Chapter 2

"You've been staring out that window for the last half an hour Murdoch, something on your mind?" Brackenreid asked as he stepped into Murdoch's office. Murdoch turned his head to face him, his automatic denial on the tip of his tongue.

"Have you ever lied to your wife?" he asked instead.

Brackenreid barked out a laugh, but settled himself against the desk, "I lie to Margret all the time, just not about anything that matters," he said.

"That's the trick Murdoch, men lie to their wives," he said, Murdoch raised an eyebrow but turned and leant back against the window frame.

"Wives lie to their husbands," he continued and Murdoch frowned at that, "oh you don't like that do you, me old mucker," Brackenreid rose and came closer, "I lie to my wife about how much I drink, and she lies to me about how much she spends," he said.

"The only reason it does not cause more problems between us Murdoch, is that we both know about the lies, and we both accept the necessity of them," he moved past him opened one of Murdoch's cabinets, rummaged in the back a moment then pulled out a bottle.

"Margret knows I drink more than I admit, but she also knows it's a lot less than I would if she did not nag me about it," he poured himself a stiff glass, toasted Murdoch with it and took a healthy swallow. Then he closed the bottle and put it back in the back of the cabinet.

"Just like I know that the pretty bonnet she's wearing today is not another old thing, but very new and probably cost enough that she'll be looking for an advance on the housekeeping money by the end of the week," he finished the whiskey, and put the glass on Murdoch's desk, "as long as you don't lie about anything that matters you'll be fine."

Murdoch sighed and slumped down onto his chair, "and if you did?" he muttered, then looked up at his boss, "If it was something that mattered?"

Brackenreid shook his head, all joviality gone from his face, "then you need to stop tripping over your tongue and go explain yourself," he said as he walked to the door, "and grovel, they like groveling, in fact be prepared to grovel a lot." He added over his shoulder.

Murdoch rose from his desk, he had no idea what he would say to Julia, or even if there were words enough in any language to make her understand and forgive him, but he knew he had to try, because loosing her was not an option he could face.

"Hello Julia,"

Julia's looked up as Darcy stepped into her office, his gentle smile made the corners of her lips turn up. Whatever had passed between them at the breakup of their engagement, Julia had loved him, and was still very fond of him. He was not a very forward thinking man, and he had very little imagination, but he was a good and honest man and he'd deserved better than a woman who's only reason for marrying him was to use him as a shield from the man she really loved.

"Darcy!" she rose and held out her hands to him, Darcy took them and reaching down kissed her on the cheek.

"You look ravishing, marriage certainly agrees with you," he said on a small grin, she grimaced but did not elaborate.

"As charming as ever," she said and gently extracted her hands from his grasp. Darcy didn't notice, he was completely fixed on her face.

"Is everything alright?" he asked carefully.

Julia waved that off with her hand, "everything is fine Darcy. What brings about this unexpected, but very welcome, visit?" she may be beyond angry with William, but she was not about to share that with the man she threw over to be with William.

"You know you can talk to me about anything. We are friends Julia, I hope our past troubles has not changed that," he moved back a little, twirling his hat in his hands.

"Of course we are still friends, and I promise you Darcy I am well," she moved over to the little sitting area in her office and settled in one of the armchairs. Darcy sat opposite her, his long frame making the very feminine furniture look even more delicate.

"I have been asked to contact you with a wonderful offer," he said, Julia frowned at him.

"What kind of offer?" she asked. He looked around, then settled his all seeing gaze back on her.

"A job offer actually," he stated softly. Julia's eyebrows shot up.

"I have a job," she snapped. He'd been against her changing to psychiatry, not having the imagination to understand the excitement of learning an entirely new field, he thought it was a result of her association with Murdoch, and that she'd done it purely to help him with his work.

"You know how I feel about this, but that is neither here nor there," he waved it away, "this is not an ordinary job Julia. Have you heard of Ida Scudder?"

Julia sighed but nodded, there were very few men in this world who would listen to a woman's argument, she knew of only two. Darcy was not one of them, it made her anger towards Murdoch soften just a little that he was.

"Of course I have heard of her, she was one of the first women admitted into the Cornell Medical College in New York," she said, "she returned to her family home in India if I remember correctly?" she asked frowning at him.

The clatter of dishes interrupted what he was about to say as a young man pulled in the tea trolly.

"Tea time Doctor Ogden," he said with a cheeky grin on his face, " I saw you had a guest so I brought a cup for 'im too."

