The early sunlight spilled across the wooden floorboards, warming the chamber in soft gold. Linda stepped out of the bath, steam still clinging to her skin, hair damp and curling down her shoulders. The gown slid over her body like water, clinging in places where droplets still lingered.
She reached behind her back for the zipper. Her fingers worked the metal upward until it stuck halfway. No tug would move it further.
She sighed softly, biting her lip. Asking him felt dangerous, but she had no choice.
"Daniel," she said carefully, not turning. "Would you… help me?"
He looked up from where he sat sharpening his dagger, eyes narrowing slightly. For a moment he said nothing, and she regretted speaking at all. But then he set the blade aside and rose, his boots thudding softly against the floor.
Linda's breath caught when he stopped just behind her. His presence wrapped around her like heat from a fire—heavy, unshakable.
"Hold still," he murmured.
The rough brush of his beard grazed her bare back as he leaned in. A shiver ran down her spine, betraying her. His hand, large and calloused, slid against the zipper. She felt his knuckles brush her skin, the contrast between his hard, work-worn grip and the softness of her body startlingly sharp.
The zipper resisted, biting into the fabric. His fingers fumbled with unpracticed effort.
"You're too tense," he muttered, his voice low, his breath ghosting over her shoulder.
"I—" she began, but the word caught in her throat.
He tugged again, the sound of metal straining in the quiet. Then, with a sudden snap, the piece broke clean off.
Linda gasped and clutched the front of her gown. She spun around, cheeks burning, eyes wide. "You broke it!"
Daniel looked down at the useless metal between his fingers, then back at her flushed face. The corner of his mouth curved into the faintest smirk.
"Perhaps," he said, voice carrying a husky edge, "you shouldn't rely on me for such delicate things. My hands weren't made for zippers."
The way he said it—low, deliberate—sent another wave of warmth rushing to her cheeks. She huffed, turning away sharply, though her heart hammered against her ribs.
Behind her, Daniel's smirk lingered as he watched her shoulders stiffen. He hadn't missed the way she shivered when his beard grazed her skin.
And Linda hadn't missed the weight of his closeness, or how impossible it had been to breathe.
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The quiet of the mansion broke by midday. Heavy knocks rattled the great doors, echoing through the stone halls.
Daniel strode to answer, and Linda followed at a distance, curiosity tugging at her. When the doors opened, two village leaders stood grimly at the threshold, their long robes dusty from the road.
"Master Daniel," one said, bowing his head. "We come with troubling news."
Daniel's jaw tightened. "Speak."
"There has been sighting of the thief again," the man continued, voice sharp. "But this time, the witness swore the figure wore the shape of… a woman."
A hush fell. Even the servants nearby paused, glancing at one another. A woman?
The second leader spat at the floorboards in disgust. "A disgrace! That a woman, who should remain beneath her husband's rule, dares creep through the village like a rat in the night. Who could it be? What manner of shameless creature?"
Linda froze. Her blood turned cold. A woman… the thief… They were talking about her. Her nightly trips to the library, her red cloak blending into shadows—someone must have seen her.
She forced her features into neutrality, masking her racing heart. Her hands, folded in front of her, were trembling ever so slightly.
Daniel's expression betrayed nothing, though his eyes flicked briefly—almost too briefly—toward Linda. But then he returned his attention to the leaders.
"You have no name for this thief?" Daniel asked flatly.
"Not yet," the elder replied. "But we will find her. And when we do, she must be punished. Severely. To remind all women of their place."
Fury burned behind Linda's ribs, but she swallowed it down, keeping her face carefully composed.
Daniel only nodded once, curtly. "I'll keep watch. If such a disgrace dares step near my walls, I'll deal with her myself."
The leaders seemed satisfied, bowing once before turning to leave. Their words lingered in the air like poison.
Linda released a breath she didn't know she was holding, her knuckles white where she clutched her gown. She knew then—if the villagers discovered her secret, it wouldn't just be books she lost. It could cost her freedom.
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♡LINDA AND DANIEL♡