"Don't worry. I will teach you," he said and she nodded. Somehow, it gave him joy to know that he was the one teaching her most of the things. Her hair looked darker when wet and it highlighted her large black eyes. Lowering his eyes to look at her chest, he realized that her wet chemise was now extremely see through and it did nothing to cover her modesty.
He could clearly trace her round shaped breasts and her nipples that were peeking through the thin material. Realizing where his eyes were fixated, Hazel turned away as her pale face turned red.
For about thirty minutes, he was teaching her how to swim. By the time the session ended, she had learnt something.
He saw her skin covered with goosebumps and he said," You're cold. I think we should get going." She nodded her head and she wrapped her arms around her body.
Before she could move, her mind registered something. Earlier, she had stepped in the water when his back was facing her but now, they were to get out together.
Her chemise was clinging to her body now that it was wet, and she had nothing underneath. Seeing her stand still, he understood her thoughts and he stepped closer to her. She looked up to meet his eyes and her eyes looked at his chest were water was dripping from his head. She felt him touch her waist and she shuddered. It felt as though he was touching her bare skin. Looking at her lips which were parted and where some fog escaped as she breathed out, he lowered his head quickly and captured her lips with his.
Unbeknownst to them, someone had arrived not long ago and saw them. She later tiptoed and quickly left the place before she could be seen.
Hazel could feel the temperature raising although they were in the water. Her toes curled each moment the kiss deepened and she held her breath when his hand massaged her stomach, trailing upwards. His hand then cupped her breast without warning and she gasped within the kiss. He lightly squeezed it and she moaned.
His thumb then brushed her hard nipples and he kissed her hard, as he swallowed her moans.
When Hazel came from the shower, she locked her door and stepped inside, drying her hair. She couldn't keep her mind off what happened at the pond. Just the mere thought of it could make her crave for more and she felt between her legs getting wet. The way he had held her in his arms and kissed her like she was the most delicious thing. She shook her head to get rid of such thoughts as they were not helping now. With all due honesty, she didn't know what to do next because it seemed like her guard was lowering down each day.
Going to the cupboard, she picked her night gown and placed it on her bed. She glanced at Lucas's letter which she was going to read when she gets to bed. As she was planning on changing, she heard a knock on the door that startled her. It couldn't be the Duke, could it? She just prayed it wasn't him. "Who is it?" she asked. "It's me," she heard Charlotte's voice and she released a sigh of relief before opening the door.
"I hope I haven't woke you," she said and Hazel shook her head. "I was just preparing to go to bed," she replied. "Alright. May I come in?" "Sure."
Getting inside, she sat on the bed as Hazel removed her night gown to get a spot to sit.
"Uh, you disappeared during the time of the evening. Where were you?" she asked and Hazel's eyes internally widened. It seems like people were starting to notice, she thought. "I-I had gone to take a walk. Why?" she asked looking at her. Charlotte shook her head and said," Nothing. I know your secret Hazel."
Her heart pounded in her chest and she said," Secret? Which secret?" "I know about you and the Duke," she deadpanned and Hazel tore her gaze away from her. She couldn't believe it.
"I don't understand," she whispered. "I know that you are the Duke's lover. I saw you," she said. Looking at her, she asked," Where?"
"At the pond," she mentioned before adding," We had gone to collect firewood." At the mention of we, she looked at her wide eyed and she said," Don't worry. No one else saw you, but me." She somehow released a sigh of relief and she looked down, not able to look her in the eye. "I must admit that I was shocked. No one would have imagined. I mean, you are rarely seen meeting the Duke. Were you lovers already when he brought you to work here?"
"No," she replied shaking her head to the question. "Then, how did everything start? I never pegged his grace to be one into maids," she said and Hazel looked away, not knowing what to say.
"I understand if you don't want to talk about it and I am not one to judge but let me hope that you remember the difference in your status and that the relationship is not taking you anywhere. In the end, it is you that is going to get hurt," she said. Of course she knew all that, how could she forget.
"I am telling you this because I am a victim of the same situation. Have you ever thought of what could ever happen if you got pregnant?" she asked and Hazel gave it a thought. She had not considered that at all. "I fell in love with my master too, in the household I first worked. It wasn't in Hollowvale though. He was a widower and he told me to keep the relationship a secret and that he will marry me at the right time. I naively believed him until I got pregnant. I became happy thinking that he was finally going to marry me but when he found out, he totally changed."