Chapter 6 You make my heart race

Teresa was still pondering over Heathcliff's decision to betray his lover in the novel they had just read. A lot of questions were running in her head but she had no way to ask those as the Madam had already dozed off to sleep. She placed the blanket nicely over her and decided to go check what happened to the other maids outside. She was still confused as to why nobody had yet come looking for her. But it didn't bother her long after all she was used to being a nobody everyday, invisible, irrelevant.

Teresa came out to an empty hall room.

"Where are all the people? " She wondered. She walked along the side and found another door after a distance. She turned the knob and it opened easily. She peeked inside and nobody was there as well. So she decided to look around.

This room had a wonderful window. It was more like an entire wall made of glass. The wall over looked a beautiful garden. Teresa ran towards it in wonder.

" Wow! Is this heaven on earth. Doesn't the place look too perfect? " She exclaimed.

The beauty of the garden didn't come from the million blossoms that had bloomed. Nor did it come from the multicoloured butterflies fluttering around. Nor did it come from the birds singing in perfect harmony from the tree tops. It came from the lake at its centre. The water was calm and blue. There were a few boats tied at one side. But what really was the cherry on the pie was the pair of swans. Huge and magestic. They spread their wings high up in the sky, perched in each other's eye.

"Who is it? " Called a voice from behind, completely startling Teresa. As she turned, she toppled over her own feet and fell right in front.

She landed on Peter's bare body, still wet .Soaked from the shower he was taking. He grabbed her at the hip as she hugged him tight with both hands out of fear.Her hands slipped. Peter caught it nevertheless before she could flip. His strong muscles had a perfect grip on her slender wrist. Teresa could see the water droplets stranded on each of his body hair as his round chest went up and down as he breathed. She couldn't help but dare a little to look up a bit. As his Adam's apple matched the rhythm of his breathing, Teresa could definitely feel something churning at her own pit. The muscles around her body curves tightened. It was in fact so tight even the breathing seemed like a pain. The inner lining of her stomach were tickling like the soil in rain. Suddenly there seemed to have started an orchestra of a million living hen. But then again, Teresa thought clearly. Those weren't hen. They seemed more like those colourful butterflies she used to chase in the garden. Fluttering, shining, glittering and leaving behind a trail as they flew away in a mighty splendor, tracing the petals of the newly bloomed flowers with their tiny legs. Their kaleidoscopic departure leaving behind an emptiness that the flowers could only long for, wish for, but never ask for but instead wait for the next return. Teresa's eyes went instantly up as they met his.

The seconds hand on the clock seemed to move slower and louder as it was the only sound that was left in that room.

Teresa immediately moved back, making Peter follow suit. She bent as low as she could apologizing for her intrusion and mistake, " I am so sorry young Sir. I was lost and couldn't find my way out. I didn't mean to intrude your privacy. I apologize with my heart, lungs, body, kidney, lungs, with everything I have. I have no words to explain how ashamed I am of myself right now. "

Teresa kept her head bowed as she couldn't bare to look at the half naked man standing right in front of her.

"You.Is that you? " Peter exclaimed all of a sudden as he lifted Teresa's face up.

Teresa slowly opened her eyes. It was the man in the car. The one that had given her his jacket. Did he live here too?

" Aaahhhh! I knew you were the perverted type from the moment I saw you. Just look at your dress. " Peter mocked her, " But it was clever on your part to mention perfectly lungs twice , I didn't know we had them in pair. "

Teresa blinked to understand what he just joked about. But just then-

" Dusty. Dusty. " He started yelling like a mad man and it immediately made Teresa panic.

"Will he hand me to the police. Ahhh! There goes my dream job. I haven't even eaten anything since morning. " She looked outside and thought again, " Shit! It's almost evening now. The sun is setting in the horizon. "

Teresa looked around. There was a bowl of fruits beside the bed. She picked an apple and started munching right away.

"Might as well go to the police station on a full stomach. Hunger would serve me no good. " She munched away reluctantly.

"You.You shameless punk. Look at you. How can you eat when you are being reprimanded? " Peter was getting furious.

" How can I go to jail on an empty stomach. I haven't eaten anything since morning. There is a mice concert inside my stomach right now. Is it shameful to be hungry?" Teresa replied easily.

"Young Master, did you call...what the hell are you doing here? " Dusty turned towards Teresa midway addressing Peter after he entered in a hurry.

" Go and give this girl a proper uniform that covers her well. " Peter yelled, bringing Dusty's attention back to him, " And feed her till the concert in her stomach ends. I will deal with her personally in the morning. "

Dusty looked at Peter with confusion. But he didn't have the guts to question any of it.

"You, follow me. " He told Teresa, who obediently walked behind him like a duckling following it's mother. No turning this way or the other, but marching straight ahead.