Dr. Ogden crossed the lobby of the Queens Hotel she knew well. She looked at all the people who were there to see James Newport take the stairs leading to the bedrooms. She froze, wondering how she was able to learn something about him. And the idea came to her almost by a miracle. She smiled shyly and walked to the desk behind which the receptionist was. While walking in his direction, she unbuttoned her shirt a little and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She walked with a firm step to the dark wood furniture and she rested an elbow, leaving her fingers dancing between a blond loop.
-Madam? The young man asked timidly losing his gaze to her chest.
Julia smirked, noticing how this scheme was still operating on men.
-Good evening, she said in a soft voice, I am sorry to bother you but you see I am in a very unfortunate position and I think you are the man who can help me.
-What can I do for you? He stammered trying to focus on her face rather than on any other part of her body.
-I came here last night with a man, but he is not my husband. We had a very enjoyable time and I left very late, filled, she added with a smile, but unfortunately I have not only lost my temper that night.
-Wh ... What have you lost?
-An earring, my husband gave it to me and he would be furious if he knew under what circumstances I lost it. You understand.
-I am afraid I can not help you madam.
-Please, Julia whispered, laying her hand on the young man she stroked a few moments, we were in the back room, perhaps you could have a look for me? I shall show myself grateful, she said, plunging her eyes into his before biting the lips.
The young man swallowed hard and simply nodded before resuming a word.
-I will check, do not move.
She smiled at him again until he disappeared behind the curtain leading to the private room which was on the ground floor of the hotel. A second later, she attracted to her client's registry. She slid her finger on the names to get to that of James Newport, room 206. The heart of Julia sank in her chest, this room was that William always asked for their wedding anniversary. She looked at the letters written examined by hand of the one she was dating for some time and once again she felt her body respond. This writing, she knew in every detail, she had read and reread hundreds of times.
-No, she murmured, it can not ... he ...
She parted her to violently register and hurried off the furniture and headed for the stairs without even looking neither left nor right. She climbed the two floors at lightning speed to stand before the closed door. She had shortness of breath and trembling from head to foot. She closed her eyes a few seconds to catch her breath. She clenched her fist and raised it toward the woods, yet it did not strike. She stood there, long and endless seconds, motionless.
-All the answers you need are behind this door Julia, murmured the voice of William in her mind, it is time to open it. It is time to know.
Julia swallowed hard and the next moment it struck two small strokes, feeling her breath catch.
There was no sound for a while and the door opened on James Newport. He had removed his hat, his jacket and tie and opened his shirt. He froze by crossing the eyes of Julia, which lasted only a few seconds before the young woman down on his chest to the muscles stood out perfectly under his white T-shirt. She frowned, wondering how a man of that age could still have a perfectly sculpted body that way. She slowly climbed look at his face and saw at the base of his neck a blister which made all around.
-Mrs Murdoch, muttered William took by surprise ... why I owe the honor of your visit and how do you where I stay? I ...
-Who are you? Julia cut yet gently as he saw her eyes throw flashes of anger. Who are you really?
-I told you, James New ...
He did not have time to finish his sentence she rushed into the room jumped to come take a photograph lying on the coffee table a little further. She looked carefully before looking up at him.
-Where did you get this picture? She said, pointing to him, where she stood at the William's arm at a ball given many years ago.
William sighed deeply and closed the door before approaching her.
-I can explain everything to you. But please, you must remain calm.
-I would like that you do indeed. You seem to know a lot about me, and my friends also this photo belonged to my husband, you ...
-Julia, tenderly cut William taking her hand, I must tell you the truth. You know you who I am, James Newport is only one alias, listen to your heart.
She was silent a few moments before plunging her eyes into his. It was quite enough for her to understand at last. All these details, all these signs, these commonalities. His look, his voice, his body, her feelings to him, this feeling of well-being, like she had to know him for years. Everything was now clear.
-How do you dare to do this to me? She whispered. Tell me you have not done that.
He did not answer and looked down at the ground. Tears slipped while on Julia's cheeks and she moved away from him violently.
-What is your name sir?
-You know it, said William, looking at her again.
-I want hear you say it , tell me.
-Murdoch, sighed William, my name is William Murdoch and I am not dead.
