Chapter Thirteen

The next two days, Gavin watched with pure heartbreak Julianne fighting for her life. He felt utterly useless; he wanted to kick and scream with anguish. Looking at her now, she had grown progressively weaker, her face and body seems shrunk overnight, pale and wan with no signs of her recovering from the ordeal. Julianne at times drifted into the state of semi-consciousness, but it was proven to be futile as she seems to be not in her right mind when she did not recognize any of those who were present.

Her fever had broken a few days earlier, but as Charles Hull aptly put it, the infection from her

wound had assaulted her nervous system, resulted of her being delirious. It will be in a matter of days or god forbid, hours now.

Gavin did not dare to have the physician elaborate further of what he might said next.

The truth is, he was scared as hell, he couldn't bring himself to see Julianne for he was fearful of what he may witness. He was at his wits end, wanting very much to crush the very bones of the culprit who had done this to her, but not before squeezing the answer from him of what were his motives. If, the duke determined, there was more than one of them, he swore he would hunt every last one of them to the very end of the earth.

Yet to his increasing dismay, Kelly and the duke's other men reported they have again failed to acquire any indication that could lead them to uncover any light on the assassinating attempt . The duke and his henchmen was perplexed immensely, uncertain of how and where they should proceed next.

Gavin had yet to receive any reply from Sandhurst of his inquiry on his investigation. He will send one of his men to follow up later, he decided. But now, Gavin sighed heavily as he proceeded to Julianne's quarters.

For days, he was too anxious to sleep, too worry to eat.

His heart sunk heavily as he gazed to the bed where Julianne lay, her breathing uneven. The air was thick, palpable with death.

Swallowing hard, he approached the bed hesitantly.

Alda was crying quietly in the corner. Charles Hull was there, distress evident on his face.

The duke wanted so much to howl in anguish, wishing so much that he was the one instead laying in that bed, with the gunshot wound.

He crumbled to his knees and cry, praying for the life of the woman he loved.

The duke gave a start at the revelation. Love?

Gavin blinked unseeingly. Yes. He loved her. He loved her so much he couldn't breathe and losing her now will be the end of him.

Stupid idiot.

"Sweetheart? Can you hear me?"

Julianne's head turned to the familiar voice. Eyes remain shut, she croaked "Your Grace?" The duke smiled sadly.

"Yes. It's me, love" Gavin whispered, bending low over her as he tenderly smoothed her gold hair. Julianne quieted momentarily as if hearing Gavin's voice calmed her.

"My chest hurts" she murmured quietly, lifting her eyelids partially. But instantly shut it again as it proven to be too strenuous for her. Gavin didn't answer, throwing a knowing glance to Hull.

Hull met his gaze and pursed his lips.

"Save your strength sweetheart"

Julianne fell quiet, only her ragged breathing filled the room. Gavin was at loss as what to say. He felt utterly helpless, he wanted so much to run his fist into a wall until it bleeds. Do something or anything to lessen Julianne's suffering.

Please dear Lord, spare her. Please.

"Am I dying?"

The duke swallowed, clearly shaken at the simple question. Smiling, he tenderly smoothed back her honeyed hair. "No, love" His voice quivered as fresh tears flowed.

Julianne made a sound of half wheezing and half laughing. "Liar"

Gavin's mouth lifted humorlessly. "Please don't say that, Julianne" His voice trembled with renewed anguish as he continued softly . "You cannot leave me now. I promised to marry you, remember?"

He knew he was too late to say the words but he felt that he should say it anyway, else he will regret it to the day he died.

"I do love you, Julianne. I love you so much I-" the duke halted in mid-sentence as he noticed a lone tear rolled down Julianne's cheek. The duke couldn't say more. His heart constricted painfully.

He was indeed a fool. An idiot. And he certainly did not deserve Julianne.

"I am sorry Julianne. I wronged you so many times. Please sweetheart" Gavin knew he was babbling,

He wept, kissing her cold fingers as he prayed fervently for her life. Now that he confessed, he felt as if he was drowning, blindly grappling for the slim hope that Julianne could be spared. Yet he knew it was too late.

Julianne must have sensed it too, for she was still suddenly.

Gavin was not able to bring himself to look at her. His heart breaking again for the millionth time, his lungs constricted painfully in his chest, he could not breath.

"Your Grace" he heard Hull's soothing voice.

Tightening his grip on her fingers he rasped "Please. Let me be with her"

Keeping his head down on the bed next to her, he wept.

Charles Hull hesitated a mere heartbeat, but at the look from Alda he eventually followed the maid out.

There was a faint rustling of feet before there was silence, the door to her bedchamber was closed softly with a click.

The duke could not lift his head, afraid of what he might encounter, fearful of the inevitable reality

that she had gone.

Let me sleep here with her. The duke thought, shifting his position slightly as he make use of Julianne's cold palm as a pillow for his cheek. Just a little while longer.. he whispered as slumber took over.