The Duke's Masked Wife



"Why did you tell her about the mines when you knew we were not on good terms?" Alessandra asked Alfred, whom she had pulled to the side, to speak about what he spoke about with Rose.

"I had hoped that it would end her trying to change you. It was a great mistake on my part. It wasn't my secret to tell, and I shall never do it again," said Alfred.

"I should hope not. I would like to think I can trust you to keep a secret. This secret concerns not only me but also relatives I just reunited with not long ago. I don't trust Rose to keep her mouth shut about it, and I don't want my grandparents to think I revealed it to help with my status. I have learned that we cannot always try to make peace for others. That is why I step back these days and let others come to me," said Alessandra. 

She let Erin, Melanie, and surprisingly, Clark come to her instead of her reaching out to them. Everything worked out in the end when she didn't try hard to fix whatever was wrong. Erin came to explain why she was so distant, Clark had been reaching out to thank her for the land which led him to caring for Kate, and because she was not willing to accept any story her mother told her and move on, she was able to see what her mother was truly like. 

"I didn't need you to go to Rose and try to get her to like me again. That was something that I needed to happen because she thought of coming to us. I wouldn't have felt like a fool for thinking I was finally in a good place with her, only for it to shatter right after. I see how much I angered Edgar," Alessandra said, since she was always the one wanting to let someone through the gates to hear them out. 

Now, she had gotten used to leaving people at the gates and not allowing them to step foot into their home.

"I know you did what you did with my best interest in mind, but it led to Rose not being genuine in the future. I know your heart, so I am not angry, but please don't ever do this again. It is bad enough that I have to read the intentions of the people who surround me because I am the duchess. I don't need you going behind my back to Rose to tell her something to please her enough to move on," Alessandra said.

"I understand, and I will not do it again," Alfred promised. It was a careless mistake for him to reveal the mines when he knew Alessandra wanted them to be a secret. He stepped over the line with this, and from now on, he would not meddle. 

"I can easily get past it, but if Edgar were to find out you told Rose," Alessandra said, worried about Edgar's anger. Nothing could be heard from the room where Edgar was alone with Rose.

"Why are the two of you being so secretive and keeping all the gossip to yourselves?" Priscilla asked, approaching the two with folded arms. "I am sure you just came from arguing with Rose, and yet you look calm as you speak to Alfred. Whenever I argued with Rose, I felt like I wanted to destroy everything in my home. You certainly would have been hard for me to crack. Now tell me, what are you two whispering about?"

"You are supposed to be seated at the table," said Alfred.

"I was, but then a plate broke-"

"What?" Alfred exclaimed, leaving to see which one. He had let the servants take out the valuable ones he had stored.

"I knew that would have gotten him away so we could talk. Now, what is it that Rose is arguing about? Is it my presence, or is it still that ridiculous issue the two of you have?" Priscilla asked. It was a big mistake to want dinner without arguing and let Rose inside. 

"Alfred told her about the mines. That is the only reason she was here to apologise. I left right after she told me, and now Edgar is inside with her. There is still some time left for this dinner to go as planned. I hid Edgar's weapons so he wouldn't try to kill anyone tonight. You only need to not let his hands get near you," Alessandra joked.

"That and you forgot there were knives on the table. With how angry he can get, he can kill someone with one of those. On the bright side, Rose will be leaving soon, and then neither of us will have to deal with her. I cannot wait for the day for I shall dance around," Priscilla smiled, as she imagined it happening tonight since Rose had pissed off Edgar.

Alessandra had a feeling that Priscilla wasn't simply talking about Rose leaving town because when Rose wasn't in Lockwood, she was still poking at Priscilla. "Are you referring to the fact that she will leave town now that Edmund's birthday will be over or her death?" She asked.

"Whichever answer will help you sleep better at night," Priscilla replied, gently tapping Alessandra's stomach. Of course, she meant that Rose would soon be dying because of her old age.

"Right," Alessandra said, not wanting to go any further than that. 

"Edgar!" The sound of Rose's voice filling the quiet home was heard.

Alessandra and Priscilla walked together to see what was happening. To Alessandra, it sounded like Rose was on the verge of crying. A scream full of desperation and anger.

Alessandra saw Edgar walking toward the front door and then Rose right behind, trying to keep up. Alessandra and Priscilla stood out of sight to not be wrapped up in what was happening between Edgar and Rose.

Edmund was the one to come out of the dining room to check on the two. "What is wrong, mother?" He asked, looking outside where Edagr was walking to who knew where. 

"That boy is kicking me out of a home that I allowed him to have. I will not stand for the disrespect in this house. We are leaving," Rose said with teary eyes as she too watched Edgar leave to find guards to take her if she would not leave on her own. 

"I am not leaving with you, mother. I told you that I would not if you found yourself at odds with them. I have finally made my way back inside their home. I cannot let you ruin that now. I will have the carriage take you home to be with those who are waiting for me, and I will find my way home," Edmund said, taking her hand to walk her out.

"You can stay as you are, you fool," Rose pulled her hand away from Edmund. Now was the time for him to be on her side and talk some sense into Edgar or Alessandra. "Your son has threatened to harm me if I go near his wife."

"Then stay away from her," Edmund answered what he saw to be the obvious thing to do.

Rose stared at Edmund in disbelief that there wasn't more said to defend her. "You have all picked your side. Stay there," she said, walking to the front door. "You will need me one day."

Rose Collins would never stay where she was not wanted, and she would not be lifted out of anywhere. She looked forward to the day that Edgar or Alessandra would come to her, trying to apologise. That was the way it should have been from the start. 

"Stubborn to the end," Priscilla said, shaking her head. She was glad to see that Rose was finally showing how much of a problem she had been over the years. 

Alessandra didn't see any reason why she would need Rose. Not when Rose was acting this way. Alessandra would hold onto the good memories she had with Rose since the trip to meet Rose was special for her. It was when her relationship with Edgar changed. She would forget starting from the moment when Rose came to Lockwood. That she could easily let go of and move on. 

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