Author: To my dear readers of the other book His Sweet Temptation, I will be adding an extra chapter later in the evening. Thank you for reading.
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She then heard a knock on the door before it opened and Charlotte came in with breakfast. "How are you feeling?" she asked maintaining her distance.
"I will get better thank you," she replied.
"Okay. I will go and continue work," she said to which she replied," Thank you for the food."
Hazel ate the porridge and some bread.
She was glad that her mouth was not so numb as it was yesterday. Afterwards, she took her medicine and got up before slowly making her way to the bathroom.
For the whole day, Hazel was in her room and when it came to evening, she got some energy to write a letter to Lucas who had been sending her multiple letters but she had failed to get the time to reply to them.
As she was still writing, there came a knock on the door and when it opened, the Duke came in. She sat up immediately and she turned to look at him.
Walking forward, he picked up the letter first before reading it. "So you know how to write. Where did you learn it from?" he asked. She wished she could tell that it was himself who had taught her when he asked,"Who is Lucas?"
"He's my friend." "The one I found you with in the market?" he asked. "Yes your grace," she replied and he placed back the letter. "You seem to care about each other," he commented and she had no reply to that.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. "I am getting better your grace. Thank you for asking and for yesterday."
"You should rest more often," he said before asking," Have you been taking your medicine as you should?"
"Yes your grace," she replied. "Make sure to eat supper and take your medicine before you go to sleep," he said and she nodded.
"Sleep well," he said and he left without waiting for a reply.
Three days later, Hazel had gotten much better and she asked the butler if she could get back to work but he said that she was still under isolation. In the evening when she was resting in her room, she heard a knock on the door. Going to open, it was Mr Cooper. "The Duke asks for you in the stables," he said. Surprised, she said," O-okay." "I will lead you towards them," he said and she nodded before stepping outside and followed him.
Reaching the stables, she caught sight of him standing near a horse while talking to some man. Walking to him, the butler said," Here she is, sir." He nodded and waved at him to go which he did. When the man left, he turned to look at her and asked," Do you know how to ride a horse?" She shook her head at the question and he said," It is alright."
She watched him mount on a horse and after, he looked down and gave his hand for her to take. "We are going to sit on this horse?" she asked, slightly panicking at the thought of sitting on the same horse with him. "Any problem with it?" he asked. "Uh, but I'm not fully well. I can still infect you," she came up with the excuse.
"Don't worry about me. Just give me your hand," he said and after much contemplating, she stretched her hand in his and the next thing she saw was being pulled until he made her sit on the horse in front of him, where her back was pressing at his front.
He leaned closer to her as he got the reins and she felt his breath fanning the skin of her nape. "Get them," he said and she got the reins before his hand covered hers. On pulling them, the horse began to move. Never had she sat on a horse before and she found the experience to be jittery but thrilling.
When they finished passing in the forest, they came upon a flat area that looked more like a pitch. "You're going to hold on tighter," she heard him say and she nodded. "You don't have to worry, I got you," he added and when she nodded, he pulled the reins and the horse ran at a high speed. At first, it was scary but later, she didn't know when she started giggling. She was awed and thrilled at the same time. The horse took them several rounds the pitch and she had never experienced anything more fun than this.
A long while later when it slowed the pace, he asked," Are you alright?" "Yes," she replied.
"Beautiful isn't it?" he asked and she turned to look at him, then she realized that he was looking into a specific direction. Following his line of sight, she caught sight of the sunset and she got awed by the pattern of colors that had formed at the edge of the sky. It looked nothing less to a beautiful painting on a canvas. She had never had the time or privilege to do things like these.
By the time they returned to the manor, it was already dark. He got off the horse first before helping her get down. Coming back to this side of the world, she got reminded of the difference in their social classes and that everything back then was just a fiction. She appreciated it though, the time she got to spend with him.
"Uh, good night your grace," she mentioned. "Sleep as soon as you reach your room. Don't indulge in writing letters," he said and she nodded. Walking towards the servant's quarters, she ran into Rosalie. "Hey girl, where are you coming from this late?" she asked making sure to keep her distance.
"I went to get some fresh air." "I see. When are you coming back to work then?" she asked. "I guess tomorrow," she replied. "Alright. We will be eagerly waiting for you," she said before continuing to the bathroom where she was going.
Reaching her room, Hazel sat on the floor and she thought hard. She wondered where the Duke was going with all this. He had nursed her when she was very ill, something that she remembered only her mother doing for her. Her heart kept fluttering over his gestures and subconsciously, her heart was being stolen little by little by him. It worried her though because she knew that these feelings were taking her nowhere. Sooner or later, the Duke will get married and start his own family, leaving her all alone. There was no way they will be getting a happy ending.