Sitting across from his father at breakfast the next morning was torture for William. Ana had claimed a headache and taken breakfast in their rooms, Will had tugged on her hair for that, especially when she had smirked at him as he had walked out the door. So now he was adding salt to his eggs and focusing all his attention on his plate instead of looking up at Samuel.
His father coughed, "Now, Will, I don't mean fer things tae be awkward. It's only, do the two of ye have to be so loud? I was needin' that nap yesterday."
"Da," Will blushed, switching from the salt to the pepper. "Being quiet, well, it takes all the fun out of it. Ana likes to be rather loud." Sometimes Ana could barely talk after, and during days where they'd gone at each other multiple times she had actually lost her voice. She had no compunctions about it, and was actually rather proud of what he could do to her.
Samuel, a bit red in the face, snorted. "And curse, I could tell."
Will set the pepper down, pursing his lips. "You know, Da, we have to do something if you want grandchildren."
"I already have grandchildren lad, and I didn't have tae hear them being made."
"But no American ones."
"And what a blessing that is, for if they'll be as loud as their mother I wouldn't sleep a wink!" Samuel laughed though, and Will couldn't help but smile. It was good to see his father feeling better, although perhaps distracted would be a better word. After the plates had been cleared away, and Ana had reappeared in the parlor, Samuel settled himself into a chair. "I was thinkin' Anastasia, perhaps emeralds fer his birthday."
Will blushed, seeing Ana smirk at him before she answered. "Oh, that is a wonderful idea. Why don't we head out to Tiffany's and take a look at what they have?" Rigel was brought, and Ana handed his leash to Samuel. "Here, he seems to enjoy you."
"And I enjoy this great big bear." He grinned, ruffling the dog's ears. "Now, I want ye tae tell me all about this Tiffany's." Will found himself glad that Rigel's hair wouldn't show against the dark purple of Ana's skirt, for he had no doubt there would be some society people where they were and he did not want to hear hushed remarks about the untidiness of his wife's wardrobe. If anything, Ana was too tidy in her dress. The dark purple silk was tailored perfectly to her figure, gold lace and beads drawing his eye. He took a glance at Samuel, hoping that he wouldn't notice how Will's eyes clung to his wife's figure.
Sometimes it was all he could do to not haul Ana off into a room, bend her over a table and take her like it was his last day on earth. He wondered if his wife knew how she affected him, if she deliberately laughed and batted her eyes at him to drive him mad. He couldn't help but smile softly as she laughed while explaining Tiffany's to his father, her hand reaching over for his and gently squeezing. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, and when she finally quieted he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She smiled, "What was that for?"
"I can't kiss my wife?" He whispered back, "Besides, it's better than letting Rigel kiss you." Ana snorted at that, and started as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of Tiffany's. His father was quiet as the door was opened for them, and a salesman was immediately at their side.
Ana nodded to the man, "We're here to find some party favors, if you could help?"
"Of course ma'am." The salesman began leading them through a warren of cases and displays. "May I ask what stones you are looking for?"
Samuel snorted, "Emeralds, if'n ye please." Will blushed a bit when Ana looked at him, her eyes dancing. The salesman nodded, and they shortly found themselves in front of a counter filled with sparkling green stones in every tone. Cases and cases were brought up for their inspection, not only jewelry for the ladies but accessories for the men. His father considered a gold cigarette case, engraved with a tree where each leaf was a stone. "My God."
Will looked up from the watches he had been examining. "And this is the cheap stuff."
"It's beautiful." Ana replied, bracelets dangling from her fingers as she held them up to the light. "They all are."
The cigarette case clattered back down, Samuel's eyes squeezed shut. Will was immediately by his side, "Da?"
"'Tis nothin'." Samuel waved him away, but his eyes were bright. "'Tis just, yer Ma, she wore a bracelet like those at our wedding." He replaced the cigarette case, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. "I'll be back in a moment, just need tae find a washroom."
Ana look down, settling the bracelets back into their tray. "Perhaps we shouldn't get emeralds, what do you think of rubies like Mother suggested?"
"I'd be content to give them polished coal." He groused, although he did gesture for the attentive salesman to hold for a moment. A pocket watch had caught his eye, a line of emeralds tracing the circular face. He gently lifted it, letting the chain run through his fingers. "What do you think of this, for when he leaves?"
