The Duke's Masked Wife Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Loyal (1)

“Besides the Baron, everyone else has retired for the night. Once the kitchen is cleaned up, all of you may return to your quarters. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow. Run along,” Jas clapped his hands, dismissing the servants he gathered in the kitchen.

“Every day we have a lot of work. Have you spoken to the Baron about getting more workers? At least one more maid and person to help out in the kitchen,” Mario spoke up. He was tired of working two jobs but only received one.

“I have brought it up to the Baron and it will be further discussed in the morning. The Baron will not want to hear of it when he returns. Let’s wait and see how tomorrow goes. Sally!” Jas called to the previously fired maid. “You are to be by Alessandra’s door early in the morning.”

“Is there no other work I can do instead of being her maid? I can-”

“Stop right there,” Jas held up his hand, a signal he made to stop the workers from going against what he told them to do. “You should be thankful you aren’t working under Kate. Matter of fact, you should be thankful to still have a job. Welco to the real world where you have to do things you do not like.”

“But there are many rumors surrounding her. How can I be her personal maid?” Sally was deeply worried about her future with Alessandra. “What if others start making up rumors about ? They’ll say I am cursed too.”

“That is nothing for you to concern yourself with. Either accept Alessandra or Kate. Keep in mind that Alessandra is engaged to the Duke and there is a possibility you will follow her to his residence until he shall hire her a personal maid he trusts. Hold out till then as the paynt will be better,” said Jas.

.....

Jas knew Sally ca from a fallen household so she was new to recognizing the opportunities presented to her and how to use them to her advantage. Alessandra was no longer just the Baron’s daughter. She would soon beco a Duchess if she successfully marries the Duke.

This was a ti to latch yourself unto Alessandra so you could follow her to the Duke’s ho. If he could, he would follow her in a heartbeat.

“But still...” Sally trailed off unsure if that was worth it. She already has many people talking about what happened to her family.

“If you fail to be by her door when morning cos I shall have you working under Kate again. Keep in mind Kate is not happy with you. You’ve worked under her for a year, do you wish to go back to her?” Jas knew this would persuade her.

“No. I’ll be with Alessandra in the morning,” Sally replied.

“Good,” Jas turned on his heels to retire now that he checked off everything he needed to do before bed. “Why is everyone here so draining?” He rubbed his temple as he walked. “I need to find another job first or maybe I should just quit.”

Jas didn’t care that the job wouldn’t be a butler position. Anything was better than working for the Baron as his talents were being wasted here. He was not appreciated and was overworked.

In the corner of his eyes, as he was about to turn into the hallway leading to his bedroom, Jas thought he had seen a shadow move but as he stared at where the shadow had been, no one seed to be there. He blad what he saw on how tired he was and continued to walk on.

“Why is my door open?” Jas muttered as he found the door of his bedroom slightly opened as if soone had been in it and as they left, the door had not closed all the way. “Did soone steal my money? Baroness?”

“Hello Jas,” Katrina sat up from his bed. “I have been waiting a long ti for you to return.”

Jas didn’t understand why Katrina would enter his bedroom this late into the night. He had never seen her visit the servant quarters before. “Is there sothing you are in need of? I shall fetch it right away, Baroness.”

“Where has my husband run off to? I know you saw the na. I do not enjoy it when secrets are kept from , Jas. I am a woman who must know everything. Give the na,” Katrina ordered him. Jas was a little fly around her husband, knowing many things she did not.

Jas bowed his head, unable to give her an answer. The Baron made it clear he was not supposed to speak of his business to anyone. Not even his own wife.

“You sure are loyal enough to my husband to keep your mouth shut however, it won’t do you any good to not be loyal to . What do you think of , Jas?” Katrina asked, walking around the room slowly to inspect what Jas owned.

“You are a wonderful mother and wife, Baroness. Many have spoken of your beauty.”

Katrina smiled, enjoying the flattering complints. “Don’t they speak of getting with the Baron as soon as he divorced his first wife? So spoke of being in the picture while he was still married and questioned how quickly I beca pregnant. They are all fools, aren’t they?”

“Yes, Baroness.”

“Why do you think I married the Baron, Jas?” Katrina asked another question.

Jas was puzzled by the questions she was asking him this late in the night when she could have waited until morning. Jas felt uneasy like sothing bad was going to happen. “The Baron is an excellent man.”

“He is but he was also wealthy. How could I not want to get with him? You might have a poor opinion of now but that is how the world works. I will admit I did fall in love with him afterward but that love has faded away. I am bored Jas and I need sothing new. You are young and fresh,” Katrina said as she caressed a flower Jas cared for in a vase.

Jas wondered for a mont if Katrina was referring to him and not the flowers. He ntally slapped himself for having such a thought when referring to a married woman. “They are flowers from the garden. I am going to have more of them planted around. If you have any...” his voice trailed off when Katrina started to laugh.

“Are you really this innocent, Jas? I have caught your eyes on many tis before. It is good to know I still have my charm,” Katrina ran her hand through her hair. “I have the beauty to rival the queen. That is why many of the won here are jealous of , right?”

Jas was unable to Katrina as he was filled with guilt and embarrassnt for being caught staring at her. How could he not stare when she was a beautiful woman? However, he knew his boundaries. Katrina was a married woman and his employer.

“There are many n who sleep with their maids,” Katrina said as she approached Jas. Her right hand lingered on the string tied to keep her dress from becoming loose. “Then there are the won who have their butlers. This can be our little secret,” she touched his chest.

“I-It is not proper for to do such a thing. You are married and the Baron is a good man,” Jas took a step back away from her. The situation had gone from zero to one hundred quickly.

It was bad enough that a married woman was alone in her room at this ti but now she was offering him to have an affair with her. The Baron would have him killed if he were to know of this.

Katrina remained persistent in seducing Jas though he refused her advances. “You are scared to be caught but I won’t tell anyone if you don’t. I’ll also be in trouble if word of this gets out. Give this one night to change your mind,” she started to untie the knot.

“I cannot,” Jas refused her again and turned around to leave but as he did so, he found a maid standing by the door. He had been so caught up in what Katrina was doing that he hadn’t noticed anyone arriving or the door still being open.

Katrina sighed, annoyed Jas didn’t think with his penis rather than his brain. “Why couldn’t you have just accepted the offer, Jas? You will make things so much more difficult for yourself. You saw the whole thing right?”

“Yes Baroness,” the maid replied.

Jas looked back and forth between the maid and Katrina. Only now did he rember this was Katrina’s personal maid. “I rejected you.”

“I saw you try to take advantage of the Baroness while her husband was away,” the maid proclaid as loudly as she could.

“You,” Jas was in disbelief such a claim could be made when Katrina was the one coming onto him. “Baroness,” he begged Katrina to clear this up.

“I am alone and defenseless in my ho. With my husband gone and only my daughter here, my butler tried to take advantage of . Threatening to kill if I didn’t follow him to his room. Thank goodness my maid was around and saved in ti before sothing could happen,” Katrina’s eyes filled with tears.