She was silent a few seconds, shortness of breath, heart pounding in her chest. She felt again that long sharp blade pierce right through. She put her hand on her chest and took a breath, leaning slightly forward. William then approached her to gently put his hand on her shoulder. But she sat up violently and walked quickly away.
-Do not touch me!
-Julia I ...
- HOW CAN YOU DID IT TO ME ? She yelled.
-I did it to protect you.
-TO PROTECT ME? You made me believe you were DEAD! And on top of that you did get disguised as another man to torture me.
-I watched over you that way and I need you.
-You need me? Julia threw out of breath. But I also needed you William! For weeks I have cried, I thought I would die of grief, I nearly lost my life for YOU and I have given my life to find you. And during that time, you were alive, you lied to me, you were spying on me.
-I did not want to hurt you, I swear.
-Well, here that is very kind of you darling, but I HAVE SUFFERED and I still suffer to see that you do not love me enough to put me in the secret do you realize the hell I went through and the trickery you put in place? They all know it is not ? Brakenreid, Emily George, they know, they always knew and they never tell me? I was just a fool in your little game?
-It was the idea of the Inspector, I did not first approved and ...
Julia laughed a mirthless laugh.
-Oh really? I am amazed that he was able to force your hand.
-It was the best solution, my head is a price, you were in danger you too, inveighed in turn William, if I had died we had a chance to work this out. And after a few months everything would be back as before.
-As before, Julia sighed bitterly, do you really believe that everything can become as before?
-I love you Julia. I regret that has happened in this way, but I love you so much.
She did not answer and the tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
-I saw you dead William, she whispered with a sob, I saw your body at the morgue and your heart stopped beating... how?
-Doctor Grace gave me an injection of chloral hydrate, I was in a coma. I knew you would asked to see my body and if I had not been in such a state you have noticed that I was not really dead.
- Chloral hydrate could kill you for good, Julia whispered.
-It was a risk worth taking, but Emily has watched over me and she revived me with a low dose of caffeine citrate.
-So you had carefully planned this plan, for days before your departure you knew what was going to happen. You have tried to spend time with me because of this, because you knew we were going to be separated.
-Yes, William confessed.
Julia shook her head from side to side and she walked to the door without another word.
-Where are you going? Launched William when she put her hand on the handle.
-I need to think, I need to be alone ...
She felt William in her back and he put his hand on the door to prevent her from opening it.
-Stay, he whispered in her ear, I beg you.
-I can ... can not William, Julia sobbed without looking at him, you betrayed me.
-Forgive me, he went against her skin, I beg you my love. I am sorry for the wrong I have done, forgive me, William repeated before kiss her hair.
She was silent a long time, weeping silently when William was still standing in her back, so close to her that she could feel his breath against her skin and the heat that emanated from his body. Once again she was totally lost, between the joy of having found him, the pain of betrayal, sadness at not having been able to recognize him. She would never have thought he would put out his life this way, she could not have believed that William had been capable of such a scheme. He said to have done it to protect her, but she had suffered so much from her loss she could not banish from her heart the anger she had towards him. Yet, as often, when he was near her, she felt only love for him.
-Please, sobbed Julia, William let me go. Leave me alone.
-Only if you tell me by looking me in the eye, immediately replied William, turn around.
He still spent a few seconds before Julia does so against the heart. She was still crying and he felt his heart bleed into his chest, he wiped her tears fingertips without leaving her eyes for several seconds.
-Please, begged Julia, closing her eyes, please William, kiss me.
A second later William's lips took possession of hers. She felt her husband tighten against him. She put a hand on his chest, where his heart was racing, and the other in his neck. The tongue of William came to taste hers, while young man's hands circled hrt face still ravaged by tears. She clung so desperately to him, with all her strength. It was during this languid and sensual dance that she felt revived at last. No one had ever kissed as William did, no one ever knew her to be born this infinite feeling of well being as William. She knew then that he was the man hiding under that mask, the man she had always loved and she continued to love more than anything in the world.
They separated breathless seconds later and Julia let her hand stroking the cheek of William, looking forward to this face she did not know.
-Remove thismask, she murmured, please I need to see you.
William nodded and he left only her to remove her wig and remove the silicone mask he put since weeks when he left the room. Julia touched his skin with fingertips, redrawing the contours of his face for a long time he spent with eyes closed, then she just snuggled in his arms.
-William, she whispered.
-I am here, I will always be there.
to be continued ...