Richard saw Cyril walking the doctor out and so excused himself from Barneby and ran back across the street eager to see Juliana. "Dr. Feller, thank you so much for everything you have done," Richard said shaking the man's hand.

"No thanks needed, and not required at least not yet. We have a long way to go. I have left detailed instructions for that young woman's care, which I expect to be followed to the letter. We can not afford any mistakes. Besides the fact of her wound, there is also the fact that her body has shut down. A body can not stay out of commission for too long. Let us hope she wakes soon."

This bit of news greatly alarmed Richard, "You mean if she does not wake we may lose her still?"

"Yes, a body can only go so long without sustenance. I would say a week but that would be generous more like three to four days."

"Is there nothing we can do?" Richard asked his fear of losing her trying to claw its way back into his heart.

"Pray," the doctor said. "I will be back in two days if there any changes to her condition before then send word and I will come immediately."

Cyril shook Dr. Feller's hand. "Thank you, Thomas. We all owe you, no matter the outcome. We will take excellent care of her."

"I have no doubt. Good evening."

Both gentlemen nodded to him and Richard watched as he walked away. Please Lord, let me keep her, bring her back to me. I need her.

"Cyril," Richard said breaking into the seconds of silence that passed between them. "I need your help. That man there," Richard said pointing to Barneby across the street, "I wish no charges to be brought against him. He needs your expertise and if you would be so kind as to arrange a place for him to stay tonight, I would be eternally grateful."

"Consider it done," Cyril said, and Richard once again admonished himself for ever thinking poorly of Cyril. He has proven himself valuable in every situation.

Annabelle was in the room when he entered. She was currently sponging the blood from Juliana's hands and abdomen. She quickly swiped her tears away when she heard someone enter the room.

"Still no sign of her waking?" Richard asked not liking the coldness of her hand as he held it in his.

"It is going to take time Richard. Her body has been through too much. The doctor has left instructions," she said pointing over to a letter on the bedside table.

Richard brushed a stray hair from Juliana's eyes and caressed the side of her cheek. "To think I almost lost you," Richard said feeling the swell of emotions threatening to overflow again.

"We will not have any of that kind of thinking, Richard," Annabelle admonished him and secretly herself. "We need to think positive for Juliana's sake."

"Of course, you are right and I am going to start by taking full charge of her care. I am not leaving this room until she is awake and on her feet again."

Richard was true to his word. On the doctor's next visit he praised the care given to the patient and he was pleased to see that the wound was healing well. There seemed no signs of infection and he attributed it to the fact that the weapon used was extraordinarily well kept, no rust or dirt on the blade, so it increased her chances of recovery. That and the wound was not deep as the dagger must have nicked a rib and missed any vital organs.

"She still shows no signs of waking," Richard said as the doctor gave his appraisal of Juliana's injury.

"Give it time, my boy. Time is the greatest healer of wounds, time and patience. Which is something you seem in short supply of, the latter I mean."

Richard sighed heavily. It has been two days now he has cared for Juliana, without a sign or a flutter that she heard him read to her, or felt his touch upon her face. He would give his very soul to see those beautiful eyes look at him again.

Annabelle brought Richard's dinner to him on a tray. He had refused to leave the room. "Thank you, Annabelle," Richard said shifting and stretching his long-form in the chair that was too small to fit him. Annabelle just shook her head at him she had given up on trying to get him to eat with the family. She prayed every day Richard's efforts in caring for Juliana were not in vain. She seemed so lifeless whenever Annabelle checked in on her when Richard dozed off. She hoped beyond hope that Juliana would recover soon.

As the third day dawned, Richard felt more restless than usual. He opened the window and there seemed to be a warmer breeze that was coming through. Spring was coming. He looked over the garden and could see signs of new life everywhere. The buds on the trees, the beginning of daffodils and iris poking their way through the dirt. Spring is a time for new beginnings. He thought a lot of what he and Juliana would do when she awoke and he knew the first thing that he wished to do was to start their new life together, together as one, man and wife, partners sharing all life has to offer them. Together forever.

"Richard?" was the soft-spoken voice that caught his attention. Richard turned to see what Annabelle wanted but she was not in the room. "Richard are you here?" Richard's heart leaped in his chest at the sound of her voice.

"Yes, Darling. I am right here," he said quickly crossing the room to be by her side. She was awake. Thank the Lord. She was sitting, staring at him with wide-eyed wonder.

Richard could hardly believe his dream had come true. She was there and she was alive and well. "Juliana, Oh my sweet Juliana. I have missed you so much. I feared I would never be with you again," Richard declared. He wept as he held her close to him. "Shh, Richard all is well. I am here now as I told you I would always be, no matter what happens to me."

"I was so frightened," Richard confided, "So, afraid."

"Richard? Richard, wake up!" Richard was roused from his sleep. "No, it could not have been. It could not have been just a dream, if it was, he did not wish to be awakened. He wanted to stay with Juliana but the dream had faded. There was no going back. His eyes opened and Juliana was leaning over him.

