Richard thought it was all a dream. A wonderful, glorious dream but when he felt Juliana stir next to him he realized that dream had somehow managed to become his reality. He slowly turned and moved the hair from her face. She looked so peaceful sleeping, his angel, forever at his side.

His heart hurt with the emotions that welled up in him. From this point on he refused to be parted from her.

"Not that I could get away with leaving her behind," he thought and chuckled. He really should have known better.

He tried to slide from the bed and an arm locked him in place around his waist. This time he laughed out loud.

"It is morning, Love and we really should get back to the road. I am sure Cyril is eager to be home with Annabelle and the boys."

Juliana knew it was selfish but she just wanted to block out the rest of the world even if it were just for five more minutes before life intrudes and tries to drive them apart. So, she held on even tighter.

Richard understood how she felt and pulled her into his embrace. She sighed and closed her eyes and just took a moment to listen to his heartbeat, its rhythm was soothing.

Then there was a knock at the door. Both knew Life would not wait forever.

"Richard? Juliana? Are you awake?"

Juliana smiled at Richard, she really could not continue to be greedy. Annabelle needed her Cyril perhaps as much as she needed her Richard.

She let him go and slid from the bed.

Richard got to admire her naked beauty for one more brief moment before she donned a man's shirt but even then she was beautiful.

He jumped out of bed and laughed for the third time this morning taking in Juliana's delicate blush as she took in the sight of him. He quickly dressed into his clothes, hollering to Cyril he would be but a moment.

Juliana went to pick up the trousers and he stayed her hand, leading her over to his saddlebag. Juliana looked on confused but he pulled out a chemise and simple style dress. Something he had acquired from Lady Catherine's maid. He knew Juliana would never wear something belonging to his stepmother but he could not stand her being in men's clothing a minute longer.

"Thank you!" she said taking it from him.

"I thought you might be more comfortable." He gave her a quick kiss and grabbed his boots and opened the door.

Richard slipped through a crack he made for Juliana was not yet decent.

Cyril's eyebrow arched. "So, things went...well?"

"Yes. Very. Thank you," Richard said grinning, it could not be helped as the joy of being with Juliana made his heart want to burst with happiness. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes, Please!" Cyril said, and they walked together to stables.

Juliana felt so much better being in woman's clothing. She still could not believe her and Richard had finally spent the night together. Her body still hurt in places she did not expect. Richard was so gentle, so loving and kind, yet so passionate. She colored thinking how bold she had been, learning what power she had over him.

The knowledge she could give him pleasure and not just receive made her body hum, knowing things between them have only just begun. She did up her hair, quickly scrubbed her face and made her down the stairs. They were not found in the inn so she walked to the stables. They were hitching the horses. Soon they would be on the road and with luck be back to Clara's by nightfall.

Cyril smiled at her. Looking her up and down, before saying, "Much better."

Juliana laughed.

And then Richard came around his stallion and was positively beaming at her. "You are stunning."

Juliana beamed back at him.

"You are with me in the coach. Cyril will follow behind in the cart," Richard told her giving her a hand up and they were off.

The day had cooperated with them. It was later then they had hoped for they had to stop to eat and the horses needed to rest, but the weather had held and now they pulled up the carriage in front of Clara's. Cyril took the cart around back to the stables.

They discussed this over lunch as Cyril wanted a chance to break the news to Annabelle and Clara gently that their Mother was gone. True she was not the caring mother either of them would have hoped for but he imagined it would still come as quite a shock that she was gone.

Juliana had fallen asleep on Richard's shoulder and he felt reluctant to wake her but he did not have to worry as the entire contents of the house came tumbling out of the front door.

Annabelle with a quick glance immediately became alarmed.

"Cyril? Please tell me he found you?" she begged of Richard. Juliana, who was now wide-awake, went to answer but did not get the chance.

"Here I am," Cyril said and Annabelle went running over to him, throwing herself at him with such force he nearly fell to the ground but managed somehow to stabilize them both. She showered him with kisses and he could only laugh. Such a scene would normally have him shocked at her lack of propriety instead he kissed her back as many times as she kissed him.

She stepped aside and Cyril's two sons tackled their father. Cyril wrestled with them momentarily and then managed to sit up but only barely as one son was wrapped around his neck and the other was still wrapped around his waist.

Clara's eyes were filled with tears as she took in the display. To have such love and devotion she could not imagine how it felt.

Richard now stood before her. He could not believe this was his littlest sister. She had grown to be quite a beauty. Her looks were dark like his, hair so brown it was nearly black and eyes of silver that shimmered with unshed tears.

He opened his arms out to her and she ran to him.

Kissing the top of her head, he said, "It has been too long Clara."

She sniffed and just hugged him harder.

Richard looked around but did not see any others join their party and wondered where was Clara's husband. If he was anything like Cyril, he knew he would like the man instantly.

Juliana just smiled watching the display. Here was her family. After so long of being without they came in droves to greet them. They were hers and no one could take them away from her. Her heart felt it would burst from such joy.

"Where are my manners?" Clara said, "Come on in. You must be exhausted from your journey and famished to I would wager."

They all filed in and then suddenly stopped when, Annabelle said, "Wait, where is Mother? After all you went through, do not tell me you could not find her?"

Juliana, Richard and Cyril all exchanged a knowing glance.

"What? What is it?" Annabelle asked not missing the look.

Clara had a feeling. "Annabelle, let them settle in first. Then I am certain they will tell us all about their travels."

Clara looks pointedly at the boys who were still hanging on their Father, one on his shoulders, the other around his leg.

"Of course," Annabelle said not liking the foreboding feeling that threatened the happiness that now filled her heart.

Clara ordered her servants to make up a bath for her guests, and they bustled around to comply with her wishes. She had an easy command over them as soon the dining room was filled with a light supper fare.

As some of them ate, another washed up until finally they were all clean, clothed, and fed. All were feeling quite content.

Juliana looked at Alex and Willy and said, "Who wants a bedtime story?"

The boys did not need her to ask twice. She gave a nod to Richard and looked at Cyril. They knew she would keep the boys upstairs and let them handle their family affairs.

"Let us move to the parlor?" Cyril said and they all followed.

Once tea was served, they all sat in silence for a moment.

"There is no easy way to say what needs to be said," Richard began and watched as Cyril took Annabelle's hand and it once again struck Richard that Clara's husband was nowhere. So, he took her hand in his.

"Our Mother...well... she is dead."

"What?" the women said nearly in unison.

"How?" Annabelle asked looking at Cyril.

"She was highly unsettled by someone or something. We have not discovered yet what that might have been but what we do know for sure is that it caused her to self medicate her nerves," Cyril replied.

"Laudanum, Morphine, Opium." Richard supplied, "which one is at fault we do not know. It could have been a combination of all three."

"You found her dead?" Clara asked still having a hard time believing she was really gone.

"She was alive but barely coherent when I came upon her in Bath," Richard informed her.

Annabelle's eyes widened, "You were with her when she died?"

"Yes. She did not die alone," Richard said and both women seemed to have taken comfort in this thought.

Richard looked at Cyril.

And Annabelle did not miss a beat. "What? Is there is more? Tell us?"

"Well," Richard began, "There was a letter..."