The Duke's Masked Wife

"Edgar, I cannot believe you hid that your grandmother came to visit Alfred. She must think it is rude that I have not come to see her yet. It is all your fault," Alessandra grumbled as she rushed to get dressed into something appropriate. "You even came back to bed and said nothing. If I had known she was there I would not have-"

"Had sex with me when I returned to bed? I thought you were tired but it turns out you had a hidden stash of stamina. Not that I mind of course. Let's be clear that she arrived unannounced, disrupting our daily life, and if I had told you about her arrival you would not have joined me in the bath," Edgar replied.

"Of course not! I would have greeted her at the door. You can do as you please but I want to be respectful and greet your grandmother when she arrives. Ugh, can you please help with this?" Alessandra turned to him for help tying the ribbon for her dress.

"I apologize for keeping her arrival from you.  As part of my apology, I will remove the bathroom as one of the places for my birthday.  I'm sorry," Edgar cheekily smiled when Alessandra glared at him. "It is more intense now that I can see your full face. Can you blame me for hiding her arrival when you are the one who tempted me? Each time I look at you, I cannot help but want to be close to you."

Edgar placed his finger under her chin and lifted it to have her look at him. He had the pleasure of seeing her without her mask the first time they made love and it was a sight he wished to be painted. Now that she walked around the house without her mask, there was a need to see those lovely expressions again.

"You have bewitched me. At least take some ownership of it. It is infuriating that you make me this way without purposely doing it. I can't help but wonder what it would be like if you purposely seduce me. We should leave now before I have my grandmother wait a bit longer," Edgar stepped away from her.

Alessandra could not answer his words as she needed to settle the emotions he stirred up. His words made her forget that she was angry with him for not telling her about Rose sooner but only for a second. "I know what you are doing," she said, seeing right through his ploy. "You cannot say sweet words to me to get back on my good side."

"Oh, I have been caught already," Edgar smiled. She certainly had a growing talent for seeing through his games. "That's a shame but every word I said is how I felt."

"For your birthday, if I try my best to seduce you, you better not laugh at me or this house will be without a Duke. Seduction does not come easy for me as it does for you," Alessandra said, ultimately giving in to Edgar's birthday request. She would also add things of her own to catch him off guard.

"Laugh at you? That is not possible. Now I hope my birthday will be here in a blink of an eye. I will start to make preparations to send the servants elsewhere for that day. Come, we can't make my grandmother wait any longer," Edgar held his hand for her to hold so they could walk together.

Alessandra placed her hand on his own. Since she was doing this, she would put her all into it and have Edgar in her position where he would be at a loss for words. Once again the student would beat the master. She might seduce him so well that Edgar might faint on his birthday.

"You know, I hear that people celebrate their birthday for an entire week," said Edgar.

Alessandra squeezed his hand. "I am not seducing or making love to you for a full week, Edgar. You have a better chance of that happening in your dreams."

"It has happened in my dreams and I predict it shall happen in the next few days.  We should talk about something that will get me back in your good graces. Which paintings would you like for me to personally take down so you can put up your own?" Edgar asked, remembering what he promised before she rested.

"All of the ones you see the moment you enter the home. I would love for us to have a portrait made to go on the big empty space on the wall on the first floor. Maybe a small one of you and I. Then one with Alfred and Rose standing with us.  It can be a family wall like what the palace has for all the royalty. We will need to hire a good artist since I cannot do it myself," Alessandra said. She loved seeing family paintings.

Edgar became interested in seeing a portrait of Alessandra when she was younger before what happened to her face. "Do you know if there are portraits from when you were younger? I would love to see what you looked like at a young age. Or maybe one with you and your mother."

"Unfortunately, most of the portraits were taken down when my father married Katrina. They were meant to be stored but if I know Katrina well, they were most likely burned. The court has not brought the rest of the items the Baroness owes me. They should have returned by now. I hope that there is a portrait or that I can request one to be returned to me. My memory of what my mother looks like has become blurry," Alessandra replied, trying to picture her mother but having trouble doing so.

"I will try to find one for you or your grandparents might have a portrait they can give you.  They must already be on their way to town. If they are good people you should ask for a portrait and maybe visit to see where the other side of your family resides. I have high hopes that they will be good people," Edgar said, genuinely wishing for them to be nice people.

Alessandra should not be surrounded by evil people in each direction she looked. Edgar needed her grandparents to have a good excuse for why they have not visited her over the years.

"We can only hope. Rose!" Alessandra called out to her.

Rose looked up the stairs at the young couple and to her surprise, Alessandra was without her mask. "Goodness child, why did you ever cover your face when you are so lovely?" She asked, in awe of Alessandra's beauty. For a moment, Alessandra seemed familiar now that she saw her full face but she could not place why.

"Thank you. The scars have cleared up well so I can be without my mask. At least inside this house for now. I am sorry that I did not come to you when you arrived. I was uhm resting," Alessandra opted for her best excuse.

"There was no need to apologize. I understand why my grandson found it hard to be away from you. Come child, I wish to have a chat with you alone," Rose said.