"Shall we have our discussion now, William?" Julia asked in the privacy of their suite as she slipped off the lovely but now ruined kimono dress and left it in a heap on the floor of their bedroom.
She'd have to see about replacing it somehow as she didn't know of a good way of removing blood from the delicate silk. It was really quite a shame it had been irreparably damaged, as it was quite lovely.
"It's as good a time as any, I suppose," he replied while he poured her a glass of wine and himself a glass of water as he stared at the scandalous dress pooled on the floor. Looking up he saw Julia standing in their suite half nude, and it was only serving to reawaken his desire from earlier, demanding that they finish what they had started at the club.
"It's a shame about this dress," he lamented, gesturing at the discarded gown on the floor. "I would have enjoyed seeing you in it at least once more," he added.
"You mean you would have liked to have removed it," she teased, turning for him to unlace and help remove her corset.
Task completed, he pulled her close to her so that she could feel his desire. "I certainly wouldn't have objected," he murmured, cupping her breasts and finding her sensitive nipples with his thumbs and forefingers through the fabric of her chemise.
"William, I thought we were going to discuss what happened?" she feebly protested as she half collapsed in his arms.
"Yes, I suppose that we should," he admitted, stepping away from her with a reluctant sigh.
"Well, I'm assuming that you're going to tell me that you were working at the request of Mr. Meyers," she began, sitting down on their couch in just her chemise sipping her wine, knowing that the lack of clothing would make concentrating difficult for him and she wanted to keep him in his discomfited state for when they later discussed his behavior at the club.
"Yes, Mr. Meyers requested we attend the club and make note of suspicious persons that we saw. Only we didn't see any until this evening – it seems you found them for us," he finished with a gesture towards her.
"Yes, William Murdoch. I assume that you were staring at the ceiling the entire time, and never once enjoyed the lovely sights and the spectacle around you," Julia teased, taking a sip of her wine while gesturing for William to join her on the couch.
Blushing, he smiled and looked down before regaining composure. "Yes, I will admit that I did enjoy looking at the ladies but never at any time was I untrue to you. In fact, the girls found it most strange that I was not interested in their companionship and weren't sure what to make of me. Until tonight, that is. I'm sure my sudden selection of an unknown, masked lady and our subsequent actions made quite the scene," he added with a nervous laugh before turning serious.
"Julia, of course I'll give you as many details as I can, but why were you there? Earlier, you asked me to trust you, and I do, but I am very curious as to why?" he asked while looking down at his hands.
"I must admit William, I was concerned that you came home late smelling of cigars almost every night, and I worried that a rift was growing between us, but never did I once suspect you of being untrue, and I believe you when you say that you didn't make any overtures with the girls at The Garden. Even if I am well aware that you enjoyed taking in the scenery," she joked, poking him in his thigh with her toe.
"But it seems that you weren't the only one contacted by Mr. Meyers. A few weeks ago, he came to my office, and asked me to gather information on the club's clients through the rouse of inspecting the girls for health and cleanliness. While I was there, I was to ask the girls about the men and report men of particular interest back to Mr. Meyers," she answered, knowing that he was going to probe further and psyching herself up for it.
Exhaling sharply, he nodded, and his fists clenched. "I see. This would also seem to coincide with our growing apart from one another. Why didn't you tell me, Julia? I would have liked to have known if Meyers were in contact with you again. Especially after the last time," he muttered, the rage coiling within his normally placid persona.
Julia tensed, knowing that she hadn't even told him the worst of it.
"I didn't tell you, William, because he blackmailed me. He knew of my abortion and threatened to tell you, your superiors, the father of the child – everyone! He told me that he would make it a public scandal if I didn't do what he wanted and I didn't keep it to myself. I wanted to, William! I don't want secrets between us, but I didn't want to hurt you either. He forbade me from telling you as he knew you would not like the fact that he had been in contact with me or that he wanted me to work for him," she trailed off because by this point William had bolted up and was now pacing around the room muttering to himself.
"That rotten son of a bi…," he caught himself just in time and instead slammed his fist down on the desk. He would not swear, and he certainly would not do so in front of his lady.
