My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge
Chapter 67: Exploring

Chapter 67: Exploring

Leonor wasn’t woken up. In fact, she wasn’t bothered at all until she wandered into the hallway and was met with a maid wiping off the windows that lined the wall across from her room.

The new duchess had already washed her face and brushed her hair but she was still in her nightgown. The maid realized this and quickly pocketed the soft cloth she had been dusting the windows with.

"Would you like me to fetch maids to help you get dressed this morning, your grace?" she asked. "I would do it myself but his grace has said this hallway could use more attention."

The hallway looked pristine, but Leonor wouldn’t go against her new husband’s word. She offered a polite smile.

"I would like that, thank you," Leonor responded before she retreated back to her room.

Inside of her room there was a vanity between the two brown, intricately carved armoires with a comfortable chair in front of it. All the wood in her room was a dark brown that stood out sharply against the muted cream colors in the rest of the space. She appreciated whoever decorated that room.

The lady decided to sit at the vanity while she waited. It was most likely where she would get ready anyway. Even if she hadn’t received such treatment for herself, she had observed it in others a few times.

The same maids from the night before were soon in Leonor’s room and she sat up a bit straighter, hoping to seem attentive as they came to help her.

"Good morning, your grace," they greeted her.

They were quick to get to business.

"Would you like to wear something more structured, your grace?" one of the maids asked.

"I would like something more comfortable and easy to move around in," she admitted. "I traveled for quite a while wearing a corset."

"Of course," one of them responded.

The maids exchanged subtle looks with one another. They acted as if she had asked for something easy to take off rather than something comfortable.

She wondered if the assumptions would ever dry up. She and the duke didn’t even share a bedroom in his estate.

As a young maid perused an armoire full of beautiful dresses ranging from more casual to extravagant, Leonor’s eyes widened. It seemed that the duke had given her more than she realized. She had expected to see an empty armoire that she could fill herself but it had already been filled for her.

Would the dresses be to his taste? Would they be modest or otherwise? The dresses her father provided for her were much more showy than she preferred. She was far different from her sister in that regard.

Considering the duke had slighted Anna in such a way after she practically offered herself to him on a silver platter, Leonor hoped he preferred to spend time around women who were less gifted in that area.

Based on past conversations, Leonor knew very little about what the duke liked or didn’t like. She knew he thought she was valuable enough to protect and that he was seemingly more patient than people gave him credit for.

As she thought about it further, she didn’t know if she would ever know him more than that.

The young duchess looked in the mirror and brushed her fingers through her hair as she tried to distract herself from those thoughts. She felt disappointed and didn’t know why. There was no reason for her to know the duke further.

The maids found a suitable dress with a white long sleeve chemise underneath. It was a dark green velvety material on the bodice and outer skirt, but the inner golden skirts were a satin material that would ensure she wasn’t too warm while she wandered the estate.

To her relief, once it was on her body, the neckline was straight across her bust and didn’t dip unnecessarily. She felt secure and relieved at how light it was.

Without having to be asked, they also arranged her hair. They braided the top layer but left the bottom half loose. It was neater than she would do it on herself. She didn’t know how the duke had managed to come across such skilled yet young maids.

Leonor told one of the maids she wanted to browse the estate casually and didn’t need a tour. She asked if there were places she wasn’t allowed and they assured her that every place was open to the duchess.

With nothing else for them to do for her, the maids received thanks from Leonor and made themselves scarce to other tasks across the estate.

Leonor had to admit that she felt beautiful. She looked at the handiwork of the maids as she turned her head left and right. They had offered her jewelry but she said it was unnecessary.

With flat shoes on her feet, Leonor left her bedroom and got a real view of the courtyard beyond the windows in the hallway.

As expected of a place with such a nice front garden, there was a large garden in the courtyard. She realized that the duke’s estate was a giant U-shaped building that covered the courtyard on three sides. Amongst the gardens were paths that led to a pergola in the middle and a table underneath.

Towards the open end there was a pond and larger plants and trees. It looked like a peaceful place to visit.

However, she was more interested in what was around the estate.

Deciding it was best to keep going, she wandered towards places where more staff were working.

When they took notice of the quiet duchess, there was a rush to give her breakfast and make sure there wasn’t anything else she required.

Leonor was intimidated. Expectant faces watched her but she couldn’t possibly live up to the pedestal they were seemingly putting her on top of. She was untrained as a wife, much less a duchess.

After eating a quiet breakfast, she excused herself and resisted her urge to run out of the smaller dining nook used for breakfast only. The maids cleaning up her food were certainly burning holes in her as they stared out the corners of their eyes.

Soon she found herself in the heart of the estate. There were grand halls used for entertainment. What seemed to be a ballroom of sorts caught her eye.

A common theme was the lack of anyone besides workers.

Leonor couldn’t keep herself from daydreaming of being in a loving marriage and hosting grand events where she didn’t feel suffocated and could, for once, have fun.

The estate was so expansive the thoughts carried her for well over an hour.

As she rounded another corner to enter yet another wing, she ran into someone and had an outpouring of apologies.