The Duke's Masked Wife



"Simon has been stripped of his title. What he did pained this town for a long time. There was talk of letting you keep your title, but there are things that you have done that deserve punishment. You have already confessed to them," said Mark.

"That," Kate started, but she could not find the right words to defend herself.

"Before you married Simon, I was already building a case around you and your mother for what happened to your sister. You were Simon's victim, but that doesn't excuse how you have hurt others. Your own sister. You might only share a father with her, but it is enough that you should have never hurt her," Mark said. "Seeing that you came to us to confess means that you realised your mistakes."

Kate balled up the paper and threw it at Mark. "Mistakes? I only went to you because Alessandra said she would release my mother! Why is the court letting the Duke hold her? My mother has been wronged her entire life. Why don't you go after the men who have taken advantage of her? Do your job so she wouldn't have to do horrible things to survive."

"I had high hopes for you," Mark said, bending down to pick up the paper Kate threw at him. "That you could find it in your heart to be sorry for your actions. That you could want to change and live a better life after everything you experienced. The Duchess has a rare, kind heart. I have a feeling if you had gotten down on your knees and sincerely apologised, she would forgive you, and your heart could feel less heavy with guilt."

Mark opened the wrinkled paper and held it back out to Kate. Tearing it up wouldn't change the fact that she had lost her title. "You won't end up in a good place if you do not acknowledge the things you did and admit that you were wrong. Don't do it because you want your mother or because your life is hanging by a single thread. Do it because you regret your actions. Life will never be simple for you if you continue this way."

Kate clenched her fists. She did not need another person telling her this when Simon constantly brought it up. After everything she told the court, she thought Simon would have disappeared by now.  "Just tell me about my mother. When will she be returned to me?" Kate asked.

Mark was amused by the fact that Kate thought there was any chance for her mother to be freed. "Your mother will not be coming back here. By now, the town guards should be on their way to take her to the court. "Your mother will-"

"No!" Kate yelled, lunging forward to hold Mark's hand. "That wasn't part of the deal."

"You have made no deal with me," Mark replied, trying to pry Kate's hands off of himself. "Your mother is to face the court for her crimes. She'd be lucky if she escapes immediate death and gets imprisoned. She also has to pay for her treatment toward your sister, and your uncle has claimed that your mother tried to poison him," Mark added, looking ahead at Clark.

Clark kept visiting the court to talk about Katrina slipping something inside his drink. At first, they ignored it, but now that they were hearing about Katrina's past, they had to take Clark's words more seriously. Clark said that if he got access to Katrina's home, he would look for whatever she was using to kill him.

"Alessandra made a deal with me! She promised that if I went to the court, she would let my mother go. She...tricked me," Kate muttered as the realisation hit her. She was so desperate to get her mother back that she did not realise what Alessandra was doing. Alessandra got her to willing confess to the court. 

"The duchess is a kind woman, but she is starting to be like her sly husband.  I have made arrangements for you to be in court when your mother will be judged and told what her punishment will be. Here," Mark handed Kate the second paper. "As of right now, you are not being imprisoned. I suggest you start figuring out what you will do from here on out since there is no hope for your mother. I must take my leave now."

Kate's hands shook as she read what appeared to be an invitation to watch her mother's life come to an end. She was so certain that they would run away and be together. Kate tried to think of a way to get out of this, but she had no solution. Kate had placed all her hope in Alessandra keeping her end of the promise. 

"Well, that was quite the show," Clark said, standing up from the steps. He was right on time for when the court came to deliver the bad news. It would have been much better if they had delivered it straight to Katrina. "Should I go to the Duke to watch them bring out your mother? If I get a carriage now, I might be able to see it."

"Get off my land," Kate softly said, despite the fact that she just wanted to yell. Yell at Mark, Clark, Alessandra, and the foolish servants here.

"Don't send me away just yet. You will need my help from now on," Clark said, going into his coat to get a gift for Kate.

"You said you weren't going to help with Edgar. I don't need you for anything else. Just leave," Kate pleaded with him. 

She didn't have the energy to deal with Clark. She just wanted to crawl into her bed and dream of the times when she was happy. When her father was still alive and there was nothing for her to worry about. Kate wanted to stay in those happy dreams forever instead of being here dealing with her mother being taken away, her ruined face, and occasionally seeing Simon.

Kate wanted to escape into a long, peaceful dream. 

"Take a look at this. I don't think you'll want to take a step outside your gates when you read this. The girl everyone pitied for suffering at the hands of her husband used to torture her sister. Alessandra now has a good reputation as the duchess, and no one with common sense wants to piss off her husband these days. You keep digging a hole for yourself, Kate," Clark said, placing the morning paper at eye level for Kate to read.

Kate's chest felt tight, seeing the exact words she told the court spread out on the paper before her. They had all worked against her and her mother. Not caring about what they endured. Tears built up in her eyes as she found it hard to bear how much her world had shattered. She had more than fallen from grace. 

"I am here to offer my help to help you run this home. To go outside in your place and take care of business since you wouldn't want to show your face to the town now. You won't have your mother to help you, so lean on your dear uncle. I know what it is like to struggle-"

Kate smacked the papers Mark had given her against Clark's chest for him to hold. "Get off my land," she muttered, dragging her feet as she turned around to make her way back inside where she wished to hide. 

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