The Gift
Chapter 1
William allowed himself a brief smile of satisfaction as he put the file down on his desk and straightened his shirtsleeves. The case that had been devilling him was finally broken open and he had a new angle of inquiry that could only be addressed tomorrow. He was also looking forward to getting home on time for dinner tonight and a walk afterwards in the park in the long summer night with his wife. It would be the last evening of such repose for some time. Between the demands of this case and his sister in law's imminent arrival, small moments alone with Julia were going to be rare. He brushed the chalk off his hands. Putting his jacket and hat on he closed his door, saying good night to the desk sergeant on the way out. He checked his watch and pockets and smiled again; there was just enough time and money to pick up some flowers to surprise her. The small cheque from his patent royalties provided income and intermittent little luxuries. Roses, he thought. He rode his wheel to the market, made his purchase and turned off towards their home. The speed of the cycle created a cooling breeze on the warm night. He still grimaced at how long it took them to decide where to live, and the back and forth with Julia about how they would pay for it. In the end he thought it a good compromise: close enough for a bicycle ride or walk to the Station House for him, and a carriage or street car ride for Julia to the Asylum.
He waved to his tenant, Mr Stevens, as he put his cycle in the former garage. Mr Stevens was a physics instructor at the University and a stimulating conversationalist on the sciences. More importantly, he was quiet and paid the rent on time. The arrangement of a tenant in the space above in the old carriage house and workspace below suited William and provided the last piece of the financing for the house. He did all the work to convert the quarters into an apartment so he thought of the income as his contribution to the household. Julia was aware of his pride. He and Julia had lived in the airy apartment space while the main house was completed, and while it was charming to do so, he was glad when the interior of their house was done. Not that a house is ever done, he reminded himself, glancing at a little peeling clapboard underneath the kitchen window. That has to go on the list. He had actually liked living in the Hotel, as there was no maintenance, but that was not private enough and certainly not suitable for a family. Crossing the small yard and up the porch steps with flowers in hand he once again found the lightness of heart and anticipation of seeing Julia had not diminished.
"William! Come inside. We got another letter," said Julia, opening the screen door to the kitchen. She was wearing a white cotton dress with loose sleeves and her hair was curling in the July humidity. Presenting the flowers to her, he grinned, kissed her, and removed his hat. They sat at the table side by side and he slit open the letter with his penknife. They scanned it together, both frowning before finishing. She reached for his hand.
"Again? Turned down again?" William sighed. "This is the fifth time." He turned to her, not hiding his disappointment this time and considering her intently for several moments. "I think we need to be realistic Julia. No matter how diplomatically they put it, it comes down to the fact they do not think we would make suitable parents. Even the recommendation from the Mayor himself has not changed anyone's mind." The interview at the adoption agency has been grueling, and all for nothing. He let the letter fall on the table, and picked up other mail. His thoughts chased each other. He sighed again and squeezed her hand.
Julia returned his touch, and bent over the table to inhale the scent of the roses. "They are beautiful, William. Thank you." She got up and put the flowers in water and back on the table. As she did so she silently reviewed the facts: The Secular home for orphans did not approve of her working after the adoption. The House of Industry pointed out that both of them were at one time jailed and accused of murder. Both the Catholic & Anglican adoption agencies frowned on their "mixed" marriage, no matter what they promised about the child's religious upbringing, even if they could have gotten past everything else, including their ages. William's priest had advocated for them to no avail.
There was the problem of her suffrage activities though the Socialist Party, (William attending the rallies and lectures with her!) Her speaking out for birth control…the list went on. Most damning was the scandal surrounding her attempt to obtain a divorce. She and William had created the evidence Darcy would have needed to come out of the divorce with his honor intact, at the cost of their own. They had been prepared to weather that scandal and the stain on their reputations of allowing people to believe they committed adultery. Neither calculated the effect on future adoption proceedings. Each of their professional reputations was on solid footing now, and their friends were supportive, but the accumulation of strikes against them left this one desire out of reach. This was the final option to try and they were rejected. Julia grimaced and thought, We are officially morally bankrupt! It infuriated her that anyone would accuse William of such a thing, but it was a consequence it was increasingly obvious they were going to have to bear. She also secretly believed that it was better to have this humiliation in a private letter where they can read between the lines, than splashed in the Toronto news papers as it surly would have been if she had actually run for political office herself.
She tried to lighten the mood. "William. If we are so disreputable, perhaps we can buy a child on the black market, or I can steal one from the Asylum. Who would notice? They are so small after all, children I mean. How would you like to import a child from India?" Her shocking statement worked, bringing him out of his reverie.
He looked up from under his lashes. "We can still try to for a child the old-fashioned way," he paused. "You know, under a cabbage leaf," and smiled wickedly.
"Where is the fun in that? I have a much better plan. Dinner and a walk and then we'll see what is going on under the cabbage-rose flowered sheets on the bed," Julia said as she got the lemonade out.
"Indeed," he said.
The cold chicken and fruit was perfect and refreshing. Even before he sat down to the meal, William decided brooding about the adoption issue was unproductive. He had no regrets, and was clear with Julia he harbored no recriminations towards her. It was unlikely she could have children and probably dangerous for her to conceive. If a pregnancy were going to happen, it would have happened by now. Instead, he would have to persevere in his objective. The good Lord knows I am able to wait for what I wanted. They washed and put the dishes away together. A live-in housekeeper cum nanny would have to be hired at some point, but until then they made do. It was comforting, actually. He and Julia both lived alone for so many years their habits could have seriously clashed, but more often than not it turned out they were eminently compatible—neat where it counted, tolerating clutter when it suited. He gestured to the door.
"Shall we, my lady?" he smiled.
Walking together through the dining room and double parlor towards the front of the house, she took his arm and they moved down the wide porch steps into the evening.
"Julia, I was thinking…" he said as he looked back at the house from the sidewalk.
"Oh, no you don't. No more innovations and no more renovations! I love the house just the way it is and besides, I just finally got all the plaster dust out of my dresses." She smiled to soften the admonition.
"All I was thinking is how charming a porch swing would be." That appeared to satisfy her. Truth be told he was about to mention another home improvement idea, but admitted that the house, which has been a burned out brick shell when they bought it for a very good price, was already full of his notions. It was electrified, plumbed (4 bathrooms!), had coal central radiator heat, was fully insulated for sound as well as heat transfer, with a dumb waiter to the each floor, a dug out cement floored basement…he could go on and supposed he did at length to anyone who would listen.
As they walked arm in arm, they chatted amiably about their respective work-days and launched into one of their favorite shared enthusiasms: ideas about the application of psychology to police work and crime-solving. On the second time around the park grounds, they just walked quietly, enjoying the night.
"I can't help but think of nights like this as being so romantic," Julia said. In response, he stopped and kissed her deeply.
"Yes, but getting grass stains out a white dress will be difficult, or so I was told." He reminded her of another dress on another night, and she just giggled at him.
On the way back home, William asked about Ruby's plans.
"I don't know really. She said she needed my help, of all things! She was somewhat mysterious about it all and will let me know the details when she gets here. I hope she is not in some sort of trouble." Glancing at him she said, "And no, she did not say how long she would be staying, but as she never stays long in any one place I don't think we will have to put up with her for long." Julia sighed. She loved her sister but sometimes she was just too much.
It was full dark before they returned home. William opened the door for his wife and they climbed the stairs to their room. Julia thought shedding their clothing, lying on the bed and turning the ceiling fan on was bliss. Until he reminded her, persuasively, that she had made a promise to him at dinner. There was nothing more blissful than making love with her husband.