Her brown eyes sparkled as she eyed the gleaming gold, "I think he would like it, we could even put a picture of your mother in it for him." She looked to the salesman, "We'll take this, but if you could show us some similar items but with rubies?" A velvet bag was quickly brought for the watch and they were lead off to another counter. Will had just about to join Ana in stretching out a length of silver chain, diamonds alternating with blood red rubies, when a sudden cry made him look up.
"Why Mr. Murdoch, what a delight." A young socialite, Will could not remember her name, had spotted them and trotted up, batting her eyes and holding out her hand. "I thought I saw your wife."
Will gave it the barest touch, "Yes, Ana and I are making a visit."
"Oh, and you two are in such need of it." She wiggled her fingers as Ana looked up. "Mrs. Murdoch, you must let me give you my deepest sympathies on the loss of your mother-in-law. When your housekeeper told me I almost burst into tears!"
A corner of Ana's lip twitched. "Thank you, Miss Fish, but you should be giving your condolences to Will. Jeanie was his mother after all."
"Oh, but of course." Her eyes flicked over to Will briefly. "But now we are onto happier manners. I've had an associate collect quite a few pieces for you."
"That's very kind of you Lucille, but why?" Ana looked over as a man approached with a wooden tray. It was lined in velvet and sparkling with gem encrusted rings. Sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds glittered against the black velvet, a hundred different cuts and styles. She raised an eyebrow, "Rings?"
Lucille laughed, and Will had to grit his teeth at the sound. "Why to replace that awful ring, of course! I mean we all just pity you for that," She gestured to Ana's left hand, and his wife twitched her fingers protectively over the solitary diamond. "And it appears you've obviously come to your senses! I personally prefer that marquis cut, with the citrine on the side. Here, try it on."
Will grabbed for Ana's hand. "Thank you, Miss Fish, but we're not here to purchase Ana a ring."
"Well, I highly doubt you're here to shop for yourself." Lucille snorted, casting a look up and down him. "I mean, you're not even wearing a tie stick."
"He does have his wedding ring," Ana snapped, twisting her hand around to show her own ring. "And I would never trade the ring Will gave me away so easily. I would have thought your mother taught you better." A smile appeared on her lips, "But then again, she didn't even teach you to close the door all the way when gossiping." Will couldn't help but chuckle as Lucille's face paled, and Ana continued. "Perhaps I should go discuss this with Oscar, he is my lover after all."
"Ah, there's my father." Will spotted Samuel coming back from the washroom, "If you'll excuse us Miss Fish." He looked to the salesman with the rings, "You can put those away." Ana was almost vibrating against him as they reached Samuel, before bursting into quiet giggles. Will chuckled, "Ana, hush, she might hear you."
"Oh, she looked so scared when I mentioned her mother!" She almost fell onto his shoulder, "And her face when you told him to put the rings away, oh I should tell Liz straight away."
Samuel cast a look at Will, who was far too focused on his wife using his sleeve to muffle her laughter. "Have ye decided on somethin' yet?"
"Oh, any of those will do." Ana waved her hand at the tray. "And the men always get tie sticks or cufflinks. Honestly, you all have it so easy."
Will lifted her hand, smiling. "But we're not half as pretty as you." It was so good to see Ana laughing again, smiling, her eyes bright when she caught his gaze. He glanced down at her dress, the purple silk far too lovely on her. He glanced to the salesman, "We'll have some of those, if we could see the amethysts though?"
"Certainly sir," The salesman gestured for a clerk to take the case. "We'll ensure a lovely assortment for you." He led them over to another counter, and Will immediately saw what he wanted. The stones were dark, mounted in gold and ringed with diamond. When he gestured at it, the salesman immediately pulled it out. "The gentleman has excellent taste. Ma'am, if you would?"
Ana was staring at him as she extended her hand, the delicate bracelet quickly clasped around her wrist. "Will, we don't need to."
"We may not need to," He looked to his father, who gave him a nod. "But I would like to. It suits you." Ana was still entranced by the jewels when he looked to the salesman, "She'll wear it out. If you could have the others sent around to the Murdoch house?" The man bowed, and Will twined his fingers around Ana's hand as they swept out of the store. Once they were back in the carriage, he kissed them. "What kind of husband would I be if I took my wife to a jewelry store and didn't buy her anything?"
