“I’m not going back to Newgate.” Josephine’s voice was frantic as the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall.
Henry measured the distance to Julia in his mind. She was nearly six feet away, but he could reach her. Without any more thought, he moved toward the vile woman. Josephine turned toward the approaching sounds. Now was his chance.
Julia elbowed Josephine in the abdomen, causing the woman to relinquish her hold. His beloved stumbled a couple of steps out of reach.
The footsteps grew louder and mixed with frantic calls from Karrington and St. Clara, but Henry ignored them. His focus was solely on the mad woman in front of him.
Josephine’s eyes were wild as she raised the pistol and pointed it at Julia’s chest. Fear clawed at his insides. Henry knew that Josephine had nothing to lose. He closed the distance in two quick steps and wrapped Julia in his arms.
Josephine pulled the trigger. The shot sounded like a cannonball as it reverberated through the small space causing Henry’s blood to freeze in his veins. He turned to protect Julia from the path of the speeding bullet, wishing and praying that they would both survive.
“No!” Julia yelled out.
The bullet pierced his shoulder, ripping through his flesh, but he refused to let Julia out of his arms. Sounds of a struggle took place behind him, but he didn’t care. All he cared was that she was safe.
With one hand, he cupped her cheek lovingly. “Are you okay?”
Before she could answer him, a sharp pain shot through his arm. He glanced down to find a bloom of red visible beneath his jacket. A shaky hand tentatively touched it. Blood coated his fingers. Henry was suddenly gripped by fear, and for the first time in his life he asked God to save him.
He had to survive for Julia and their child.
“Henry?” Julia grabbed him as he swayed in her arms. His fingers slipped down her face as he began to fall.
“Hmm.” His knees buckled and he crumpled to the floor. His eyes felt heavy, and he wanted desperately to close them and allow him to succumb to the darkness. But he couldn’t leave her. He struggled to stay awake, but his eyelids kept closing against his will.
“Oh Henry, I love you,” she cried. Her body shook with fear as she flung her arms around him.
“I love you, too.” The words were heavy, his head clouding with oblivion.
“Henry!” Elijah called out.
Henry missed Julia’s weight as she moved off of him. Someone pulled open his jacket and moved his shirt. Something poked his shoulder sending a wave of pain through him.
“Henry, stay with us.” Elijah added pressure to the wound.
“Don’t you dare leave me again, Henry.” Julia held his head in her lap. Her lovely face was all he could see. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but the effort was too much.
“Never.” With those last words, he let the blackness claim him.
The former Countess of W has been arrested for the attempted murder of the Marquess of H! The marquess heroically risked his life for Lady J. That my dear friends is love.
Julia sat stoically on Henry’s sick bed, holding his hand. He was pale, his hair damp from sweat. It had been a day since the shooting, and he had not awakened.
She still could not comprehend the events of the night before. One moment she was staring down the barrel of a pistol, willing to give her life for the children. Then she was in his arms, safe, protected, loved.
He had risked his life for her.
“Still no change?” Mr. Edwards asked from the doorway.
“Not yet.” Julia shook her head. A few rogue tears trickled down her cheek, crumbling the little bit of strength she was holding on to. Her shoulders shook by the weight of her grief.
She couldn’t lose him again.
“When we were at sea, Henry would tell me tales of balls and the London Season. He spoke of a lady so fierce and beautiful, that if I closed my eyes, I would see you in front of me.” Elijah walked closer and stood at the foot of the bed. “When I first saw you, I knew immediately it was you. Henry described you perfectly, a face so beautiful, you could’ve been carved by angels. You were fierce, determined, and passionate.” He chuckled to himself, the sound rich and deep. “I knew from his stories that you two would be together again. And I know it now, Julia. Henry will return to you, and when he does, you can begin your life together.”
“I want that so much, Mr. Edwards,” she whispered, wiping her face with a handkerchief.
“And it will happen.” He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before turning to exit the room. “The Duke of St. Clara and Miss Price both have visited repeatedly. I’m afraid they insist on seeing you tomorrow.”
