One week of medical care was proving to be completely futile for Juliet kept getting worse. Gretchen had been hoping that Juliet would get better but looking at Juliet right now, she could feel hope slip from her.

"Sit,” Juliet spoke with trembling lips and tears immediately filled Gretchen's eyes.

Ethan had told her what Juliet did; how she had been the one to recognize Lady Hall's carriage, how she had insisted Ethan returned to the castle, and how she signed over her rights to Elizabeth.

Settling quietly beside her, she folded her hands on her knees.

“H— ho—how's Elizabeth?" Juliet asked, her cold hand coming to rest on Gretchen's wrist.

"She is perfect.” She forced a smile. Elizabeth's knife wound had been nothing but a flesh wound.

"Good," A drop of tear ran down the side of Juliet's face as she closed her eyes. "Clara," She whispered. "I named Elizabeth, Clara, after my birth mother." She took a labored breath and opened her eyes again. Craning her head to the side, tired green eyes came to rest on Gretchen. "I must have forgotten to include that in my note to Ethan." What sounded like an attempt at laughter, escaped her lips. "I'm such a terrible person, Lady Williams."

Shaking her head, she swallowed and tightened her hold on Juliet's hand.

Juliet managed a smile. "It's alright to admit it. I've been so selfish and self-serving..." She paused, taking a deep swallow of air. "I'm not proud of a lot of things, but I'm glad I realized my mistake, I'm glad I could fix something."

She felt Juliet tighten her hold on her hand as well.

"You must make me a promise, Lady Williams."

"Anything,"

"You must never tell the child about me."

"Juliet..." She whispered, barely able to speak past the lump in her throat.

"I could never be her mother, even if I tried." She said in labored breaths. "So I'm asking you to be the mother that I couldn't. Elizabeth must never know that she was birthed by a woman such as me."

"Don't ask me to lie to her."

Juliet shook her head as her tears ran down her face. "What is a lie, Lady Williams, is referring to me as her mother. I have never been her mother. Now, you must promise."

She didn't know how to respond to Juliet's demands and because she saw how increasingly difficult it became for Juliet to breathe, she hurriedly nodded her head.

"Have Ethan bury me in Manchester. A simple grave and a head stone with just my name; Juliet." A smile creased the corners of Juliet's lips. "Thank you, Lady Williams."

And with that, Juliet's hand weakened around Gretchen's. Her body relaxed, her eyes closed and she breathed her last.

Epilogue