My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 118: A Slow Morning

Chapter 118: A Slow Morning

While corsets weren’t inherently restrictive unless someone was wearing them incorrectly, sleeping in them was another issue entirely.

Leonor woke up hardly being able to breathe as the heavy dress she wore along with the corset and chemise underneath constricted her abdomen and chest. She sat up, gasping for air and wondering how long she must have been breathing shallowly to make herself feel so lightheaded.

However, as she opened her eyes slowly and realized that it was early in the morning, the room seemed to spin and she felt nauseous almost immediately.

How could she forget the state in which she fell asleep?

While she was drinking, she didn’t even notice how much she consumed until she stood up. Falling into Desmond should have been her first warning. She was so embarrassed at how out of control she felt.

Before she could consider what she had done the day before, Leonor ran into her bathroom and threw up the contents of her stomach in a basin. That’s what it was there for but she didn’t feel any less awful at maids having to clean up after her in such a way.

Considering she had never drunk that much before in her life, she was shocked to find that she felt better almost instantaneously. The burning in her stomach was no longer there and the world seemed to spin a bit less.

While she had never seriously sailed, she imagined that was what seasickness felt like.

Leonor picked herself up from the cold floor of the bathroom and brought herself back into her bedroom.

She wanted to climb back into bed but first, she contorted her body to undo the strings going up her back. She stripped herself of her dress, skirt-shaping farthingale, and corset.

The duchess could finally settle down underneath the blankets with only a chemise on that she had to secure over her arms so it wouldn’t fall off considering her dress was off the shoulder and the weight of the garment was on her waist until that point.

Once she felt the soft sheets, Leonor heaved out a shaky sigh. It felt so much better to be without restrictive clothing. Her ribs and back must have been a mess after sleeping in such a state. She put her hands over her breasts and traced them down her body, offering small relief to her dented skin.

With the nausea gone, Leonor felt ravenous.

Unlike usual, she reached for the small bell on the nightstand near her bed. It was such a lazy thing to summon help in such a way, but at that moment, she needed a bit of extra care. She would have to go easy on the maids in the future.

When a maid answered her call, she asked for breakfast foods easy on her stomach. Once the woman was gone, Leonor settled with rolling over and hiding underneath the soft embrace of her bedding.

With her blue eyes squeezed shut, Leonor racked her brain for what happened before she slept. There were glimpses here and there but overall it was very fuzzy. She hoped she wasn’t too much of a pain to Desmond considering he was likely the one who cared for her considering her dress wasn’t taken off.

As she waited, she felt it was a shame not to discuss what she had confessed to him through touch, or so she thought. He said to behave in a way that suited how she felt and she held onto him as if they were a unified husband and wife without secrets between each other.

She didn’t know if that would ever be possible.

Each time it felt like they made progress, they would stall for a long time. She was left not knowing where they stood or how he felt about her other than possessiveness.

Leonor sighed and tried to push dark thoughts away. Depending on how he acted towards her that day, she would decide whether or not having to take care of her had ruined what they had built up to that point.

If telling him she loved another hadn’t already ruined everything, that is.

A maid soon came into the room with a tray of light soup and bread to hopefully appeal to the duchess who seemed unwell that morning.

"Is there anything else you need, your grace?" the maid asked.

Leonor felt ashamed.

"I was sick in the bathroom this morning," she admitted shyly.

The maid gasped and concern overtook her features.

"Do I need to summon a healer?" she asked.

Leonor was even more ashamed and she nervously pushed her hair over her shoulder.

"I drank too much of the merchant’s alcohol last night," she admitted. "Please don’t worry about me. After a bath, I will be ready to resume as usual today."

The maid nodded, bowing slightly to show her respect.

"Keep in mind that this day of the Spring Equinox Festival won’t begin until later so you don’t have to worry about getting out of bed too quickly," the maid reminded her before going to the bathroom to clean up and be sure that there was nothing else Leonor needed at that time.

Leonor was relieved that was the case.

She didn’t want to face Desmond or Stephano. After all, someone in her life once told her she wore her heart on her sleeve. She didn’t know if she could behave the same after clinging to Desmond the day before.

She didn’t even realize how much she confessed to him.

After eating most of her breakfast from bed, Leonor scooted her tray away and pulled herself from the bed. She put on a robe and slippers to go onto the balcony and see what sort of day it was.

She hoped to wear a lighter dress so her body could get a break. Unfortunately, she knew it was expected that she wear something more suitable and mature.

At that time of day, the sun reached her room perfectly and shone through the windows, causing the glass of her chandelier to reflect rainbows onto the walls and ceiling. It reminded Leonor of diamonds.

The smell of spring was her favorite and she inhaled deeply as she appreciated the corner of the front garden she could see in her room. The expansive forest that took over the rest of the duke’s land and beyond was a pleasant sight early in the morning.

The valley was so expansive that she wanted to explore further but didn’t know if she would ever be able to.

Even though there was a light breeze, Leonor saw no one below and pulled the robe off of her bare shoulders and the practically translucent chemise.

Spring air could cure any ailment, in her opinion. There were no lilacs anywhere in the vicinity or she might think otherwise.

With her eyes shut, she was numb for a moment, but she heard a voice that quickly pulled her from her thoughts.

"What is that mark on your back?" a gravelly voice said.