Chapter 26

Rose felt all eyes were on them, but she didn't pay any heed. She could barely notice them. The only thing that mattered was that William was by her side. She could see that he was enjoying himself, finding pleasure in the simple things and the tension of the earlier events was slowly easing away.

Although it had been only a day, Rose had to admit that she was curious regarding Mr. Trent and his fate. Hearing his story, she felt sorry for the man who seemed to suffer another man's fate. In fact, it seemed that a cruel twist of fate had rendered everyone on the losing side of this game. And Mr. Trent was simply unable to cope with the aftermath of everything that had happened. She could understand him. She could sympathize with him. But actions had consequences. And everyone had to pay the price for them. It seemed that her aunt's curiosity was even greater than her own, because she was the one who asked the question first.

"Your Grace, if you don't mind me asking, but… what will happen to the man responsible for this dreadful incident? Will he be held accountable?" her aunt wondered.

William nodded, his face growing serious. Rose preferred him when he was smiling. He had the most beautiful smile in the world, one that could not be compared to anyone else's. But right now, he had no reason to smile. "Yes, of course, Mrs. Roberts. I shall see to it myself."

"Because…" Aunt Cora sounded concerned as she continued. "Sometimes, people who are responsible for certain wrongdoings end up escaping justice."

"I assure you that this won't happen," William affirmed. "Stephen, I mean Mr. Trent has been taken to prison, where he is awaiting trial by the magistrate. Now, it is highly likely that his father will try to intervene on his behalf. Unfortunately, it will be difficult to prove Mr. Trent's involvement with the fire, since he didn't commit the act himself. The word of a few boys will not hold much weight against the son of a nobleman."

Aunt Cora's eyes widened in shock and grief. "But the attack on Rose—"

"Is entirely another matter," he interrupted her in an effort to reassure both her and Rose, who looked equally concerned. "I was present and witnessed it firsthand. My testimony will be hard to dispute. He will most likely face punishment for that."

Aunt Cora's eyes narrowed with determination. "It is despicable that he might escape justice for the fire."

"I'm just glad that no one got hurt," William said with relief. "No humans, and no horses. As for the stables themselves, it's just a construction that will easily be mended. Do not worry yourself, Mrs. Roberts."

Aunt Cora smiled at his words. "I suppose you are right, Your Grace. But I am still glad that he will be held accountable for his actions against Rose. Thank you, Your Grace, for… being there for her, for standing up for her, for saving her."

William shook his head. "We all worked together, Mrs. Robert. Rose had as much part in saving herself as I did, or Mr. Hancock. She deserves justice for what she has gone through, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that she receives it."

"Thank you, William," Rose gushed, then she hastily corrected herself. "I mean, Your Grace. Your… support means everything to me."

She wanted to say love, but there were too many people around them, and they had not discussed their future together. There were still so many things left unsaid, but the most important one she knew. He loved her, and she loved him. They would find a path to mend everything else.

"I want you to know that you can always count on me, Rose, always," he replied with a smile.

As they continued their leisurely stroll through the bustling market, William turned to Aunt Cora with a thoughtful expression. "Mrs. Roberts, I've been meaning to ask you something. I know how skilled you are with needlework and how busy you must be. However, I was wondering if you might be interested in taking on some work. I'm in need of a seamstress to make new curtains for the library room at the manor. Would you be interested?"

Aunt Cora looked at him, her eyes widening in surprise as she contemplated the offer. She remained silent for a few moments as she weighed her responsibilities and the opportunity presented to her. After a moment, she smiled graciously. "Your Grace, I would be honored to take on the work. It's been some time since I had such a project, and it would be a pleasure to contribute to the manor."

William returned her smile warmly. "Thank you, Mrs. Roberts. I'm sure your skills will bring a fresh elegance to the library. I'll have the materials delivered to you at your convenience."

Rose watched the exchange with a growing realization. This was William's way of starting to make amends for the past, of showing his respect and gratitude to those who had been a part of Rose's life. It was a small but significant step in his efforts to integrate himself into her world, to bridge the gap between his life of privilege and the repercussions of his actions upon his return from the war.