She snorted, "But you didn't even replace my ring. What will everyone say?"
"Yer ring?" Samuel raised an eyebrow, "Ye mean my mother's ring that you all but demanded the first day ye came home?"
Ana looked over to Will with a smirk, "Demanded? Oh, I will have to hear this."
"Da," Will flushed, "We don't need to talk about it."
"Yes, we do." Samuel chuckled, "I'm surprised ye never told her yerself." Will watched as his father settled down onto the bench, Rigel already lounging on his lap, and launched into the story. "After the inquiry, he came up and was out of sorts. Quiet, he didnae want to talk at all about what hae happened. Not that I blame him fer that, 'tis not somethin' tae speak lightly about. But then," Will couldn't help but groan as his father grinned. "Then when I asked about his girl, ach, it was hard to shut him up."
Ana gave his arm a squeeze, "How sweet."
"'Twas not sweet when he would spend hours lookin' at a picture of ye and not talkin'." Samuel snorted, "Finally I asked him what he wanted tae do about ye. Moonin' over a picture is nae way to win a girl. That was when he told me he needed the ring, me Ma's ring that she left to me."
"And you fought me on it." Will grumbled, although he looked up when his father snorted. "Perhaps fight wasn't the right word."
"Nae, I just wanted ye tae be sure." Samuel gave him a smile, and Will couldn't help but smile back. When he had asked for the ring, his father had asked him if he was sure. The ring was well known to be available to any of the Murdoch children who had asked for it, and Will had bought a ring of his own for Ada. But Ana, oh he had wanted Ana to be his and he needed to save every bit of money because he knew he wouldn't have a job soon. So he'd asked his father, assured him of his feelings and had left Scotland with the ring in his breast pocket.
"And I was." Will gave Ana's hand a squeeze, "I don't think I had even been as sure, aside from Ada." He started as Ana suddenly lunged up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, twisting her hands around his shoulders to hold herself there and press an even dozen across his face. Samuel laughed loudly at that, and Will had to resist the urge to pull his wife into his lap and hold her close.
So instead he wrapped an arm around her and held her to his side even when they reached the house and made their way upstairs. Ana was not making it easy on him, and when the door was closed she immediately turned and pulled him into a kiss. She smelled like roses, and he knew she was leaving lip rouge on his lips, and Will wanted nothing more than to pick her up and carry her to bed. Instead he pulled back, gently, and pressed his forehead to her's. "Ana, if I knew this was what buying jewelry would do to you I would have done it sooner."
"It's not the bracelet." She whispered, her hands drifting to his waist. "I never knew how much I was on your mind when you were back in Scotland."
He chuckled, although he did reach down to move her hands up to his chest. "How could you not be? It was so much more preferable to everyone wanting me to tell the story over and over." He had thought she wouldn't be so arousing with her hands farther up his body, but the way she trailed her fingers down his tie made him swallow. "Ana, we can't. Da would never let either of us live it down."
Her lips drew down into a pout. "But I want to. I want you, Will."
"You think I don't want you? I've wanted you since I saw you in the parlor this morning."
"Well, maybe we could try and be quiet?"
"You are not quiet."
"Then what? We live like nuns until he leaves?"
"Or we find another place." He lowered his mouth to her ear, knowing what the feeling of his lips grazing the delicate shell of her ear did to her. "A hotel perhaps?"
Ana moaned, "Will, he would know what that was for. Everyone would."
"So I suppose we're left with sneaking around."
"And what will I tell Oscar?" She raised a brow, a smirk on her lips. "I can't sneak around with both my husband and my lover."
Will snorted, reaching down and giving her a solid smack to her backside. "A wife shouldn't confess her infidelities to her husband, you know." She jumped when his hand stayed where it had hit, grabbing and rubbing her arse like he had wanted to all day.
The smirk was still on her lips as she shoved herself farther into his hand, her fingers curling in his shirt. "Now who wants to do what we shouldn't?"
He sighed, releasing her. "I'll be in the bathroom, I need a cold rinse."
"I'll be undressing and waiting for you in bed, just in case."
"That's not helping matters."
