I'm sorry for another long delay. Work has been stupidly busy but term has ended for me now so hopefully I'll be back on track with writing soon. I'd like to tell you to enjoy this chapter but I'm not sure you will! I'd love to know what you think of it. Wenlock x

Rose opened her eyes and blinked up at the sky, trying to remember what had happened. She became aware of a sharp pain coming from the side of her head and put her hand to it, wincing as she made contact. Feeling something wet, she pulled it away and saw blood on her fingers. Groaning, she squeezed her eyes shut as the pain became more intense. She was remembering what had happened now and realised that her shoulder and hip hurt also. She must have landed on them when she'd fallen from the horse. The memory of gunshots and explosions also came back to her but before she could make sense of them, she heard a whimper close to her. Her eyes shot open and she turned her head towards the noise. A wave of nausea went through her but she barely noticed as she located the source of the whimper. It was Fred.

"No!"

Rose sat up as quickly as she could, wincing as she did so but still not really paying attention to the pain. She crawled a couple of feet over to Fred who was lying on his side and froze as she took in the sight before her. Fred had terribly injuries to his body - gaping wounds which were bleeding profusely. He had clearly been trampled by the horse. Letting out a sob, Rose put her hands to his head and stroked it gently. The dog was barely conscious but whined as she touched him, looking up at her as his body shook from the shock. Rose gently cradled his head, tears running down her cheeks. She whispered to her beloved friend.

"Fred, oh Fred. I'm so sorry. Oh, my darling. I'll help you, I'll get you to a vet. I just need to pick you up, ok? Be brave."

She pushed her hands underneath him to lift him but he let out a yelp of pain and she quickly pulled her hands away. She looked around her in despair, not knowing what to do. Fred's breathing was becoming more and more laboured and he kept his eyes on his mistress, silently begging her to help him. Rose looked into his eyes and knew the only way to help him was to hurt him further. She was just about to reach under him again when she felt someone drop to the floor beside her and put an arm around her.

"Rose, are you ok? What happened?"

She turned her head to look at Mal and felt faint with relief. She grabbed his arm.

"Mal, help me get Fred to a vet. He needs help, an operation or something. Will you carry him?"

Mal looked from Rose's blood-streaked face to the injured dog on the floor and his heart sank. Fred was seconds from death - there was nothing to be done for him, his wounds were too extensive.

"Mal! Now, we have to go now!"

Mal took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

"Rose, it's too late. We can't help him…"

Rose pushed his hands away. "No, stop it! We have to take him now. If you won't do it, I will."

Mal grabbed her hands as she reached out again to lift Fred up. He spoke gently.

"Rose, we can't help him. Look at him. Look at him!"

Surprised at Mal raising his voice slightly, she did what he told her and looked at Fred. Blood was now pooling around him and his breathing was shallow and ragged, his eyes were half closed though still fixed on her face. She knew he was dying. Shuffling closer, she took his head and laid it carefully on her lap. She bent down and laid her forehead on his, letting her tears fall on him. She stroked him and kissed him.

"It's ok, Fred, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you."

Looking up at Mal, she sniffed. "Do you have a gun?"

He shook his head. "I don't carry."

"Well, a knife then? Something? I need to stop his suffering."

He shook his head again.

She was desperate now. "Then go and get something."

"I … I don't think there'll be time. He's not got long, Rose."

Rose looked back down at her best friend in the entire world as his head rested on her lap. She stroked it over and over, rubbing his soft velvet ears, speaking quietly to him, her voice breaking.

"I'm here, Fred. It's ok now, you can go if you want to. You've been the best of friends to me, better than anyone else, you know. Thank you so much. You never left my side and I'm not leaving yours. It's ok, Fred, my Fred…"

As she spoke, Fred opened his eyes fully and looked into face of the person he loved most in this world. He didn't want to leave her but it was becoming too hard to hold on. He managed to lick her hand one last time, then closed his eyes, let out one final, ragged breath and then was still, forever.

Rose watched Fred as he died, his head in her hands and sobbed quietly. Bending down, she pushed her face against his and kissed him one last time. Mal put an arm around her but she barely noticed. Eventually, he spoke. He had let her grieve as long as his concern for her physical well-being would allow.

"Rose, are you hurt? Let me look at you?"

She ignored him and continued to cradle Fred's head. He tried again, more firmly this time, pulling her up with his hands on her shoulders.

"Rose, you're injured, let me take a look."

Rose again pushed his hands away, put her arms under Fred's still warm body and, with great effort due to the pain in her hip and shoulder, lifted him to herself and stood up. Mal, shaking his head at the Shelby stubbornness, jumped up to help her.

Tommy sat back in his chair, listening to Charles play his violin very badly whilst thinking about the information he had just received from the telephone call. Michael was up to something, he knew it. He felt unusually threatened. He wasn't used to being unsettled like this and he didn't like it. First the mines planted in his field, then this new information about Michael meeting with The Billy Boys. Someone was after his crown - which has all the more reason for keeping his family close to him. It was why he'd brought Rose back home. He needed people on his side.

