The Duke's Masked Wife

"Well," Sally's eyes drifted from Edgar to the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "Alessandra asked me to tie sheets together and hold onto them as she went out the window. I became scared because the Baron wanted her to open the door and so I released the sheets causing her to almost fall to the ground."

"And?" Edgar motioned for her to carry one after she stopped talking.

"There is nothing else," Sally softly replied. She did not know what more she needed to say.

"You are shaking with fear as if you have done something worse. You did something idiotic but Alessandra does not seem to care about it. If she doesn't care about this small matter, why would I care?" Edgar asked Sally. "There are bigger things to be dealt with than you."

His opinion of her changed from being nothing to a scaredy cat. People like Sally who scare easily were not the best type to have around. If Alessandra were to be in danger again there was a strong possibility Sally would run away rather than help Alessandra. He could pick out someone more reliable for Alessandra if this Sally girl proved to be useless.

"Do you desire to work for my wife? I will only let you step onto my carriage if you give an honest opinion of Alessandra. If you lie to me, then you will be in trouble. Speak quickly before the cook arrives," Edgar looked past Sally to where Mario was coming with the bags.

"I don't know what to think of Alessandra. There are many rumors surrounding her face cursing someone. I rarely had any interactions with her as I worked under Kate-"

"Why does it seem you are creating more reasons for why I should not take you?" Edgar unintentionally glared at Sally. The fact she once worked for Kate made her untrustworthy.

Sally took one step back to get away from the suffocating atmosphere around Edgar. "I am only speaking the truth as you asked me to."

"The truth can annoy me too. We will continue our conversation in the carriage. Get in," said Edgar. Her reply was honest even though it annoyed him.

They had no more time to waste standing around conversing as the cook was now right beside them and the butler not too far behind. Edgar did not trust Mario even though he claimed to be Alessandra's friend.

"No harm will come to me?" Sally had to be certain before she took the carriage to her death. Being tortured by Kate was much better than dying.

"If you are not in the carriage before everything is packed up, consider it your fault for being left behind with these people. Make your decision quickly." Edgar wasn't Sally's motivation buddy to be encouraging her to get in the carriage. He already said there would be no trouble, was she wishing for him to harm her?"

Annoyed with Sally already, Edgar got into the carriage but left the door open for her to quickly make a choice.

"I would go with him. It is much better than staying here when you know Kate has it out for you. You can get paid more if you go with him. Go," Mario urged Sally. He knew where Sally lived and when he wanted to know about Alessandra, he could go to Sally's home.

"What a hero," Edgar said out loud in a dry tone. "He should change his job title from cook to hero."

"I really hate that man," Mario muttered, going to the back of the carriage to place Alessandra's bags.

"Are you staying?" James questioned Sally as he passed by with canvas and a bag. He didn't understand why the young girl was overthinking and taking so long to go with the Duke. He already told her to go with the Duke for a better life. Did she want to end up blackmailed like him?

"No," Sally made up her mind. As long as she served Alessandra properly, there would be no need to worry about her life. She was certain she could please Alessandra However, the Duke was another story. She was completely terrified of him and thought even the slightest actions she did might anger him.

"Normally, I would have left you here," Edgar spoke as she entered the carriage. He didn't enjoy others having to convince her to work in his home. "I am not the type to beg anyone to work with me. It is normally the other way around. You are lucky that I am trying to keep up being a wonderful husband."

"Says the man who killed his wife's father…" Sally trailed off as the realization she said this out loud hit her. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"There is no need to apologize. By noon, that is what the entire town will be saying. I would kill him again if time were reversed. Actually, I would torture him rather than the quick death."

"I see," Sally whispered. She was confused as to why their conversation went to death and torture. Before her family was ruined by debt, she had the pleasure of being in the same room as the Duke. Not as a servant but as a lady. It was only now she realized how she spent more time admiring his looks rather than getting to know him.

The boy which Sally once had a crush on now scared her as an adult. It was her mistake to only go by appearances and rumors from the other young women who liked Edgar. They were the ones to say Edgar was like a charming prince waiting to swoop his princess off her feet. Sally could only cringe at the thought now. Edgar was the evil prince waiting to kill the entire kingdom.

"Why are you staring at me so much? I am a married man you know," Edgar happily interrupted Sally's daydream.

"What?" Sally blushed, embarrassed she had been staring at Edgar this entire time. "I-I was thinking about the past."

"I didn't know you in the past for you to be staring at me so much while you go over past memories. I have never met you before." Edgar was good at remembering faces but had no idea who Sally was.

"We have met before. My family was rich before my father gambled too much and drowned us in debt. I attended many parties you were in attendance," Sally said, full of hope he would remember her.

"Did we speak? Sweetheart, there is a difference between meeting someone where you introduce yourself and staring from afar. You, my dear, were my stalker. Can you imagine how many people are out there saying they have met me based on your logic?" Edgar shook his head.

This was similar to how Desmond claimed he knew Edgar well enough for Edgar to pay a visit to his party.

"I suppose you are right," Sally answered, seeing how they have never met. She was always close by waiting for him to notice her just like the other young ladies who hoped he would show interest in them. Had he noticed her, would she be the Duchess right now?

"Of course I am right. Don't look so sad as now you can say you have met me and now you are working for me. Technically, you will work for Alessandra. Are we not done yet, Timothy?" Edgar called his coachman. He scratched his skin as it continued to itch even on the outside of the home. "I am not going to die from poison but from an itch caused by this home."

"A while ago, we had a problem with bugs in certain rooms which bit the family. They were taken care of but I think you sat in a spot where some remained," Sally said as the way Edgar was relentlessly scratching his hand reminded her of how Kate was when she got bit.

Edgar wasn't surprised to hear the Barretts had a bug problem and now he was affected by it. Had he stuck to his rule of never visiting the home, he would not be in this predicament. The Barrett household was filled with nothing but negativity and bad luck.

"A little bit of ointment over the affected areas will stop the itching in a day."

"Timothy!" Edgar yelled, startling Sally and everyone on the outside of the carriage. "Get me the fuck out of here before I lose my mind."

"Yes sir!"