The Duke's Masked Wife



"Why are you so excited to have us over all the time? I'm starting to want fewer people in my home now. I had to make my circle of friends smaller after my divorce. It is better to have a nice empty home to yourself sometimes," Priscilla said. 

When the house felt lonely, she would just leave to do a bit of shopping, and now she would visit David. 

"Well, there was a time in my life when I ate dinner alone in my room while my father and the others sat at the table, catching up with each other. It might sound foolish that I would want to sit with people who did not care for me, but eating at the table was something I longed to do. The night of my engagement to Edgar was the first time in years that I had a seat at the table," Alessandra replied.

Alessandra continued to say, "Now, not only do I get to enjoy dinner at the table, but each time I look around, there is someone I care for and who cares for me. That is why I enjoy when we are all together to have dinner, and I also enjoy breakfast. Anything that brings us together like this."

The kitten she would share food with was gone, and so was Mario, who provided her with food when Katrina wished to punish her. She was so close to bringing them along to enjoy the happiness she found. Alessandra would keep them in her memory since they were more than just friends. They were family.

Eating alone was something she never wanted to go back to. Being alone in a quiet room when you knew your family was not far away, acting like you didn't exist. Alessandra looked forward to the sight of her children running into the dining room to fill up the seats one by one. It was the only time she would agree with Edgar that they should have many children.

They would have a home full of laughter with children who knew how much they were loved. She looked forward to telling them how she had met their father. How he had saved her.

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"Now I feel like I should appreciate the dinners I have with my aunt and parents. I never realised it would be something another person wished they could have," said Eleanor. 

Alessandra was a strange woman in her eyes. Many wish to get their hands on a lot of money one day so that they can be happy, and Alessandra was in that position now, but the thing that made her happy was having people sit at a table to talk and enjoy food together. 

It was no wonder that Edgar would go so far to protect her. Alessandra was too precious for Lockwood.

"Invite me over as much as you like. The food here is much better than elsewhere. We should just go ahead and assign a room for me to sleep in. I can make an excellent nanny when the time comes. As long as there is someone around me to cry on their shoulder when I start to panic," Eleanor said, looking at Edgar for permission Alessandra was always easy to convince.

"Reed already has a room here so I don't see why you would need one of your own," Edgar said. 

Out of Alessandra's friends who liked finding a way to stay here like Erin, he happened to like Eleanor. She was never loud, diving too deep into their relationship as if she were a part of it, and she had revealed what was happening with the tea. She was always welcomed since Alessandra might have lost a child if not for her.

Eleanor beamed, happy to hear that Edgar would welcome her to stay when she wanted. She didn't mind taking Reed's room and sending him out to find somewhere else to sleep. If he wanted them to sleep in the same room, he should propose to her first. 

Eleanor did not want to be labelled an easy woman for being alone in a room with a man she was not married to. She always wanted to avoid being spoken of as being a woman who was with a man without a ring on her finger. Many made up their minds that because of her parent's businesses, she would not marry a good man and settle down. That she would end up somewhere in the red-light district. 

"Speaking of children, do you both still think the first will actually be more than one?" Priscilla asked. She would have to double the gifts she had started to buy for when her grandchildren would be with her. She was a firm believer that Alessandra needed help dressing children. "I hope that you only have girls so I can dress them up-"

"Didn't you have dolls as a child? They are not toys. I would like all of you to stop making plans for our children before they are here. There is still a long way to go before they arrive. There is no telling which one of you will lose your spot at this table by then," Edgar said, glancing at his father who had been too quiet.

"You could have at least made it less obvious who you think will be gone. I will prove you wrong, Edgar. I shall be around for your children to call me grandfather," Edmund promised. He saw no reason why he should not be around when his grandchildren were here. It was an experience he did not want to miss out on when he only had one child.

There was no one else but Edgar to give him grandchildren. At this age, he was not looking to start all over again to have children. Especially when he had not learned how to be a better father to Edgar yet. 

"Don't be surprised if they will call you anything other than grandfather. I am sure Edgar will one day whisper in their ears what else they should call you," Alessandra said, looking at Edgar who grinned like he already had some names in mind for Edmund.

"Who will get to name the children? That is the most important thing right now. I have a few in mind," Priscilla said, eager to share. It was a little coincidence that the names she picked sounded like her own.

"Edgar and I will be the ones to pick the final name, but I would love to hear your suggestions. I cannot stop thinking about what Edgar named my kittens and the fact that I never tried to change it. Blessing and curse," Alessandra sighed, shaking her head. 

She was not going to allow just any name for their children. Alessandra didn't mind waiting for when the child would be placed in her arms, and then upon seeing their face, she would have a name.

"I think Edmund junior would be a-"

"Do you want to lose your tongue, old man?" Edgar interjected, midway through pouring Alessandra a glass of juice. "Why the hell would I name one of my children after you when I wouldn't want to be named after you? Get a dog and name it Edmund junior. It is fitting."

"I thought you wanted a peaceful dinner, son? Why is it that you are always so ready to fight?" Edmund mused. It was always fun for him to mess with Edgar a little bit. "We might have to throw him out soon for ruining our night, Alessandra."

"I don't mind this kind of bickering. It is playful and feels normal," Alessandra said, enjoying the conversation. It was fun to see everyone excited to name their children and look forward to their arrival. She looked around the table at everyone who had become lost in their own little conversations. "Continue."