The Duke's Masked Wife

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edgar, you may kiss the bride. You don't want to kiss him?" Peter asked after Alessandra looked his way almost as if she was against kissing her own husband. "What sort of marriage is this? Are the two of you not taking this seriously?"

"I am shy," Alessandra said in order to make it less suspicious she was hesitant to kiss Edgar. She would need to remove her veil in order to kiss Edgar.

"Oh," Peter's mouth fell open. Normally, those who came to get married at night weren't this innocent. Not to forget, the devil was literally standing in front of Alessandra. Peter started to feel like he did something wrong by marrying an angel to the devil. "I can turn around if you want me to."

"No need to. We are finished here. Thank you for your services, Peter," said Edgar.

"Edgar, I don't know how many weddings you have attended but there is a way to do things," Peter could not believe how out of order Edgar's wedding was. To think the town spoke so highly of what Edgar's wedding would be like. If the town could see this wedding now. Wire rings and no witnesses. 'Edgar has no right to call me a scammer anymore,' he thought.

"Are you trying to insinuate there is something wrong with our wedding, Peter?"

"Obviously. First of all, you show the lady the engagement ring before the day of the wedding. Second, you get the two wedding rings, guests, family, friends, and whoever else in your life to attend the wedding. I'm sure your loved ones will be heartbroken to know you have gotten married like this. Don't tell anyone I am the one who wed you," Peter did not want his name attached to Edgar's weird wedding.

"It will be on the paper and I am going to tell Alfred as soon as I return home," Edgar innocently smiled. He had no reason to hide who wed him to Alessandra. "I will let everyone know my dear friend did it. Consider it an honor, Peter."

Peter sighed, rubbing his temple as he partially blamed himself. He should have known telling Edgar to do something would make the man do the opposite. "Hurry up and leave. Go enjoy your married life but remember, I will keep my eyes on the two of you no matter where you are."

Alessandra took a step closer to Edgar.

"Oh no," Peter realized his mistake. "I didn't mean it like that. I wouldn't be watching you…" His voice trailed off when Alessandra started laughing.

"I am only teasing you," Alessandra chuckled. She found Peter to be a funny man.

"You two deserve each other," Peter concluded after seeing Alessandra enjoy teasing him just like her new husband. "I will send the papers tomorrow morning. You don't have to come to visit me, Edgar."

"My wife seems to like you. I will be sure to come again-"

"No!" Peter yelled, not wanting Edgar to return. He could not deal with the anxiety Edgar gave him with each visit. "You are now a married man. You must spend time with your wife and most importantly, stay away from the church."

"What if I want to confess my sins?" Edgar folded his arms, wanting to see how Peter would counterattack this.

"Then come the second and fourth days in the week," Peter smiled as he gave Edgar the days he would not be in the church. Someone else had to share the burden of dealing with Edgar.

"So don't come on the second and fourth days. Do you take me for a fool, Peter? You should be thankful you still have your hands after trying to scam me. Do not avoid me, Peter," said Edgar.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. You are like a hound sniffing out wherever I am. I bet you came here tonight at this time because you knew I was here," Peter pointed his finger accusingly at Edgar.

Edgar slapped the finger away and said, "I was certain priests don't partake in bets. Silly me."

"You know I wasn't literally making a bet! Get out before I pass out. The church is closed," Peter no longer had the strength to keep the church open all night. Edgar was like a night creature, draining away all of his energy.

"It was nice to meet you, peter. Hopefully, I can come to see you again?" Alessandra had a lot to get off her chest and since the priests were bound not to repeat what they heard, she wanted to come to the church and speak with Peter.

"You have things to confess? Come anything you want and ask for me." Peter wanted to know more about Alessandra, the rumored cursed girl. He wanted to understand why the town came to this conclusion and what Alessandra was truly like.

Peter did not judge Alessandra as he was in no position to do so. Before his life as a priest, he did many things to earn money which the town would frown upon.

"I will come on the second and fourth days just like you told Edgar. Good night," Alessandra waved goodbye. She was awfully tired and in need of something to eat before her stomach would make its presence known.

"Don't come those days. Good night Alessandra," Peter waved goodbye. "That's right. Take that monster with you," he muttered when they were away from him.

"I can still hear you, Peter," Edgar said as he walked out the church doors with Alessandra.

"You are like the cat that enjoys toying with the mouse before it is eaten," Alessandra found this to be the best way to describe Edgar's relationship with Peter. The more Peter sweated, the more Edgar would stress him out.

"As I recall, my dear wife, you were also teasing Peter back there. Shall I also refer to you as a cat? Let me," he offered her a hand to safely get inside of the carriage.

"I wouldn't mind as I like cats. I would be a regular cat while you are a tiger," Alessandra pictured Edgar as the large cat.

"Should I make arrangements to change my symbol from a falcon to a tiger?"

"You cannot just change something that was already there for generations," Alessandra replied.

"I can and I did. Have you already forgotten I got you a new ring instead of the one passed down in my family for generations? Whatever I want, I will make sure to get it. That is the type of man your husband is. I expect my mother to visit as soon as the news reaches her," Edgar could already feel the headaches from his mother's dramatic ways.

"I cannot believe we are married," Alessandra twisted the wire ring around her finger.

Edgar sat with one leg placed over the other, watching Alessandra play with the ring he made in the spur of the moment. She wasn't one for material things. There weren't too many people in his world like her.

Edgar began to think about what would be a good wedding gift for her. What did you give to someone who seemed to want nothing but to escape her family? "If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask me for it."

He could only observe and listen to what she wanted for now.

"I will," Alessandra replied but as her mouth moved, a yawn made an escape. "I'm sorry. The night has been so eventful so I am drained."

"It will be quite some time before we arrive at my estate. Lay in the seat to take a nap or perhaps, I can-"

"The seat is enough, thank you," Alessandra dropped sideways to lay in the seat.

"How are we going to sleep in the same bed when you can't even fall asleep on me in the carriage? Will you make me sleep on the floor?" This was something Edgar would never do. "I apologize if I scare you, Alessandra."

Edgar's words poked at her conscience. "It's not that. I don't want you to hear my stomach grumbling."

Edgar bit his lip to refrain from laughing. "I have long heard your stomach. At first, I thought it was the sky warning us of rain."

"What?" Alessandra's eyes widened in shock.

"I am only teasing you, Alessandra. Sleep well. I will make sure you don't fall," Edgar looked out the window to hide a small smile forming on his lips.

The Baron had no idea what an interesting daughter he had hidden away. If the Baron had been smart, he could have saved Alessandra's reputation from all the rumors and lies. If she had the same attention as Kate, Alessandra would never have needed to form a contract marriage with anyone.

Alessandra stood out among other girls from her personality alone and though she wore a mask, the half of her face not covered showed her beauty.

Edgar wondered who was the culprit behind what Alessandra was hiding. There were two people on his mind but everyone in the Barrett household was on his list. From the stable boy up to the Baroness.