"William, please don't be angry…I didn't want to do this and I certainly didn't want to keep a secret from you, but I was afraid of what would happen should anyone find out. Of course you were already aware, but the others…" she began before stopping, realizing that she didn't have his full attention.
"Who the hell does he think he is? He had no right to ask or even demand such things of you – certainly not without my knowledge. What is his fascination with you? You're a married woman – you're my wife! What is his game?" he questioned aloud mainly to himself before he stopped and brought himself back under control after taking several deep breaths to calm himself.
"Did he ask you to go undercover? To assume the identity of a prostitute?" he asked, his eyes nearly black with some indiscernible emotion. She suspected it was anger mixed with something else.
"No. I did that myself because I'd run out of pretense to continue the visits from a medical perspective, but Meyers insisted that I continue the guise. So, I told Madame Elise that I was curious about what went on in a burlesque house and bordello and she allowed me the opportunity to assume a role. This was the first night I'd done it, and needless to say, I was not expecting to be groped like that," she explained with a laugh, hoping to diffuse the situation.
"Julia, there's a reason no respectable woman sets foot inside an establishment like that! Some men view it as an opportunity to behave boorishly and take liberties with ladies, things they would never do if they were in polite company. No, I didn't know per se that it was you when I came to your aid, but there was something about you that made me take notice, something I couldn't dismiss. But what if I hadn't noticed you? What if I hadn't been there? Do you have any idea what would have happened to you? Consent is assumed in a place like that. That man could have dragged you upstairs and violated you in unspeakable ways with no concern for your wants or needs, and a room full of people would have done nothing to help you!" he snapped.
"William, are you angry at me? I was doing a job just like you were. I was gathering information much like you were, and I dare say, more effectively than you were. Are you upset that I was better at your job than you were, Detective Wandering Eyes?" she argued back.
William turned his back to her and pounded the desk again, an action that made Julia flinch. Combined with his actions against her would-be assailant earlier this evening, she'd never seen such physical outbursts from her typically calm man. Sharply exhaling, and running his hands through his hair, he slowly turned back around and faced her accusation.
"No, Julia. I'm not angry with you. I'm furious with Meyers for being an utter cad. For using your past against you to make you do something you didn't want to do, for putting your safety and wellbeing in jeopardy, and mostly, for attempting to come between us. The man has an unhealthy interest in you, and I don't like it" he explained, regaining control of his anger.
Relaxing, Julia nodded, relieved that she wasn't the source of his anger. William had always been very protective of her and this was really more of the same. She also had proof that William was somewhat jealous of other men's intentions towards her, and she had to admit that she wasn't upset about that so long as he never tried to control her actions because of it.
Dare she say that she was excited by the fact that he wanted to be the only man in her life?
"I must say, I certainly wasn't expecting you, but you were on my mind nonetheless and perhaps that's why I was so intrigued with your alter ego this evening. When Minnie was performing her routine on the swing, I imagined you doing something similar for me," he admitted with a sheepish grin. "My eyes may occasionally betray me, and I may appreciate looking at a beautiful woman, but the only woman I want is you, Mrs. Murdoch. I know you don't always like it, but it is my solemn duty as your husband to protect you and keep you pleased. I cherish you, Julia. I need you to be happy and safe," he admitted.
"I dare say, I wasn't expecting you to come to my rescue, dear husband, but I am so very delighted that you did," she replied, standing up and walking over to him, and pulling him towards her by his coat lapels.
Kissing him soundly, she slipped his jacket off and let it drop to the floor.
Pulling her chemise off over her head, William gladly took the opportunity to run his hands over her body, delighting in the pleasures of running his hands over her soft skin and supple flesh as well as listen to how her breathing changed and the small noises of pleasure she made.
But this time, he immediately noticed the indentions from her corset – she didn't normally wear it that tight.
"What's this, Julia? I didn't think you tight-laced," he asked as he fingered the red marks left behind on her normally creamy and unblemished skin.
Annoyed that she was completely nude while he remained mostly clothed, she looked down at what he was talking about. "Oh, those. It was necessary for the dress William. It's also why I'm not wearing my pantalets," she replied, guessing that question would be next.
