When Juliana awoke in her chambers she could not remember how she came to be there, but as she looked at her bandaged hands she remembered quite in detail all the events that led to her black out. He was with another woman. She was young with beautiful blonde wavy curls that cascade down mid-back. She looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years of age. Her eyes were a brilliant royal blue. She was everything Juliana was not.

"So that is what appeals to him," she thought, wincing in pain as she tried to push herself up to a sitting position with her hand. She knew she reacted badly. She may even lose her position over it. Maybe if she pleaded with him she could get Richard to write her a letter of recommendation. It meant a life of servitude but at this juncture of her life she did not expect more.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Juliana asked never knowing anyone to knock on her door.

"Lord Bentley" came the reply. "Anna, may I come in?"

Richard?, Juliana thought. Whatever could he want? She gave up almost immediately trying to don her robe. Her bandaged hands would never make it through the narrow openings of the sleeves. So she grabbed a knitted shawl to throw about her shoulders and sat at a small writing desk located in the corner of her room.

"Come in," she said.

She took so long to answer Richard had begun to think she going to deny him entry. As he entered the room, he was glad to see she was up and about, taking it as a sign she was doing better. He noticed her robe was left discarded on her bed, she was still in her night garment and he thought it odd she would not choose to cover herself. Upon further inspection of the discarded garment he understood why and what took her so long to reply. She was trying for modesty to no avail. He took a seat on her bed, as it was the only other piece of furniture in the room besides her wardrobe.

Richard could not believe how beautiful she looked as the light from the window shimmered off her auburn colored hair. He never saw her hair down before it was a lovely length with such wave and body to it, it seemed to have a life of its own. His hands itched to touch it. She looked magical, nearly fae-like with those huge brown eyes of hers.

Juliana still wondered why he was there. She was of little consequence to him. "Did you need me for something?" Juliana asked feeling uncomfortable under Richard's gaze and sudden silence.

"Need you for something?" Richard repeated dazed and a little hurt that she would think that could be the reason he for his visit. "Good Heavens, no," came his stunned reply. "I just came to see how you were recovering. Your hands were burnt quite badly."

She had nothing to tell him, as she did not have the time to unwrap her bandages to know the damage. Holding up her hands she smiled and said, "It is anyone's guess I believe." Then frowned seriously adding, "Sorry about the service. I know it can not be replaced but I expect the cost to be garnished from my wages until it is paid in full."

"No," Richard said more forcefully then he intended. "What I mean is... there is really no need. It was my fault entirely. I had expected Albert to be knocking on the door. Had I known it was you..." he left his sentence unfinished and dangling in the air between them, it revealed more then he thought he should under the circumstances. It should not have mattered who came through his door as all servants were expected to serve with out comment and with utmost discretion.

Juliana frowned again and then shook her head in defiance, " I should not have been so clumsy. She knew what she saw was none of her business. She had been called to Lady Catherine's room and found her in much more compromising situations and she never dropped a tray. It was because it was Richard that she had such a reaction.

"I blame you not and expect you to do the same," Richard said with a note of finality of the issue in his voice.

"Thank you," was the response he received, but he was still not satisfied he wanted to see her smile again. She was absolutely captivating when she smiled.

Richard placed a book on the desk in front of her.

Juliana startled him as she cried out in delight at this unexpected surprise. "King Arthur's Court," she said in a rush of breath as her heart pounded with excitement. She gazed lovingly at the small leather bound book, a look that pleased Richard to no end. However, as her bandaged hand gently caressed the cover, he suddenly felt covetous of that little book. Wishing quite irrationally that he, not the book, were the recipient of such a look and gentle touch.

She was completely ignorant of the intensity at which he stared at her. She only had eyes for the novel now resting unopened under her palm, how her hand itched to feel the leather, to thumb through the crisp pages. So unguarded were her thoughts that she blurted, "This is my most favorite story your Father and I..." and with horror her words died out as she realized what she was about to reveal but she quickly recovered. "Your Father," she began again, "also found that I had a great weakness for books. This was one of the first he had lent me to read and has since that day forever been my favorite."

