My Disfigured Duke Husband Helps Me Plot My Revenge -
Chapter 68: From Afar
Chapter 68: From Afar
Desmond’s quarters were on the opposite side of the estate from Leonor’s.
As much as he wanted to keep her close to him, it was best to keep her far away. Sleeping was nearly impossible if he had to wear bandages that made his skin itch. He was always worried she was going to figure out who he was.
He hadn’t yet decided if he would ever tell her. The way she responded to him made him believe it was best to close himself off. Valerio was as good as dead. The face she fell in love with was destroyed.
All that mattered was that she was out of the abusive situation her father had created.
After hearing from Stephano what he had witnessed soon after Valerio disappeared into the battlefield, it took everything in him to not put the man in his place when he faced him on his wedding day.
He didn’t want to complicate things further for Leonor.
That morning, Duke Desmond sat in his study and he noticed the object of his dreams peering out one of the tall windows across the courtyard. Since his office was shadowed in the morning, he pushed away from his desk and walked to his window.
Concealing himself behind curtains, he watched her look over the gardens.
"It was all for you," he whispered. "Every flower was planted with you in mind."
When the gardeners went through and made a garden worthy for a duchess, he would leave his room under the cover of night and rearrange things himself that he thought would be more appealing to Leonor.
At one point, he thought about putting in lilacs but they represented two people she had lost and he didn’t want to hurt her heart but put new memories in them that would uplift her new reality.
Desmond only left his window when Leonor did as well. From that distance, he couldn’t tell what her expression was like but he hoped she found peace in a place he had specifically arranged with her in mind.
Realizing he had to focus on meeting with officers that day, he put his focus elsewhere. However, his thoughts were always punctuated with Leonor. Was he doing a good enough job for her? Had he truly finally become someone worthy to call themselves her husband?
After his meetings concluded, it was time to receive his lunch in his office.
Gideon was the one to deliver him his meal and he stopped the butler before he could disappear again.
"Ask her if she would like to sit in the garden for tea," he requested abruptly. "Redbush tea with honey, please."
Gideon didn’t have to ask who he was referring to.
"Right now, your grace?" he asked.
Desmond realized he was being too obvious based on the snide way Gideon spoke to him. The butler’s thin lips curled up and met his neat mustache.
"I’m eating lunch right now," he admitted. "I want to see if she likes the garden."
Gideon considered telling the duke to ask her himself, but he knew the suggestion would be met with resistance. He was an obedient butler and not a matchmaker. It wouldn’t suit his position to go against an order.
"Yes, your grace," Gideon responded obediently.
As Gideon retraced his steps back towards the heart of the estate, he was about to round the corner away from Desmond’s wing but he was met with someone deep in thought running into him.
He held out his hands to steady the lady and sprung away to keep appropriate distance.
Leonor thought that, for being an older man, he was quite spry on his feet.
She started immediately apologizing.
"Your grace, please forgive me," he apologized quickly even though it wasn’t his mistake.
"No, it was my fault," Leonor admitted. "I should have been paying more attention."
She straightened out her skirts even though they weren’t messed up in the first place. It took away the tension she felt being caught daydreaming like that.
"You’re who I was looking for, your grace," he said. "Would you like tea in the garden? They were recently renovated after his grace took over the estate."
Leonor’s eyebrows raised in surprise. The duke was a man who cared about gardens. She was finding out new things about him even without him having to be around.
"That would be lovely," Leonor said.
If she had to be alone, at least she would do something to occupy herself.
"We will be passing by the kitchen," Gideon said. "I would be more than happy to serve you myself."
"That sounds perfect, Gideon," Leonor responded. "Please lead the way."
Sure enough, the walk took them past a kitchen where he quickly fetched tea. She was surprised to see they were serving a tea she liked considering it was more popular in the southern part of the kingdom.
Without further interruption, they went to the garden where Gideon placed the tray on the circular white table with two matching chairs. He poured her the tea and made himself scarce.
She didn’t want to admit that she wished he would stay so she had someone to talk to. He was likely busy with whatever the duke wanted him to do.
Leonor peacefully sipped tea with her eyes heavy as the bright sun made it almost difficult to look at the vivid colors of the beautiful flower garden. If the duke liked flowers, she wondered which ones were his favorite.
She was relieved to see no trace of lilacs so she wouldn’t have to be subjected to their particular smell and memories attached to it.
Whenever Leonor was lonely at school, she would call upon Eve.
Deciding to entertain herself while she could, Leonor sat up straight and shut her eyes. It was no longer difficult to focus her mana inward.
She grinned when she felt weight on her knees as Eve pounced from an unknown place.
However, the mischievous black cat quickly jumped off of her lap and sprinted deeper into the garden.
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