The Duke's Masked Wife



"Duchess, are you alright?" Caleb asked.

Alessandra looked away from the window at Caleb and Reed, who sat opposite her in the carriage. "Yes. Why do you think there is something wrong?" She asked.

"Since we left the doctor's home, you have been quiet. Are you not feeling well? Should we head home?" Caleb questioned her, not wanting to have her travel around if she was sick.

"Oh. There is nothing wrong. I was just thinking about my uncle. If he can stay true to his word and not waste the money that is now in his hands. Though I must admit that he seems to have changed. When he came to me after I had just married Edgar, I saw a man who only wanted money. He seems happy now, and not because of Kate's money," Alessandra said, looking back out the window. They were close to where she needed to meet Priscilla. 

"I thought I would have killed him at some point," Reed said, folding his arms. Clark had somehow become the only Barrett hovering around Alessandra in Lockwood to not have his life ruined by Edgar, despite the fact that Edgar almost considered killing Clark when he started to bother Alessandra.

"I honestly thought he would have died also," Alessandra agreed with Reed. She never expected Clark to have such a change of heart. "Oh! I can see Priscilla waiting for me."

When the carriage stopped, Reed opened the door for Alessandra, exited first, and then helped her out. 

"I was starting to think that you abandoned me. That would have been embarrassing after all the good things I said about you," Priscilla said, eyeing Alessandra from head to toe as she approached her. Alessandra did look her best when she didn't overdo her appearance with too many accessories like the other women. "That looks expensive," her eyes went to Alessandra's neck.

Alessandra touched the necklace Sally picked out for her. "It was a gift from Edgar when we got married. I haven't had the chance to wear most of what he bought-"

"Alright," Priscilla waved her hand to stop Alessandra from gloating about her wonderful husband. Even though it was her son, she didn't want to hear about it. "Most of the ladies are already here. It is a good thing I waited a moment so we could walk in together. Have all their heads turning to us. The two of you must stay out here," she said to Reed and Caleb.

Caleb didn't think that it was a good idea since Edgar threatened to cut off a special part of them if they were to ever leave Alessandra's side. Considering he wanted to have children one day and he liked the act to get those said children, he was not going to leave Alessandra's side. "We must stay with the duchess. We will stay out of sight to not scare the other ladies attending."

"Fine," Priscilla sighed, having no time to argue with them. "Hold my hand, Alessandra. You must radiate pride as you walk, for you are a duchess. You must take over the room as soon as you enter so that when they sleep, they will see your face and be jealous.  Oh, how I would do anything to be so young again. It was so much fun whenever I made someone envy me. I still do it now, but I would prefer to be younger. Come, we mustn't be late."

Alessandra walked with Priscilla, who held onto her. Of course, all eyes would be on them when most of the other women still thought Priscilla disliked her. Alessandra had not gone around revealing that she was on good terms with Priscilla, and Priscilla was so busy changing up her home that she might not have told many of her friends. 

"Time seems to be flying by quickly, or maybe I am just impatient, but I think you will start showing soon. You'll see a change in the attitudes of the women around you. Especially those who already have children. Matchmaking starts now and they will want to be close to you so their children can marry into your wealth. Do not fall for their sweet words," Priscilla advised Alessandra.

"I know," Alessandra replied, as she was aware of how things worked in Lockwood. Some people still called her cursed behind her back and pointed her out as the reason her father's home fell, but when they were standing before her, you would think they had never said a bad word. "I will not fall for it. I remember clearly who spoke ill of me and I like to think I can judge those I don't know well."

"You are able to handle Rose, and you dealt with me well, so I won't have to worry too much about you. I will be here to point out what you missed. Head up," Priscilla said as she could hear the laughter of the women attending as they neared the room. 

"Priscilla!" Lucina, the host and owner of the home they were in, stood to greet her. "Duchess Collins, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard many good things about you from Priscilla."

"Thank you for inviting me today, Lady Lucina," Alessandra curtsied as she greeted the older woman. She looked away from Lucina and toward some of the familiar faces in the room. Women she had seen at other parties and when Hazel had invited them to the palace.

"We were just talking about what style of dresses will be fitting for the coming season. I've placed your seats at my table," Lucina said, pointing to two empty seats at the table. Having Priscilla and the duchess in her home at once would make her party the talk of the town for a while. 

Alessandra waited for Priscilla to sit down first before going to her seat. She hesitated for a moment when she finally noticed that she would be seated beside Emma, who she had not seen in a long time. 

"Oh! Duchess, you might know my niece. I'm certain the two of you attended the parties. She used to speak about you a lot, hoping the two of you would be friends. It is a shame that her season was ruined," Lucina sighed since planning for Emma's wedding had gone to waste. "We were lucky to save her before she married that disgusting fellow. His father has yet to properly reward us for how his son's deeds almost ruined Emma. Sleeping with men. He should be hung," Lucina said.

Most of the women at the table nodded their heads, agreeing with her.

'Oh right,' Alessandra said, remembering what Eleanor had told her. Oliver's secret was out, and it was Emma who had revealed it. 

"Duchess, I hear that your husband was once friends with him. He must be disgusted to know the dirty secrets his friend had," said Lucina.

Priscilla didn't like Lucina bringing Edgar into this conversation. "You-"

"Edgar is not bothered by it. He doesn't spend his days worrying about what others do with their time. Neither do I. To sit around and worry about who someone likes is quite childish, isn't it? I am neither disgusted nor intrigued about who Oliver liked," Alessandra replied, not allowing anyone to use Edgar's name to ridicule Oliver since she knew Edgar did not judge Oliver. 

"W-Well," Lucina said, becoming flustered. It was natural for everyone to be disgusted by a man wanting to be with another man. She thought the Duke would be the same. Alessandra should use this chance to state her husband didn't think of Oliver as a friend anymore. "I can speak about it because he fooled my niece. You need to worry about it, duchess. What if more of that spread around the town? Think of our children. How they would think it is right."

Alessandra thought that the town could be filled with men walking around with men, but she would be more concerned about her children having to face women like this who had nothing better to do than judge someone. 

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