Julia smiled warmly at the gangly youth, "thank you Andrew, is your little sister well?" She asked as she rose and walked with him from the room, Andrew's smile got warmer.

"She's doing much better with the medicine you gave her," he said, Julia had to resist the urge to ruffle his hair.

"Good, I left a bag of groceries in the kitchen for you," she said holding up her hand when he bristled, "it's not charity, I bought too much again and I would hate to see it wasted." She soothed.

Andrew narrowed his eyes at her but, doffed his cap and nodded a grumble, "thank you" as he left.

"Still trying to save the world?" Darcy asked with a small smirk on his face, Julia chose to ignore it but she badly wanted to bash him over the head.

"You were saying?" she prompted as she sat down and poured his tea.

"I'm sorry Julia, that was uncalled for," Darcy sighed as she handed him his tea exactly how he liked it, "yes, Doctor Ida is in India, she's building a teaching and nursing hospital for Indian women." He said.

"The Queen thinks this is good idea and has set her own physicians to form a party of doctors to go to some of the more distant and unreachable places in that country," he looked at her with an excited grin, "they have asked for you Julia, they want you to join the party."

Julia gaped at him, "me?"

"Don't look so shocked, for a woman you are a good doctor," Darcy said it with a proud smile on his face, never once realizing he'd just insulted her.

"Thank you so much," she hissed through clenched teeth, not loosing the sweet smile on her face.

"Besides Julia they need a female that's not too old to travel," he added.

"Please stop the flattery Darcy, I'm quite overwhelmed," Julia said, fighting back the overwhelming urge to toss the teapot over his head.

"I'm sure you are my dear, it is an overwhelming offer," he said reaching over and patting her hand.

"Quite," she moved her hand away from his, and he blushed a little as he realized he'd been holding it longer than was proper, "are you going?" she asked.

Darcy colored even more and shook his head, "no, I was only contacted because of my past connection with you," anger slid through the easy expression on his face, "they felt it more proper for me to approach you initially, as a form of introduction."

Julia nodded, her mind already on the possibilities, the adventure and more importantly the chance to practice both sides of her medical knowledge. What excited her even more was the thought of being able to pass that knowledge on to others. Her time teaching Emily Grace had shown her that she enjoyed teaching as much as she did practicing. Then she suddenly caught sight of the ring on her finger and everything stopped. She rose to her feet suddenly conflicted and torn.

"I shall tell them they may contact you directly, that will give you time to think of your answer." He said rising too, the gentle understanding back in his eyes. Julia nodded, a deep frown on her face. Darcy reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I would appreciate you taking your hands off my wife Garland!"

Both Julia and Darcy swung towards the door as Murdoch stepped into the room, one look at his face and Julia's chin shot up.

"Don't be ridiculous William," she snapped, and turning to Darcy took his hand in hers briefly, "thank you Darcy, you have given me much to think on."

Darcy nodded and doffing his hat to Murdoch stepped around him and out of the room. Julia turned back to her husband, eyes narrowed and shoulders braced for battle.

Murdoch thought his head would explode, she was so infuriatingly gloriously beautiful, that even angry, jealous, worried and hurting he could not resist her.

"Think carefully about the next words are out of your mouth William, you and I are already on very rocky ground," she warned placing her hands on her hips.

Murdoch gave in, kicking the door closed behind him, he grabbed her around the waist and yanked her against him, his other hand slipped around her neck holding her captive while he plundered her mouth.

She melted against him almost instantly, and that eased the hurt inside him. Whatever their problems, she was as much a prisoner to her feelings as he was.

When he finally broke the kiss they were both breathing heavily. William eyed her desk but reason prevailed and he gently eased her back, he could not help letting his hand slide over the swell of her breast as he did and she rewarded him with a chocked gasp.

"I'm sorry Julia," he said softly looking into her eyes, "I think you are the most amazingly warm hearted person I have ever met. You don't just treat your patients my love, you heal them," his hand tightened on her waist and he gave her a little shake, "you feel for them, sometimes too much. I knew that if you did what must be done and destroyed that research, every child that came to you suffering from a blood disorder would hurt you even more."

Julia dropped her head on his shoulder, she could not stay angry with him like this. Once again his infuriating reason had won her over.

"Your logic is infuriating," she sighed. William hugged her close, "but perhaps just a little bit winsome?" he replied.