Standing over Juliana Richard trailed his finger over the gold embossed title. Her smile faded some as she took in his sad and somber expression. It was a moment before he spoke. "This book was loved by someone else I knew, who was very close to me. She loved stories of grand adventures. I always thought she spent too much time with her nose in a book reading about them when I of course preferred to make my own."

Picking up the book, she could not keep the smile from her lips and she hugged it to her chest. "Perhaps," Juliana spoke quite wistfully, " your friend felt that if she read enough books her adventures might be limitless for she would only be limited by her own imagination."

Richard's heart ached, as he knew that was Juliana's sentiments exactly. How clever was the woman before him to discern as much, he had no doubt she must feel the same.

He drank her in, her smile, her eyes, her hair. Somehow with her here it eased the pain of losing the one he loved, the one he swore he would marry immediately upon his return. So, tortuous and somewhat traitorous was his emotions now, the he could only smile sadly and say, "Perhaps."

"How did you know I liked to read?" Juliana questioned, wanting to change the subject, hating to see him suffer on her behalf. Wanting to expose herself for the fraud she was, yet knowing it would make no difference. He cared and mourned the loss of a friend nothing more, and she would not take those memories and moments from him by revealing herself to him now.

"How did my father?" Richard countered, he too wanting to lighten the mood as he wished to see her smile again. It was like a salve to his wounded heart.

"He caught me snooping through his books as I dusted his library," she said knowing his father had caught her several times during her years as governess.

"Well I am afraid I am not as covert as my Father. I wanted to give you something to uplift your spirits and so asked Albert for help and he informed me of your fondness of reading. Is that why my Father asked you to be governess to my sisters?"

Juliana was surprised he had learned of this but if he was speaking with Albert she really should not be shocked he had mentioned it. "Yes, I believe so," Juliana answered cautiously, "that and the fact that I was close to their age I believe helped me secure the position. Your father had said he wanted someone who could not only be their teacher but their friend. I tried to be both."

"From what my Mother tells me you were very successful," Richard told her.

Astounded Juliana just stared at him in disbelief. "Your Mother said that?"

"I am not surprised if my Mother never mentioned it to you. She has never been one to lavish anyone with praise, not even her own son and daughters. Which brings me to another matter?" Richard said handing her a letter.

Juliana did not understand. "I know you can not read it for yourself with your hands bandaged as they are so I will tell you what it says." Richard began. "It is a letter of recommendation for the position of governess. Signed by my mother and myself. You are an intelligent woman Anna and your talents are being wasted on household chores.

"I know it may come as a surprise to you," Richard added at Juliana's lack of response "but frankly I am shocked my mother did not do it sooner. There is also an added bonus. My sister Annabelle, the older of the two, who married a very prominent barrister has two children now and I am sure would love to have her governess to teach them. She lives in London. If you wish the arrangements for your employment can be made as soon as you are well."

He was trying to get rid of her. Juliana's heart sank to the very pit of her stomach. "Of course he is," she admonished. Why would he want someone he lusts for in his home? It was only a matter of time before him and the lovely Cecilia marry, by what she witnessed the other morning. She would just be a distraction from the new Lady of the house and would definitely get in the way of any plans Lady Catherine had for herself in the grand scheme of things. So now that she was no longer useful she was to be dumped elsewhere. "Fine by me," she thought although her hurt knew no bounds. This place brought her nothing but misery and pain. The sooner she left the better.

"You are most gracious, my Lord. I wish for nothing more. How soon can arrangements be made?" she asked.

Richard seemed oddly distressed by her question. After a deep breath he shrugged and answered, "As soon as Mother hears from Annabelle. A week perhaps maybe two?"

"Fine then," Juliana said with a quiet indifference he was not use to receiving from her. "Tell your Mother I thank her for her offer and accept. I thank you as well."

Her tone was almost cold in it civility. He could not understand it. More confusing than her reaction however was the expected feeling of desolation he felt at this moment. He wondered if he could let her go now that he was faced with the reality that she may actually leave, but he knew he had no right to keep her. "Fine...Good...I will go and tell her then. Thank you for all your years of service to my family and best of luck with the continued service to my sister. Take care, Anna," Richard said as he took his leave of her.