Twenty Seven Part One

Gwen could hear Jude's voice, he was speaking to her, calling her back from the deep, dark depths to which she had plunged.

She opened her eyes, seeing him hovering over her for a second, before he jumped back.

Jude, help me up.

Jude swore, and said something about getting help. He left her alone to wonder how badly she was hurt.

She did not feel hurt. Come to think of it, she could not feel anything at all.

Gwen wondered about this and tried to move her head, but nothing happened.

That was most strange.

She tried to move one of her hands, again, she had no results.

She would have to ask Jude when he came back why she could not move a muscle.

Then she remembered.

She remembered falling and grasping, that it had been Jude's arm knocking her off balance, that had caused the fall.

She remembered Jude had stood there and had not helped her.

Then again, she had surprised him. She knew Jude had been unaware of her presence. She should have spoken first, or lit a candle to take with her.

This was most perplexing, why could she not feel her body.

She saw Jude step carefully over her and take the stairs up. Where was he going? Again, why was he not helping her?

He returned and settled next to her. "Can you hear me, Gwen?"

Yes, yes, I can hear you.

Gwen realized no sound issued forth from her body. She could not speak, she could not move, what was wrong with her?

Gwen was becoming frantic, she was trapped in a body that would not do what she wanted it to do.

Jude bent forward and spoke again, "Do not try to move. I have called a physician, I think it would be best if we wait for him."

A physician, yes, a physician may tell her why she could not function properly.

She was still frantic when Jude told her to stay where she was.

She did not have a choice.

Do not go, Jude, stay with me.

He came back and placed a blanket over her body. He stayed beside her but did not speak.

What is wrong with me? Gwen was screaming in her mind, talk to me Jude, tell me what is wrong with me!

Gwen was trapped and she was desperate for answers.

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Jude sat beside her, not knowing what to do. He had never seen anyone injured in such a way before. He was at a loss as to how to help her.

Opening the front portal, Charles bumped into Jude's back with the door.

Jude rose from his vigil, opening the door a bit further to allow them entry.

Charles came first, seeing Gwendolyn still lying upon the floor, his eyes shot to Jude's.

Jude was saved having to say anything by the physician himself. "Fell down the staircase did she?"

The middle aged doctor turned his steely eyes Jude's way.

"Yes, I am sorry to say that she did." Jude stood behind the physician as the man bent over Gwendolyn's prostrate form.

"What is her name?" The physician asked, as he took her pulse.

"Gwendolyn, Gwen, she is my cousin." Jude supplied.

"Gwen, I am going to have to look over your injuries, please be patient with me, dear."

Jude ushered Charles to the kitchen to prepare coffee, tea, whatever would keep him busy and away from Gwen's nude body.

Jude returned to the foyer as the physician was covering Gwen with the light cover.

The doctor stood and indicated the parlour, that Jude should join him there.

Jude led the way, letting the doctor proceed him into the room, wherein he followed and closed the door.

Jude looked to the doctor expectantly as the man shook his head. "She cannot survive her injuries, my Lord. Her neck is broken and it is my determination she is paralysed. Her injuries are fatal, though she feels no pain. Moving her alone may kill her, depending on the injuries to her neck."

Jude walked further into the room, sitting down, he took a moment to digest the doctor's words.

"What should we do?" Jude asked. He looked to the other man dumbfounded, she would die apparently, she had not perished immediately was all.

"We can only attempt to move her to a better location, as carefully as possible. If that does not kill her she will need looked after until she passes."

Jude absorbed this too, thinking the spare room too far a distance, he suggested somewhere closer. "There is a study beside this room, it has a sizeable chaise, and I can get a fire going in short order."

The physician shook his head, "We should move her first, she will not feel the cold, she does not feel anything. However, I believe she can hear us and understands what happened, let us move her and see to restoring her dignity." The physician went to the door, then looked back to where Jude stood, rooted to the floor.

"I am afraid." Jude admitted, "I do not want to hurt her any further."

The physician gave him a quizzical look.

"Than she already is, I saw how bad it was, I am afraid it will hurt her further and I balk at doing so."

"She does not feel anything at all, my Lord, nothing. The best we can do for her is to maintain a level of calm and assurance. You will need to buck up for this, it must be done. The sooner we move her would be best, then it is over with. Can you help me or should we call your man?"

Jude straightened his spine, "No, no, I will do it. Just tell me what to do."

"That was the plan, my Lord." The physician waited while Jude took a few deep breaths. "Speak to her, she knows you, tell her we are making her more comfortable."

The physician opened the door and they returned to Gwen.

Jude went and knelt so Gwen could see him, "Gwenny," Jude reverted to her childhood name, "The doctor and I are going to make you more comfortable, dear."

It must be very bad if he is calling me Gwenny.

The physician nodded to Jude and directed him to her legs, "Just slide under them slowly, one hand to the back of her... Knees,".

Jude gulped, as one of her knees mostly faced the wrong way.

"The other hand, slide under her back, down low, supporting her spine, right here," the physician directed Jude in where to support her broken form.

"I will have her shoulders and the top half of her body. Are you ready?"

Jude nodded and slipped his hands where the doctor instructed, wondering if Gwen would survive the next few moments.

Jude was extremely grateful she could not feel this, as it killed him to even do it.

"And lift." They carried Gwen to the study and lay her upon the chaise.

Gwen could see that she was being carried elsewhere but she could not feel anything whatsoever. She had hoped to feel Jude's hands on her, cradling her, but she did not feel his touch at all.

Her eyes still found Jude, as long as he was in her sights.

He moved to her head, as the doctor stepped away.

"I am so, so sorry, Gwenny." Jude smoothed her hair back from her face, hoping to make her more comfortable, yet realising that did not make sense. She was as comfortable as she was ever going to be again. "I will start a fire for you, you always want a fire, don't you dear?"

