Chapter Ten

It was quite a struggle to bring the fire under control. Gavin realized with dread. It was not only they don't have enough equipment or the sufficient manpower to do so, it was the incompetency of the lot. It appears that the tenants were inexperienced when it comes to dealing with real crisis.

They were standing around, unknown for the next course of action.

With great effort the duke finally managed to get the boisterous crowd to order and instructed them to line up from a nearby river mouth towards the Hall and the east side plantation.

Making use of water buckets as a tool for lugging the water from the river, the process was developing slow yet soon the villagers eventually get the idea and things picked up from there on. Kelly reminded him that it was a futile effort to save the Hall and the plantation as the fire was too big and could surely overwhelm them. In return, Gavin inform his newly elected personal groom that it doesn't hurt to try.

The duke worked diligently together with the people, shooting orders in military-like manner. Even as they progressed slowly they were able to tamp the fire down. By morning, the blaze had succeeds in not only destroying the two piece of the east side plantations but also had done a thorough job of reducing the Hall into cinders.

All were left standing are the charred remains of the once French doors that led into Julianne's rose garden. Gavin inwardly frowned, suddenly remembering. He left abruptly making his way to the side garden.

What he saw was not a sight to behold. Her beautiful rose garden was gone, he noted whisking a quick glance around. The precious blossoms were burnt into crisps, beyond recognition, Gavin wouldn't want Julianne to witness this.

"Your Grace" Swinton halted by his side, his expression betraying his inner remorse of what he discovered.

"Someone is out to get her, Swinton" Gavin remarked, directing a brief look of concern to the butler, the muscle in his left cheek twitched. Swinton stiffened noticeably.

"You think so?"

The duke nodded, his eyes returning to the blackened bush. "The arsonist began at Julianne's point of what she cherished the most" gesturing to the residues, they stroll slowly towards Kelly.

"Her nursery, her plantation and her garden" Gavin sighed. "And the Hall"

"The person waste no time in wipin' ou' everythin'" Kelly added, pursing his lips.

Swinton shifted uneasily on his feet. His bewilderment was evident on his face. "But who?"

Gavin grimaced. He was as puzzled as the others. It was a mystery that beckoned him to solve.

"Did she have any enemies?"

Kelly automatically scratched his head, Swinton was staring at him blankly.

"Not that I know of" Swinton volunteered swinging his gaze to Kelly. The man shook his head.

The duke was silent, his brows furrowed in thought while absentmindedly watching the scene before him.

The blaze was intentionally lit in various section of the Hall. Kelly's words persistently reverted in his mind.

"Are you still going to Devon, Your Grace?" The duke looked at Swinton strangely.

Riveting his gaze to the footmen and servants who slowly picked among the debris for whatever they can salvage, he asked instead. "Do you and the others have someplace to go?"

Swinton replied after a short pause. "My son's farmstead is not far from here, Your Grace.

And mostly the staffs hailed from around the area and the surrounding neighboring county"

Gavin nodded approvingly. "Right then. You may dismiss the servants until we clear up this mess and found out who the culprits are"

Swinton bowed his head stiffly and sauntered off.

"Have all the staff to gather here by four this afternoon" Gavin gestured to Kelly to follow him.

"Yer orders, Yer Grace?"

"We are going to London. Have few of my men to remain here to snoop around for any leads" and by 'we' he meant that he is bringing Julianne to London. Sensing the danger was still lurking about in Long Bennington, he was not taking any chances.

* * * * * * * * *

Gavin was able to persuade Julianne to agree to travel to London after a lengthy and arduous argument which left a black cloud hanging above his head.

It proved to be a hard task considering Julianne was more resolute than him, Gavin suddenly realized with a self depreciating curl on his lips.

She barely said a word to him, only engaging their conversation to simple topics such as the excellence of the food and the service extended.

She only ate to a minimal, preferring to just pushing her food around on her platter.

Gavin sighed settling down his coffee cup he asked. "Is there something amiss, Julianne?"

