Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

An Abomination

In his shirtsleeves and trousers, Will considered the options that Reggie had left hanging from his wardrobe doors. To him, the fact that he had not one wardrobe but three of the damn things, in addition to the various chests of drawers and hatstands around the room, was utter foolishness. He would have been content with a single wardrobe and chest, like his house in Southampton, but New York required more of him. At least he could feel relatively normal back in England, but England lacked Ana and he would be loathe to leave her behind. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "My wedding coat, Reggie. It's the only one that will do for this."

"Yes, Mr. Murdoch." Reggie plucked it from its place, draping it over his arm. "I'll have it brushed in just a moment, sir."

"And my sword belt," Will stalked over to where his sword was resting on a dresser. "At least the sword is already polished."

"As is the belt, sir." Reggie had reappeared over his shoulder, holding the coat out for him to slip his arms in. "I had a feeling that you would be wanting it." Despite his grousing over having a valet, Will had grown to appreciate Reggie. The man knew his stuff, even if Will still felt odd while he stood and Reggie ran the brush over his shoulders and chest to remove any last traces of hair.

He held up his hand, "Thank you Reggie, I can handle the belt on my own. Give yourself a break."

"I'll have the rest of the day to have a break, sir." Reggie turned, coming back with the black leather belt and passing it around Will's waist. "What with you having to attend the reception."

Will wrinkled his nose at that, clipping his sword to the belt and pulling it partway out of the sheath to check that he could draw it smoothly if needed. "Yes, well, I am going to go check in on Ana, so take yourself down and get some lunch." He could see his face reflected back at him in the steel, the man that had used it to stab someone, but he couldn't see that man in him now. Will knew that urge still existed in him, to drive this sword through Henry Reichster's throat, but he could swallow it down.

For now.

"Yes, Mr. Murdoch." Reggie had a smile on his face, but he slipped out the door to the hallway while Will took the one to the bedroom. The sheets had been freshly changed and the blankets drawn back up, cleanly hiding the fact that he and Ana had almost torn them off the bed last night. He paused for a moment, smiling at the memory. God, he loved the fact that his wife couldn't seem to get enough of him. After he had come back it had almost seemed a second honeymoon, for they had only emerged from their rooms after three days and that only because Ruth had come calling. The knowing smirk she wore had galled Will for a moment, until he had caught her eye and she had given him a nod. He had almost flushed, until she had looked to her daughter and remarked that she was doing well as a wife.

He slowly turned the knob to Ana's dressing room, peeking through the crack of the door. She was stood before a mirror, considering the dress she wore. It was silk, dark blue with silver beads, but of a rather conservative cut. Even a conservative cut left quite a bit of her chest bare though, and Will couldn't help but purse his lips at the thought of the Reichster men ogling her. It seemed that she hadn't noticed him spying, for she called to her maid. "Louise, could you bring my sapphires?"

"The new ones, ma'am?" Louise, somewhere where Will couldn't see her, asked.

"Yes, I think they suit this shade better." Ana turned before the mirror, examining her reflection closely. "Don't you?"

"They are darker stones than the ones your mother bought, so they do." Louise entered his field of view, a black leather box in her hands.

Will stepped in, an eyebrow raised. "New sapphires, my dear? And here I thought you didn't spend your money foolishly."