Chapter Twelve

The carriage jerked and sprung forward it nearly thrown Gavin off his feet.

Gritting his teeth, he sat himself upright. Kneeling beside Julianne, he surveyed her wan face, the face that he came to know so well. It seems as if that life has been cruelly torn away from her if not for the slow rise and fall of her chest was any indication that she was still alive.

Involuntarily, he shuddered. Mental images of her lying on the carriage floor with her blood oozing was enough to make his jaw hardened with renewed ire.

He was right on one thing, though. Someone is really out to get her. Not only did the culprit went all the trouble in burning down her house and her estate, he even stalked her in the middle of the road to assassinate her.

That last bold truth shook the duke to his core. Senses sharpened, he carefully collected the

Martini-Henry from its hiding place and rechecked the barrel again. Whoever it was, they certainly knew when to strike, where to strike. Gavin reflected.

Kelly who rode upon his horse alongside the carriage arched his eyebrow at his master. Gavin caught his eye and nodded slightly.

Kelly thinned his lips and drew his rein for a slower gallop no doubt to raise a silent alarm among the others.

His weapon drawn, he adjusted his perch on the carriage floor while his fingers absently stroke Julianne's hair.

If the villain knew where to find them, it will not come as surprise to him if they even knew where they are headed. This revelation will further put their situation in dire straits, Gavin realized stealing a glance at Julianne. They were still four hours away from London, Gavin and his men were like a blind man without a cane, unknowingly how many culprits out there waiting for their right time to strike.

"Gavin?" His eyes immediately flew to Julianne's face, she cracked open her eyes slightly only to shut it again as the pain clipped her body.

"Sweetheart? Don't move. You have been shot"

At his words, she reopen her eyes suddenly, gritting her teeth she ground out "Am I dead?"

The duke uttered a weak chuckle. "God forbid. No " He smiled sadly down to her, still keeping her head cradled in his lap, he whispered, "Do you think you can get away from me that easily?"

A weak smile touched her lips briefly as she drifted back to unconsciousness.

Hours has passed and Julianne had drifted in and out of her oblivion state which Gavin saw a good sign even though it is not much but to the duke is good enough. Gavin inwardly sigh, but still he keeps his eyes and ears plucked open for anything that is extraordinary.

Just then Kelly drew alongside the carriage "Yer Grace, Brent Cross!" The duke stole a quick glance out the window and his familiarity to the landmarks confirmed Kelly's words. There were only a few minutes away from the city. Gavin nodded to the man. "Who is our fastest rider?" Kelly frowned a bit but he answered anyway in spite of his master's odd query. "Bielby"

Gavin paused a mere heartbeat trying to recollect Bielby. "Have him ride to Jermyn Street. Find Hull. Charles. A physician. Hull have to be at St. James Street before we arrive" Kelly nodded before wheeling his horse away and barked his master's orders. "St. James Street!"

As the carriage evidently picked up its speed and headed to the designated destination, Gavin mentally prayed that Bielby was indeed his fastest rider.

* * * * * * * * *

Charles Hull crossed his arms as he threw a worried glance to the bed where Julianne Cosgrove lay still.

He had done his utmost inspection on his young patient yet he was not happy how pale her complexion is.

While he was quite pleased and impressed with Gavin's fast action in extracting the bullet and closing of the gash, the physician is not comfortable when the duke reported how deep the wound was.

"How is she?" the duke approached Hull, throwing a swift glance to Julianne. Alda grimly rearranging her mistresses' quilt, another two young maid whom His Grace assigned to look after her was bustling quietly about the room.

Hull furrowed his brows, trying to formulate a doable reply. "The next 24 hours is the crucial part"

Gavin fixed a stern look at his friend, his heart gripped painfully in his chest. Hull raised his eyebrows

as he plunged "Judging by your animated description of her wound, we should pray that the wound would not get infected" the physician paused, letting the information sink. "Are you certain that the metal didn't hit her vital organs?"

Gavin sighed. He was certain. "Quite certain. Now what?"

Charles Hull raised his brow, working to unfold his rolled up sleeves. "Now we wait" He cleared his throat. "If she can pull through the night, without mishap or god forbid, fever, consider yourself lucky" Hull smiled encouragingly to the duke.

"Don't worry. I have fed her laudanum just so she can rest easily"

That eases the duke a bit. "Thank you Hull for coming in a short notice" Charles Hull smiled broadly.

"Oh and if Miss Cosgrove comes to, make sure she eat something. Nothing solid. Preferably pliable so that she can swallow easily without too much effort" Gavin nodded.

"I will be in my residence fifteen minutes away if my services are further required" That tidbit of information effectively furrowed Gavin's brows. "I would rather preferred you to stay here for the night"

The physician laughed a bit. "My apologies, Your Grace. But I have a patient very early in the morning.

Don't worry. I will stop by tomorrow to clean the wound" with a final bow, his friend quit the room.

Gavin sighed ruefully. Turning on his heel, he approached the bed where Julianne dozed quietly, her chest raised and fall steadily, a sure sign of life.

Observing her pale face and laying so helplessly, he felt his temper kindled anew, but at the same time feeling rather hopeless for he was at his wits end as to uncover who was the perpetrator and where will

he strike next.

"You should rest, Your Grace" Gavin gazed down to Alda who was sitting in a chair next to her mistress. Alda smiled half-heartedly, before turning her attention back to Julianne. "You should get something to eat" the young girl encouraged again quietly.

