Chapter 9:

When Julia had finally returned to her compartment, she huffed, her self-respect hit again by the same man in less than a day. It was very early, and she decided to take a bath instead of going back to bed. She knew herself and she knew she could not force sleep. She preferred to lie in the tub and watch the landscape change color as the rain slowly stopped falling.

She was deep in thought. She was thinking of Magnus Duval who was really very nice to her. And she thought of William Murdoch who was execrable. He was looking for every pretext to contradict or annoy her and she had a hard time understanding why. They did not know each other, and she had not done anything to him, so her only question was: why? Why did not he like her? Why could not he support her? In fact, it touched her.

After taking her bath and getting ready, she went out for breakfast around 9:30 a.m. She had entered the dining car provided for this effigy and had been kindly escorted to a table near one of the many windows. She looked at the table draped in a white tablecloth, a small vase on it with a single red flower in it. They brought her food and she lunched quietly looking at the landscape, truly amazed. Nature was literally splendid. The sky was a beautiful purplish blue, reflected by the sun which had just risen.

Suddenly, Julia heard a terrible crack and the sound of breaking glasses. She jumped and turned her gaze to the now full room. She stood up when she saw a man on the ground, his nose bleeding, whom she recognized as Westley Novak. She saw her brother Bastien being dragged back by the driver Pierre Barton who was having lunch with Champagne's family at a table at the back of the carriage. Face flushed with anger, the young boy tried to reach for his brother and Julia realized in horror that he had in fact hit him. She had not seen the scene, but he must have thrown him with such rage from his seat, when they were both sitting quietly at the table, that the table had almost toppled over as well.

"Fuck you, okay!" Bastien yelled at his still-down brother, one hand holding his bruised nose. "Is it really that guy you like the most? Seriously ?!" he exclaimed then in the direction of the young Nora Champagne who had remained frozen in place, of horror.

She remained staring at Westley, the crestfallen face of the scene that had just occurred and the look of amazement from her parents. It was easy to guess what was coming from that past. The Novak brothers were both courting Nora, and she seemed to have a clear preference for the eldest, who had a more virile and masculine build, despite his current state. It also seemed like they all knew each other long before this trip.

Julia sat back down as Bastien was led by Mr. Barton into another room and Westley received help from a man Julia had seen last night but whom Magnus did not know. Magnus… Where was he anyway? She had not seen him yet this morning. Neither William, but she was not too worried. He was surely looking for Madam Hébert's dog at the time. And according to her, he could search for a long time. Bobby had been robbed; she was sure of it. Just like her pocket watch.

She had a small grin. He had looked for it with his haughty air of "I know everything". This day was going to be really eventful. It had only just begun and too much had already happened.

Note: Thank you to those who are still reading my story. I hope you like it...