At some point in the night, Duke Desmond's hand fell from his robe. When he woke up early in the morning the following day, his face was exposed to Leonor who had turned towards him in her sleep.
He quickly hid his face, worried that she would start to wake up. Bandages only went so far as to hide his appearance. He was always worried she would recognize something about him and wonder more.
Yet as his one eye stared at her anxiously, she breathed softly and didn't stir.
It felt like hell on Earth that he wasn't allowed to touch her. A black strand of hair had fallen over her lips but he wasn't allowed to brush it away. He didn't have permission to kiss her.
It felt ridiculous not to tell her who he was from the moment he saw her, but how was he supposed to face her disappointment? Her responses to him had already proven she didn't have it in her to love someone like him. He couldn't blame her for it either.
