Richard seemed suddenly glued to the floor as she stared at him drinking her wine.

"Where are my manners?" Juliana said as she approached him. She took his gloves and cape from him. "Care for a seat?" she said motioning to the other small chair at the table where she had been sitting. She looked for someplace to hang his cape and hat but saw no place that was good so just carefully laid them on the floor.

"My apologies," she said. With a wave of her hand, she encompassed the room. "No furnishings," she added before taking in a little more wine.

Richard looked at her with amazement as she sat across from him at the table. "You said that you love me." He reminded her.

"No," Juliana said taking another piece of chicken. "What I said was I could not possibly love you," she corrected him. Juliana looked at the bottle of wine on the table she never remembered the wine at the Manor being this strong.

Richard brought her attention back to him, "Anna do not toy with me. This is my life you are playing with." Draining her glass, Juliana just stared at Richard and then out of nowhere she patted his cheek. "Poor Richard with no one to love him except of course the lovely blonde which he is going to marry."

Richard grabbed hold of her wrist, "I am not in love with her," he growled.

"No?" Juliana said. "Why that is just awful. How could you sleep with someone you are not in love with?" Juliana asked as she squinted her eyes to concentrate. "More importantly," she continued, "how can you marry someone you are not in love with?"

"Because..." Richard said, "she is the mother of my child."

Juliana knew that news should have bothered her but she had imbibed so much wine she really could care less. "Well," she told him, "that just serves you right for going through with the first question?"

"Her mind is dangerously coherent for all the wine she has drunk," Richard observed. His news did not even break her train of thought. Juliana stood up from the table and pointedly looked down at her wrist, which Richard promptly released. She went to remove the kettle from the stove. "Did you want tea?" she asked him.

"No," Richard replied. Not knowing what to make of Anna's state of mind. Did she mean it when she said she loved him, or that she would love him if he were not getting married?

Juliana did not want tea either so grabbed a blanket from the other room and her bottle of wine and her empty glass from the table. She spread the blanket in front of the fire and sat down on it and refilled her glass.

"Anna, you must tell me the truth, do you love me?"

"Poor, poor Richard," Juliana said turning to look at him once more. "Come, join me here on the blanket." She patted the spot next to her.

Richard did as she requested anything if it meant getting an answer from her. She was about to take another sip of wine but Richard placed his hand over the glass and lowered it from her lips. Juliana looked at him quite cross.

"Anna, I must know. It is my heart, my life, my very soul even that you are toying with. Please... answer the question."

Juliana smiled at Richard. "Did Alex and Willy... did they mention I tell them stories before bed?"

"Yes," Richard said not knowing where she was headed with this new topic of conversation. "Alex said you read to them."

"No," Juliana said shaking her head, "Alex says that because he learned that "telling stories" also means lying, but I never used a book to tell them an adventure."

"Anna, how does your telling stories to the children relate to my question?"

Juliana blinked long and slow for a moment and then drank the full glass of wine. "I tell good stories. Would you like to hear one? I think you will find it most interesting."

Richard realized he was at her mercy so he prompted her to continue. "Please, Anna. Please tell me a story."

"Well..." Juliana began "the story starts with a little rich girl who thought she had everything she ever wanted in the world. A beautiful house, a loving family. She even owned her own horse. It was a gift from her father.

Oh, how her father adored her. He was so tolerant of her wild and mischievous ways. He would give her anything she wanted. Anything he thought he could buy, but one day in a terrible accident the little girl lost everything she loved. Her family disappeared never to be seen and all the money in the world could not bring them back.

An elderly man from the village found the girl she was the only one left. He knew the family and decided to care for her. He was a nice man, but as hard as he tried he could not make her one of his own. His wicked wife would not let him get away with it. She demanded that the girl take her place among the servants and reminded her to be grateful for what little she had every day she was there. The girl became close to the elder man's daughters but the kind old man died and soon they were sent away. Oh, how the girl wept," Juliana said as a real tear ran down her cheek. "She did not think it was possible to lose two fathers and now she was alone."

