Alec rides away from the villagers, with Tess on the saddle behind him. As they slow to a walk the fog thickens and Alec urges Tess to treat him like her lover. Tess realizes that they have not been traveling towards Trantridge and confesses that she is tired. Alec tells Tess that they are in The Chase, but he doesn't know their exact location. He offers for Tess to stay with the horse and rest, while he goes and finds a familiar landmark that will tell him their location. On Alec's return he find Tess asleep on some leaves and sees his chance to take advantage of her sexual vulnerability. At the end of this chapter, Hardy does not tell the responder of the exact events of that night. Was she raped or did she give Alec consent? If in a scenario where she did not give her...