From the Ashes

Chapter Thirty

"Richard?" Juliana said leaning over the table to touch his hand.

He did not want to leave Juliana so soon. This is not what he had expected. He knew his Stepmother would be upset, to say the least, once the money stopped coming but something had to be seriously wrong for her not to care.

"I have to go," he said to all occupants in the room.

"Not without me!" Juliana said, literally taking a stand as she pushed her chair back so hard it fell to the floor.

Richard ran his fingers through his hair. "Juliana, you are in no condition to go anywhere. I do not like the idea of leaving you behind any more than you want to be here waiting for me."

Annabelle asked the questions, on everyone's mind, "Where are you going? What did the letter say?"

Richard did not want to worry Annabelle but he did not want to lie to her either. "Mother was not home when I arrived. I discovered she was headed for Bath. She has not contacted Mr. Dooley for money in quite some time and I am concerned about that."

"So, you plan to go to Bath to look for her?" Juliana asked.

"Yes, it should not take me long. Once I find her I will bring her home. I need to find out what she knows, she is the key to unraveling this mystery."

"You still cannot believe she had something to do with the murder?" Annabelle asked appalled.

"Honestly Annabelle, I do not know what to believe anymore. Every time I believe this to be over I find out I am wrong. My mistakes almost cost Juliana her life. I cannot afford to wait another moment. I must go and see if I can find her?"

"I am coming with you," Juliana said adamantly still refusing to sit.

"Please," Richard begged, "I need you to be reasonable about this. The doctor said you are not to venture of doors at least for a week. Certainly, he would not condone me dragging you all around the country in search of my Stepmother."

Juliana knew she was being unreasonable but she knew she would fare much better if they were together. Yet, she knew also that in her condition she would only slow him down. She looked completely distraught, picked up her chair, set it right, and strode from the room.

"Juliana?!" Richard got up from the table to go after her.

Annabelle stood too but Cyril just shook his head no and she sat back down. He was right this is something they need to work out on their own.

He found her sitting in her chair by the window. "Juliana? Please?"

She looked straight into his eyes, and said, "Go, Richard. I am not stopping you, but you ask too much if you expect me to send you on your way with a smile."

"I am not looking for a smile, Love. Just some understanding."

"Then you have it," she said but he could see the hurt and frustration in her eyes.

"Bloody Hell, Juliana. What would you have me do? Forget about her? Possibly leave her for dead? Let her go? What if she is the murderer?"

Juliana scoffed at this. "She is a coward Richard. A coward who cares only for herself, a coward who cares nothing about putting you in harm's way."

He could not argue with that, even if it was devastating to his case. "I need to end this. I need us to be free. I want our lives together to start without this black cloud following us around."

Julian resigned from her opposition. "I understand."

"Thank you, Love. I promise to write to you every day that I am gone," Richard said, now kneeling in front of her. He kissed her and held her, this was not goodbye but he hated that it felt just the same.