"I see. The pantalets would have been too bulky for the gown, I suppose. Do you often neglect to wear all of your undergarments, Mrs. Murdoch?" he asked with a lascivious grin.
"Well, Detective, I suppose you could do some investigating sometime and figure that out for yourself, couldn't you?" she responded while wiggling her hips.
"Perhaps I will," he grunted, pulling her back in his arms. There was no doubting where this was quickly headed as his desire pressed into her abdomen and his tongue slid into her mouth. She responded in kind.
"What about our discussion, William?" Julia asked, half jokingly. They weren't finished, but perhaps they were done for tonight as it was getting quite late.
"Later," he announced, picking her up and carrying her to their bedroom. Laying her gently down on the mattress, he grabbed her hands, and pinned them over her head, putting all of his weight on her. He was trying to resist the strong urge to tie her to the headboard again as he had done a couple of night's previously. The last thing he wanted was for his jealousy to scare Julia.
Just because she'd allowed him to succumb to an unspeakable desire that one time didn't mean that she'd routinely allow it or indulge it ever again. He'd always considered such sex play a dark place, and tried to avoid such thoughts, yet he couldn't help himself: there were times he wanted take her and have his way with her as he'd done two nights ago and again now. It had been most unlike him to actually act upon the urge, but she had teased him into a frenzy so expertly the other night, it had made him forget himself – even if for a little while.
Groaning in annoyance, William rolled off of her and rubbed his face in frustration. He would not behave in such a manner this evening.
Startled at the sudden change in activity, Julia sat up and looked down at William, noting his discomfiture and weighing it against her exasperation with coitus interruptus. If she could think clearly, she could get to the bottom of why William was behaving as he was, but given her own frustration, instead opted to assume control of their lovemaking herself – something William typically enjoyed.
She wasn't sure what William was thinking, but sensing he wanted something different from their routine relations, she decided to reassume the role of the woman of ill repute she had played earlier in the evening and got out of bed.
"Now, Mr. Murdoch, I'm going to require you to get up and remove your clothes. I don't know what kind of fallen woman you think I am, but I do not entertain my clients while they remain fully clothed," she ordered, helping to pull him up.
While he undressed, she stepped to their living room to pour herself a glass of wine and leaned against the doorjamb, while he disrobed. She'd seen him naked countless times over the past few months, yet she still spotted the telltale blush that accompanied his embarrassment at being watched so intently while he disrobed.
Finishing her glass of wine as he removed his final article of clothing, she walked over to where he stood, awaiting her next command. "I'll have you know, William Murdoch, that you are all mine, and I won't share," she whispered into his ear before reassuming her persona. Briefly kissing and stroking his hair to further reassure him of her feelings, she pushed him back on the bed and mounted him, pinning his hands over his head before tying them to the headboard with the scarves she had grabbed.
She was correct in her assumption as he immediately acquiesced to her ministrations, allowing her to take charge of their encounter and submitting to her whims. Taking a moment to reflect upon this encounter, she was truly struck by how much trust he had shown in her, and she vowed never to violate it again.
Taking him in her mouth, she expertly teased him for the next few minutes, quickly bringing him to a point of delirium, and nearing release when he began to struggle mightily against his restraints.
"Please, Julia. No more games. I need to touch you…please," he begged.
Quickly moving to release him from his bonds, Julia was not surprised when he assumed control of their dance, and flipped their positions, tucking her under him. Stroking her face and hair, he held her head between his hands and feasted upon first her mouth, then her breasts, and finally her femininity, bringing her immense pleasure as she had earlier done for him.
She knew that this was his way of telling her his true feelings for her, which he would never be able to fully verbalize.
She returned the sentiment by returning each kiss and caress with as much passion as she could muster. They didn't need words to tell each other that they only loved and wanted one another.
Unsurprisingly, it quickly became very intense and emotional and once he'd brought her to a similar state of delirium, they reached ecstasy together, equally.
Pulling the blankets up over them, William gave into her unspoken request that they sleep in the nude together, and guided her head to rest on his chest, limbs entwined. They were soon asleep, relieved that they had mended the rift between them.
