Richard scanned the content of the letter, becoming more confused the more he read.

Richard,

If you have possession of this letter it means I failed to set things right. Something that perhaps I could do better in death than in life.

Then he read the specific instructions that she had left should anything happen to her.

Several copies of a letter had been distributed to each of the following publishers:

The Times, The London Chronicle, The Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser and The Gentleman's Magazine.

She had stipulated in a will, that should Richard, Annabelle, or Clara or any member of their extended families come to harm or death by unnatural means or causes the letters should be published so that those that are named within could be brought to justice/ruin.

Richard...she continued. Please know I accept my shame. I did do what I am certain you have already discovered. I am responsible for setting Cecelia upon you. I had your drink laced. I had you believe you had taken her virginity and therefore responsible for her situation. I am guilty of all of those things, but never would I believe all that resulted from those actions.

I want you and the girls to be safe. We are all puppets and with those letters I hope to cut your strings. I have sent a letter to the one responsible for all of this, and everything that came after, telling them what I have told you. I pray they are not foolish enough to pursue things further.

I will not say their name. You not knowing may also keep you safe. Richard, I know there is no love lost between us. I have always been jealous of your Father's love for you and his devotion to your mother. I wished to have his heart all to myself. My selfishness has brought on so much pain and not just my own.

Your Juliana lives. She is currently working for Annabelle. Go to her. Make her yours. You both deserve what your Father had.

I only hope one day you can forgive me so I may rest in peace.

Catherine

Richard read the letter several times. Still so many unanswered questions. His mind was racing with all the information she imparted and did not impart. He still wanted an end to this, and his mind was brewing a plan.

The Coroner came and took Lady Catherine away. Richard left strict orders that her death not be posted, that he would bring the body back with him so she may be buried by his family's chapel, with his father. He would post her burial then.

He had much to do. He looked at the young woman who served his stepmother. "If you wish a permanent position is offered to you as my new wife's chambermaid."

"Thank you my Lord, but I regretfully decline. There are many who rely on my services here in Bath and my family is here as well."

"I understand."

He left directives with her to close up the flat and ship Lady Catherine's belongs to his home. He left money to cover all expenses, including for the Coroner, the Doctor and her wages, as he understood this might take some time.

Now it was off to find Cyril and Juliana.

Cyril was having a hell of time convincing Juliana to stay put.

"He said to wait for him here! If we go off looking for him again we may end up passing one another without knowledge and then we would be a bunch of bumbling buffoons trying to find one another. Just be patient, Juliana. He will come."

"It is already midday, Cyril. He said he would be but moments behind us. Where can he be?" Juliana said pacing back and forth.

"Right here," Richard said.

Juliana gasped. She instinctively went to rush over to him, wanting to throw her arms around him, kiss him, never let him go but she was held in check when Cyril grabbed her arm, preventing her from taking such actions.

Juliana frowned at him and he just shook his head. "You are not you, remember?"

Realization dawned, dressed as she was she would have created a real scene. Two men embracing and kissing in public! What was she thinking?

"I am so sorry," she said to Richard and Cyril.

Richard just chuckled. "No worries, Love. I understand. I feel the same about you."

Juliana smiled at the warmth of his words.

"We will need a place to stay the night," Richard said, "I prefer us to get out of Bath, too many gossips and wagging tongues around here. Last thing we need is a scandal."

"Agreed." Cyril said, "How soon can we leave?"

"I need to make arrangements to get a carriage, and a cart. We need to transport Lady Catherine's body back home."

"May I make a suggestion?" Cyril asked, "Let us just get the cart and take ourselves and Lady Catherine's body back to where you left your carriage and stay the night there."

"Even better," Richard said and Cyril beamed with pride.

Within a few hours they were on the road. The coroner gave his report to Richard. He believed no foul play in her death just an unfortunate accident waiting to happen with such a mixture of drugs at her disposal.

