Chapter 25 #2
Deena’s breath shuddered; she never thought that she and Austin were similar in anyway but looking back, she realized their fierceness when it came to protecting their family and the constant battle to hide their true feelings.
“I owe him my thanks,” Deena whispered.
“You owe him more than that.” Penelope raised a brow at her, and they laughed in comfortable camaraderie.
“I’m just glad that you are safe now.”
Penelope smiled through her own tears. “That is not the only good news. I am going to Scotland tomorrow.”
Deena gasped and grinned at her friend. “To Edward?”
Penelope nodded exaggeratedly. “Yes! My love is waiting. We will be married by the week’s end. And the baby—” Her hand drifted to her stomach. “The baby will have a home. Because of you. Because of your Duke.”
Deena’s heart felt content. “Oh, Penelope! This was all I wanted for you!”
“I know.” Penelope hugged her again.
They clung to each other, crying and laughing at once. The relief was so sharp it hurt.
When they finally drew apart, Penelope’s smile was soft and certain.
“You are lucky, Deena,” she said quietly, “to have someone like the Duke of Windemere.”
Deena looked down at her wedding ring. The plain gold band held a whole new meaning to her.
“I am lucky,” she quietly agreed.
For a moment, Austin simply observed them from the doorway of the drawing room, silent and still, as though he were witnessing something sacred.
An unfamiliar and disarming warmth spread through his chest. He had seen his wife in many states, defiant, guarded, and even furious, but he had never seen her like this.
So open, so vulnerable, and so alive with compassion.
He cleared his throat gently, causing both women to startle and rise quickly from the couch. Penelope dipped into a curtsy, but Austin raised a hand.
“Please,” he said quietly. “There is no need for that.”
Miss Grande straightened, her cheeks flushed. Deena turned towards him with shimmering eyes; her lips curved into a trembling smile. Austin’s gaze lingered on her, and for a heartbeat, the rest of the room ceased to exist.
I would do anything for her.
The mere thought scared him. He had never cared that deeply for someone.
“Your Grace,” Penelope’s soft voice pulled him to reality, “I owe you more than I can ever repay.”
Austin shook his head. “You owe me nothing, Miss Grande. What was done was necessary, and I would do it again without hesitation.”
Miss Grande’s eyes glistened. “Still, I must thank you. You gave me back my freedom.”
“You should thank your friend,” Austin replied, glancing at Deena. “She is the reason I acted. Without her, I would not have known the urgency.”
Deena’s smile faltered into something more fragile. He regretted leaving her for so long, but when he left her chamber, and the footman arrived with a letter from Mr. Whitman saying there was likely to be some trouble at the Port with Miss Grande and her family, he had no choice.
He wished he could have told her about his plan from the very beginning. How Whitman’s investigator found the convent that Penelope was moved to, and how planning her escape was not easy. They did not foresee the potential troubles. But it all worked out, and he was pleased.
“Miss Grande,” Austin addressed her. She stepped forward, her hands clasped before her. “You are to leave for Scotland tomorrow; you will be chaperoned and protected… Lord Edward awaits you.”
Penelope smiled brightly and looked at Deena.
“You deserve peace and a home for your child.” Deena hugged her tightly.
Seeing Penelope’s joy made him understand why his wife had helped her meet her lover.
Miss Grande’s lips trembled into a smile when she turned back to Austin. “I would be honored if you and Deena visited us. Edward would welcome you both.”
Austin’s eyes flickered to Deena, who stood overwhelmed with emotion. He gave a small nod. “We shall consider it. My footman will take you to our guest room, where you may freshen up and prepare for your journey ahead.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Penelope curtsied once more, despite his earlier protest, and then turned to Deena. They embraced again, whispering promises of letters and visits. Austin waited patiently until Penelope finally departed, leaving the room quieter with unspoken words.
Deena remained standing, her hands twisting together. She looked at him with uncertainty.
“I am sorry that I—”
“I do not know how to thank you,” her whisper cut him off. “You did not need to do all this.”
Austin stepped closer to her but did not touch her. “Stop saying that.”
Her brows furrowed. “But this was not your burden to carry.”
“Deena, you are not a burden. Everything you need—it is my pleasure to get it for you.” His gaze held hers. “People find happiness when they get to help the one they love.”
Deena’s breath caught as she stared at him. Austin knew that his words had struck something deep within her, just as it did for him. He had never loved anyone before, and yet here he was, baring himself to Deena. Confessing that it was more than just caring for her.
Deena’s breath caught. Her lips parted, and her eyes widened with a soft, startled vulnerability. “Austin… do you truly mean that?”
He stepped closer, drawn to her as though pulled by something he could no longer resist. “I would not say it if I did not.”
“But—” She swallowed, voice trembling. “I have never wanted to be someone’s responsibility.”
“You are not,” he said gently. “You are my choice.”
Her eyes shimmered, and she looked away for a moment, as if the intensity of his words was too much to bear. “I do not know if I deserve that.”
It is I who does not deserve it.
“You do,” he said, firmer now. “More than anyone I have ever known.”
She let out a shaky breath. “You make it sound so simple.”
“It is simple,” he murmured. “At least for me.”
She looked up at him again, searching his face. “Why?”
Austin exhaled slowly, feeling the truth rise in him like a tide he could no longer hold back. “Because caring for you does not take from me. It gives me something I did not know I was missing.”
Deena looked up at him, and Austin could not quite read her expression. No woman looked at him the way she did, with such…admiration and compassion. Austin cleared his throat. “Your brother is another perfect example of someone who cares deeply for you,” he continued.
Her brows creased. “Dom?”
Austin felt the weight of her gaze, but he did not flinch. He wanted her to understand that she was not alone, not anymore.
“Yes, Dee, Dominic could have helped you sooner,” Austin said, raising an exaggerated brow at her. “Your brother would have gladly stood by you from the very beginning, if only you had let him. But you were stuck in your mind, convinced you had to carry everything alone.”
Deena swallowed hard and sighed. Her lips twitched into a small smile. “Yes, Dominic could have. But you know him.”
Austin laughed. “He is just like you, Dee, stubborn and defiant.”
She smiled softly.
“Yes, I agree. But…Dominic was not the one who helped me.” Her voice shook as she looked at him with unfamiliar admiration. “You did.”