Not So Alone ~ Enola Holmes x Viscount Tewksbury

Riding an Automobile

I woke up the next morning to an unfamiliar room. There were dark magenta curtains only letting in a small portion of light, a crinkling fireplace ablaze with newly lit flames, and a huge painting of a woman whose eyes seem to follow me where ever I went.

Then I remembered. I was in Basilweather Manor! And my favorite nincompoop invited me to a ball!

I quickly got up and changed into my favorite brownish pinkish dress. Then I ran down to the Dining Hall, almost falling down the many flights of stairs as I did so. A maid served Tewky and I each a bowl of oatmeal that had a hint of cinnamon in it.

"So, how did you like your first night here?" Tewky asked.

"It's great! Amazing! I love the food!" I sounded too desperate. "But I sometimes get the feeling that your grandmother will jump out of one of the knight armors and kill me..."

Tewky laughed. I almost jumped up in joy but stopped myself knowing that I would rather keep my great happiness to myself.

"Hey, you want to go out for a ride this afternoon. I can have Tom bring us an automobile. I know you love driving those things," he offered.

"Sure."

And we set off after breakfast.

The automobile was shiny black, the most marvelous automobile I've ever seen.

As we exited the gates, I decided to start a conversation. "Isn't it illegal, to ride an automobile without a license?"

"Look who's talking!" Tewky chuckled. "Remember, you stole your own brother's automobile less than a year ago!"

"Don't make me actually punch you in the face, Tewky," I smiled.

"Speaking of punching in the face, why did you almost do that yesterday?"

"You could've been a criminal for all I know."

"How do you feel? When we, you know, spend time together? Tell me the truth."

This just got serious. "Um, I like it. Because, well, you are my first friend other than Mother. So, I think, us spending time together is... fun..."

"Yes... It is fun... Can I ask you one more question?"

"Sure."

"What do you want to do now? I mean, what do you really want to do, 'cause it doesn't seem that you're really loving what we are doing now. To tell you the truth, I'm not really enjoying this."

I pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the automobile.

"I want to do this."

I couldn't stop myself. I leaned forward and kissed him. Surprisingly, he kissed back. We stayed like that for a while, lips moving in perfect sync.

When we finally stopped for air, both of us turned bright red.

"Sorry," I apologized.

"It's okay," Tewky said. "I... I kind of liked it."

"Me too. I feel like I want to do it again but -"

"But it feels weird..."

"Yeah..."

We both agreed to never speak of it again.

But I couldn't stop thinking about it. I had snogged Viscount Tewksbury, Marquess of Basilweather. And Viscount Tewksbury, Marquess of Basilweather liked it.

I'm sorry for this horrible story. I can't believe the people on Archive of Our Own actually liked it....