The Duke's Masked Wife



"She's not coming back."

"Shut up," Kate muttered, trying silence the voice in her head. She bit away at her finger, regretting her decision to not travel to the court to see her mother. She stayed to hide because of the loss of her title which her mother promised she would keep. 

"You should have gone," Kate scolded herself. It would have been her last time to see her mother before she would be placed in the palace dungeon. "Is it too late?" She wondered. 

Surely the court would allow her to see her mother. 

Kate tapped her fingers on the window glass by the front door. From here she could see that a crowd had gathered by the gates, just waiting for a bit of news or to taunt her. Her old friends would certainly do it.

All thoughts of leaving to travel to the court left her mind. Kate did not want to hear what was being said outside the gates. Aside from Simon, it was peaceful here. She did not wish to be on the receiving end of the harsh things said by the town. 

Kate thought of the things she would have told anyone in this position. Her own words scared her. To face a group of people questioning, or making a mockery of how this house had fallen, was not something she could handle now. It was better to hide away here. 

"What am I to do without a title or relatives?" Kate started to panic once more. James was not here to aid her as her mother had planned. "I can't show my face," she muttered.

To lose her title, her face wounded, and her interactions with Alessandra exposed, she could not show her face around town now. Any hope of people having sympathy for her after what Simon did was long gone. She had a chance if Alessandra had not tricked her to reveal the things she did to the court. 

"You could have shamed your mother and been on the town's side," the voice in her head said.

Kate seriously contemplated it. She could place blame on her mother who would be locked away and unable to deny her claims. Her mother loved her enough to bear this lie so she could survive in Lockwood. 

"No!" Kate shook her head. She loved her mother too much to turn her back on her now. After everything her mother went through, she did not deserve to be abandoned by her daughter too. "What am I to do? I have Simon's money, but how long will that last? How am I to take care of this home alone? Who will want to do business with me?" 

Kate left the window to wait until news about her mother would be delivered. It was a few hours after Clark and Mark had left her so there should be some news soon. For the first time in her life, Kate wanted to drink something strong to numb what she was feeling. 

Before Kate could get far from the front door, she spotted two maids with their bags coming towards her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kate questioned as there was still work left for them to do. 

"Home," one of the maids answered. "Soon there will be no work for us here. We must leave before no one wants to hire us."

"There is still work for you here. I am not poor," Kate reminded them. Anyone could judge her, but she would still use any money she would get from her marriage to Simon. "Put down your bags and get back to work. I told all of you-"

"We are not staying here," the maid interrupted Kate. It was a long time coming that she could speak back to the spoiled young woman. Working for the former baron and baroness was never easy. Then they had to deal with Kate who treated them less than animals. "This house has lost its glory and a woman like yourself who has no idea how to run a household or to bring in any more money will be of no use to us. We need to be paid to survive."

Kate could not believe that a maid of all people was telling her this house had lost its glory. Not the king, not a noble, but a mere maid with nothing to her name was looking down on her. "Go! I don't need you or anyone else who doubts me!" She yelled, pointing to the door for them to leave. "I can replace all of you."

"No one wants to work here," the maid muttered as she walked by Kate. Who would want to work here when there was so much being said about Kate and her mother? The servants were worried that Kate would move and they would be out of a job, so they were leaving first.

Despite her words, Kate became worried when two more servants walked to the door to follow the others. They couldn't leave until she had found someone to replace them. She needed one of them to go outside the gates to find a butler and more servants for her. Kate did not know how to find servants on her own without leaving her home.

Kate turned to a maid standing with a broom in her hands looking out at the door as if contemplating if she wanted to leave or not. "I am going to my room. Do not disturb me unless it is news about my mother," she said. She could not stand here and watch any more servants decide to leave.

Kate felt drained. Life just kept throwing something her way without giving her the chance to relax and plan a move to protect herself. Strangely, she thought life was better in Simon's home. She was a marchioness and no one dared disrespect her. She had her title and status. What she had always dreamed of. Now she had no worth since she had no good reputation. Everything she built up from childhood was gone.

Kate made her way back into her room and sat down on her bed. She had no idea what to do next. For a second, she considered Clark's offer to let him take care of her. She could not go to her grandmother after siding with her mother the last time she was there. If she were to go to the Barretts, they would just look to spend her money and then cast her aside.

There was a knock at the door, followed by a quiet voice. "My lady."

"I just said I do not want to be disturbed. They never listen," Kate said, but she kept her voice quiet to not anger the servant. "Come in."

The same maid Kate spoke to a moment ago entered the room, unable to look at Kate at first. "The guards at the gate delivered a message from the court-"

"Mother!" Kate exclaimed, getting to her feet to read what came of her mother. She snatched the paper from the maid's hands and read what was written. Kate's excitement quickly died as she read what would happen to her mother or what had already happened since hours had passed since she was meant to be at the court to see her mother's punishment. "They will kill her," Kate whispered, her body suddenly feeling cold. 

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