Gavin hauled in a deep breath. "Did she have any enemies, Alda?" The question clearly caught the maid off guard. "What makes you think so?"

Gavin was quiet as if contemplating his answer, whether it is necessary to enlighten his suspicions

Grimfaced, he studied Julianne's still form. His henchmen reported there was nothing of the ordinary going about in Long Bennington, much to his frustration. Birkett, Clegg and two others are on guard outside his townhouse since they have arrived in St. James Street while Kelly had gone to Long Bennington to follow up his master's query.

"Whatever will come of Miss Julianne, Your Grace?" Alda questioned. Gavin shut his eyes momentarily. He was worried. As Hull said, the next 24 hours is crucial. Critical. The duke obviously know what that entailed. It is a matter of life and death for her.

Even though he succeeds in removing the deadly bullet from her, there is no sure fire way that she could eluded fatality, for what he had done was a mere battleground operation, something that had to be done before the definite medical necessities.

Instead he answered, "Summon me if anything arises Alda. I will be in my bedchamber" Gently smoothing Julianne's gold hair, he smiled faintly to the Abigail before closing the door behind him.

* * * * * * * * *

True to his fear, Gavin was informed by one of his servants that Julianne's fever have picked up.

"Did someone send for Hull yet?" He directed the question to Colins . Still holding his master's robe aloft, he hesitated before replying, "We did, Your Grace, about 20 minutes ago"

The duke raised her brows, expecting the man to elucidate. "The Duke of Sandhurst is here, Your Grace" He informed instead. The duke nodded absently, shrugging into his burgundy robe, Gavin stalked into the direction of Julianne's quarters.

He felt his heart lodged into his throat, dreading for the worse.

A few servants clustered quietly at the doorway, seems as they were curious of what was transpiring but a handful of them scattered as the master drew near yet some remained albeit receiving Rigby's haughty look.

Gavin tapped Edward's back lightly. "How is she?" He asked. His friend quieted before muttering grimly. "What in hell happened to her Gav?" The duke sighed, gazing worriedly at the bed where Julianne lay.

Alda and the other maids were frantically bathing their mistress with cold compression to her forehead, neck and limbs.

He felt the tears burning at the back of his eyes, feeling powerless for the first time.

"She was targeted" he managed hesitantly. His friend paused, looking unseeingly at the carpet below him. Remorse engulfed his features.

"Who?" The unrequited question was duly understood by Edward for he said instead "Have you sent your men to examined the area? If not I will send my people tomorrow"

Gavin contemplate the question before replying, "Yes I did. No success on that quarter" At Edward's questioning look, he continued in a much lower voice "It seems that the bastard knows what he was doing. His work was scrupulous. No trace. No nothing" Gavin all but suppressed a growl, his temper flourishing anew.

He heard Edward's grunt. "Fine then. I will send a couple of my best men to Long Bennington and the area tomorrow"

"Your Graces?" Simultaneously, both duke whirled to welcome Charles Hull.

"Hull" Edward acknowledged, obviously well acquainted with the physician.

Grimfaced, Gavin ushered Hull into the bedchamber while Edward stood rooted at his spot at the

doorway.

Julianne was breathing heavily. Her whole face was soaked with perspiration, he swallowed the lump that was threatening to form. Tentatively he approached the bed. Alda and the other maids hadretreated to a corner as to provide the duke and the physician some space.

Swallowing hard, he gathered her cold fingers into his hands before whispering.

"Julianne? Sweetheart?"

"Your Grace?" Keeping her eyes shut, she managed weakly "Why am I so cold?"

The duke swallowed a bit, his vision blurred with unseeing tears.

"Save your strength love. The physician is here to check on you"

Julianne quieted momentarily, her breathing erratic. Gingerly the duke placed his palm on her forehead and was alarmed by the heat.

Gavin cast a worried glance at Hull who was preparing his utensils. "Do you have anything to get the fever down?"

Hull nodded, approaching the bed he added, his fists on his hips, he studied his young patient "I will give her the medicine. After that I wish to check on the wound"

"Please continue with the cold compression" he instructed Alda.

The maid did as she was told, preferring to carry out the task on her own.

Gavin was silent as he watched Hull gently examined Julianne's wound. His eyes round when Hull cautiously approached him.

"What?" The physician gave him a fleeting look as if weighing his words.

"The wound is infected" he confirmed. Gavin didn't like the look on Hull. "And?"

"What? What is happening?" the young physician sucked in a ragged breath, glancing at the Duke of Sandhurst who choose to join them.

Gavin fixed Charles Hull with a hard stare. "And?"

Hull hesitated briefly before plowing . "I cannot do much but only to clean the gash with carbolic

acid" Both dukes looked at each other in disbelief. "Then we wait. We have to control the fever, that is the least we can do" with that said Hull left the two men to begin administer the said procedure on Julianne.

Hull's words, crushed the very breath from him. Gavin curled his fists, feeling an uninhibited rage welling inside. He swore he will rip to thousand pieces for whoever did this to her. At the same time he felt helpless. Multitude of emotions coiled within, Gavin felt sick in the stomach. Worry, anger, sadness, frustration all piled into one.

"If you are not doing anything about this, pray, let me do the honors" Edward's muttered quietly in a manner of civilization, his tone held the unmistakable trace of spite. Gavin looked over to his friend, his mouth twisted menacingly

"No. The bastard is mine. I will leave you half the pieces when I am done"