The Duke's Masked Wife

"My lady, breakfast is here."

Alessandra tossed in her bed hearing someone's voice outside of her room and the three knocks that followed after. "How on earth is it morning already? I was just eating dinner," she grumbled, stretching her body as she woke up.

Alessandra stared at the ceiling when she opened her eyes. Today was the day for her life to possibly change.

"My lady?"

"Kate's here," Alessandra realized.

Normally the person to deliver her food would just knock and leave quickly out of fear. This person was practically begging her to come to the door which meant there was someone out there impatiently waiting.

Kate's curiosity about what Alessandra spoke about with the Duke must have been bothering her all night long.

Alessandra was tempted to make the person wait longer until she finally retrieved the breakfast but today was not the right day to piss off Kate. She needed to play a role in order to leave.

"I'm coming," she called back to let them know she heard them.

As Alessandra sat up she took the sleeping kitten from a pillow beside her and left the bed to place it in her closet for it to hide. She closed the closet door and then went to her desk to put on the mask she wore last night.

"M-My lady?"

'Try to make it less obvious you are being pressured,' Alessandra thought once she heard the maid stutter.

With the mask tied, Alessandra approached her door and unlocked it.

"Y-Your breakfast," the maid said with her head down.

Alessandra looked down at her breakfast which wasn't in the maid's hands but placed on the floor. "Thank you," she went down to pick it up herself but as her hands neared the floor a shoe appeared from the left to pin down her left hand.

"Good morning sister," Kate appeared from the sidelines just like Alessandra predicted.

Alessandra winced from the pain of Kate's shoes on her knuckles. "Good morning sister."

"Run along," Kate ordered the maid. She was highly annoyed that she had to wait outside of Alessandra's bedroom for so long. If only she had the spare key her father took away. "Did you have fun last night Alessandra?"

"Yes."

"Yes?" Kate became furious with how bold Alessandra was. "Just because you ran into the Duke you think you had fun?"

"N-Not that," Alessandra stuttered. "I had fun in my room last night. The music reached my room."

"Is that so? Tell me, what did you discuss with the Duke last night?" Kate needed to confirm with her own ears nothing serious had happened between the Duke and Alessandra. It would be embarrassing if he took more interest in the thing in front of her.

"I did not notice he was standing there as I was going to collect my dinner. He called out my name as I forgot to address someone as important as the Duke. He scolded me and then you arrived. That is all."

Kate pressed her shoe against the back of Alessandra's hand harder not fully believing the story. "What else?"

"He spoke about getting married and you as an option. Nothing more. I swear," Alessandra cried out from the pain.

"Hmm," Kate lifted her foot. It made more sense Edgar would speak about her but why on earth was he playing so hard to get last night when the two of them walked back into the party. "Of course, he would speak about me. Who would want to talk to such a freak."

'That doesn't make any sense. The Duke still talked to me,' Alessandra rolled her eyes. Thanks to her looking down Kate could not see her facial expression.

"Still, it angers me that you showed your disgusting face to the Duke. What if he were to believe he is cursed and comes to take his anger out on us? What will you do then you freak? Do you think you'll be safe, that father will shield you?" Kate pushed her shoe against Alessandra's hand again.

"N-No," Alessandra whimpered.

"Then stay in your bedroom all-"

"Kate!" Desmond exclaimed upon seeing his youngest daughter hurting his oldest. "Stop it right this instant."

"But father she…" Kate trailed off realizing there was no use in denying what he clearly saw. "The Duke saw her last night and they spoke."

Desmond looked down at Alessandra surprised to hear she was seen by the Duke. What on earth did the two of them talk about? Why didn't the Duke mention anything about it? "I will take care of it so leave."

Kate stomped her feet on the floor similar to a toddler who couldn't have its way. Had the maid got Alessandra to open the door quicker she would have left before her father showed up. "How annoying," she left Alessandra's doorway.

Alessandra's hand trembled out of pain but she felt relieved Kate was gone, for now. Even with the pain in her hand, Alessandra took up the tray of food to take back into her room.

"Alessandra, sweetheart," the baron inched closer to his quiet daughter. "Can you tell me what happened between you and the Duke last night? Why were you out of your bedroom? You know there was a party."

"No food came last night and I was hungry. The garden is off limits so I thought I could run by quickly. That is all," said Alessandra.

Desmond understood that but still, this was the Duke they were talking about. Many people believed the rumor about her cursing someone and making them die all because of a coincidence. "What did you talk about?"

Alessandra kept her head down low and said, "He only wanted to make sure he could smoke there and talked about Kate as a marriage candidate."

"Really?" Desmond's eyes lit up at this. He was worried Kate had not seduced the Duke last night but now it seemed she had an effect on Edgar after all. "That man is so strange he probably wants to observe her a little longer. This is good."

Edgar was someone Desmond needed to help him crawl out of the debt he buried himself in. It wasn't easy to live as grand as he used to with his finances decreasing over the years. Kate finding a rich husband was their only hope.

"Still, you should not have gone out. What if I would have changed my mind and taken a few people out there?"

'So I should starve?' Alessandra thought.

"I-Im sorry father," she replied.

"Fine, fine. There's absolutely no point in scolding you. Whoever did not bring your food is to blame. I'm sorry about what Kate did but she's just looking out for us. Edgar is someone who can easily ruin us," said Desmond.

He was worried but since Edgar mentioned nothing meant that Alessandra had not offended him. "You must be bored in your room all the time. What is it that you would like to pass time? Name anything and I shall fetch it right away."

"Since you asked, I have run out of things to paint. I wish to paint the town. Can I ride around in the carriage to see places to paint? I-I won't get out. I promise."

Desmond placed his hand on his hip as this wasn't something Katrina would agree with. However, if they kept Alessandra locked away she would try to leave her bedroom more. It was best to give her a little bit of freedom. After what Kate just did he had to do something to make it up to her. "Promise me you won't leave the carriage."

"I promise," Alessandra grinned. Her father was unable to see it because her head was still being lowered.