The Duke's Masked Wife

"Has Simon ever visited the church?" Edgar asked after Alessandra left to speak with Eleanor.

"He has because I heard the other priests say he makes a lot of donations. I feel like I have seen him before, but I do not know if it is when he came to make donations," Peter said, scratching the back of his head. It was quite a long time ago, but Simon's face was popping up in his head. If not for meeting a lot of people who come to pray daily,  he would remember.

"Have you been making the list of men you hear young women praying about?"

"You!" Peter's eyes widened and he looked around to see if any of his fellow priests were around. "Do not say that at a time like this. I am not supposed to be doing such a thing and the only reason I am is that you are blackmailing me. Young women come into the church and cry about young men all the time. You should have seen how many cried when the season ended. I have never seen so many unhappy unwed women."

"If there is anything that is more than a young woman crying over not being married, send me a letter. You are doing this to keep them safe," Edgar said, reminding Peter why he was breaking the church's rule.

"I know. Makes me feel like I am one of the King's men. That didn't come out right," Peter muttered.

Meanwhile.

"How is the future destroyer doing?" Eleanor whispered, referring to the child in Alessandra's stomach.

Alessandra could not believe the names everyone was coming up for the child she was carrying. They truly believed a child with Edgar's blood would bring trouble. "Fine. I cannot wait for the months the doctor says I will feel the child moving around," Alessandra replied.

Eleanor was freaked out by the idea of the child swirling around in there. Pregnancy sounded weird the more she heard about it. She glanced at Alfred who reeked of happiness like he was the father and then she made the mistake of looking at Reed. She quickly looked away.

Reed caused some trouble for Eleanor the last time he came looking for her. She didn't know who spilled to him that her aunt had someone courting her. It could not have been Alessandra and why did Reed even care? After one kiss, his whole attitude toward her changed. Now her aunt was asking about who Reed was and if he was courting her. Her aunt could pass out at any second from thinking two men were fighting for her niece's attention.

'What is going on between the two of them?' Alessandra wondered as she noticed Eleanor looking away from Reed and Reed who kept staring at Eleanor.

Reed and Eleanor were acting like there was more to the kiss they shared a month ago. Alessandra didn't want to meddle but she did not want Eleanor to start avoiding her in order to avoid Reed.

Heather was already hard to see now as Alessandra knew a certain Carson recently asked for help decorating his home. Heather might be decorating her next home without realizing it.

"Oh, Erin!" Alessandra called and waved to the dressmaker who was heading in the opposite direction with dresses in her hands. "Erin?" Alessandra frowned as Erin looked at her and quickly turned her head as she walked away. "What was that?"ραпdα `nᴏνɐ| сom

"That was odd," Sally commented behind Alessandra. It wasn't that long ago Erin was delivering a new dress for Alessandra so why was Erin avoiding her now?

"Oh right. She used to be your personal dressmaker.  She must be ashamed to face you after all the drama recently," said Eleanor.

Alessandra had no clue what Eleanor was referring to so she asked, "What drama?"

Eleanor hesitated to tell Alessandra about Erin, but with Kyle's big mouth, Alessandra was bound to hear about it soon. "Well, she was involved with a man named Dale Scott. In fact, she was living with him. Apparently, the two of them planned to get married or maybe they did, but there was already a girl his parents wanted him to marry. His brother Kyle told the ladies in my father's business that one day Dale was away and when his parents visited the home, they found Erin."

"The mother yelled at her for messing up their plans for their son. It seems the relationship between Erin and Dale was a secret for a really long time that not even his parents knew. Kyle did and to get back at his brother for something, he sent his parents there knowing Erin would be there. I heard Erin did not return home because her mother wants nothing to do with her so she is staying at some inn and uses the room to continue making dresses. The town isn't aware of this yet."

Alessandra didn't understand how Erin's life was flipped upside down since the last time they saw each other and why was Erin avoiding her. She knew Erin's relationship with Dale would try to cheer her up about the situation. By now, Erin and Dale's relationship should have been known to both parents. Alessandra understood why Erin didn't tell her parents before, but now, she had money of her own to not fear her mother cutting her off.

Honestly, Alessandra forgot Erin planned to get married. Alessandra never understood why Erin and Dale were taking so long to get married when they started to live together. Erin had plans to marry Dale in the middle of the night without her parents knowing, but it was pushed back over and over again.

"Is this Dale a good person?" Alessandra asked as up to this point, Erin still did not introduce him like she said she would.

"Sort of. His brother is a pain in the ass and Dale has his days but who are we to question the man she fell in love with? I'm sure Dale is a wonderful man to her. What they did to do is calm down his parents and get married before this news hits the town. It won't be long before it leaves the red-light district. See, this is why I wish to remain single. Too much conflict, but it makes for a good book," Eleanor said, making a mental note to add a similar situation into her next book.

"You have not sent me the book you sent out a while back. It was sold out before I could find it. Alred also wants a copy," Alessandra said.

"I am a fan," Alfred said, eager to see where the story would continue. It was filled with mystery and drama to keep him wanting more.

"Thank you. I can visit tomorrow and bring you two copies. Alessandra," Eleanor tilted her head to try and understand the scene not too far away from her and Alessandra. "Why does it look like that priest will pass out any second? I don't think the Duke should be smiling when the priest might faint."

"You've met Edgar many times, Eleanor. You should know he likes to see people tremble with fear. Please join me," Alessandra hooked her arm with Eleanor's so they could leave before witnessing a potential death.

Peter and his faint heart would never last long when Edgar was around.

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