The Duke's Masked Wife

"Edgar," Alessandra warned as she pinched his hand. He was the walking ball of negativity that Eleanor did not need.

"For someone who wants honesty from me, you love to abuse me when it's not the honesty you want to hear. Stay single, Eleanor. Marriage hurts," Edgar said, looking at the spot on his hand where Alessandra pinched him. He suffered many accidental and on-purpose wounds from her during their marriage. "You should kiss where you injured me."

"Do not listen to him. Why are you here interrupting my time with Eleanor? Are you bored because I told you not to work? Read a book or keep Alfred company. Anything to take your negativity away from this room," Alessandra said.

"I came to tell you that I am going to do an inspection of the property. Winter is quickly coming to an end and the snow will soon be gone. I have to see what damage the weather caused and start planning repairs. If you are nice to me, I will make plans to build a pavilion so you have somewhere to sit in the garden when the flowers start to bloom," Edgar said.

"I am always nice to you, Edgar. Thank you for the pavilion, but please go now. You are taking up my time with Eleanor. You know, there are people blocking the gates that you should get rid of," Alessandra stated in hopes it would take his attention elsewhere.

"One moment you will be pushing me away and when Eleanor is gone you will want my company. I will have you begging on your knees when you want my company again. Goodbye," Edgar replied, leaving Alessandra with her guest. He had much to do today and was only there to make sure she was alright.

Edgar wasn't going to waste his time getting rid of the people gathering at his gates. More would just show up later and they were all after getting his attention. Enjoying the fact the Duke was bothered by their presence and trying to get rid of them.

"Alfred, stop watching them unless you plan to go out and throw a bucket of water on them," Edgar said as he walked down the stairs and found Alfred standing by a window. "They will help fend off anyone trying to visit me."

"Good morning, Edgar. Should I have the cook prepare you a fresh breakfast right now?" Alfred asked, happy to see Edgar. He missed Edgar's return early in the morning because Alessandra sent him off to bed.

"I am not hungry right now. What is in your hands?" Edgar inquired, looking at a letter in Alfred's hands.

"It is a letter addressed to you. It arrived just before you came down," Alfred handed the letter to Edgar. "Has Alessandra mentioned any letters to you?"

"No. What is it?" Edgar replied, opening the letter which came from Bella's family.

"As you know, your father's birthday is quickly approaching and instead of a party held in Rose's home, there will be a dinner here in Lockwood. You and I have received our invitations, but there is none for Alessandra a the moment," Alfred said and then waited for Edgar's reaction.

"Is that so? You can toss out mine whenever you come across it again," Edgar answered and started to walk outside to take care of the inspection.

"This will create problems that Alessandra does not need right now," said Alfred, following Edgar outside.

"That is why I will not be attending and if you are loyal to me, you would not attend. Grandmother is petty to not send an invitation for my wife and expect me to show up. I can join the petty games and hold a dinner the same night. I might even invite my mother.  The only person grandmother is hurting is herself by playing these stupid games. I will not have Alessandra apologize when she did nothing wrong so grandmother can feel in charge again," Edgar said, placing the letter he read back into the envelope.

Bella and her family were inviting him and Alessandra to dinner at their home. They made it known that they were on his side when it came to Simon's death.

"You and are grandmother are too similar for the two of you to be at odds. This will create a split in the family. One serious conversation could have resolved this long ago. I remember when you were eager to introduce Alessandra to your grandmother-"

"Grandmother ruined that by starting to be too controlling. She wanted to make up for what she thought Alessandra lacked in her background and change Alessandra. I can not allow her to do what she failed to do with my mother. Little does she or anyone in town knows that Wilma has already started to put many of her mines in Alessandra's name and we've started to receive money from Wilma's businesses. Alessandra could live a comfortable life without me," said Edgar.

Alessandra was now looking for a way to make that money grow so she would have more to leave to her children.

"I agree that Rose is trying to make Alessandra followed her lead. I thought once you made it clear you wanted it to stop, she would go back to how she was before. I've forgotten how Rose likes to keep the family perfect in her way. You are the only one she has never tried to control. I love the woman as she has taken care of you in your parents absence, but I must acknowledge that along with your father, Rose turned your mother into an angry woman. I would not want that to happen to Alessandra. It is rare to find someone with her kind heart."

"Do you think her pettiness would reach the point of taking back everything she planned to leave to you? Including her home," Alfred said, hoping it wasn't the case as he saw no one more fitting to inherit Rose's things than Edgar.  Edgar's relatives visited Rose most when they wanted something from her while Edgar visited because he cared for his grandmother.

Edgar had always made it clear he didn't care to have anything left for him, but Alfred wanted Edgar to inherit Rose's home which was full of childhood memories for him and Edgar.

"I don't care if she changes her mind and gives it to Daniel. I am not short of wealth to apologize to her just to inherit her home. Are you missing the fact that I have homes in almost every town? And I never took you as someone interested in inheritance."

"I care about your inheritance. I want you to get everything you were promised. Perhaps I should try speaking with Rose to try to mend things. If the two of you speak it will only end in a fight," Alfred said, knowing there was some hope for him to put an end to this since he had a good relationship with Rose.

Edgar didn't need Alfred to play peacemaker since Rose simply needed to stop this one-sided anger, but he would not stop Alfred from doing what he wanted to do. "Do whatever you want, but do not tell her about Alessandra being pregnant. I don't want her to drop her attitude simply because she wishes to be near our children. If she is to be around us again, she has to drop whatever ill feelings she has towards Alessandra."