The Duke's Masked Wife

"Stop it, the two of you. I am fine with changing right here. She has to measure me anyway. We should lock the door so no one can enter while I am not dressed. I'll do it myself," Alessandra added when neither Sally nor Erin moved from their spots. "I've gone from dealing with Edgar to this."

"Now that you've mentioned him, what is the Duke truly like? I've only seen him from afar. Is he the mean to everyone but sweet you kind of man? What made you fall for him outside of his money and looks of course," Erin asked.

"Have you forgotten you are here to show the Duchess dresses and not ask questions about her personal business? You are an employee, Lady Potter," Sally used the name Erin did not want to be referred to. "Please be professional. Next thing we know you'll run and tell the entire town every word the Duchess told you."

"I am not the type of person to do that. If it would make the two of you feel better, I am not exactly well loved because of how my mother talks about my talents. The Duchess here will be my first true friend," Erin proclaimed.

"She hardly knows you to be considering you a friend. Don't get ahead of yourself," said Sally.

Alessandra remained silent because she agreed with Sally. She did not know what to make of Erin and it was too soon to refer to her as a friend. Erin could easily take anything she said back to others and spread false information.

"Your silence says you are weary of me but it is expected for someone in your position to not trust easily. Since you have accepted me as your dressmaker, we will spend enough time for you to eventually get to know and trust me. I'm honestly the perfect person to ward off the vultures from you. Come let me help take off your dress," Erin motioned for Alessandra to come closer.

"Vultures? Is that what you call other young ladies?" Alessandra asked, walking back to Erin for her dress to be untied.

"Only the ones I cannot stand. I have them categorized from levels one to three. No offense but I am not a fan of your sister Kate. We've had a couple of disputes each time we've run into each other. She and that little group of friends she goes around with. You two seem to be polar opposites."

"Like day and night," Sally added to the conversation.

"Why did you argue with Kate?" Alessandra couldn't help her curiosity. Outside of the servants, it wasn't every day you heard someone say they hated Kate. She acted innocently in front of anyone important but was a bully to those she viewed beneath.

The only person Alessandra found to have hated Kate when she pretended to be nice was Edgar due to his annoyance with Kate chasing after him.

"I didn't like the way she spoke about someone's appearance and I let it be known. I told her all of her clothes were last season and she never forgave me for saying it. It was the truth though," Erin shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know why she was hellbent on acting like her family wasn't in a financial hole. Oops," Erin covered her mouth as she remembered this was Alessandra's family.

"It is alright. It is the truth after all. We were having money problems. How will Katrina deal with it?" Alessandra only now remembered the burdens the Baroness now had to deal with. 'She'll be desperate to receive gifts for my hand in marriage since it is tradition. She is not even deserving of that,' she thought.

"You've upset her," Sally glared at Erin.

"How? She asked why I argued with Kate. Are you her little guard dog or something? Why are you trying to make me out to be a bad person and why do you look so familiar?" Erin tapped her chin, racking her mind to remember where she saw Sally before. "You used to be with Kate!"

"I used to be her personal maid before the Duchess. That is in the past now-"

"Yes, you've attached yourself to the person with a higher status. Don't look so offended. I've seen it happen many times. Status leeches," Erin flipped her brownish waist-length hair over her shoulder.

Alessandra began to take off her dress alone, ignoring another upcoming battle between Erin and Sally. If they were to all become friends, she didn't think she could handle the continuous arguing. She wanted friends but peace was something she enjoyed more. "Can the two of you please stop fighting with each other? There is no need for anyone in this room to judge someone else when we hardly know one another."

"I apologize for my behavior, Duchess. It won't happen again," Sally promised. She was only trying to protect Alessandra from becoming close to someone she didn't know too soon. It wasn't hard for anyone to act sweet to Alessandra's face and then talk about her in private.

"I also apologize. Duchess, you are thinner than I anticipated. I will have to adjust the dresses a lot. Are you on a diet?" Erin commented on Alessandra's body. It was normal for many girls to go on extreme diets this time of the year when there were many balls and they wanted to show off a slim figure.

"The opposite. I am trying to gain weight," Alessandra replied, withholding the reasoning behind why she was doing the opposite of what others were doing. Her body was on the thin side due to the lack of food she was given. "Please make the dresses with room for when I gain weight."

"This is a first," Erin tossed the dress Alessandra took off to the side. "I have never come across a young lady wishing to gain weight this time of the year. Finally, a woman with your status isn't determined to stay thin like the others. I will say, given your size your bust is quite full."

Alessandra blushed and subconsciously placed her hands over her chest to hide her bust from Erin's eyes. "T-Thank you."

"You're like a cute little bunny I want to take home and keep all to myself," Erin was tempted to pinch Alessandra's exposed cheek.

"Are you sure you are not into women?" Sally muttered.

"Positive. I am seeing someone at this moment but I can't mention anything about it. I don't want my mother to learn I am seeing someone she wouldn't approve of. It must be nice for you to have fallen in love with the Duke and gotten married to him. I envy you," Erin frowned.

'There is nothing to envy,' Alessandra wanted to reply. Erin would look at her relationship differently if she were to ever learn of the contract she had with Edgar. Everyone would.

"Let me know if the knot is too tight, Duchess," said Erin. Alessandra successfully changed into the green dress and now Erin was tying it up. "Green most definitely suits you, Duchess. You there, hand me the needles for me to adjust it," Erin ordered Sally.

"I am not your maid," Sally grumbled but her feet moved to get the needles Erin needed.

"While she is distracted, you should know that I am also good at making sexy nightwear. I can help you knock the Duke off his feet," Erin whispered to Alessandra.

"Thank you for the offer but it is not needed," Alessandra was certain her face must be as red as an apple by now. Seducing Edgar was not on the list of things she wished to do. "We should focus on finding good dresses for me."