My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 197: A Bit Darker Just Below

Chapter 197: A Bit Darker Just Below

As expected of such a wealthy family, the lands surrounding the Martin Estate were pristine even in autumn. Despite the leaves having yellowed and fallen off of the vines along with the grapes being harvested, there was a certain beauty in the organization of each row.

The four nobles rode in a carriage provided by the Martins to get to the fields. Looking at the rows passing by was almost dizzying, but once they could step foot in the vineyard, there was something satisfying about walking along perfect rows.

Occasionally, they would find a worker cleaning up the space or fixing something, but otherwise, it was solitary at that time of year.

As the ducal couple followed the marquess and his wife, they heard about the place’s rich history and the winterization process.

"Each autumn, the vines are pruned and released from the posts they crawl up," Herbert explained. "Then they’re buried with dirt so they don’t get damaged by the frost. We lost a few this year because of an unexpectedly early frost, but overall damages weren’t as bad as years past. As long as there’s wine actively being aged, we can recover."

Herbert’s laugh carried and all Leonor and Desmond could do was smile politely. Letizia laughed as hard as the marquess. She had been glued to his side all day.

Since the men were set to go through Oues the following day, they decided not to bother going further than the streets that bordered the estate and vineyards.

At the edge of the property before the vineyards, Leonor couldn’t keep from noticing a small house. It was surrounded by wooden fences and had a pristinely kept garden next to it.

Even though it was such a small dwelling, it matched the large estate that loomed over everything on the property. It was beautiful even if it was solitary.

The duchess guessed that perhaps it was home for visitors or family. Perhaps even a nanny could get a sort of place like that while keeping watch over the marquess’ children.

She knew they were staying at the main estate so the question slipped out without deciding whether or not she was prying too much.

"That house is so quaint, my lord," Leonor observed. "What is it used for?"

What Leonor first noticed was Letizia turn to Herbert with a horrified expression on her face but as the shock wore off, it became a glare.

For the first time since Leonor saw her, she brushed her fingers through her blond curls, clearly uncomfortable. Her blue eyes went to the window, deciding to allow her husband to respond.

Herbert was unaffected by his wife’s responses. His eyes broke away from his own window and he smiled politely.

"A guest house of sorts," he explained. "Through the past couple of years, the guest has become more of a permanent fixture."

"Ah, thank you for telling me," Leonor responded, deciding to leave it there.

It was clearly a sore subject for Letizia and, if she were supposed to spend an extended time with her the following day, Leonor thought it might be best to remain on her good side.

As their tour of the Martin’s property came to an end, it was time for the guests to freshen themselves up. Soon they would enjoy dinner with the couple in the warmed greenhouse that was connected to the main house by a beautiful archway lined with vines.

By that point, it was expected that everything regarding the Martins was extravagant but as Leonor and Desmond approached the greenhouse, it was even more than she could have expected.

Wearing a shawl while walking there, she wasn’t expecting to be met with such warmth when the door opened and they were ushered inside by a servant.

Immediately, the smell of tropical plants met Leonor’s senses and she realized they had immersed themselves in a world she was unfamiliar with. She couldn’t imagine the amount of money spent on that place or how much it might cost to maintain it.

The wine business was good, but she didn’t realize how good. Perhaps white wine being the late King’s favorite bid well for them.

After getting used to the scent and warmth of being in the tropics yet also being at the heart of the Castillian kingdom, Leonor found layers of other scents. She was met with food and finally realized how hungry she was after the brief lunch and tea they had earlier in the day.

They ate well and drank well, but after the previous night, Leonor didn’t feel like pushing her limits with alcohol. Luckily it was only wine and not the strong ale she had the night before. Regardless, she didn’t want Desmond to have to lose sleep taking care of her once again.

Even before Leonor could tell Desmond she was tired, he excused them both and they could bathe together in the large marble tub at the center of the guest bathroom they shared.

They helped one another into night clothes, declining the maid’s request to help them, and settled into a large, four-poster bed made of white wood and dark red sheets. Leonor noted that the dark red was a red wine color and she thought it was a wonderful coincidence considering who they were visiting.

The fire was on and Leonor didn’t have to cover her shoulders to stay warm. She stared up through the posts at the top of the bed and to the dark ceiling that the fireplace didn’t quite reach.

Even though Desmond had used her as an excuse for them to leave, she thought that he might have been more tired than her. Yet when she turned her head to look at him, she found him already gazing at her.

"Earlier when we were in the carriage, wasn’t the marchioness’ response when I asked about the guest house a bit strange?" Leonor asked.

"From my understanding, the marquess has a few secrets hidden in plain sight," Desmond admitted. "His heir is not his wife’s child, after all."

Leonor felt divided. She knew he was implying that the marquess had a child with another but the situation didn’t feel all that far off from hers.

"Nobles truly have their fair share of secrets," Leonor sighed and turned her head back towards the ceiling.

"If they keep drinking the way they were today, I have a feeling more will be revealed than either one of us has asked for," Desmond spoke quietly not to strain his voice.

A grin appeared on Leonor’s face and that time she sat up to look at Desmond.

"It seems we’ve been observing the same things," Leonor uttered. "Good luck to us tomorrow."

Desmond kissed her cheek.

"Good luck," he said.