Awakening Love: Reborn to Be His Duchess Chapter 366: Warm Beginnings

While asleep, the sharp authority Cassian usually carried seemed to fade, leaving his features relaxed and strikingly handsome.

The longer Elowen looked at him, the more warmth gathered in her chest. Unable to resist, she slowly lifted a hand and lightly brushed her fingers against his cheek, as if testing whether he might wake.

His eyes opened gradually.

The moment his gaze settled on her face, the corner of his mouth curved faintly.

"You're awake."

His voice was still rough with sleep, low and slightly hoarse in the quiet warmth of the bedchamber.

Caught staring, Elowen's cheeks flushed instantly, the color rising in two soft blooms across her face. She gave a small nod, the sound that followed barely louder than a breath.

"Mm."

Cassian watched her for a moment, the amusement in his eyes deepening.

"And what were you doing just now?" he asked, his tone gentle but curious.

Embarrassment rushed through her again. Elowen quickly lowered her head and hid her warm face against the hollow of his shoulder, her voice soft and muffled.

"I was looking at you."

Cassian did not let the matter rest so easily.

"And why were you looking at me?"

A quiet laugh slipped from her lips as she pressed her face even deeper against him, as though hoping the blankets might swallow her embarrassment whole.

"Because you're too handsome."

For a brief moment Cassian simply stared at her, clearly surprised by the answer. Then a deep laugh rolled out of his chest, warm and unrestrained.

The sound filled the bedchamber.

He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her hair, his voice soft with unmistakable affection.

"If that's the reason, then I suppose this face truly was meant for you."

Elowen remained tucked against his shoulder for quite some time before the heat in her cheeks slowly faded. Only then did she lift her head again.

A faint blush still lingered across her face, and her bright eyes seemed to shine in the pale winter light filtering through the curtains.

Her voice softened. "Cassian, Merry Chritsmas."

Among the royal houses of Avenlor, the Chritsmas was always celebrated with extraordinary splendor. The palace glittered with jewels and gold, tables overflowing with delicacies, music and ceremony continuing late into the night.

Yet for all that magnificence, warmth was strangely rare.

In past years, whenever Cassian returned from the royal feast in the palace, he often found himself standing inside the vast halls of Duskmoor Manor with a faint sense of emptiness.

The manor was enormous, its chambers numerous and silent. During the winter nights the corridors could feel almost echoing in their stillness.

Year after year, the passing of the holiday seemed no different from any other day.

But this year felt entirely different.

Cassian felt warmth spreading quietly through his chest, along with a steady sense of contentment he had rarely known before.

His hand rested gently against Elowen's waist as he spoke, his voice low and affectionate.

"Ella, a Merry Christmas to you as well."

His palm slid slowly to the gentle curve of her abdomen, still flat beneath the quilt.

"And to our child."

After a brief pause, he lifted his eyes and looked directly into hers, the warmth in his expression deepening.

"But more than anything else, I want you to be happy."

The seriousness of his tone made Elowen laugh softly. The sound slipped out before she could stop it.

Still smiling, she relaxed back into his arms, letting the comfort of his embrace wrap around her again.

The two of them remained nestled together beneath the thick winter quilts for quite some time afterward, talking quietly about small, unimportant things, enjoying the rare calm of a winter morning with nowhere they needed to be.

Eventually, however, Elowen's stomach gave a rather noticeable rumble.

The sound broke the peaceful silence of the room.

Her eyes widened in horror. She immediately covered her stomach with both hands as though hoping to silence it by force.

Cassian raised an eyebrow, the amusement in his gaze returning.

"Are you hungry?"

"Just a little," Elowen admitted in a small voice.

She looked slightly puzzled as she added, "I actually ate quite a lot yesterday. I don't understand why I'm hungry again already."

Cassian chuckled softly.

"Well, you are providing for two people now."

That explanation clearly pleased her. Elowen smiled. "That does make sense."

Cassian slipped out of bed and carefully tucked the thick quilt back around her shoulders so that no winter chill could reach her.

"I'll prepare something for you."

Since it was the first morning of the Christmas, an ordinary meal would not do.

After dressing, he stepped out of the bedchamber and headed toward the manor's smaller kitchen, intending to prepare a proper breakfast himself.

The moment he stepped outside the door, he noticed Anson, Mira, and Cora gathered beneath the covered corridor just outside the room, whispering among themselves.

Their conversation stopped the instant they saw him.

Cassian regarded them calmly.

"What is it?"

Anson and Cora exchanged a brief glance.

Among the three of them, Mira was always the least intimidated by him. Seeing that he had asked directly, she stepped forward and answered without hesitation.

"Your Grace, a courier from Rivenshire arrived earlier with an urgent letter from Lady Elspeth. It reached the manor not long ago. We were discussing whether we should deliver it to Her Grace right away."

Cassian gave a slight nod.

"Take it in. Her Grace is already awake. Seeing a letter from her aunt will make her happy."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Mira pushed open the door and slipped quietly into the room.

Inside, Elowen remained wrapped comfortably in the thick quilts, lying on the bed and staring lazily toward the canopy above.

The chamber was pleasantly warm. Heated stone channels beneath the floor kept the winter chill far away, while a faint calming incense burned slowly beside the bed.

Before the Christmas arrived, every piece of bedding had been replaced with newly embroidered silk quilts. The fabric was soft and warm, making the bed so comfortable that one could easily spend the entire morning doing nothing at all.

Elowen absentmindedly rested one hand on her abdomen, gently stroking it while letting her thoughts drift aimlessly.

Her mind was completely blank.

It was one of those rare moments when doing nothing felt perfectly satisfying.

Then Mira's cheerful voice broke through her wandering thoughts.

"Your Grace!"

Elowen turned toward the sound.

Mira had already leaned through the bed curtains, her face bright with excitement. The winter cold had painted her cheeks pink, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

She held a letter in both hands, presenting it eagerly.

"Your Grace, Lady Elspeth has written to you from Rivenshire. The courier brought it early this morning."

Elowen's eyes widened immediately.

A letter from aunt.

Delight spread across her face. She quickly pushed aside the warm quilts and sat up, barely noticing that she was still wearing only her light nightgown, and reached out to take the envelope that still carried the faint chill of the winter air.

Cassian had prepared an especially generous breakfast that morning. When the two of them finally sat down to eat together, Cassian spoke casually, his tone unhurried.

"I heard aunt sent a letter."

Elowen was slowly sipping from a bowl of warm oatmeal, simmered until smooth and fragrant. When she heard his question, she immediately nodded.

"Yes, she did."

Cassian continued naturally, following the thread of the conversation.

"What did she say in the letter?"

Elowen set her spoon down beside the bowl before answering.

"Aunt wrote that after she returned to Rivenshire, the first thing she did was begin sorting through her belongings at Havenstead Manor. She plans to move out."

Her voice remained calm, though her eyes held quiet attention.

"When Lydia saw her directing the servants to carry chest after chest of her things out of the residence, she rushed over in a panic to stop them. During the argument that followed, she finally learned the truth."

Elowen paused briefly before continuing.

"For all these years, the enormous expenses of Havenstead Manor, the household supplies, the daily costs of running the estate, most of it had actually been supported by my aunt."