The Duke's Bed Warmer-Chapter 16: Trouble At The Stable

Alina had been awake for half the night, thinking about how Audrey had done nothing but show her kindness and she had repaid her kindness with doubt.

The first thing she did the next morning was knock on Audrey’s door.

Audrey herself opened the door. Her blonde hair was half-braided, and she was wearing a riding outfit. Behind her, a maid was preparing her bag.

"Miss Ashforth?" Audrey’s brow furrowed. "Is something wrong? It’s barely past dawn."

"I...I owe you an apology." Alina said, the words tumbling out. "I didn’t eat the pastries you sent."

"It’s okay." She replied, smiling, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

"No, it isn’t." Alina stepped forward and lowered her voice. "I was warned about this castle and the people in it. I was told not to eat anything prepared especially for me. I was afraid and... I let that fear make me doubt you. I’m sorry."

Audrey’s grip on the door, loosened. She stepped aside, gesturing Alina to come inside.

"Wait outside," she said to the maid. "Give us a moment."

The maid bowed and left. Audrey closed the door and turned to Alina.

"Rosilyn?"

"You know about her?" Alina asked, surprised.

Audrey walked to her dressing table and began lightly brushing her braid.

"She was... strange. She thought everyone in the castle wanted to harm her." She shook her head. "I tried to talk to her but she never reciprocated."

"She was scared."

"I know, and I don’t blame her for that," Audrey said gently. "But she was wrong. And honestly, I think I might have done the same, in your place."

"So...you’re not angry?"

"I was but you came here and explained yourself. That’s not a small thing." She smiled. "Let’s forget it and start again."

"Thank you."

"Don’t thank me. Just don’t believe what strangers say about me next time."

Alina nodded.

"You’re going out for riding?" Alina asked, suddenly.

"Yes. I ride every morning when the weather allows." She turned to Alina, suddenly excited. "Do you ride?

"I used to. I had a tutor when... things were better. But it’s been years."

"You don’t forget," Audrey said, reaching for her gloves. "I’d take you today, but I’m already late and I have some business before I leave." She paused. "But I’ll send word to the stablemaster. He’ll have a horse ready for you whenever you want."

"You don’t have to..."

"I want to." Audrey smiled. "You must be bored spending all your time in the castle daily. You need to have a little change."

"Thank you," Alina replied, genuinely grateful.

"Then...I’ll go now. See you later."

As she walked back to her room, she kept thinking about Rosilyn. She needed to talk to her to understand why she had warned her, and what she had been so afraid of.

She saw a kitchen maid in the corridor and stopped.

"Do you know where I can find Rosilyn Cross?"

The maid’s eyes widened.

"Lady Cross? She doesn’t live here. She’s married to some minor lord, I don’t know his name. She only visits when he has business in Ravenmoor."

"I saw her here last week in the garden."

"She and her husband were here for the grain negotiations. They left three days ago. I don’t know when they’ll return."

"And before that? How often did she come to the castle?"

The maid shrugged.

"Rarely. Once or twice a month, maybe. She keeps to herself and is...weird. No one knows much about her."

"Thank you."

The maid hurried away.

Alina stood in the corridor, thinking over what she had heard. Rosilyn barely visited the castle and kept to herself. Austin had married her off to a minor lord, and she had faded into a life away from Ravenmoor.

Yet she had appeared in the garden, exactly when Alina was there and warned her.

I was wrong. Rosilyn might be afraid but that didn’t mean her fear was real.

At night, Austin started the conversation, which was unusual for him.

"It was nice of you to apologize to Audrey," he said quietly.

She turned to him.

"You know about that?"

"I know about all the things that happen in this castle." He paused. "It was also nice of her to forgive you."

"I was wrong," Alina said. "I doubted her for no reason."

Austin didn’t reply. Silence stretched between them for a few minutes, and then he spoke again.

"I found a new poetry book on my desk today that isn’t mine."

Alina stiffened.

"Oh... I must have left it there while reading. I’m sorry."

"Don’t do that again." He said quietly. "It got mixed in with my ledgers. I spent four minutes looking for a report that was underneath it."

She was already getting up.

"I’ll get it now..."

"You can do that in the morning."

Alina nodded and lay down again.

In the morning he was gone, as always. She sat up, rubbing her eyes and walked towards his desk.

The desk had been divided. One side held his documents, ledgers, and letters that were neatly arranged. On the other side was her poetry book.

Alina noticed a small note on top of the poetry book.

You may use the desk when I am not here. Keep your things to the left.

She smiled, folded the note carefully, tucked it into her pocket, and went to get ready for the day.

Later that morning, Audrey’s maid arrived again, this time carrying a bundle of clothes. She laid it on Alina’s bed with a smile.

"Her Highness said you might need these, miss. She hopes they fit."

It was a riding outfit. A woollen jacket, breeches, gloves and knee-length boots.

"Please thank her," Alina said.

The maid nodded and left.

Alina immediately dressed up, excitement bubbling through her. It had been so long since she had ridden a horse, and the thought of leaving the castle, even briefly, made her even happier.

The stables smelled of hay and horses as she stepped inside. She had expected the stablemaster to be an older man, but instead found someone younger.

"Can I help you?"

"I’d like a horse prepared, please. The princess sent word yesterday..."

"The princess might have sent word to Robert," he replied. "Robert is not here today and I don’t have any instructions."

"Then I’m telling you now." She said, politely.

He crossed his arms.

"I have no instructions," He repeated. "I can’t just hand over a horse to anyone who walks in from the corridor."

"I’m not..."

"I know who you are," he said mockingly. "The whole castle knows who you are. The duke’s....You should come back when Robert is here."

"But..."

"In this stable, your words mean nothing," He said, coldly. "You’re just a woman whose father sold her to clear his debts. Even your father didn’t want you...so by what right are you demanding a horse here?"

Alina felt the words hit her like stones. She had heard everything, from Lady Pemberton’s whispers to the servants’ silence. But this man who didn’t know her, who had never spoken to her, who had decided who she was based on whispers and gossip, had no right to say such things to her.

"Now get out before I ..."

"Before you what?"

The voice came from the entrance. It was cold and dangerous.

Alina turned and saw Austin standing at the stable entrance, looking at the stablemaster with an unreadable expression.