The Duke's Masked Wife

217 Why not to piss off Edgar Collins (1)

“It’s much prettier when the sun is setting. Edgar, can we have lanterns added to the garden at home? It would be wonderful to look at and see when at night,” said Alessandra. She was in love with Rose’s home during the evening with all the lanterns placed at the entrance.

“Do as you wish. After winter, a budget is placed for anything that needs to be remodeled or removed depending on what the weather damages. You can take care of it this year. There is the decor in storage for the entire house or you can buy whatever you need.”

“There is hardly a need to waste money buying new things if there are some in storage. My one goal is to make our garden beautiful. I can buy clay and try making statues. Do you think your-”

“No,” Edgar flat-out denied what she wanted. He knew that a conversation about flowers would lead to his father being brought up. “He is not welcome in my home because my mother will follow him inside.”

“I did not intend to meet with him at home. We can go out and look for flowers. It would be a nice way to bond with him. I have a better chance of having a relationship with your father than your mother. I should not let it go to waste just because you do not get along with him,” Alessandra said, making it her own decision to meet with Edmund.

Edgar didn’t care what she did with his father in regard to the garden as long as his father was nowhere near his home. He could hear his mother nagging him about his marriage and choosing another woman. Plus, Jennifer’s murder was not yet solved so he wanted Alessandra to not be anywhere near his mother for her name to be included in this mess.

‘Should I find evidence and have my mother arrested?’ Edgar seriously contemplated it. He was positive the person behind the murder was his mother. He would get down on his knees and sincerely apologize to her if he is wrong.
“Thank you,” Alessandra said to Troy after he offered his hand to help her out of the carriage. Edgar seemed to be lost in his thoughts about something so snapped her fingers to wake him up. “Are you going to join me or do you intend to stay here? I cannot go in without the man who has made me become a part of the family. What were you thinking about?”

“Putting my mother in jail,” Edgar replied as he exited the carriage.

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“That’s not odd at all,” Alessandra sarcastically replied. Leave it to Edgar to want to imprison his mother.

“Come,” Edgar took her hand and led her up to the entrance of his grandmother’s home. “Let me show off my wife to everyone.”

“I don’t know about showing off. I have seen the names of women married into your family. Their backgrounds are far better than mine,” said Alessandra.

“They lose out because they do not have your beauty or personality.”

Alessandra felt flustered and her chest had a weird tingly sensation after his words. If just for one minute she would love to jump inside Edgar’s head to see what he would see each time he looked at her. From the beginning until now, his compliments had never changed. At first, she thought he was just being nice but as time went on she realized each compliment he gave to her was sincere.

“Red will be my favorite color because I adore how it spreads across your cheeks and how it stained your lips after I kissed you. The dressmaker will get on my good side if she can present red night dresses with little to no material for you to seduce me. Remember this as a birthday gift for me,” Edgar casually stated as if they were talking about a normal gift like a book.

Alessandra became even more flustered as she imagined what Edgar wanted her to wear. Erin would accept the challenge and drag her back to the shop with the nightwear. “Wait, when is your birthday?” Alessandra asked after realizing she had never asked about it before.

“During winter. It is the day my grandmother will host her annual winter party. This year I expect good presents from my wife. Even if they only last one night,” he whispered to her, and like the teasing man he was, he licked her cheek to toy with her.

It would be an understatement that Alessandra wanted to crawl into a hole and remain there for the rest of the evening. Edgar was ignoring the fact there were other people also walking into the home and now they were being stared at because of Edgar’s display.

“Edgar,” she touched his hand to make him behave.

“I don’t care about their stares and neither should you. Most of them are not judging but wishing to be in our position. You will find many of the people here are in arranged marriages and there is no fire between them. Their jealousy for newlyweds seemingly in love will make them try poking at our marriage. Be prepared,” Edgar warned Alessandra.

People could be cruel when someone else had what they wanted. Sometimes they would be cruel without realizing it.

“Noted,” Alessandra replied. “You must behave for the rest of the night. I do not want any more of your relatives to see you lick my cheek like I am some sort of food.”

“Oh but you are,” Edgar cheekily replied. She was the most tempting dessert that he wanted to taste from head to toe.

“Edgar,” Alessandra pinched the bridge of her nose. After what happened yesterday, a new door of Edgar flirting was opened and now she had to suffer. “Oh! Good evening, lady Collins,” she greeted Rose.

“Good evening, dear. I remember giving you permission to call me, grandmother. Please do so. Edgar,” Rose glared at her naughty grandson. “Please keep your hands to yourself before the party is filled with chatter surrounding your public display of affection.”