The Duke's Masked Wife

"Duchess," Eleanor tapped Alessandra's shoulder to wake her up. "You must go to bed."

Alessandra slowly opened her eyes and found Eleanor standing over her. She rubbed her eyes to get rid of her tiredness. "What time is it?" She asked, covering her mouth to hide a yawn.

"It is nearing seven in a couple of minutes. The queen has fallen to sleep and Linda is resting in the guest room you gave her. I must take my leave soon before my aunt worries about me but first, you should go to bed," Eleanor said, worried about the position Alessandra was in now, dozing off at the front door in the chair she sat in.

Alessandra looked behind Eleanor and saw that Caleb and Sally were also present. "I'm sorry, Sally. You and Caleb must be ready to go home to your parents. You can retire for the rest of the night. I won't need you from this point on," Alessandra stated, sending home Sally and Caleb.

"We are not going home to my parents," Sally informed Alessandra, missing the smile on Caleb's lips because she said home. "We are going to stay in our rooms here. You should go to bed. There is no telling when the Duke will return."

Alessandra looked out the window at the gates. "So many of his men have returned but not Edgar. Was there any update while I slept?"

"No. We would have woken you up the moment it came," said Eleanor.

Alessandra was worried something must have happened to Edgar for him to not return by now. None of the men she questioned when they returned home had answered her about Edgar's whereabouts. They were even tightlipped about what happened with Grant.

She wanted to stay and wait for him but knew she would keep everyone else awake as they were looking after her in Edgar's absence. "Then I will go to bed. Eleanor, you can take one of our carriages to return home. If you find yourself in trouble with your aunt for being here so long, I would be more than happy to send a letter to her about your stay here or even visit your residence."

"I will handle my aunt myself but take you up on the offer of the letter if it is needed. I would never have silence if you were to visit her home. Then again it would be wonderful if I got you to tell her that you are trying to set me up with someone so there is no need for Hayden. She might think I forged the letter," Eleanor realized the one flaw in the plan.

"I would be more than happy to visit you if you need help. I owe you a lot," Alessandra stood to hug Eleanor. "Never think twice about wanting my help."

"I won't," Eleanor hugged Alessandra back. "Now you must go to bed before I worry about you being awake. A chair is not a good place for you to doze off in. You shouldn't let your husband see you like this when he returns. I want to see you go up the stairs."

Alessandra stepped out of the hug and smiled as she felt like she was being told by a parent to go upstairs to bed instead of playing some more. "Good night all of you," Alessandra bid goodbye and then walked toward the stairs to go to her bedroom.

Caleb waited for Alessandra to make her way far up the stairs and then said, "She is just going to stay awake in her bedroom."

"We are aware of that but it is better for her to wait in their bedroom instead of falling asleep in a chair. I can't imagine the torture this must be for her and the queen to be waiting for their husbands to return in one piece. I will help her change out of her clothes before going to my room. You should get a carriage for Miss Eleanor to leave," Sally told Caleb before she left to follow Alessandra.

"Would it hurt for her to give me a proper goodbye? What?" Caleb asked when he looked away from Sally and saw Eleanor smiling at him.

"Nothing. It is just amusing the types of couples present in this household. I am left to be jealous each way I turn," Eleanor replied.

"A relative of Edgar is in town if you want to take a chance. He is out with Edgar and the others so you would delay your leave if you want to accidentally bump into him. I find myself to be good at matchmaking," Caleb said, willing to offer his talents to Eleanor.

"And yet you cannot get the woman you have feelings for to kiss you goodbye or even acknowledge you more before she leaves. No thank you," Eleanor turned down the offer. "Besides, I do not want to get involved with any relative of the Duke. My standards are lower for a man more suited for someone with my background. If you can find someone whose family will accept mine, then we can talk."

"You know there are plenty of men who won't care about your family business-"

"It is the family drama and stares I wish to avoid from relatives who will look down on me. I suppose Alessandra is the one person to give me hope that someone can forget about everything else and just love me. I must get that carriage now or my aunt will go to the town guards to search this kingdom for me," Eleanor changed the subject to the carriage.

"Right. I will get it for you," Caleb replied, going to the door and opening it so he could let her go home. Maybe Alessandra and the other women would help change her mind. "We should have let Alessandra stay a bit longer," he said the moment he opened the door.

"Why?" Eleanor asked, walking to the door to see what he was looking at. "Oh," she noticed the Duke approaching his house on a horse and a group of men behind him. "Would you have rather let him see his wife in an uncomfortable position in the chair?"

"Good point," Caleb answered. He hurried down the steps to get news of what had happened since Edgar, his brother, and Dominic left home. "I was just about to get a carriage for the young lady to return home. It is an order for the Duchess. I will put away your horse while I get the carriage."

Edgar slid off of his horse and looked up the steps at where Eleanor stood. "Reed, accompany her home," he said. It was dangerous for her to ride home alone even in one of his carriages.

Reed tilted his head back as he sighed. He knew he should have gone to his brother's house instead of returning here with Edgar. Now his plans to sleep were ruined. "Why can't Caleb-"

"Because I said you are taking her," Edgar looked at Reed, letting him know it was final. With Caleb's fake engagement with Sally, it wouldn't be a good look for him to be accompanying another lady alone even if he was just guarding her. Edgar felt his hands itch from helping Caleb with his ridiculous plan.

Caleb stuck out his tongue at Reed and led Edgar's horse to the stables.

Reed ignored his childish brother and looked up the steps at the young woman who was interrupting his time to do nothing.