She raised her eyes to his but quickly looked down to her plate again when she realized he was watching her closely. Gavin noted the telltale sign of dark circles under her eyes, retelling her sleepless night.

"If you need to ask, then I can't help you" she seems fascinated with her half eaten kedgeree, she was able to finish the boiled eggs while leaving the curried rice intact.

The duke stretched his powerful frame across the table leveling his gaze to Julianne's .

"You wish to know about the fire" the words were uttered in an unmistakably silky voice. Julianne inwardly shivered, suddenly remembering their rendezvous in her rooms last night.

But Julianne refused to be deterred. She merely raised a gold eyebrow and thinned her lips.

The duke felt the corners of his lips twisted. He filled her in.

"As a matter of fact, I am planning to go to the location before we depart" he concluded sipping his lukewarm coffee. Above the rim, he raised a brow expectantly.

Julianne immediately elevated her spine.

He didn't need to be told twice. He suppressed the urge to sigh defeatedly. Vaguely, he recalled Edward's counsel to be more patient when it comes the time of dealing with Julianne.

Gavin firmly took hold the lid of his boiling pot and tamped it down with his mental fist. If he was going to secure Julianne's hand in marriage, he will have to be the bigger person.

The short ride to the burnt site seems like a long journey to her. She was not able to enjoy the scenery as she always does, her heart gripped in cold iron thinking of her home and plantation moreover her security and future had disintegrated along. Julianne hadn't the faintest how she would proceed from there.

The duke confirmed to her, with a straight face, the last two piece of her plantations were totally destroyed, leaving no trace. As well as her nursery and her beloved garden.

Julianne wondered fervently who would do such a thing? Gavin suspected there was more than one individual who orchestrated the fire; seemingly they had done a very thorough job in a relatively short time.

"My men will stay back in Long Bennington to investigate the matter" Gavin's voice sliced into the stillness of the closed carriage, causing her to break away from her musings. His assurance, his carefully chosen words, which significantly meant to soothe her, only irritate her.

"I told you before. You shouldn't bother with my problems. I can manage, Your Grace" Inadvertently, her chin tilted and gave him the most haughtiest look she can muster. Shifting in her seat, she turned her gaze back outside the window, dismissing him.

The duke raised a brow at the sudden change of mood. "Julianne-"

Abruptly she turned to him. "You may drop me at the location" Her tone was cold, devoid of emotion.

Her face was a mask of cool determination. "You may continue your journey to Devon"

"Why do you insist on me leaving?"

She eyed him irritably. "Because this is not your issue to deal with. Swinton and the rest and I can handle the matter"

Gavin hauled a long breath. Crossing his ankles, he lounged back into the squabs, effectively concealing his face in the shadows, he asked, "And what, pray tell, are your next course of order?"

Crossing his arms, he lifted a dark brow and anticipated her reply.

Julianne hesitated, staring unseeingly to him as if weighing her answer. "Well,I-"

"I will take a quick look on the situation and brief Swinton and the rest of the staff. After that, we will start our travel to London. Hopefully after luncheon" His words seems final and callously phrased. Gavin's lips twitched as if daring her to flout him.

Julianne felt her temper flare by his easily taunting manner. "Didn't I get to say in this? After all the land is still under my jurisdiction" Her eyes narrowed, throwing daggers at him. "And who makes you my keeper?"

The duke laughed, the sound rumbled from the bottom of his stomach, quaking his powerful chest. "Well, my dear sweet. The moment you lay naked in my arms-"

"That was a mistake" Julianne hissed, her cheeks felt hot. Insufferable man! How he could be so tactless, reminding her of how stupid she has been?

"A mistake?" Gavin curled his mouth humorlessly. "What about the third time? And the fourth? Was that a mistake too?"

Julianne all but suppressed a growl. "Yes, it was a mistake. Now I appreciate very much if you take your leave immediately"

Gavin didn't have the chance to answer as the carriage rumbled to a stop. The duke gracefully alighted and next turned to hand Julianne down.