Will had visited the Fifth Avenue house far too often the last week, for every time Samuel went over to advise Ruth on some manner he would drag his son along with him. Will would much rather have spent the hours with Ana. So he'd distracted himself, going down to the offices and helping out where he could. Captain Fraser hand't given him any harsh words over his absence, although he had teased him a bit about how he must be enjoying a longer stay at home.
James had been at the offices, beaming and driving everyone around him mad with how often he repeated his news. He'd put money down for a house in Southampton, had some set aside for a ring, and was planning on asking Richard for his permission soon. When he'd cornered Will, the boy's eyes had been alight. "I'm sure he'll give it, I'm sure of it! You should have seen him after I tore into him over what they put you and Ana through, he said he respected me after!"
Will had patted the boy's shoulders, "And you were perfectly confident?"
"No," James had stepped back, "I was scared out of my mind, but I knew they were better than that, so that's what I told them."
"Well, I'm sure she'll be thrilled." Will had disentangled himself, making an excuse about having to check a manifest. But now he was standing here in Ruth's ballroom, flowers overflowing and a band playing. He had put his foot down when his father had suggested a piper and a drummer with them, it was already bad enough to see every lady cooing over the ruby bracelets that had been placed on a table near the door and were very clearly waiting for them on their way out.
Ana, stunning in a cornflower blue dress and sparkling silver beads, hung off his arm as they greeted their guests. Will recognized a few of them, smirking when he saw the Fields coming in with the Vanderbilts. He assumed Samantha was the petite brown haired girl beside Ezekiel, her eyes wide at everything around them.
Will wondered how she'd react when she got her bracelet.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Ana glanced up, "You seem a bit distracted."
"Sorry." He shook his head, for he was distracted. He was distracted by the low cut of Ana's dress, the way it clung to her curves and the way her breasts would rise when she breathed. She'd worn her Fabrege jewels that night, which he pounced on. "It's just been some time since you wore those, I forgot how beautiful they are."
The snort his wife gave made it very clear she didn't believe him for a moment, but she was shortly distracted. "Sophie! What ever are you doing here? You should be home, resting."
Sophie Reichster, heavily pregnant and in a dress of silver silk, waved her hand. "I've been resting far too much, the little one wants me to get up and move."
"Don't move too much," Will gave her a smile, although it was rather tight. "I'd hate to have your husband accusing me of exhausting you."
"There's not a worry of that." Sophie sighed, a hand reaching down to rub her belly. "Although I'd be grateful for something to drink, perhaps some lemonade?" A footman was quickly waved down, her request passed on, and the guests continued to arrive. Soon enough though, the ballroom was full and he had his wife in his arms as they spun around the floor. Ruth had made him sit down and discuss what dances he'd wanted, and he'd insisted on ones that would allow him to be as close to Ana as he wanted.
Ruth had rolled her eyes at that, but it did mean that he opened the night by waltzing with his wife. But then the song ended, the next began, and Oscar had swept Ana away into a polka. Will followed up the next few dances with other ladies, even leading Samantha out onto the floor. For all that the girl shared her name with Mrs. Reichster, they couldn't have been any more different. Samantha was sweet and soft spoken when she thanked him for the dance, and she looked at Ezekiel like he had hung the moon.
He found his wife gossiping with Sophie and Morgan, although when he extended a hand with a request to dance a tango together, she smiled. "Of course Will, you don't even have to ask."
They were partway through, his hands tight around her waist, when he leaned in. "I actually do have something I would like to ask."
"Oh?" Ana cocked a brow at him as they turned, "And what might that be?"
"Let's slip away after this."
Sophie had to admit that Anastasia really had the most eclectic group of friends. She'd spoken with the young Miss Vanderbilt and her suitor, who doted on her to the point where she had ordered him to go get them all champagne. Excepting Sophie, of course, due to her condition. And then Mrs. Fields had launched into a story about when she had been in a similar condition and all the way she had abused her poor husband to take care of her beyond what was needed. She'd even offered Sophie advice on how to best take advantage of her condition.
Her condition.
It was all anyone at home could talk about, the baby coming soon. Her mother-in-law had already decorated the nursery, Henry was stocking up on cigars to smoke with his friends and Zachary bought a little trinket for the baby every day. Sometimes it felt as if they were simply planning to keep the baby and send her home to Germany after it came.
