The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 82: A Visit From Home

Alina was in her room, trying to read a poetry book she had found in the library’s abandoned corner. It was in an eastern language. The cover was worn, and the pages had turned soft with time. She didn’t understand a word but wanted to learn. She had been staring at the same line for almost ten minutes when suddenly the door opened.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise as her hands froze on the book.

"Elspeth?"

"Hello, my little girl."

Alina was on her feet before she even realized it. She crossed the room in an instant and threw her arms around her. Elspeth held her just as tightly. They stood clinging to each other as if they had been separated for centuries.

"How are you here?" Alina pulled back, her eyes slightly wet. "How did you..."

"Because I missed you," she replied, cupping her cheeks.

"Father...how is he?"

"He is better," Elspeth smiled. "The duke arranged a personal nurse for him. Your father complained for a week, of course. But now he can’t stop praising her cooking."

Alina looked at her, startled.

"I didn’t know."

"The duke didn’t tell you?"

A small smile tugged at her lips.

"He doesn’t tell me anything. He just... does it."

Elspeth gave her a knowing smile.

"He is a good man, Alina. I knew it the moment he saved your father."

"I know," Alina nodded in agreement.

She led Elspeth to the bed and sat beside her, still holding her hand as if afraid she might disappear.

"I really wanted to see how you were doing," Elspeth said. "Though I knew you’d be well. You’ve always been good at being good, even when things were bad."

"I have a sewing circle now," Alina said, excitedly. "We are fifteen women who are making military uniforms officially. We even have a seal."

"A seal?" Elspeth repeated, impressed.

Alina nodded, a spark of pride lighting her face.

"My collar design will be used by all troops. The old one didn’t protect the neck properly. I fixed it."

Elspeth squeezed her hand.

"Your mother would have been so proud of you."

Alina’s smile faded slightly.

"Elspeth... I need to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Was mother... from the east?" She asked, softening her voice. "Dorian...the visiting prince... said I have eastern features. Even one of the king’s guard mentioned it."

Elspeth hesitated as if not wanting to talk about it. But when she looked at Alina and noticed the desparation in her voice and hope in her eyes...she wavered.

"Yes," she said. "She was from a kingdom far to the east."

Alina’s fingers tightened around hers.

"Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?"

"Because she didn’t want anyone to know." Elspeth replied. "She left her family behind when she married your father. They didn’t approve of him."

Alina looked down at their hands.

"And I was never supposed to know?"

"She wanted you to grow up without that burden."

Alina nodded slowly, though her thoughts were still spiraling. After a moment, Elspeth smiled again.

"I’m just glad to see you well. My heart is at peace. I can return and..."

"You are going back?" Alina stared at her.

"Yes...I only came to see you."

"Stay for few days...please." Alina requested.

"But the duke..."

"He won’t say no."

"You’re very sure of that."

"He doesn’t say no to me anymore. It’s one of the few things I’m sure of."

Elspeth laughed.

"Fine," she agreed.

Relief flooded through Alina as she pulled her into another embrace.

In the afternoon, Alina brought Elspeth to the garden with her. The women were already working. They looked up as Alina approached them with Elspeth.

"Everyone," Alina said. "This is Elspeth."

Marguerite was the first one to step forward. She went to her and took her hands.

"Then you’re family."

Elspeth’s vision blurred as she pushed back the tears.

"I’m just a caretaker."

"You’re the woman who raised Alina Ashworth," Lady Brennan said. "That makes you far more than that."

Evelyn immediately appeared with a cup of tea.

"Please drink it. I made it myself."

"Thank you," Elspeth replied, accepting the cup.

"And don’t forget to tell us embarrassing stories about Alina. We’ve been waiting for someone who knew her before she became a wild cat."

Laughter rippled through the group. Elspeth sat, and told them how Alina had once tried to bake bread and set the kitchen on fire, how she once shouted at a merchant in the middle of the road who had overcharged them for groceries.

The women laughed. They welcomed her as warmly as Alina had welcomed them a month ago. Alina watched them from a distance, tears brimming in her eyes. Her heart was full.

That evening, Alina recieved an invitation to a garden party hosted by Audrey in the main garden. Alina didn’t want to go at all. She knew better than to trust anything Audrey arranged. But she also knew refusing would only draw more attention and likely bring Audrey to her door.

So she changed her mind.

Alina entered the garden late, hoping to avoid the fake pleasantries. But something else surprised her, instead.

Audrey made Alina sit beside Dorian. Alina smiled at Dorian as she took her seat. Audrey herself was beside Austin.

"They make a lovely pair," Audrey whispered to Austin.

Austin didn’t respond. His whole attention was on Dorian who was pouring Alina’s wine.

Dorian was charming, attentive and easy to talk to unlike Austin. He asked about Elspeth, her childhood, even shared his own embarrassing childhood stories that made Alina burst into laughter.

Audrey watched them with a calculating smile. Alina caught it and understood her game. With the marriage delayed, she couldn’t move forward with the list of suitors she had prepared for her. So she had made Dorian her next target.

But Alina knew that Audrey’s warmth was strategy, and Dorian’s interest was calculation.

But she was past that now. She had learned how to play her own cards as well.

Soon, the party ended and the guests dispersed. Alina stood at the edge of the garden, watching the sunset.

Austin was heading back to the castle when he saw her and stopped.

"Alina."

She turned.

"Elspeth settled in well?"

"Yes," she replied. "After all you arranged everything."

He shrugged.

"It was nothing."

"Really?" She asked. "You arranged the carriage to make sure her journey was comfortable. You even gave her the most luxurious guest room in the castle."

She took a step closer to him.

"It was very kind of you."

"I don’t know...I don’t know how to say things," he admitted. "Words...aren’t easy for me."

"Then don’t use them," she said. "Stay how you are. Just don’t stop."

He smiled and reached for her hand again.

"Thank you," she said. "For Elspeth...for everything."

They stood, looking at each other. Their hands entwined as firelight flickered around them.

Audrey, who had been talking to an Astorian ambassador, watched them. Her fingers curled slowly into her palms, her nails pressed in harder, and deeper until they started to bleed.

From the garden gate, Dorian watched all of them and smiled in satisfaction.

He walked towards Audrey who was standing alone now, the ambassador had already left , feeling neglected.

"Careful, Your Highness. You’ll ruin your gloves."

Audrey’s eyes snapped to him.

"Thank you for your concern, Prince Dorian. But I’ll manage."

"I’m sure you will." He glanced towards the garden. "They seem... quite comfortable with each other, don’t they?"

Audrey followed his gaze. Austin and Alina were already walking towards the castle, their hands still intertwined.

"Remember you’re a princess," Dorian said and walked away.

Audrey watched him go, then looked back at the garden. Austin and Alina had disappeared through the castle door.

She looked at her palm and quietly wiped the blood against her dress.

The party is over but the game is not.