The Duke's Masked Wife

Alessandra was unable to register the fact Edgar had kissed where she had been marked by his mother. She wished to know what was going on in his head to kiss her shoulder. Did he feel guilty because it was his mother who had done it? Was he doing it solely to make her feel better?

Having comfort her after being hurt felt strange. Even more strange that it came from Edgar when she did not anticipate having this kind of relationship with him.

"Calm down, Alessandra. I can feel your heart ready to jump out of your chest."

'That's because of how close we are right now!' She wanted to yell at him but the words wouldn't leave her mouth.

Edgar pulled up her dress while she appeared to be lost in her thoughts. He was still upset with his mother but considering she was no longer present, there was no need to still be upset when Alessandra right here pleading with him to stay. "Should I button up the dress for you?"

"No, thank you," words finally managed to leave Alessandra's mouth. She did not want to be that close to him. "Can you release me now?"

"No, I am quite comfortable right now and enjoying your flustered face too much," Edgar replied, tightening his hold on her body showing that he had no intentions of letting her go.

"Please release me so I can properly button up my dress. You've already checked the marks. There is no need for us to be like this because you are comfortable. Go hug someone else if you want to be comfortable," Alessandra placed her hands on his chest to push him away but it was no different than pushing a rock. It looked like she was giving him a massage because he wasn't bulging.

Edgar freed one hand from being around his waist to grab hold of her hands pushing against him. "I have a feeling you are just trying to feel my chest. How bold of you," he whispered by the tip of her ear. "You only had to ask."

"That's enough!" Alessandra exclaimed, pushing him back with all her strength. Her exposed cheek showed how much he affected her.

She felt Edgar move and expected she had pushed him hard enough to be released but when she looked down at his feet, they were still in the same position. "Do your shoes have rocks?"

Edgar chuckled, finding her reason for being unable to move him to be funny. "Your dear husband trains every chance he gets. Can't you feel my hard work each time you push me?"

Alessandra immediately removed her hands from his chest after becoming aware of how light his shirt was and how she was able to feel the outline of his hard work beneath his shirt. Alessandra looked off to the side and said, "You shouldn't be okay with someone feeling your body like this."

"You are not just anyone. You are my wife. You can touch me all you want. Should I unbutton my shirt to make us even?"

Alessandra knew Edgar was now teasing her unlike before. He was no longer angry after finding entertainment in watching her suffer. "I don't want to touch you, Edgar. I want to be released. I'm hungry," she added, hoping it would be the answer to having him release her.

Surely, he wouldn't let her starve.

"Should we eat like last night? With you on my lap? I'm afraid I don't want to let you go when I am entertained right now," Edgar confessed. No one could question them about it if that was how they were going to eat. They were still in what others called the honeymoon phase.

"Edgar, I am not going to let sitting on your lap and eating become a thing that we do. I should have run away instead of showing you my shoulder. It's been just the two of us for so long that the servants may think we are doing something explicit."

"They wouldn't," Edgar replied to ease her growing concern about their servants thinking they were fooling around in the dining room.

Alessandra looked at Edgar confused about how he was so confident they wouldn't think they were fooling around. "How are you so sure?"

"The room is awfully quiet," was his simple reply.

Alessandra did not understand his words at first but from the sly smile slowly appearing on his lips and the way he gripped her waist tighter it finally registered what he meant. "How can you be so…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"I am only being honest. Would you prefer it if I lied to you?"

"No. Having an honest person around is a good thing but the words that come out of your mouth are what I cannot handle. You are different from what I expected, Edgar. I've only heard of your terrifying nature and sarcastic replies. Perhaps, are there more sides to you that I have not seen yet?" She wondered out loud. "Your family is also not what I expected."

"Everyone has a side to them that no one gets to see. You are not what I expected either, Alessandra. You surprise me more than you can ever imagine," he released her waist. They held off breakfast far too long. "My offer still stands to help you button up the-"

"I got it," Alessandra quickly rushed to do it herself. "See, it wasn't that hard for me to do alone. You can stop teasing me now."

"Impossible and I must confess, Alessandra. I am looking forward to being the one unbuttoning your dress. Perhaps, it would be more amusing if you were to plead for me to do it. What do you think?" Edgar asked. He wondered what response she could have to this.

"I will do no such thing," Alessandra was confident in her words. The sky would turn green before she pleaded with Edgar to unbutton her clothes.

"Let's see if I can prove you wrong when the time comes. Alfred!" Edgar called out of the dining room.

"Yes young master," Alfred entered the room. He could not hide the small smile on his lips. 'It won't be long until the young master falls in love,' he sang in his head. His one wish was slowly coming true.

"Whatever you are thinking, stop it. Are my parents gone?" Edgar stepped away from Alessandra to give her space to recollect herself. There was a lot he left for her to think about.

"Yes. Your father assured me they would not return for the rest of the day. However, he cannot make promises about tomorrow because he has somewhere to be and won't be able to watch your mother," said Alfred. He wanted to give the suggestion for Edmund to tie Priscilla to a chair and have someone feed her when she gets hungry.

"Tell the men my parents no longer have entry to my home. My mother left marks on Alessandra's shoulder and-"

"Where?" Alfred pratically flew to where she stood.

Edgar folded his hands watching Alfred who had only ever shown him care now be rushing to Alessandra's side to aid her. "Have I lost you to her, Alfred? Hello. Alfred?"

Edgar's words fell on deaf ears. "Unbelievable," he muttered.

"We should have some cream to make it heal quickly. Edgar, where is the one the king gifted you? It's said to work wonders on any bruise."

"I don't know," Edgar replied.

"Careless," Alfred scolded Edgar. "How many times have I told you to up your things-"

"You were the one who put it somewhere safe, Alfred. You took it from me the moment I told you what it was which is why I don't know where it is."

"I did," Alfred started to remember it. He wanted to place it somewhere special so no one could waste it. "Excuse me for a moment Duchess."

Alessandra found the relationship between Alfred and Edgar to be sweet. She understood why Alfred did not have a good relationship with Priscilla. Alfred had what Priscilla wanted with Edgar. A bond.

'Why can't parents stop being stubborn and talk to their children?' She thought.

"What are you thinking with such a serious expression? I hope that it is not me," Edgar interrupted her thoughts.

"I was thinking about the relationship you have with Alfred versus your mother."

"After all the things I just told you that is what you have on your mind?" Edgar sighed, beyond disappointed with her mind. "We should go to the next level. Come here," Edgar opened his arms wide showing that he wanted to hold her again.

"Absolutely not," Alessandra took a step back. She could not allow for Edgar to tease her again. "Don't come any closer."

Edgar ignored her words and stalked her like a predator did with its prey. "I promise you will enjoy what I have in mind," he walked towards her.

Eventually, Edgar had to pick up his pace when Alessandra started to run around the table to get away from him.

"The two of them are not normal," Sally commented after peeping into the room to see what was happening.