The site was eerily quiet. All her servants were there, male staffs were not in their usual formal attire, donned instead in their work clothes clearing the debris and what was left of the Hall. Female staffs were milling about, collecting the charred remains and piling it in three stacks.

Julianne strolled amongst the ruins, she heard the crunching of his boots behind her, deciding to ignore him, she walked towards Swinton; who stood waiting as soon as he saw her.

"Oh, Swinton" Julianne sobbed finally relieved to have somebody familiar upon her midst. Swinton smiled gruffly, it never occurred to Julianne that the old butler look so very different without his ceremonial garb and his butlery demeanor. He seems to aged overnight.

"Miss Julianne" her majordomo swiftly took her outstretched hand balancing her as she carefully stepped over a blackened lumber.

"It must have been horrible" She took a quick glance around assessing the damage. "Nothing got saved?"

Swinton shook his head slowly. "We were not able to, Miss. As you know the fire has ravaged part of the Hall when Dickie raised the alarm" Swinton nodded to Gavin in acknowledgement.

Julianne forced back a choke. "Oh Swinton. How devastating. Where have you and the others spent the night?"

Swinton regarded the duke behind her. "His Grace has consented the staff and I to withdraw to our relatives" He patted her hands somewhat reassuringly. "Don't worry, Miss Julianne. His Grace has dispatched his men all over the area to make some inquiries in regards of the fire" Swinton's tone had

quieted a bit sensing her agitation.

A moment later, Gavin return with Kelly and five burly men, who, Julianne assumed, were his minions.

"No traces have been found to catch the culprit" the Duke reported gloomily, skating his left palm to his forehead. Swinton and Julianne exchanged worried looks.

"So what now?" Julianne noticed the brief flexing of his right cheek.

"We shall have to continue our journey to London" Gavin looked over to his men. "Three of you stay here and try to find leads. I don't care how you do it. The rest of you will have to come to London with me" he gestured to Kelly who nodded dutifully. "We shall began our travel after luncheon"

With that final said, Gavin risked a glance at her, fully expecting her to voice out her protest. She met his gaze squarely, hopeful that the deep frown will reach him loud and clear. Instead he merely thinned his lips, offering his arm silently. Julianne obligingly took it, enjoying momentarily the shifting of his hard muscles beneath her fingers.

The duke leaned down slightly as he whispered in a low voice. "I hope that meets with your approval, sweetheart?"

Julianne's breath caught in her lungs, sensing how close he is. "Of course I don't approve" she looked up, her heart stopped as she was staring instead at his lips. "I-I just don't want to make a scene in front of the servants" she finished quickly, dropping her gaze to the ground as they continued the short walk to the waiting carriage. What is wrong with her? There are more important issues to address rather than day dreaming about the fascination of his kiss! Julianne mentally snapped.

The duke was silent as he handed her into his carriage. After giving his orders to Swinton and the rest of the servants, Gavin instructed Kelly to find a nearby tavern so that they could have their lunch and acquire the supplies for their journey.

Julianne waited for the duke to settle himself comfortably in his seat across from her before she directed the question. "Where is Edward?"

If Gavin was surprised by her inquiry, he didn't show it. Instead he tapped the roof of the carriage with his cane. The carriage smoothly rolled away . "He went ahead of us"

Julianne linked her arms beneath her breasts, havoc of emotions clearly evident on her face. "Don't you think I should get a chaperone? Why, the thought of us travelling together without any connections is clearly inappropriate"

The duke lifted a dark brow at her sudden outburst. "Fine then. If you want, we can get married at the charming little chapel I saw just near Shelton"

"If you think that's funny, it is not" Julianne snapped, her eyes round.

The corner of his lip curled humorlessly. "I am not being funny" The duke let out a breath as he adjusted his perch. "Why are you fighting me on this, Julianne?" His question was uttered in a low voice as if pleading her. "You know as well as I do that we will eventually be married" Gavin lay back in the shadows as he continued, "And why are you so angry with me?"