Sometimes Sophie wished they would, although she would have taken the baby with her.
"I know, liebchen." She muttered, getting to her feet. "Ladies, if you will excuse me, someone would like a walk." They all nodded, and Sophie moved away. Usually she had Freddy for these walks, he would trot alongside her with his ropes of hang swinging back and forth. But tonight she was on her own, although Oscar Vanderbilt did give her a nod as she went by. Frederich had written to her about him, saying that he was a friend to cultivate. She'd begun to reach out, his sister was a big help in that matter, but sometimes it seemed like he was holding himself aloof. Which made the nod from him all the more meaningful.
The house grew quieter as she moved off from the ballroom, a nice change from home. It seemed every week there was a small party, or some of Zachary's friends were visiting. It made her glad that her rooms were far from the parlor and dining room, and a short walk from Zachary's. He'd given her the option of any room in the house Henry had gifted them, and she had fallen in love with the view of the city from one set. When Zachary had complained about how far he'd have to walk at night, she had told him he could have picked rooms near her.
They hadn't spoken for a week after that.
The baby shifted, and Sophie paused for a moment in a hallway to collect herself. She'd climbed a set of stairs, and leaned against a wall until she settled. Mrs. Dalian really did have a beautiful house, even if it was meant to remind one of the great palaces of Europe. Sophie had traipsed through those since she was a girl, and part of her couldn't help but pick out the little errors that only a trained eye would have spotted. It was something to focus on until the little one demanded she resume her walk.
But Sophie paused, a muffled noise breaking the quiet of the upper floors.
It almost sounded like someone in pain.
Sophie followed it, curious. Who was up here? Was one of Mrs. Dalian's servants ill and needed help? A door was cracked, the sounds escaping from it. But it wasn't just one person, there were two voices. A man, and a woman, and when Sophie pressed her eye to the crack of the door to see who it was, she almost jumped back in shock. Mr. Murdoch had Anastasia bent over a desk and was taking his marital rights!
She felt her heart break for Anastasia, she had thought at least William wasn't the type to demand his wife submit to him whenever he wanted. It was bad enough that Zachary was, but even he didn't do it at a party like this! And Mr. Murdoch had seemed so kind, so attentive to what Anastasia wanted and appeared devoted to her. To see him forcing her into this, it shook Sophie. But then Anastasia gave a moan, and Sophie couldn't help but peek back through the door crack. She couldn't see much, their backs were to them, but she knew the motions well enough. Anastasia moaned again, "Fuck Will, God."
Her husband's voice was strained. "You like that?"
"Oh, harder." She begged, and Sophie pursed her lips as the sounds of their movements increased.
"Christ, I forget how hard you like it."
"Oh God, yes." Anastasia's voice was growing higher, and Sophie scrambled away from the door. The baby wanted her to walk and her thoughts needed to get sorted out. Marta had told her that the act was something one had to submit to, that parts of it could feel pleasant but that it was a duty, not a pleasure. But the way Anastasia had been groaning, the way she had goaded her husband on, it unsettled her.
When Zachary lay with her, well, the few times he had before she had fallen pregnant, he hadn't asked after her. He'd simply come to her bed, kissed her, done his business and left. The first time had been unpleasant, but fortunately it had been over quick. He never lingered after he took her, but he'd send a small present to her the next morning. She'd contented herself with that, but part of her wondered what it would be like to have him ask how she enjoyed it, like William had.
There were obviously ways for the woman to enjoy the act, but who could she ask?
Her mother-in-law was right out, as was her husband and his father. It wasn't as if she could simply tell her husband she wanted what the Murdochs had, for all she knew he might hit her for that. Sophie supposed she could ask Anastasia, she quite clearly knew about it. She pursed her lips, remembering that day in the hotel before her wedding when she had brought it up. Anastasia had blushed and smiled, she must have been thinking about William bedding her.
But this wasn't something that one could bring up easily, she would need to be discrete about it. Perhaps slowly draw it out of her over tea? No, tea wouldn't work. Wine, perhaps some cordials and sherry, that would be better. She was still pondering this when she reached the ballroom again, Oscar Vanderbilt immediately by her side with a glass of lemonade. "Why Sophie, I was just about to launch a search for you."
