From the Ashes

Chapter Eight

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.