Wedding Bell Blues
Chapter 4
"William where hab you been?" Julia asked nasally as she sniffled into her hanky.
"Julia, what's wrong," he asked as he hurried to her on the sofa.
"Oh, William, I hab a code...achoo...and my dress is a mess...achoo...and I'm tired and you have a black eye...and..."
He put his arm around her and hugged.
"Don't get too close, or you'll get sick too."
He laughed sympathetically.
"Julia, Love, everything will be fine. I'll take care of you. I'll take care of everything."
She buried her head in his shoulder.
"Really?"
"Really. Now come with me and I'll get you into bed. Don't worry about anything. You're cold will be better by Saturday, I promise."
"And everything else?"
"I'll handle it. You need to rest. I'll get you all tucked in and tell you about my evening."
William was as good as his word. He got Julia into bed, gave her some hot tea and honey, and sat with her in his arms as he told her about his surprise bachelor party. She fell asleep nestled in his chest and he fell asleep too.
Thursday.
Morning brought a still sniffling Julia. Her eyes and nose were red, her head and throat hurt, and she had a slight fever. William, up first, set about taking care of things as he promised. He called the asylum, telling them she would not be in any more until after the honeymoon. He called the station to report that he would be late and for George to start work on the murder case without him. Then he called Dr. Grace and asked her if she had time to look in on Julia while he was out.
"You have nothing to worry about, Julia. Just stay in bed and rest. Here's some hot tea and toast. I've fixed your lunch and left it in the ice box. Dr. Grace will be by to check on you. And...I'll try to be home early."
"Can you check on my dress? But don't look at it, alright. Just see if it is ready."
"Yes, of course."
"And where is your sling? William, you need to keep your arm in a sling if it's going to get better."
"Yes, yes. I'll get it. But really, Julia, my shoulder is much better."
She just looked at him skeptically.
"Well, then, I'll be off." He kissed her.
"Thank you, William. For being here for me."
"Julia...I love you."
"I know. I love you too."
"I promise you, Mr. Murdoch, Dr. Ogden's dress will be ready tomorrow." Madame Marie was looking askance at the man with the black eye who was standing before her, frowning.
By now, William was losing his patience with everything wedding related. "It had better be, Madame. I would not want to be in your shoes and have to face the doctor otherwise."
Tipping his hat, he turned on his heel and left.
"I might as well go by the jeweler's while I'm out and irate," he said to himself.
"I told the young constable that the ring would turn up in time, detective. Of this I'm sure."
"You do realize the wedding is this Saturday, sir. That's in TWO days! I expect the ring I have chosen to be the one I place on my bride's finger."
"Yes detective. I promise you will have it, sir."
As William left he mulled over the promises that the merchants had made to him this day. His unease grew. He only wanted to marry the women he had loved all these years. He just wanted it to go smoothly. Scratching his head he returned to the station house.
"Sir! We have a break on the dock murder," George greeted him.
"Really, George?"
"Indeed, sir."
"Tell me."
George related to William that Robert Richland's wife had just broken down and confessed that she and her lover had killed her husband on the dock to, as Murdoch surmised, throw off suspicion. But the guilt overwhelmed her and she told all.
"Well...I don't suppose we can hope for every murder to be so easily concluded as this one," sighed William. "Thankfully I won't have this hanging over my head now. Perhaps things are turning around and this wedding will go off as planned yet."
"Oh, I'm sure it will, sir. Why don't you take the rest of the day?"
"There's a lot of paper work to be completed first, George."
"I can get that started for you and you can finish it tomorrow."
"If you're sure, then perhaps I shall. Julia is ill and I should be with her."
"Oh my, sir! I hope it isn't serious."
"She has a cold, but it's making her miserable."
"Well, give her my regards."
"I will do so, George."
As he entered the house, he carried a package tucked under his good arm. First he went to the kitchen. Julia lay reclining on the sofa.
"William, I hope that's you I hear," Julia called nasally.
"It is me. I'll be right in."
She heard him knocking about in the kitchen. Soon he came into the parlor holding a dish of vanilla ice cream in his hand.
"William, what have you there?"
"I thought that some cold ice cream would make your throat feel better, so I stopped at the dairy on the way home."
"Oh, William. You're so sweet." She sniffled and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Don't cry. This is supposed to make you feel better." He set the dish down and took her into his arms as she sobbed.
"William, nothing is going right. What are we going to do?" she spoke between sobs.
"I told you I would take care of matters. Everything will be just fine. Now eat your ice cream before it melts." He smiled warmly.
She sniffled, "Alright."
When she finished he asked, "Ready to go upstairs to bed?"
She nodded. Having removed his coat and sling, he bent over the sofa and began to pick her up.
"Put me down, William. You'll hurt your shoulder."
"I'll be careful." He easily lifted her into his arms and ascended the staircase. Upon reaching the bed he gently placed her there. "Can I get you anything else at the moment?"
"No."
"Then you take a nap while I work on the wedding preparations. See. I told you I'd take care of it."
"Alright."
He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then turned and went back downstairs. Sitting at the telephone, he called the theatre, the caterer, the judge who was to perform the ritual, Henry Logan, the florist, the Queen's Hotel, the inspector, George, Dr. Grace, and lastly the telegraph office. He sought to send one last wire to Ruby on behalf of Julia. By the time he was finished his ear hurt, but he breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, as of yet, there was no ring nor a dress for Julia. He then entered the kitchen to prepare hot broth and tea for Julia's dinner, which he carried up to her. She was asleep but opened her eyes at the sound of his footfalls.
"How do you feel?"
"A little better I think. What have you there?" she asked, indicating the tray he bore.
"Your dinner, my dear."
He placed the tray on her lap and she spooned up the hot soup.
"Sit with me, William."
"Of course. Shall I read to you?"
"That would be nice. You'll find a new book on the bureau. Ruby sent it."
"First Men in the Moon by H.G. Wells. How very Ruby-like."
William read for a while until Julia fell asleep. Then he put down the book and joined her in bed.