The Duke's Bed Warmer-Chapter 56: Women in Society

Audrey knocked on Austin’s study door once and walked in without waiting for an answer.

"How’s your leg?" she asked.

"Fine."

"The physician said..."

"Not again," Austin sighed. "The man never stops talking."

She sat across from him.

"You used to say the same thing about your tutors," she smiled.

"Because they never stopped talking either."

"Really? Or did you hate being told what to do?"

He smiled.

"I still do."

She crossed her legs and looked at him as she used to when they were kids.

"Do you remember when you fell off the grey mare at Harwick? You were... twelve? Thirteen?"

"Twelve."

"You sat up with mud on your face and told the stablemaster you had done it on purpose."

"I had."

She laughed and he joined her a second later. At that moment, they weren’t the duke and the princess. They were just two people who had been each other’s friends for a very long time.

"I missed this side of you," Austin said softly.

"So have I," she replied. "But being friends with each other doesn’t change the fact that we’re engaged."

"Of course. It doesn’t," he agreed. "But since you’ve been avoiding me since your father’s announcement...the castle is already whispering."

"I was angry and needed distance," she paused. "But I’m done punishing you with silence. I’m ready to take my seat next to you again because it’s where I belong."

He smiled.

"No matter what happens...I don’t want to lose you as a friend."

Audrey snickered.

"Still talking about being friends?" she said. "You’re my fiancée, Austin. My father hasn’t cancelled our marriage...he has just postponed it to give you time to resolve things."

"I know."

"Be quick. I don’t want my patience to run out... and I’m sure neither would you."

She then stood and left, her warning lingering in the air. And Austin knew it was not an empty threat.

Alina was in the garden sewing with her circle of ladies. Alina was still thinking about the last night when Austin gripped the edge of her sleeve, wondering whether it was intentional or accidental, when loud voices interrupted her thoughts.

She set down her needle and turned around. The corridor was filled with guards and servants.

"What is happening there?" Marguerite asked.

"Looks like there is a problem. Even His Grace is there," Lady Brennan added.

"You all continue. I’ll go and see," Alina said and walked towards the corridor.

She saw Austin standing in the centre, with a neutral expression, and Audrey beside him. A woman was kneeling before him. She was crying.

"Please, Your Grace," she said, her voice breaking. "Please. Help me.

"The decision has been made," Austin replied. "Petitions reviewed through the formal process cannot be relitigated by personal appeal."

"But..."

"Don’t make me repeat."

The woman sat back on her heels, trembling. A guard stepped forward to drag her away.

Alina jumped in without thinking.

"At least hear her out."

Before Austin could reply, Audrey began to speak.

"Alina...I understand your concern. But petitions pass through a formal process for a reason. This isn’t your domain. It would be better not to interfere," she said politely.

Alina looked at Austin, waiting for him to say something to overrule Audrey but he didn’t.

The guard then grabbed the woman by the arm and led her away. Austin walked on with Audrey while Alina remained standing where she was, watching them disappear around the corner, not knowing what to do.

While walking back to her room in the late afternoon, Alina found the same woman sitting on a bench near the servants’ quarters. She was sitting alone with her hands folded in her lap.

"May I sit?" Alina asked.

The woman looked up and recognized her immediately.

"You’re the one who spoke for me."

"I tried," Alina replied, sitting beside her. "Who are you?"

"My name is Marta," the woman said. "I’m a debt wife. The lord I was sold to treats me poorly. I’m afraid... he would kill me someday. I submitted an official petition to His Grace to release me from the contract given my circumstances. He declined it."

"Are you sure His Grace reviewed your petition?" Alina couldn’t believe Austin would do something like this.

"Yes," she replied. "They told me it was a fair decision but to whom? My abuser husband?"

Alina had no answer.

She reached out and held Marta’s hands.

"I have no power...so I can’t do much. But I promise I’ll do what I can."

Marta looked at her and smiled. She pulled her hands back and stood.

"I should go now. They’re sending me back to the northern estate tonight."

"Take care," Alina said. "And run away if necessary. Don’t think about the consequences. Your life comes first." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Marta nodded and walked away.

Meanwhile, Austin and Audrey were walking in the main garden together.

"Alina has a good heart," Audrey said suddenly.

Austin didn’t say anything.

"But having a good heart isn’t enough. She can never adjust to our world. I’m sure she’ll give up in a day."

Austin stopped walking and turned to her.

"Why are we discussing her?"

"Because apparently she is the reason we don’t have a wedding date."

His expression hardened but he kept his voice steady.

"I’ve told you before, and I’m telling you again. She is my responsibility. No one in this castle is allowed to judge her. Remember, she is under my protection."

Audrey chuckled.

"Your responsibility? So tell me Austin... was this the same case with your previous bed warmers or is Alina special? Because I don’t remember you being so protective and responsible for the previous ones."

"As a duke...I’m only answerable to the king," Austin replied.

"Of course," she said. "Who am I? Just your fiancée? Why would you owe me answers?"

Austin looked away.

"But for what it’s worth... you’ve never had to protect anyone like this before," she continued. "And that is exactly the problem."

She turned and walked towards the castle, without waiting for him.

At night, when he entered the room, he saw Alina standing by the window with her arms crossed.

"Why didn’t you help her?" she asked.

He loosened his collar before speaking.

"Her situation is politically complicated."

"Every woman like her is politically complicated!" Her voice rose. "And that is the real problem! The system is designed to make us complicated, to make it easier to do nothing."

"I can’t save everyone!" His voice rose as well.

"But you could have saved her," her voice broke.

Tears streamed down her face before she could stop them.

"You had the power but you decided not to use it."

Austin couldn’t meet her eyes. He looked down, then away...anywhere but at her face, at her tears, at the hurt he had caused that he didn’t know how to fix.

"I expected better from you," she said with disappointment on her face.

"I’ll be in my study," he replied and left the room.