The Duke's Bed Warmer-Chapter 28: When Words And Actions Don’t Match

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You’ll see."

The carriage slowed, the wheels crunching softly on gravel. Alina leaned towards the window, pressing her hand on the glass. A modest house came into view.

She turned back to him.

"Whose house is this?"

He was already reaching for the door.

"Be patient."

"For once, would you.."

"Keep your mouth shut," he said, stepping out of the carriage, and offering her his hand. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

She ignored it and climbed down on her own. They walked towards the house in silence. Before they could reach the door, it opened. A woman in an apron stepped out, bowing to Austin before nodding at Alina.

"He is awake," the woman said. "The physician is with him now."

Is she talking about my father?

The house was bright and full of things that felt like memories. A clock ticked on the mantel, flowers sat in a vase and a blanket lay folded over the back of a chair near the window.

Austin stopped at the end of the hallway and gestured towards a closed door.

"Go inside,"

She didn’t hesitate and walked past him, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The room was warm. Sunlight streamed through the window, with white curtains fluttering gently in the breeze. A bed stood at the centre with a small table beside it with water and medicines.

Her father lay against the pillows, his eyes closed. He looked weaker and older. Elspeth sat beside him in a chair, holding a teacup. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Alina standing at the door.

She rushed forward and hugged her tightly.

"You came," Elspeth whispered. "You came."

Alina hugged her back and nodded silently. Elspeth then pulled away, and cupped her face, looking at her to make sure she was okay.

"Look at you." She ran her fingers through Alina’s hair. "You look good."

Her voice trembled but she sounded relieved.

"We were moved here yesterday on the duke’s orders. He sent the carriage, the physician and everything." She glanced at the bed. "The physician says there’s a chance."

Alina looked at her father on the bed. His eyes were still closed. The physician, a woman, was at the window, writing something.

"There’s a chance?" Alina asked.

The physician turned.

"He is weak, but he’s fighting." She smiled. "We need to examine him, so if you can wait outside for a bit..."

Elspeth squeezed her hand.

"Go outside. Take a walk and breathe. He’ll be awake soon and would want to see you."

Alina nodded and glanced at her father before stepping out.

She stood outside the door for a while, listening to the murmurs from inside. Realizing, it would take some time, she looked around. The house was quiet. She stepped outside the hallway and found Austin sitting on a bench, his documents spread on his lap, writing something.

"You can go back inside...or you can sit or we can leave. Your choice." He said without looking up.

She sat on the bench beside him and looked at the garden in front of them.

"The physician is hopeful," she said. "She said he might survive."

He didn’t reply. She glanced at him.

"Why did you do this? Why did you help my father?"

He did not answer. She had expected that. So, she didn’t press him further and just sat beside him, trying to understand the man whose words never matched his actions.

He said she was property, yet he gave her dresses she could alter. He said she should know her place, yet he brought her to see her dying father. He said he did not care, yet he always acted as if he did.

He was impossible and infuriating. But he was also the man who was always there for her, without asking or expecting anything in return.

She wanted to talk to him, demand answers, and understand him but she didn’t.

Maybe now is not the right time.

An hour later, Elspeth came out.

"He is asking for you."

Alina stood up and looked at Austin who was still busy with his documents, pretending he didn’t hear anything.

Her father was sitting when she entered. His face was thin, and his hands were trembling. There was no one in the room except for them. For a long time, neither of them spoke.

"I thought you wouldn’t come," he finally said in his weak voice.

She sat in the chair beside his bed.

"I almost didn’t."

He nodded.

"I wouldn’t have blamed you."

She paused for a moment before speaking.

"I might never forgive you but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re my father." She said. "I still care about what happens to you and I still want you to live."

Tears streamed down his face. He was a man who had spent years pretending to be strong but he finally broke down.

"I’m sorry," he whispered. "I’m sorry, Alina...for everything."

She watched him cry but didn’t know what to do or say. The distance between them had grown far more than she had imagined over the years.

"I’m glad you’re getting better," she said instead.

He nodded and wiped his face.

"Elspeth says the duke arranged all this," he said. "Is he good to you?"

"Finally you asked," she replied. "He is complicated."

Her father smiled.

"You always did like complicated things."

Before she could answer, the physician came back.

"You need to rest," the physician said.

He reached for her hand, holding it just for a moment.

"Come back."

She stood up without answering and walked out of the room. Elspeth was waiting in the hallway.

"You are leaving?"

"Yes. Take care of yourself and him."

Elspeth nodded.

"Take care of yourself as well and come back."

"I don’t think the duke will allow me."

Elspeth frowned.

"Why won’t he?" She asked. "He didn’t have to do any of this. He did it because he cares about you. Maybe... he isn’t what we thought."

Alina looked towards the garden where he had been sitting.

"Maybe not," she agreed.

She walked outside and saw Austin already gathering his documents. He looked up, the moment she stepped outside.

"Do you want to stay?" he asked. "Or leave?"

"If I stayed, would you let me? Alone?"

He did not answer and she smiled faintly.

"I thought not."

They walked to the carriage. Alina climbed in first and he followed. The carriage began to move. She watched the house through the window until it disappeared from her sight.

Then she turned to him who was back to reading again.

"There was no clause in the contract," she said. "Nothing that said you were responsible for him. Since you always go by the contract...I need to know why you did this?"