Sophie greedily sipped at the cold lemonade. "My apologies, I simply had to have a moment of quiet."
"It appears you weren't the only one." Oscar nodded toward William and Anastasia, coming back in from another door. Their clothes were perfectly in place, Anastasia's hair was impeccable, but there was a flush to her cheeks and William looked at her with adoration. Oscar extended a hand, "Come along, we should see what those two were up to."
Sophie was still scrambling for an excuse when Oscar stopped them in front of the other couple, Will giving them both a smile. "Oscar, I see you've been taking good care of the Duchess here."
"She needs taking care of, I doubt Zachary has been seeing to her every need." Oscar chuckled, and Sophie found herself sighing. Zachary really did not seem to want much to do with her at the moment, although Giselle, her lady's maid, had been most attentive. But Sophie flushed as Oscar continued, "You should remember that for when Anastasia here finds herself in a similar state. I certainly hope you were tending to her when you slipped out just now."
Anastasia blushed, "I'm afraid I was just overcome by the noise and the guests for a moment, Will was kind enough to sit with me in a room until it faded."
"Overwhelmed by a party?" Oscar smirked, "We shall have to get you out more, for I cannot remember the last time you claimed that."
A blush of red appeared on William's pale cheeks. "I'm afraid Ana here is protecting me, I was the one who insisted on a break."
"Well, it was both of us really." Anastasia glanced over to her husband, "We both just needed a moment." Sophie could barely breathe, part of her was embarrassed on their account because it was fairly obvious why they had left, but part of her wanted to break down in laughter.
Judging by the look Oscar had on his face he knew where they had been too, although he only smirked. "I see, a moment alone? You left all your guests waiting, you know."
"Waiting for what?" William furrowed his brow.
"Your father is apparently bringing in bagpipers, everyone is very excited."
William paled, "Christ, they'll deafen everyone. Excuse me, I need to speak to him."
Oscar waited until the other man had vanished into the crowd before leaning in to speak to both of the ladies. "Well, now that we've gotten rid of the birthday boy, I think it's time for some gossip." He took both their arms, leading them across the ballroom. "For starters, I made up the bagpipers. Now, Anastasia, wherever did you find such lovely party favors?"
"Tiffany's, where else?" Anastasia shrugged, and Sophie watched as she looked out at the crowd. "Now, a question for you. When are you going to let James talk to your father?"
Sophie giggled as Oscar's mouth screwed up, "Oh come now, is Mr. Moody really so objectionable?"
"No, but I only have the one sister." He groused, sniffing as he looked out at said couple happily chatting over a couple of glasses of champagne. "You have to allow me some protectiveness."
"There's protectiveness and then there's a refusal to consider her happiness." Anastasia mused quietly, and Sophie glanced to the floor. Anastasia had both of those, William was protective and he appeared to always consider his wife's mood. Zachary was hardly protective, and he'd never alter his course it if would make her happy. She was shaken out of her thoughts when Anastasia reached over, "Sophie, is everything alright?"
Sophie shook her head. "Oh, yes. The baby can make me rather distracted sometimes."
"Well here's something to focus on, Anastasia's husband looks like he's ready to rip my head off." Oscar chuckled, pulling the both of them closer. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask for your protection, Sophie. Anastasia, go get a handle on your husband."
Anastasia snorted, but left and intercepted William. Sophie watched as she managed to soothe him with a few words, the red of his face fading before he took her out for a dance. Sophie glanced to Oscar, "Do you think Mrs. Murdoch would mind if I called on her sometime soon? To thank her for the invitation to the party, of course."
"I think Anastasia would love it, although you may want to wait until her father-in-law leaves. Apparently he's quite a character, but also rather tetchy. Now, I want you to tell me everything you know about what's going on in Berlin. My gossip source there is woefully uninformed."
Sophie squeezed his arm as he led them off towards the footman with the lemonade, "Well, the Kaiser apparently had an absolute row with Von Tirpitz according to Otto."
"You're joking!"
"Oh Otto rarely jokes about that. Apparently Von Tirpitz is quite upset about not receiving the entire honors of his rank. The Kaiser hasn't awarded him his medals for his new rank."
"They must be quite at odds."
"Oh, you have no idea."