The Duke's Masked Wife

466 The talk (2)

“Why do you continue to listen to news about a man you are no longer married to? If he chooses to get back with her, it does not concern you. He is no longer your headache,” Edgar said.

“It was my one request that he would not meet with her. He couldn’t do that much. It’s hard to not hear news about him in this town. Would you be able to quickly move on if it were you and Alessandra-”

“I’ll stop you right there. Alessandra and I won’t have that problem. We have no issue in our marriage at the moment and I don’t see one in the future. It is outsiders who ruin our fun. Move on from him. Start entertaining someone who would piss him off if that is what it would take for you to feel even,” Edgar suggested.

“So Mark then?” Priscilla replied, enjoying the frown that quickly appeared on Edgar’s face. “He’s recently sent me flowers. I’ve known him for years and he has a good background.”

‘That man wants to die,” Edgar muttered. He warned Mark enough times to stay away from his mother. “Stay away from him. I will help you find someone else.”

“Oh, so I can’t step into your home when I want to, but we’re comfortable enough for you to pick a man for me? Especially after you’ve denied my help to find you a wife over the years?” Priscilla called out Edgar’s hypocrisy. Edgar disowned her as his mother more than a month ago, but he was still quite protective.

“I won’t be pushy like you were. If you’re going to continue to be around me, I have to be able to stomach the man you pick, or you could simply stop visiting. Besides, Mark is only courting you to piss me off. There are other single men with good backgrounds suited for you. Unlike you who would push young ladies not suited for me, I know the partner you need. I’ve paid enough attention over the years,” Edgar replied.

“Really? And what kind of partner is that?” Priscilla asked, intrigued by what type of man Edgar would set her up with. They weren’t around each other enough for him to know what she needed.

“Obviously someone who puts you first and loves you. You should probably start with those whose mothers are dead,” Edgar said as she didn’t need another Rose in her life. He was still on his mother’s side when it came to her marriage to his father.

.....

“Am I not evil in your eyes? You wouldn’t ward men away from me?”

“You’ve become tamed compared to other years and when you would bother me or Alessandra. You’re not an angry person anymore so I have reason to warn men about you. If father can have his happy ending after the crap he put you through with that woman, you can find your happiness too. So you can stop visiting my home,” Edgar muttered under his breath.

“I heard that, but thank you. Still, I can find a man on my own, but if you see me talking to someone you know is only trying to get a piece of my wealth, a warning would be nice. If he has secret children no one is aware of or there’s another woman in his life. I would appreciate your help with that since nothing slips past your ears. It is surprisingly pleasant to speak with you,” Priscilla said. She could not remember the last time they had a conversation without bickering.

She was finally starting to feel like a mother around Edgar. Before, they were like strangers who fought a lot.

“I am pleasant to speak to when no one is annoying me. Your lovely husband is back,” Edgar said as he entered the room where Alessandra, Sally, and Alfred were.

“Odd. I didn’t notice you were missing,” Alessandra joked. “Thank you for coming again, Priscilla. We were looking through the books from Edgar’s youth and at the portraits of when he was tiny.”

“I have a few more portraits of him if you desire more. Most of the portraits have Edmund in them so I have no use for them. When will you get portraits done of you and Edgar? You should have one done before your stomach becomes bigger. I noticed you don’t even have one for your wedding. What do you think about getting a wedding dress made specifically for a portrait? The two of you had such a boring wedding,” Priscilla sighed, trying not to think much about her son getting married in the middle of the night.

“We were supposed to get portraits done,” Alessandra said, only now remembering she forgot to go through with it. It had gotten lost in all the talk about not changing furniture when Rose was here.

Alessandra wouldn’t change the way she got married to Edgar, but it would be nice to dress up for a wedding portrait. Alfred and all their friends could dress up for one big portrait and then they had dinner afterwards. It was good timing since she now had two little sisters who could potentially join the portrait.

“You already have a portrait of yourself, Alessandra. Have you forgotten the one you made for my birthday? I can bring it out now,” Edgar said, referring to the portrait of her with a lack of clothing. He had it somewhere safe with his own eyes and would never show it to anyone else, but it made for a good moment to tease her.

Priscilla covered her face with her hand. She didn’t need any details of what this portrait looked like if it concerned Edgar’s birthday and then there was a sheer look of horror on Alessandra’s face.

“Edgar, behave,” Alfred saved the moment.

“I am,” Edgar replied, going to Alessandra’s side despite the fact she looked like she wanted to murder him at the moment. “I wouldn’t mind getting dressed up to create a wedding portrait with you. Still angry? How about you paint a portrait of me naked with me as the model so you can tease me about it later?”

“You are too confident with yourself to be teased by that. Never mention that portrait again or I will find it and burn it,” Alessandra whispered and pinched Edgar’s hand as a warning. She had no idea where he had hidden it, but she made a mental note to search and hide it from Edgar. “Are you still planning to visit Simon’s home? I am against it if you are.”

“I am going. I didn’t offer him congratulations and a drink for being stuck with your sister. It is important that I go and no, you cannot come with me,” Edgar said.

“You could not pay me to go visit Simon and Kate. After what Peter said, I can’t help being concerned about you going there alone. To calm my mind, you should take Reed and Caleb with you. I won’t be leaving home today and all the other guards are here. Please,” Alessandra pleaded with him.

Kate was already a nuisance to be around and caused trouble each time she was near, but now she was worried about Simon. Alessandra remembered Grant’s party where Simon had given her a look that scared her. She thought she was overthinking it back then, but hearing what Peter said proved she had not mistaken the look Simon gave her.

‘Of course, there is something potentially wrong with Kate’s husband,’ Alessandra thought. Bad people had a way of finding each other. ‘That was wrong. I shouldn’t call him a bad person just yet.’

Edgar rubbed the back of Alessandra’s hand to calm her nerves. “If it will ease your mind, I will take them. I will need a guard to keep your sister away from me,” he said. In case there was something off about Simon, Edgar could use two people he trusted by his side.

Since Edgar was listing Simon as one of the men who could be behind the missing women, he knew to be careful, but this visit was not supposed to end in a fight. Edgar planned on learning more about Simon to see if he was putting on an act like his wife usually did.