Eleanor's Desire

36. Panic

Chapter 36

Had Lorenzo not felt like a fool he would've found amusement at the woman's complete shock by his appearance

how in hell hadn't he put the pieces together sooner?

He recalled yesterdays revealing conversation with Lillian.

Flashback.

"I need to have a word with you"

"About what?" Her sapphire blue eyes widen even more. Lorenzo couldn't see any discomfort or want to flee from his presence, it was absurd. She was the one who should feel guilt, after all he wasn't the one who had a marriage.

But he was not here for that.

"How I've behaved, I gather you want to keep it in the past but you cannot blame me for my surprise—" perhaps he should've kept his mouth shut after all, so much for not speaking about the past.

She broke his gaze in a forced chuckle that had his skin prickle, he couldn't understand why, "No, I suppose I cannot" her aloof tone should've made him relieved but it did not.

they broke in a moment of silence her hand clasped to something and he couldn't help but wonder why she had the grip so hard, perhaps after all she did feel something but was doing her best to conceal it, she sure did succeed on that.

She followed his gaze and drew in her breath, "I was just about to read and my spectacles.." she loosened her grip and he saw a pair of spectacles

Mild surprise overcame him, Nora never wore them, he had so many questions. How come she changed so much? Even her name she couldn't have been honest about...

He shook of a replaying conversation that seemed to sweep inside his mind, recalling an afternoon when he saw her writing letters and she didn't wear that.

" Lorenzo?," Lillian's voice drew him back from his thoughts and he forced a smile, "Spectacles... I see"

"Yes, It does have its perks."

Hmm, seemed he knew less and less about the woman, "I hope we can start a new despite our past is what I came here to draw you for. And apologise for my behaviour towards you, your husband is an remarkable man and I want you to know I will not meddle in anyway but do my work,"

Again she chuckled in the way  which set him off, as if— as if almost tried to sound uncomfortable, "Yes, but I cannot be more than grateful that you haven't told my husband anything, lord knows what he would think."

"Are you happy?" he asked. He didn't know why. He just had to.

That seemed to surprise her, "Yes, why do you wonder?"

Why? Why? He felt a rage fuel inside him and before he could control it and hold it in it all but flew from him, "Because you left me in the light of morning with no word, Cara."

The shock on her face and her sharp intake of breath only ticked him off and at first he wanted to shake her for not saying anything but it was only then that he understood, her mouth closing and opening, her eye brows raising in confusion all the while he spoke