Lady Catherine lay in her coffin, draped with a tarp in the back of a cart with Cyril riding beside. Not exactly the best seat to have but he did not complain knowing full well that Juliana would be riding upfront with Richard.

All three occupants were grateful that it had not begun to rain until the last leg of the their journey however it was still enough for them to be soaked through by the time they arrived at the carriage inn.

Cyril secured two rooms and fell into a chair in the lobby area too exhausted to move. Juliana had gone up to the room wanting to get out the wet clothes hoping to dry them by the fireside.

Richard entered the inn moments later shrugging off his cape and joining Cyril.

"She is in the room," Cyril said noting Richard looking around and knowing who he was looking for.

Richard was grateful to have this moment. He pulled the letter from his saddlebag and handed it to Cyril. "What do you make of this?"

Cyril scanned the contents his eyes widening as he read. Handing it back he said, "Smart woman. She has all but guaranteed the safety of her entire family."

"I wish I could be so sure," Richard said.

Cyril did not care for the gloomy look upon Richard's face. "You believe whoever responsible would expose themselves to ruin, perhaps jail or death?"

Richard frowned. "I do not know what to think. Not anymore? I just want this to be over. I am tired of this nonsense hanging over my head like an ax waiting for the opportune moment to strike."

"What are you planning?" Cyril asked feeling rather nervous about the answer.

"I want to draw them out. I want this over. I want whoever the puppeteer may be to be put in a position where I am certain they will never trifle with me or my family ever again."

Cyril was afraid this would be his answer. "You do realize the risk? By poking the wild animal you may bring on an attack and two innocent lives and your stepmother's have already been lost."

Richard understood his reasoning but he could not be satisfied to lay and wait for the ax to fall, who knows where it would land or who would be the recipient. No, he needed this to end.

Cyril could see by the look of determination on Richard's face he would be unable to talk him out of taking action. Perhaps if he spoke of it with Juliana, she could get him to change his mind.

"Which room is mine?," Richard asked, knowing by Cyril's silence he did not agree and that bothered him. Maybe he was taking an unnecessary risk and he had to consider the fact that he was not just risking himself but all of them. It was a lot to ask. Perhaps a family meeting would be best. Let them all decide.

Cyril handed him a key and Richard took the short flight up to the rooms. He saw the matching number and opened the door. He was surprised to see Juliana; he had expected the same sleeping arrangements as before.

She had undressed and now wore only a man's shirt to cover her slender form. All of her other clothes had been discarded and left by the fire to dry. She looked so sweet and enticing asleep in the bed, curled up in the fetal position. He closed the door quietly behind him and leaned against it just staring at her.

He undressed taking off everything but his pantaloons and joined her in the bed. He found it rather ironic how many times they have shared a bed without ever being together. In fact, he was pretty certain he had graced Juliana's bed more times than any other woman he had been with.

It brought him such peace just to wrap his arms around her. She turned to face him, that sleepy look in her eyes and smiled.

Oh how he loved that smile. "Sorry I did not mean to wake you. Rest, we still have a long way back home."

Juliana rested her hands against his naked chest, and just stared at him. "I love you, Richard."

"And I you, Juliana." Richard pushed a wayward curl behind her ear and for a long moment they just stared at one another.

Her hands drifted over his chest with a feather light touch. Richard sighed from the sensation. His hands slid under the shirt and to her waist, coming in contact with her gauze bandage and he froze. Juliana wondered what had distracted him.

"Juliana," he said tracing the bandage around her waist with his finger. "There is something I have to tell you now before another moment passes."

Juliana looked concerned for Richard seemed troubled. "What is it? What is wrong?"

Richard realized he had alarmed her and that was not his intention. "Nothing is wrong," he said taking her hands and bringing them to his lips, he kissed them. "I just have to tell you something."

"You can tell me anything," Juliana said touching his face.

