks. "Are you embarrassed with what we are talking about?"

"No, Duke Collins," the maid replied with her head low.

"See. I never understand why some people try to make talking about sex so taboo. You and I are in the comfort of our home. It's not like I would make this the topic of conversation at a party or discuss sex with others but when I am with you, I should be able to say these things without you blushing like crazy. Look at me," he said in a stern tone.

"Things like this must be easy for you to discuss as you might have indulged in such activities during all hours of the day to the point you have no shame now," Alessandra replied, still refusing to look at him.

"I am not a manwhore, Alessandra. Yes, I am not a virgin but that does mean I am what you are imagining. You don't have to be engaging in a lot of sex in order to be talking about it so openly. If not you, who else would I have this conversation with?"

"I don't mind discussing it with you but not when there are others around," said Alessandra.

"Very well. We should have a lengthy discussion tonight when I come to our bedroom. Maybe a few demonstrations to help ease you out of being so shy with this topic."

"What?" These words made Alessandra look up at Edgar in shock.

"You didn't think you would be sleeping away from your husband every night, did you? I gave you privacy because of your father's death and for you to adapt to your new surroundings. However, I intend to sleep with my wife tonight. Alfred, should I be offended she is looking at me like that?" Edgar looked to the butler for an answer.

"No, I think you have just broken her.  I told you to take it easy on the young woman. Not everyone speaks what is on their mind like you," Alfred was tempted to smack Edgar at the back of his head for suddenly talking about sex.

The atmosphere in the dining room was now like a storm had blown in and ruined the peaceful vibe between the two as they were getting to know each other. Specifically, it was a storm named Edgar.

It was a practice in today's society to not have women discussing sexual activities in public. The ones brazen enough to do so were frowned upon and judged by other women.

Alfred thought it to be ridiculous it became a thing for parents to keep their daughters in the dark about what married couples do when they were alone. They leave their daughters unprepared for what is to happen and if the wedding night was disastrous or painful for them, the young women think it is normal as they know no better and they are told not to talk about it with anyone

As much as Alfred liked Edgar being open and honest with Alessandra, the conversation was not something his old ears wanted to hear.

"Have you truly not asked anyone about sex or at least secretly read dirty books because you were curious?" Edgar asked Alessandra.

Alessandra thought about it briefly and recalled the one time she had talked about sex with someone but then she was warned to not say anything about what she was told. "There was one time I caught a maid and the coachman naked in the stables and I had no idea what they were doing so I asked Mario-"

"Of fucking course it was him," Edgar rolled his eyes.