The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 204: Gathering family (1)

In the Collins estate, Alessandra sat in her private room with a brush in her hands.

The door opened despite her order not to disturb her unless there was an emergency.

Alessandra watched as her son came inside and closed the door behind him.

Alessandra smiled knowingly. "Who are you running from now?"

"Isabelle," Elijah answered. "Lily is too busy to be with Isabelle, so she turned to me the second I came. I thought Isabell would attach herself to Lily with Penelope gone."

"Lily has a busy season, so she will not want to play. It would be good for you to spend time with Isabelle. Soon, it will be her season, and she will not have time for you," Alessandra said, turning her attention back to her canvas.

"That will be a good time," Elijah replied.

"Are you staying to paint with me? You have been busy these days."

Elijah walked over to where his mother sat. "There is much for me to prepare for my future. It is troublesome to have so many mothers trying to push their daughters in my path, so I must always be on the move."

"There have been many invitations to balls sent for you, and special invitations for me to visit homes. I am grateful it is not customary for young ladies to come here seeking the chance to sit with you," said Alessandra.

Alessandra wouldn’t have enough time in a day to welcome visitors who wanted to marry her son.

"Father wouldn’t allow them inside," Elijah said, picking up a canvas as he spoke. He decided to join his mother to paint.

"This will continue until you have found yourself a lady to wed. Lily always faces this. I am not pushing either one of you to wed, but it is your answer. Is there a special lady in your heart?" Alessandra asked, trying to pry.

"You have not introduced me to anyone. Did you think I would scare them away?" Alessandra wondered.

"Unless you noticed something I didn’t, I would never expect you to send a lady away from my side. I have not found the woman I want to marry. When I do, I will bring her right to you for your opinion," said Elijah.

"You don’t need to hear my thoughts to marry anyone. It is your happiness. You will be the one to decide if you can live happily ever after with the woman you choose. I don’t want any part of it," Alessandra said.

Elijah smiled. "You would not tell me if you feel something off about the young lady I chose? Like, she is only after my wealth?"

"I like to believe I have raised you well for you to point out who is trying to use you, but yes, I would share what I notice. I trust that you will pick well and you will have a long, happy marriage," Alessandra said, wishing it for all her children.

"What if I don’t want to be married?" Elijah asked.

"There’s nothing I can do to make you marry anyone. The decision is solely up to you. The title of duke will have to end with you," Alessandra replied.

"I don’t think my father would be thrilled. Luckily, I do intend to marry, but I am still waiting for the woman who will capture my heart. It is hard to have a talk with young ladies when their mothers are near," Elijah said, tired of the clingy mothers.

Alessandra chuckled.

"I speak to the young ladies and their mothers interrupt the talk to sell their daughters like fish in the market. I am certain they would let their daughters endure anything as long as they could become the wife of a future duke," said Elijah.

"I have seen it during my years. I have also heard gossip as of late about who you might marry. Is there some truth to your courtship with Miss Selina?" Alessandra inquired.

Alessandra had known Selina and her mother for a long time, but she didn’t think they were close. Now, Alessandra was hearing that she had a close relationship with Selina.

"If Selina approaches me, I will speak, but why am I hearing that I invite her here? Is there something I must know?" Alessandra asked.

"I have talked to her more than other young ladies, and now the town is convinced she will be my wife. I haven’t made such promises of marriage to anyone. Don’t believe them," Elijah said, annoyed they had reached his mother.

"I will never believe what the town says when I can wait for you to tell me. I do believe you would hide a woman you hold feelings for from me in the beginning. If you ever find love, don’t hold back," Alessandra advised Elijah.

"I will not," Elijah promised.

"When you find your wife, I have the perfect necklace to pass down to your children. I must think of something to pass on to Penelope," Alessandra said, trying to think now. "It is time I invite them over for dinner."

"Leave them where they are. Tyrion has turned into a fool now that he is at Penelope’s side."

"Elijah!"

"It is the truth," Elijah replied.

"Men are always different with their wives. It is considered to be sweet. Are you upset that he doesn’t have time for you anymore?" Alessandra asked, remembering all the time Tyrion and Elijah spent together. "He will make time for you if you ask."

Elijah lost his mood to paint. "Mother, you are wrong. I don’t care that he spends his time with Penelope. Sooner or later, he’s going to realise how evil she can be. Since it is just the two of us here, you can tell me honestly. Where did we find the twins?"

"The place that I found you. I carried all of you inside my womb. Your sisters are not evil," Alessandra said, setting down her brush. "You only say they are evil because they want to be near you. You must cherish the time you have together, Elijah."

"I don’t like it when you speak like this, mother. Instead of planning a dinner to invite Penelope and Tyrion, pick a day to spend with me," Elijah suggested.

"I can do both," Alessandra replied.

The doors opened, and in walked Edgar.

Edgar frowned upon seeing that Elijah had beaten him to spending time with Alessandra.

"Don’t you have something better to do?" Edgar asked as he walked to where Alessandra sat.

"What could be better than sitting with my mother? You should wait your turn, father," Elijah said, his mood to paint returning.

"I wait for no one," Edgar replied, leaning down to kiss Alessandra.

"My time here is done," Elijah said, not wanting to see his parents be affectionate.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