From the Ashes

Chapter Thirty-two

The drudgery of the task before him was not lost on Richard as it had now begun to rain and he was soaked through. He would be forced once again to make another stop before reaching Bath. He half wondered if his stepmother was worth all this trouble and found the answer springing to his mind without hesitation.

"No, she is not," Richard grumbled to no one as he was alone in his room. He took out the lock of Juliana's hair he always carried in the inside breast pocket of his waist coast. He really believed life to be unfair to keep them apart and wondered what she may be doing at this very moment.

He has made arrangements for the various gifts he had purchased to be delivered to her, one every day, so she would not miss him too badly. Impossible really, if she cares for him half of what he cares for her she was suffering still. He pulled out his quill and began another letter.

To the Love of my Life,

I can not begin to convey the depth of my despair at having to be away from you. The blasted weather has even decided to conspire against us. Oh, Juliana how I wish I could hold you in my arm at this moment. Every moment spent away from you is torture. I can not wait to find that miserable wretch I call Mother so I may put an end to my torment.

Richard rubbed his palm over his face he was so tired. The last week has brought such an emotional upheaval he did not know how to begin to process all that has taken place. He shook it off as he made Juliana a promise he would write her and although he had already written today he did not know when the opportunity would present itself again. So, preferred to be ahead of the game.

He picked up his quill again when he heard a noise just outside his door. His hand stilled. He could not shake the feeling he was being followed all day and if he were God help that poor soul. Richard slowly rose and crept to his door. He pulled the gun from his saddlebag that lay by the door, removing the safety and cocking it.

There it was again the same said noise, just outside his door. Richard grasped the handle and pulled the door open wide only to have a figure fall forward into his room face down.

"Give me one good reason why you are snooping outside my door before I kill you?" Richard said his mood foul.

The figure rolled over, hands held up in surrender. "If you shoot me, your sister will be very put out."

"Cyril! What in tarnation are you doing here!" Richard said, putting his gun away and offering his brother-in-law a hand up off the floor.

"Your lady love has decided to follow you. I was making sure she stayed out of trouble until she reached you. She is currently asleep in the room across the hall and I figured this may be my last chance to talk to you before she realizes I am gone."

"Juliana is here? Now?" Richard said hardly daring to believe it and mad as hell at the idea of it.

"Have you no control over the women in your household, Cyril?" Richard admonished.

"None what-so-ever," Cyril said grimacing while rubbing his elbow that was still radiating pain through his arm from his fall into the room.

"She left without consent or permission as I knew she would. Honestly, Richard, you should have known better. That woman cannot be contained. She has lost too much and I have no doubt she would wrestle Hades for your very soul if it came down to it. That is why I snuck out of the room to talk to you. She needs to be with you Richard and I need to be with my family."

Richard knew he was right but at the same time, he so wished to keep her from harm's way. Perhaps he should forget all this nonsense and return home. Surely he could hire someone to scout the area for his stepmother. He should not have to do everything himself, risking his life was bad enough but to put Juliana in danger also was the breaking point. At the same time, he was so close to getting answers.