There was a hurried knock on the door and Charlie mercifully stopped playing.

"Come!"

A nervous-looking groom appeared round the door.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Mr. Shelby, Sir."

"What is it, Simon?"

"Mr. Mal sent me, Sir. He said he thinks Miss Shelby has been thrown from an 'orse. She went out this morning and the horse just came back on its own."

Tommy was out of the office before Simon had finished speaking. He ran to the stables where he found the gelding, still with his bridle on, tied to a post. Untying it, he swung himself up onto the horse's back and kicked its flanks to gallop out of the stables. He knew which direction to go in – Rose always headed to the ridge when she went out riding.

He hadn't gone very long before he saw two figures in the distance. He was relieved to see Rose walking but frowned at how close Mal was to her. He was either inappropriately close or he was helping her walk. Neither thought made him happy. As he got closer, however, his frown deepened as his sister came into sight. She was covered in blood, cradling Fred in her arms and limping slightly. Mal was indeed holding her up and they were making slow progress.

Tommy cantered towards them and slowed to a halt a few feet away. Jumping down, he rushed to Rose's side.

"Rose – what happened?"

Rose looked at her big brother and her face crumpled. She was grieving and in pain and, in that moment, all she wanted was his comfort. She held out Fred towards him.

"He's dead, Tommy. He was trampled. Tommy, it was terrible, he was in so much pain…"

Rose couldn't continue as the sobs came. Tommy looked at the mangled body of the dog and the blood which covered Rose's clothes and his heart broke for her. That dog had brought her through some of the worst times in her life. He had been fiercely loyal and had loved Rose with all his canine heart. Tommy had also loved that dog and had always been grateful knowing he was always by her side. He hated knowing an animal had suffered. He looked at Mal and gestured at Fred.

"Take him, Mal."

Mal gently took Fred from Rose's arms though she tried to hold onto him. Tommy took her hands and turned her to face him. He crouched slightly to look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mouse."

The compassion in his voice as he called her by her childhood nickname broke the last of Rose's resolve and she leaned her head on his chest, crying her heart out. He put his arms around her and held her, feeling her body shake as she sobbed. She could have been eight years old again as far as he was concerned – her small body leaning against his, looking to him to make her feel better, wanting his presence, his comfort, his protection. He felt like lifting her up in his arms and never letting her go. He put his hand on her head to hold her closer and felt the blood in her hair. His stomach sank and he immediately pushed her gently away from himself.

"Rose, you're hurt."

She shrugged. "I'm fine."

Tommy put a finger under her chin and lifted up her head to take a good look at her. There was blood trickling down the side of her face and he carefully moved her hair to look at a nasty wound on the side of her head. He looked at her concerned.

"Did you black out?"

"Tommy, I'm fine. I just want to get Fred back. I want to bury him in the orchard under the apple tree."

Tommy asked again, his voice firmer. "Did you black out?"

She sighed. "Yes, but only for a second."

Tommy shook his head. "How would you know? Did you hit your head when you fell off the horse or did his hooves catch you?"

She frowned. "I can't remember."

Mal nodded at her head wound. "Looks like she was caught by a hoof. That wound's a clean cut."

Tommy nodded, he'd thought so too. That meant there was more than a possibility that she had a fractured skull. He took her arm gently.

"Come on, Rose, I need to get you to a hospital."

"What? No! I want to bury him."

Mal stepped towards her. "I can do that for you, Rose."

She shook her head, annoyed. "No, I need to do it for him."

Tommy had run out of patience. He pulled her, gently but firmly, towards the horse. "We're going to the hospital, you need treatment. That's a dangerous injury."

Rose stopped and pulled her arm away. She couldn't leave Fred. The force of pulling her arm away put pressure on her injured shoulder and she cried out in pain, before suddenly passing out and falling heavily towards the ground. Tommy just about caught her before she hit and lifted her in his arms. He turned to Mal.

"Take her and lift her up to me."

Mal hurriedly put Fred's body on the ground before taking Rose from Tommy and watching as Tommy hoisted himself up onto the horse. He looked at her pale face as she slumped in his arms and, when Tommy's back was turned, he held her close to him briefly and kissed the top of her head. Tommy was on the horse by now and held out his arms. Mal lifted Rose up to him and watched as Tommy secured her in front of him, then turned and cantered towards the house. He shouted at Mal over his shoulder.

"Bury that dog!"

Mal turned and regarded Fred's body. He sighed as he stooped to pick it up. He wondered why Rose wanted him buried in the orchard under the apple tree. He'd have to ask her when she got back. As he walked back to the house, his own horse following obediently behind him, he desperately hoped she would be back. Tommy was doing the right thing by getting her to hospital. Fred's head dangled to and fro as Mal walked and he shifted the dog in his arms so his head was stabilised. Rose would be devastated at the loss of Fred; he had been her constant companion since she was thirteen. He remembered his dad teaching her how to look after him when he was a puppy. They were never apart and Rose would feel the loss deeply. Mal wished he could make it up to her, maybe even become the person in her life who could give her the companionship and loyalty she needed - and much more beside. He could love her - he already did.