Julianne frowned. Deciding to sidestep his second question, she asked. "Why do you insist I should marry you?"

"There will be a child. We should marry" still leaning, his reply, curt and precise, seems the only solution available.

Julianne huffed, still keeping her arms curled beneath her breast. "And I have given my answer, haven't I?"

The duke sighed. Lord, she was stubborn. "Julianne-"

"Our association should end here and now" she cut in.

Gavin laughed mockingly. He was looking rather pleased with himself. "Fine. Suppose we end our involvement now" The duke smoothly stretched his powerful frame across, suddenly the spacious carriage grew smaller . "Then tell me. What shall happen to you now? Where shall you go?" his mouth curved. His face was so close to her she could clearly see the luminous color of his green eyes. Julianne could smell his scent and inadvertently the memory of him making love to her last night replayed in her brain.

Julianne was unable to utter a plausible reply, deeply spellbound by the emotions colliding in his green eyes.

He was probably the most fascinating and perplexing man she ever met.

She was staring again at his lips and wondered feverishly when the duke will kiss her again. Their eyes met. Suddenly, Julianne's breath caught.

His mouth twitched, his gaze dropping. Ever so slowly, the duke edged closer. Julianne nervously licked her lips as she held her breath.

"There is an inn up ahead, yer grace!" Kelly's voice rang.

The duke let out a flustered air of breath nosily from his nose. He broke away reluctantly, recollect his cane to tap the carriage roof.

The vehicle slowed down as it negotiated a small curve, entering the yard.

Julianne was silent, trying to calm her nerves. Thankfully the duke shrank back into the shadows but she was sure he was watching her intently.

His questions had indeed confirmed its validity. What will happen to her now? Where shall she go? Unequipped with the crucial means to support herself, she was thrown into the pit of desolation.

She was in truth penniless, homeless. Her entire life was utterly disintegrated along with her home, her only home she'd known.

The thought of capitulating to his offer will surely obliterate her entire belief of a loving marriage life.

Inwardly she threw an assessing glance to the duke's large form, still enveloped in the shadows and she wondered. Did he love her? As per she aptly urged weeks ago. Did he even like her? She shook her head, discarding the very notion as impossible. He didn't show any signs that he did, distrust and displeasure were often his dominant emotions.

Julianne straightened in her seat, absently patting her black reticule in place, her only possession what was left from the fire as she dared to venture the thought of accepting Edward's proposal. Her brows knitted, pondering. Edward was different from the man sitting across her, pleasant even.

Again she quickly dismissed the notion, branding it as insanity on her even considering it. She will not marry without the presence of love between her husband and herself. She resolved, her eyes rounded with determination. She will have to be firm, seizing tightly her life and her future in her hands. She will not marry without love. The words repeated over and over in her head. Lifting her chin high, she stepped down from the carriage.

Her eyes must have the gleam of steely determination because the duke, who was watching her closely coolly arched one questioning eyebrow, as he escorted her into the inn. But he didn't said a word.

As Gavin left her by the inn's threshold with Kelly, she absentmindedly surveyed her surroundings.

If fate was to decide her to settle down and marry someone, then so be it. If this is the path being chosen for her, she will ruthlessly outlined her decree. She will not marry without love. Even if it takes forever for her to fulfill the proverbial prophecy, she will not succumbed to the same destiny her mother had endured.

Content with the way things turned out to be, she sensed her spirits lifted a bit. She will have to make use of her connection with Gavin to enter the marriage mart albeit she is almost on the shelf.

Julianne felt the ends of her lips curled, thinking that her pretend betrothal eventually provide the benefits that she sought .

She foresaw that she will find an eligible, decent man amongst the ton, she thought as she stepped lightly into a private taproom with Gavin on tow.

She will have to make do of the new plan for now. After she snagged herself a husband, well, Julianne sighed, crossing her mental fingers, leaning comfortably against the leather squabs, she will finally leave the rest to the hands of fate.