As of now, I just want to know why I can not feel you.

Jude started placing kindling in the grate, as Charles came with the hot coffee and tea. Charles looked to Gwen lying on the chaise and left quickly.

The physician crouched down and spoke to her, finally.

"You have been hurt from your fall and will need to rest, and do not worry, my Lady, worry will not help you to be better."

Rest, yes, if that will make me better, I can rest, and try not to worry.

"Do you know how she fell?" The doctor asked Jude.

Jude was lighting the fire he had lain, and he closed his eyes momentarily, before turning and meeting the man's eyes. "It was my fault she fell."

No it was not, I surprised you and it was an accident, you would never hurt me intentionally, my darling.

"You did not push her, did you?" The physician raised a brow, a slight smirk upon his face.

While the doctor felt badly for the woman, he had no idea what had happened here.

"Good God, no!" Jude swore, "I had no idea she was even here. She must have come into town to do some shopping." Jude looked at Gwen. "I allow her to use my guest room when she wants to stay overnight. It is just that usually I know when she is coming." Jude turned desperate eyes to an understanding doctor.

"This time however, you did not." The doctor stated.

No, you did not, my love, I was planning to surprise you......

Jude went on, "Exactly, I came home late after an evening out and as I turned to use the privy, a hand settled on my shoulder scaring the bejeezes out of me. I swung instinctively and down she went."

Jude moved to a chair and sat, holding the armrests tightly for a moment before leaning forward and putting his head in his hands.

"She must have heard me coming in and came out of her room to investigate." Jude spoke to the ground.

He lifted his head and looked at the doctor, "Her son, I should notify Alfred."

"Yes, and her husband......?" The doctor waited.

Is safe.

That was Jude's first thought.

Then he answered, "He is out of town and not expected back for at least a few days. I have no idea where he is, Alfred may know."

He is with his mistress. I do not need him, I only need you, Jude. Keep Marcus away, he does not care for me as you do.

Jude rose, and found Charles, sending him to the address he had for Alfred. Jude then rejoined the physician and Gwen. Jude took a seat, closed his eyes and breathed deeply, as the physician told Gwen the truth of her injuries.

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Alfred awoke to rapid, sharp knocking upon the apartment door.

Rising and throwing a robe over himself, he went downstairs to make it stop.

"Alright, alright, I am coming." Alfred grumbled sleepily as he opened the door.

"My Lord," Charles looked haggard, he had been dragged out of bed to fetch a physician, he had seen a Lady, that he had wished ill upon earlier in the evening, after a frightful fall. Charles was a bit out of sorts at the moment. "It be your mother, my Lord, you need to come."

Alfred looked at the man as if he had grown two heads. "My mother is in the country, no doubt unhappily, but safe I am sure." Alfred furrowed his brows at Charles.

"Nay, my Lord, she is at Lord Kensington's and she fell down the staircase, she is hurt very badly and you need to come with me."

Alfred felt a cold wave wash over his body, as he came to the conclusion Charles was speaking truth.

"Come inside, wait here." Alfred closed the door and ran up the stairs to dress.

What was his mother doing at Jude's?

He had just spoken to Jude earlier and Jude had not said she had come to town. What had happened over there? Had she came later? Had she found out he and Jude were turning on her? How did she fall down the staircase? How badly was she hurt?

All these thoughts and more tumbled through Alfred's mind as he prepared himself to go with Charles and find out.

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Violet woke early and carefully left his sleeping beauty tucked warmly in the blankets. He put their bag back on the desk and removed the clothes he had brought for this day.

He hung their things, to relax any wrinkles, before stealthily leaving the room. He traversed the hallway until he could smell breakfast and coffee, knowing he had now found the galley.

The crewmen who lingered in the galley knew Violet's story, having listened to Betsy's tale, they were all a bit curious about this 'pirate' they had acquired.

Violet was allowed to fill a tray to take to his wife, He had her tea, and was reaching for toast when a massive hand came around his wrist.

Now Violet, being of a good height and weight, took immediate offence to having his person shackled, be it by a hand or by any means. He turned to question the man and had to crane his neck up a half meter.

The man was huge, a giant. Violet's eyes widened. Pete and Sam were big, but this man was a freak of nature.

"The miss gets the sweet rolls." A squeaky, almost feminine voice issued forth from the giant.

Violet's eyes widened again, and he tried his best not to laugh, nodding to the man, as he did not trust himself to speak without rolling with laughter.

The giant proceeded to place fresh fruit on the tray, along with the rolls, some lemon for her tea, then he spent a moment looking around for anything else that may appeal to the little lady.

"If there be anything else she needs, just come an ask me." The giant squeaked.

"I assuredly will," Violet had a very hard time keeping the laughter from his voice as he replied, "And you are?"

"Goliath." The man answered.

"I have a cabin boy named Davey who would love to see you, Goliath." Violet joked.

The big man laughed, a trilling, high pitched laugh, that Violet was glad he could share, as there would have been no holding it back this time.

"Awww, go on with ye, Captain, no more of yer jokes, I gots me work ta do." Goliath patted Violet once on the shoulder.

Violet was surprised he did not fly across the room. He was glad he had not lifted the tray yet, as all would have hit the floor.

Violet adjusted his neck after the wrenching it received, he rolled his shoulders a few times for good measure. He looked askance at the large man and made a vow to avoid joking with him in the future.

Vi took the tray back to their cabin and quietly entered, scooting the bag over to make room on the desk.

He then proceeded to shave as quietly as he could and let the aromas from the tray wake Betsy.

Today, they would arrive in London, and mayhap, if he granted them an audience when they arrived, they would see the King.

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