The Duke's Masked Wife

229 A mother’s betrayal (2)

Katrina didn’t like how things had turned so early before Clark had died. No one was supposed to be pointing fingers at her when Clark was still alive. Of all the times Clark chose to have common sense, why now? A little bit more and he would have been dead without anyone realizing what was done.

‘I can’t tell James to stop poisoning him since it would look suspicious for Clark to stop getting worse after calling me out. There are better ways to kill him,’ she thought.

“Year after year I have to deal with the two of you calling me names whether it was to my face or behind my back. Completely shredding my character even though I have been proving your theories wrong. To say that I have been poisoning my husband’s brother is a new low for the both of you,” Katrina said, forcing out tears to wipe away. She sniffled, pretending to hold back from crying even more.

Katrina dabbed her eyes with a tissue, careful not to ruin her face after taking a good amount of time to hide the mark Edgar gave her. “I have desperately tried to fit in with this family for myself and my daughter. I put up with the comments about not measuring up to his first wife and being a whore. I have had enough.”

Clark could not believe Katrina had turned herself to be the victim when she had been poisoning him. “We do not care for your tears-,” Clark brought the rag to his mouth as he began to cough again.

“I have dealt with you talking about money we do not have from the moment you arrived. Instead of helping me, you jumped straight to profiting off of your brother’s death-”

“Lies!” Clark exclaimed. “Mother, we should toss her out of this house right away. It is her who is obsessed with money and has ruined our family-”

“Clark,” Greta interrupted her son as she could not deal with the noise in her ears. “Your uncles are leaving today. Go back home with them and never return to this house. Have a doctor take a look at you and then I will deal with this woman accordingly.”

Clark stood with his mouth hanging open, at a loss for words because of his mother. “Mother, how could you send me home when someone needs to take care of this household? I am here to-”

.....

“To put it in more debt? I have many questions about Desmond’s wife and if she was truly poisoning you, she will be dealt with but the short time it took for her to get this house going again makes it clear she should remain in charge. I will not allow you to ruin Desmond’s home as you did with your own. No wife, no child, no home and always running to me for help. I am too old for your shit,” Greta hit her cane against the floor. “Desmond’s belongings will go to his daughter Kare-”

“But mother,” Clark whined. He was glad his mother was here to take his side and expected her to kick out Katrina but she had turned against him. “Desmond plunged this home into debt but you never once scolded him for it. Allow this to be my chance to show you that I have matured.”

Greta shook her head. “You have not and I love you enough to say that you will never mature and think smart when it comes to money. I had faith that if Desmond had not been killed he would have fixed his mistakes. On the other hand, I will find myself taking care of you till the day I die. Leave this house Clark and get checked up on if you value your life. I want to speak to the Baroness alone.”

Clark clenched his fists, holding back the desire to yell at his mother. He had not yet gotten Desmond’s things so he depended on his mother to fund his life. He could not make her angry to the point of cutting him off just yet. Once again, his only hope was to receive help from his niece.

Someone had spotted the Duke’s carriage returning to Lockwood in the middle of the night so he had to move now to seek an audience with Edgar. He had many things to tell the man.

Clark left the room without arguing against his mother’s decision. No matter what, he would get close to his niece and use her husband to get rid of Katrina. He could not forget how distressed Katrina was after Edgar had scared her face. “Nice scar,” he said out loud as he walked out the door.

Katrina dug her nails into the palms of her hands as her face was not a joking matter. Edgar ruined something she cherished dearly and she would get back at him with the help of someone who equally hated him.

“Do not think for a second I am on your side and everything belongs to you because I sent Clark away. If it comes back that you were poisoning him, I will strip you and toss you back onto the street just as my son found you, and then kill you. Clark may be a fool but as the person who brought him into this world, only I can take him out of it. Now,” Greta closed the door Clark left open as she had an important matter to discuss.

‘She won’t make it past the winter to try killing me,’ Katrina chuckled in her mind. It wouldn’t be long before it was only her and Kate standing.

“My sources tell me that the man who killed my son returned late this morning. He must think he could go unnoticed by my family after what he has done. That wretched granddaughter of mine must be punished for letting her father be killed after everything he did for her. The Barretts are not to be messed with. As soon as breakfast is over, take me to where Alessandra has run off to. I will deal with her and that husband,” said Greta.