The Duke's Masked Wife Chapter 548 A Seat At The Table (3)



"With the dark cloud lifted, I propose we gather around the table to savor the meal you've prepared. Ideally, Edmund might follow his mother out the door, but I'll settle for the circumstances as they are. Allow me to present my companion," Priscilla declared, gently pulling Alessandra's hand to guide her from the view of Rose's departure.

Alessandra shifted her gaze from the entrance to Priscilla. "Truthfully, I expected you to bring Mark. I feel a touch of letdown. I kept your guest a secret to catch Edgar's reaction."

"What about my desire for a man unentangled with the court escapes you? I seek someone entirely unlike my initial husband—one with ample time for me. I've known him from long ago, and he recently visited Lockwood. He's been generous with presents for me. Observe my footwear," Priscilla remarked, slightly lifting her gown to display the shoes she'd been gifted.

"They look lovely," Alessandra responded. "Does Edmund's presence make things uncomfortable?"

"Naturally, it does. You wouldn't believe how he appears unsettled by my companionship. There's an unwarranted melancholy. I trust this isn't some regret over lost opportunities. I can't handle him realizing affection now. Join me," Priscilla urged, directing Alessandra toward the dining area. Watching Rose exit would have been more amusing if she'd been carried away.

"Prior to shutting this entrance, does anyone wish to behave foolishly? This is your opportunity to exit upright rather than being hurled out ignobly," Edgar warned, keeping the door ajar. At the slightest hint of discord, he intended to eject the participants. He was indifferent if only he and Alessandra remained.

"Have we overlooked the excitement?" Eleanor inquired, cautiously passing Edgar without contact. It resembled skirting a blaze, where a mere brush could ignite her. Had Bryce not abruptly appeared to announce his exit from Lockwood forever, she'd have arrived promptly to see what provoked Edgar's ire.

For Eleanor, Edgar's fury offered prime diversion, ideal for her writings.

"I regret our tardiness," Eleanor expressed.

Alessandra appreciated Eleanor's timely arrival, sparing her from the familial clashes. "Your timing is perfect. We're about to take seats. Reed, locate Caleb and bring him to dine with Sally. I'm unsure where they've wandered off to."

"It's a youthful pair, Alessandra. Should they have slipped away, they're likely engaged in private matters," Eleanor commented.

'I very much doubt that,' Reed mused inwardly. Caleb and Sally's bond remained unchanged—still a pretense of engagement—and now Sally constructed a residence on Edgar's property rather than residing with Caleb. 'He'll end up a solitary recluse.'

With no further arrivals expected, Edgar secured the door. Additional grievances simmered, such as Alfred revealing their confidences, but the evening's tensions sufficed. He'd address the elderly man come morning. For the present, he'd allow the dinner to unfold per Alessandra's vision.

"You still have a moment to accompany her," Edgar noted, passing his father, whose gaze fixed on the window tracking his grandmother's retreat.

"I'm alright," Edmund answered, averting his eyes from the pane and trailing Edgar to the dining space. He'd confront his mother tomorrow should she linger in town. What currently disturbed him was beholding his former wife with another gentleman. He'd never anticipated it would trouble him, having wished for her progress and joy.

"Care to reveal the identity of our table's newcomer?" Edgar questioned upon entering the dining room. His attention stayed on the fellow Priscilla had escorted. She now mirrored Alessandra in adopting waifs.

"Edgar, you might have let me settle before inquiring about him. Meet David Wright, an acquaintance from my youth. He excels as a merchant, and you'll appreciate that he's in Lockwood to capitalize on gun-making expertise, especially with their impending legalization in the realm, launching his venture," Priscilla explained.

"I've journeyed beyond the kingdom for years, mastering gun construction and mechanics. The realm lacks knowledge of various gun varieties. I aim to pioneer a trade in producing and distributing diverse firearms here. Priscilla mentions your interest in guns, Edgar," David added, seeking to ignite dialogue with Edgar.

"I'm no youth, and firearms aren't playthings to flaunt for my approval," Edgar retorted, distrusting the intruder in his abode. Yet, he relished how this fellow unsettled his father—time for Edmund to experience the sting.

"An amusing tale: absent my family's deep connections to the Collins, I might have wed David through arrangement. Our clans were intimate before their relocation. Fascinating, isn't it?" Priscilla grinned. Without her father's fixation on Collins' riches, she could have partnered with David, evading Rose's trivial quarrels.

Alessandra sensed the atmosphere thicken following Priscilla's words. It would have passed without Edmund's attendance. "I'm delighted to host you all this evening," she interjected, steering the talk away before Edgar's typical iciness toward David emerged and tensions escalated between Priscilla and Edmund. 

"I cherish each of you uniquely and rejoice in sharing this table tonight. It's regrettable not everyone could attend, yet I anticipate a future gathering where every seat is occupied," Alessandra continued, glancing at the vacant spots down the table.

"Grateful for the summons. Without your kindness, I'd cling to my tie with Bryce, lacking other female companions. Your frequent invitations have introduced me to delightful women I enjoy," Eleanor stated, lifting a water goblet in Alessandra's honor. "I wouldn't have encountered Reed without you. Uncertain if that's beneficial or not yet."

Reed disregarded Eleanor, recalling their solitary moments where her deeds aligned with her boldness, her words then harmonious with her gestures.

"I reckon Edgar and I would remain estranged without your influence," Priscilla contributed, echoing the gratitude to Alessandra.

"The same holds for me," Edmund affirmed, elevating his glass.

"I'd continue fretting over Edgar's isolation. Thank you for entering his world," Alfred expressed.

All except Alessandra directed looks toward Edgar at the table's far end.

"Why in hell are you all gawking at me? She's aware of how she transformed my existence. No need to declare it here," Edgar grumbled.