"Things may not be over, and I am struggling with wanting this to end and wanting us to begin. I do not know the right course anymore. I find I am in unfamiliar seas and I now have too much to lose, but I fear that not taking any action may mean I may lose anyway and then I would hate myself forever thinking it could have been prevented and I took no action to be certain."

Juliana was having trouble keeping up with the conversation, but the feeling behind it was clear. "I am with you, no matter what it is you decide. I want to marry you Richard, do you want to marry me?"

Richard returned her confused expression. "Of course."

"I will be your wife. Will you be my husband?"

Richard thought it an odd question. "That is customarily how it works, is it not?"

She was going somewhere with her line of questioning and she would not be swayed. "Will you or will you not be my husband Lord Bentley?" Juliana asked quite adamantly.

"Yes, yes of course I will be your husband," Richard replied.

"Good now that we got that formality out of the way. I demand you take me as your wife."

"Here? Now? But we have yet to wed," Richard asked shocked by the idea.

"What is a marriage besides two people promising themselves to one another, before the eyes of God. God is everywhere, and your word is good enough for me. We can dispatch with a ceremony with our friends and family at a later date. Now, I demand you take me as is your marital rite."

Richard thought it best not to start their marriage by arguing but then quickly came to his senses. "Darling we must wait." Richard told her trying to put some distance between them. "You have been hurt and I wish you to be well before we..." Richard could not complete his thought it was too tempting an idea to even entertain. "Consider it your incentive to heal faster."

"All I need is you, now, Richard. We have wasted too much time already. I will not have another minute go by without iron clad proof that you are mine and I am yours. What more do I need than this?" She asked wrapping her arms about his neck and pressing her lips and body against his. Richard tried to be strong but had no will to fight her. His arms wrapped around her. He could think of nothing but how perfect she felt in his arms.

Richard pulled away from her onslaught of kisses and caresses trying to catch his breath. No, he must be strong. "I do not wish to hurt you?" he tried to reason with her. "It would be best to wait."

She showed him no mercy. Sitting up in the bed she pulled the shirt over her head, throwing her last bit of modesty to the floor. "You are mine Richard and I am yours. Why wait for a tomorrow that may never come when I am here now and you are only one decision away from making our dreams come true."

Richard thought of his many dreams of her, and his mind wavered. Then suddenly he stood up, deliberately moving away from the bed.

Juliana hung her head, he will leave her dissatisfied for tonight and she was powerless to make him stop. She heard a click and her head shot up. He had made certain the door was locked.

"I would hate for us to be interrupted. It is after all our wedding night," Richard said and she held her arms out to him.

Within seconds he was back in them. "I love you," he whispered in her ear before dipping his head to taste her skin and feel the throb of her pulse in her neck beat an erratic rhythm against his lips.

Juliana lifted her arms and buried her fingers in his hair loosening the tie that held it in place. "I love you!" she said taking his face between her palms and gently almost reverently kissing his lips.

Juliana ran her hand along his waist and undid the buttons holding up his pants, which then fell about his ankles and she smiled. "I think I remember seeing you like this before only you were wearing an undergarment then," she teased sliding her hand down his midriff and brushing against him.

Richard pulled his breath through his teeth, breathing more rapidly. "You will have me undone so soon?" he said staying her hands. Juliana smiled at him and again he saw the wild and mischievous fairy imp in her. He kicked his pantaloons aside.

She awaited him, sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs crossed and her hands folded she was the picture of demureness and propriety or at least she would have been if she were not naked and so incredibly tempting.

She was a goddess, coated in candlelight, her long auburn tresses falling just short of giving him a delightful view of her breasts but he knew what await him behind those long and lovely locks.

He took possession of her lips again and she matched him in both eagerness and intensity. He pulled away only momentarily to lay her down on the bed. She was a vision and she was his and he had every intention of making all her dreams come true.

She smiled up at him and beckoned him to come closer.

"Temptress," he teased.

"Wife," she corrected.

"Mine," he said right before joining her again.