He wondered if he was still dreaming. "Shh, I am here," she said as she reached out to touch his face and wiped away his tears. "I told you I would always be with you."

In his tired state he must have sat down on the bed and drifted off to sleep but he felt the warmth of Juliana's palm against his cheek this was no apparition. Juliana was here and she was awake. Richard grasped Juliana's face with both his hands and kissed her so passionately yet so gently it took her breath from her.

"Oh, Juliana you are awake!"

Juliana smiled at him. "I should hope so," she said, "this has better not be another dream of mine."

Richard laughed he felt so good he could fly. Kissing her again he said, "I assure you, Love - you are not dreaming."

"Are you sure," she pinched him and he swore. She laughed and then winced in pain, "I swear this is just like every other dream I have had. Although I do not remember being in pain."

Richard was immediately alarmed. "Careful," he said laying her back down on the pillow but the devil in him made him ask, "So what did I do next?"

Juliana's blush gave away much more than anything she could have said and Richard smiled down at her. Juliana was so happy she thought her heart would burst. He was really here. She could touch him, kiss him, caress him all she wanted.

She ran her fingers through his hair.

Careful not to lean on her any way Richard gently kissed her lips.

"That was far better than any dream," Juliana said amazed.

"I would hope it was far better," Richard chuckled.

"Much," Juliana said wantonly, "but let us give it another try, just to be sure."

Richard chuckled and kissed her again.

Juliana opened her eyes when she tasted his tears. Her palms cupped his face and she just stared into his eyes. He turned away and buried his face into her neck. "I thought I lost you. I love you so very much. I kept praying for the Lord to let you live so that I may love you once more. I know I had done nothing to deserve Him to answer that prayer but He gave you back to me. Oh, Juliana, you have come back to me."

"Shh," Juliana soothed as she felt her own tears streaming down the sides of her face. "We have a lifetime, now. No one can take that from us."

Richard propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her and she smiled up at him. She was so beautiful, his heart hurt just looking at her. "You are right. Marcus is gone and no longer a threat to our happiness."

Juliana's eyes widened. "What do you mean gone?"

"He was shot. He is dead," he told her confused by her tone.

She had seen him run, he had realized what happened to her, he paused obviously struggling with the thought to help her or save himself. She could not blame him for choosing the second. She had fallen on the dagger when they tumbled off the bed. He raised his arms in surrender but Richard could not have known that was his intention, but Juliana had seen it in his eyes, he wanted to live.

Richard saw the play of emotions distort her features. He could not understand them. He thought she would be happy to know they were free of Marcus. "Juliana?"

"It was not you, that shot him?" she asked.

"No, his father."

"How did...?" Juliana just felt shocked by the idea that his own father would kill him. "Why?"

He felt his anger starting to cloud his happiness. "Why do you care?" He had heard Marcus ask Juliana to run away with him seconds before he entered the room. Did she have feelings for him? The thought brought such hatred and jealousy of a dead man that Richard without realizing it had pulled away from Juliana and removed himself from the bed, putting physical distance between them in order to fortify his heart against what she may say next.

Now it was Juliana's turn to be confused. "He came here bent on revenge. He wanted revenge on you. He blamed you for Cecilia's death."

Richard scoffed at this. "He kills her and blames me?"

Juliana just shook her head sadly, "He did not?"

"Not what?" Richard asked confused.

"Richard, Marcus did not kill Cecilia. She was already dead when he found her in her room. He snuck in to beg her to run away with him, figuring it was his last chance before you returned and you were wed. He found her strung up, he believes she took her own life not being able to handle what life held in store for her."

"And you believed him?" Richard said his anger now knowing no bounds.

"Yes," Juliana said emphatically.

"Why?" Richard demanded.

"Because I know that pain. I dare say I have felt it myself on more than one occasion and I saw that pain on his face. The pain of having the one you love taken from you, having to watch them with another, having to surrender them, knowing you will forever be apart, and having no option to change the future. You can not fake that kind of pain, Richard. He came here to kill me but he could not and did not."

Richard sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her, trying to comprehend what she was saying. "He had my dagger. I had seen it in his hand. He stabbed you."

Again she shook her head at him, "No, he was going to give himself up. I could feel it. I could see the change in his features. That's why I knocked him to the floor when you fired your gun. When we fell I landed on the blade. He did not harm me. He wanted to save me but chose to save himself in the end but it was all for naught."

Richard exhaled a slow breath he did not know he was holding. This made things far more complicated. If Marcus did not kill Cecilia then who did? Did she take her own life or was there more foul play? If there was it meant Juliana and his family are still unsafe and that they could not be together until the matter was resolved. And then there was Barneby how to pursue the matter without his father knowing he had killed his son who was innocent. Richard closed his eyes and ran his palm over his face. No, this was far from over.