As they continued walking, Rose's heart swelled with a mixture of emotions—gratitude, admiration, and a deepening affection for the man who was proving, in ways both grand and subtle, that he was worthy of her love. But then suddenly, the hum of the market was interrupted by the approach of a group of sturdy-looking men. Rose immediately recognized them as laborers of the village. One of the men, a tall fellow with a broad chest and sun-weathered skin, stepped forward and addressed William with a respectful nod.

"Your Grace," the man began, his voice carrying the tone of someone used to hard work. "We are the workmen you requested for the barn repairs. If it is convenient for you, we would like to start the job straight away."

"Straight away?" William echoed taken aback. Rose however, was not. She knew why that was so, but she couldn't whisper the explanation into William's ear. Not yet, at least.

"Yes," the man confirmed, wringing his hat in his hands. "If, of course, that is all right with you," he repeated in different words.

William quickly regained composure and nodded. "Of course. That is… excellent news. The sooner we begin, the better. Thak you for your promptness."

The lead workman nodded again and motioned for his crew to follow him towards the manor. As the men set off, Aunt Cora watched them with an approving nod. "You've hired good men, Your Grace. They'll have that barn in fine shape in no time."

William smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "I hope so, Mrs. Cora. The estate needs to be in top condition, and this is just the beginning." With the workmen already set for the estate, William continued to give his goodbye to Aunt Cora, turning to Rose then. "Perhaps you would like to join me on my way back to the mansion?"

"Aunt Cora?" Rose turned to her aunt with a pleading smile.

"I don't see why not," Aunt Cora smiled, obviously sensing the deep connection between those two.

"Thank you," Rose leaned closer and kissed her aunt on the cheek.

Several minutes later, William and Rose fell into step beside each other, walking back to the manor instead of returning with a carriage, as per William's wishes. They were only slightly behind the workers, and she could see that he was still confused about everything that had happened at the market.

She couldn't help but gaze at him lovingly, in awe of the knowledge that he loved her as much as she loved him. But that was not all. She yearned to be in his arms again, to feel his lips on hers once more. She wondered when the moment would be right for that? Or for something even more?

"I still don't understand," she suddenly heard him say, his voice bringing her back to the present moment.

"What don't you understand?" she smiled, although she could venture a pretty good guess.

"Why are they so eager to get started?" he mused in a whisper. Although they were well ahead of them, he still didn't want them to overhear him, probably for fear of thinking him rude or ungrateful, neither of which was a characteristic that could be attributed to William. "I only spoke to them a mere hour ago, and we agreed for them to come tomorrow."

Rose inhaled deeply. The time for her explanation had come, and she was glad to provide it. She took him by the hand as they walked, not caring whether someone might notice them or think it inappropriate. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Everyone in the village has learned of all the damage that the boys have done to your estate, especially the stable," Rose explained. "They also know what happened to me… and how you saved me."

William shook his head at her, not letting go of her hand. She could feel the reassuring warmth of his palm against hers and it gave her more strength than she could ever hope for.

"As I told your aunt, you were braver than all of us, Rose," he said tenderly. "You took the first step to save yourself."

"You and Mr. Hancock saved me," she said. "Without your help, Mr. Trent would have pulled me down into the watery abyss."

"I would never let that happen," he told her.

"I know," she smiled. "And now everyone in the village knows it as well. Do you see the man in the light-yellow coat?" William glanced in front of them, then he nodded. She continued. "And the man next to him, on the right?"

"Yes, I see them," he replied, turning to her.

"Those are the fathers of the two boys who brought me to the waterfall," she explained. "They are trying to make amends."

"Amends?" The word reverberated between them, pulling them closer than they had ever been before.

"Yes," she replied. "You did something they never expected you to do. You showed up before them. You were talking to the people, and you made an effort. They all saw that. And because you did all that, it gave them the chance to make amends."

That was when Rose knew that nothing would ever be the same. Finally, the chasm between the Duke of Montford and the village that surrounded his estate would slowly start to close, creating a bridge between the two sides that would finally unite them in a common goal.