"You see the wicked wife was all that was left and she felt it must have been the poor girl's fault her husband went away and tortured the girl in her life of servitude. The girl grew up in a house without love, with no family to care for her, and not a dime to her name, but she ....she did not care about material things. They meant little to her. The only thing she had ever wanted was her one true love. They say everyone has one. They have but one perfect match in this world and she was lucky enough to know who that person was. So many never find the one for them, but she met her's when she was young."

"He was glorious. His dark hair and brilliant eyes filled her dreams. The day she knew she'd forever be his was a day she was out riding her horse. She saw her beloved riding, too and to get a closer look she climbed the tallest tree. He was a magnificent rider even though he was not much older than herself," Juliana pointed out as she snuggled in close to Richard and he put his arm around her.

"You see he startled the young girl. He did not mean to but she scares easily." Juliana giggled. "But he scared her so much that she fell from her perch in the tree and was hurt in the fall."

Richard's body stiffened at Anna's words.

"She begged him not to be concerned with her, that she would be fine if he went to get help but he was her knight in shining armor. He valiantly tore his sleeve and dressed her wounds. He told her all would be well and he rode with her holding her close to him in the saddle. He rode like the wind that day. She never got to thank her knight because he too was sent away."

"Her father knew how much she loved him and before his death paid the king a handsome sum to secure a betrothal for her, but the king after learning of her father's death had a spell put on her. Her life was to be one of misery and misfortune until the day her knight returned but should he not want her, she could have all the wealth she wanted but never... was she ever to...have...love. She was...doomed ... to wait... for him...forever."

Richard looked down at the woman now asleep in his arms. His heart tightened within his chest. He felt as if he could hardly breathe.

"It is not possible," Richard told himself. It just could not be but even if Anna had learned of the accident she could not possibly have known about him tearing his sleeve or that he refused to leave Juliana's side to get help.

"Could it be?" Richard thought. His hand trembled as he stroked the auburn hair, the color so similar to that which he remembered. "Could I have been so blind?"

Anna, ANNA PLEASE... you must wake! How dd you know?!"

It was of no use, no matter how much he begged or pleaded or shook Richard could not get her to wake. "Infernal wine!" He cursed.

Richard picked up her listless form and carried her to the bedroom. Thankful that a bed was among the furnishings she received and laid her upon it. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her. All this time... he must know, and there was only one way for him to be certain. She'd be scarred from the accident, the gouge in her side was too deep not to leave a mark.

He reached out to her but pulled back. He'd have to undress her, but he did not know if he could or should.

Then he thought of Anna's story and the life of misery the little girl was forced to live and he knew he had to know the answer. So, gently one by one, her garments he removed until she lay with nothing on but her chemise, which he gently slid above her knee, over her hips and there it was, a jagged, angry, looking scar marring her otherwise flawless skin.

"Juliana," the one words came out in an anguished breath. "My God, what have I done?" Richard covered his mouth to stifle a sob. "How could I have been so blind?" He could not believe she was here, the entire time, right in front of him. Forced to serve him, Richard thought with a clarity that brought such tremendous pain.

Why didn't she tell him? There were so many opportunities and now... now they were gone. He was right when he thought she would always wait for him. She had never strayed all these years. "Oh Juliana, you should have been honest with me. The outcome would have been so different for you and I. Why didn't you tell me? Why?!"

The emotions tearing through him made his heart bleed. She was alive and breathing. Resurrected before my very eyes, he thought as he watched the rise and fall of her chest with each breath. She had no other lovers, no other beaus. She was his, she was always meant to be his but now... it was too late.

No! Life could not be this cruel, Richard thought trying to hold onto hope. Why would she be returned to him now if he cannot have her? If he could not set things right. He had to do something. She deserved a happy ending to her story. But how?

He would just have to find a way. Richard resolved as he slid her chemise back into place, covered her with a blanket, and lightly kissed her lips. He swore then and there on his heart and her happiness he would find a way for them to be together.

"I must!"