The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 204: The Future

A few days after Ashby’s arrest, Austin walked into his study and sat at his desk. And to his surprise, the table was empty. There were no confidential letters, investigation files waiting for him.

He opened one of the drawers and found an old supply report from months ago and started reading it, even though he had already read it a number of times.

Alina came to the study an hour later and found him still at the desk.

"That report is from three months ago," she said from the door.

"I’m just verifying the numbers."

"How many times will you verify them? I was sitting across from you when you did."

"I think..."

Alina snatched the report from his hand before he could finish.

"Why are you stressing yourself?" she asked.

Austin sighed as he turned to look at her.

"Harrington is running the castle fine," he said. "Maren has no active operations. Cecily has settled. We are happy. I have nothing to do."

Alina laughed at his response.

"Most people would call it a good day."

"Those people aren’t dukes," Austin replied.

"Get up," Alina said, taking his hand. "We are leaving."

"Where?"

"Outside. Since we both have nothing to do."

Alina took him to the market with her. They had visited the market together before as well but today it felt different. People greeted them as they passed, laughing and chatting, completely unbothered by the fact that a duke was walking among them.

"Nobody is afraid," Austin whispered, glancing around.

"Why would they be?"

"In my father’s time, people went into hiding when the duke passed through. They were scared for their lives."

"They’re not afraid because you’re not your father," Alina replied. "People don’t hide when they see you. Instead, they smile and greet you. It’s because they trust you."

Austin glanced at the people around him again. It felt strange how something he had spent years trying to earn felt so unfamiliar when he finally had it.

As they wandered through the market, Alina stopped at a fabric stall out of habit. The merchant brightened immediately.

"Lady Alina! We heard about the wedding."

Alina groaned.

"You know?"

"Entire Ravenmoor knows," he replied.

"Great!" Austin sighed.

"It’s good news, Your Grace. People like good news," The merchant laughed.

Austin’s smile disappeared instantly. He had spent most of his life preparing for disasters.

Good news always felt like a fragile thing out of his reach. Alina noticed his expression and nudged his shoulder.

"He is right," Alina said.

"About the wedding?"

"People liking good news," she rolled her eyes.

Austin let out a small laugh.

"I have spent so many years preparing for bad news that I forgot good things are allowed to happen too."

"They’re more than allowed, Austin" Alina said, holding his hand tightly. "You have earned them."

By the time they left the market, the afternoon sun was sinking lower. Instead of going back to the castle, they walked towards a small lake south of Ravenmoor.

The lake was peaceful. They sat together and quietly listened to the wind move through the trees.

It seriously felt strange because after months nothing was wrong. And they weren’t used to it.

"I keep waiting for something to go wrong," Austin whispered suddenly, looking at the water in front of him.

"Nothing is going wrong."

"I know. And honestly, that’s what scares me," he confessed. "Every good thing I’ve had has been taken. My parents, Cecily’s safety, the years I should have spent enjoying my life.

Every time I let myself believe things were fine, something went wrong."

He lowered his gaze as he continued speaking.

"I look at you and all the happiness around us and think maybe this is the moment before it falls apart."

"I’m scared too," Alina admitted. "But not because of this. I wonder whether I deserve all of this. A few months ago, I was just a bankrupt merchant’s daughter. And now I’m marrying a duke. Who knew I could have a fairytale of my own?"

"You deserve it," Austin said. "You have built this life yourself."

Alina smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I think we’re both learning the same thing," she said.

"And what’s that?"

"How to be happy," she replied with a smile. "For years we have been just surviving. You were carrying a duchy on your shoulders and I was trying to survive one day at a time. But we didn’t know that surviving and living aren’t the same thing."

The words struck Austin deeper than he expected.

"Maybe happiness feels frightening because neither of us has had much experience with it," Alina continued.

Finally, a smile appeared on Austin’s face.

"That is very wise of you," he muttered.

"I have my moments," she laughed.

As they walked back to the castle, Alina spoke again.

"Do you think we can get a whole year without something going wrong?" Alina asked.

Austin pretended to think for a moment though he already had an answer.

"With you?" Austin said. "Unlikely."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Alina sounded offended.

"Every significant crisis in my life began after you arrived in my life," Austin stated.

"But that’s not my fault. I wasn’t the one who arranged those conspiracies."

"You didn’t arrange them," he admitted. "But you attracted them. Crises follow you the way Harwick follows chicken."

"So you’re saying I’m a crisis magnet?"

Austin nodded.

"And yet you’re marrying me?" Alina asked, raising her brows.

"Yes... yet I’m marrying you. Because every good thing in my life arrived with your chaos."

"Was that supposed to be romantic?"

"It is to me."

Alina huffed.

"But to me it sounded like you’re comparing me to a natural disaster."

"You are a natural disaster."

"Austin!" She smacked his arm, making both of them laugh.

"The truth is...if I had to choose between a quiet life without you and a chaotic life with you...I’d choose a chaotic life every time."

"Even if another conspiracy appears tomorrow?"

"Especially then."

"Even if I attract trouble?"

"You will keep attracting troubles," Austin said. "But you also make it worth dealing with."