An Enola Holmes Mystery

Chapter 1

I walked through London's bustling streets, trying to not accidentally step on anyone's feet. I was headed for Edith's tearooms, as was usual for my schedule on Thursdays.

I walked through the door, taking in the aroma of baked goods and scented tea. Closing the door behind me, I walked to the nearest empty table and waited for Edith. She was quick in coming, serving me earl grey tea with packets of sugar that I always ordered. 

"How have you been, Enola?" Edith asked, taking the chair across from me. "Any new cases to follow?"

"Not as of yet. I've been quite well lately. Sherlock dropped in on me yesterday as well." I said, taking a sip of tea. Finding it too bitter, I added another packet of sugar as I looked up at Edith.

"It's nice that you two get along so well. No word from Mycroft?" Edith asked, taking a sip of her own tea.

"No. Sherlock informed me two years ago that he'd 'washed his hands of me'. It's all for the better. I'd rather not get sent back to Miss Harrison's Finishing School for Young Ladies." I shuddered, remembering those few horrid days I spent there until Tewkesbury found and rescued me. I smiled to myself at the end of the memory.

"I should think not. Your brothers couldn't tame you even when they tried. I s'pose you have your mother to thank for that." Edith said, laughing slightly.

"Maybe so." I acknowledged. "But I was my own person before my mother taught me the things I know now."

"That you are. You're an inspiration to so many, Enola. The amount of women fighting for suffrage has increased so much, and all because of you." Edith said, taking one of the macaroons from the platter on the table.

"The world is changing." I said, looking out the window at the people that walked by. It was a statement, not a question. The world was indeed changing, and I was a part of it, whether I liked it or not. Being a detective was something I chose to be. And no one could convince me that I was anything but. 

"Have you heard about the possibility of suffragettes?" Edith asked. "Women will not be stopped when it comes to their rights. Eudoria is one of their top supporters."

"I suspected she would be." I said. In truth, my mother had sent me an iris, a message, through the newspaper, asking me to participate. I declined her offer. Although I do support women's suffrage, I do not approve of the lengths my mother goes to achieve her goals. I believe things can be achieved without violence. I proved that to my mother when the reform bill was passed two years ago thanks to my solving the crime in Tewkesbury's family. 

"Well, are you ready to continue where we left off?" Edith asked, a competitive gleam in her eye.

I smiled in turn. "I am. But I don't think you are." I came to Edith's every week not only for her excellent tea, but for continuation of my jiu jitsu training. 

I trained by myself only with Edith, as Thursday was the only day her other girls didn't come. Edith wanted me to train with the other girls so as to give them encouragement, but I didn't wish to be in the spotlight any more than necessary. So Edith came up with this solution, and we fought against each other, strengthening and sharpening our skills.

We went upstairs where we prepared our stances. We didn't change into the fighting clothes the other girls wore; rather, we fought as we were. The chances of fighting someone on the streets of London were slim, but we both would rather be accustomed to fighting as we were so that we could be prepared for any possibility.

It was Edith who threw the first move, and I immediately moved to the side, blocking her punch and grabbing her wrist with my other hand. I flipped her over me, but that was what she was expecting. She landed on her feet, only to duck under me and attempt a maneuver I knew all too well was coming. Ever since I mastered it myself in the fight for mine and Tewkesbury's lives at the house of Basilwether, Edith hasn't managed to beat me in the corkscrew move. I knew exactly how to anticipate it and how to avoid it. Edith grabbed for my foot, but I jumped back and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her up and pushing her down on her back. I won. 

Edith let out a laugh. "I really can't beat you with that maneuver anymore, can I?" She asked as I helped her up.

"You can't. You might as well stop trying at this point." I said as we stood up, breathing hard.

"Best two out of three?" Edith smirked.

"If you so wish." I replied, getting ready once more. This went on for the next hour as Edith tried different moves and I experimented with different takedowns. We ended in a draw, both of us laughing in exhaustion and discussing moves we would try next time. After cleaning up, we both went back downstairs. I said my goodbyes to Edith and her staff and headed back out into London's busy thoroughfares. 

I passed the House of Lords, which had just be let out of session, and tried to get a glimpse of Tewkesbury. I missed him, now that I had been allowed time to without getting dragged back towards him. It had been two years since I'd seen him last, and although I very much wanted to see him again, it'd be nothing like when we first met. He was a Lord now. I was only a lady detective, albeit a widely known lady detective. And not once had Tewkesbury tried to make contact with me that I knew of. 

Sighing, I went past the House of Lords, immersed in memories. It was for this reason I was thrown off guard when I was dragged into an alley, shrieking in surprise before a hand covered my mouth. One man faced me as the other held me. How did I know they were men even though their faces were covered, you ask? Their stance was nothing like a woman's, their strength was far superior to mine, and their hands were too large to have belonged to a woman. 

The one holding me, although he was stronger, couldn't hold me for long after I stepped on his foot with my heeled shoes and elbowed him in the gut. The second one, the one facing me, drew a knife and went for my throat. I rolled to the side, sweeping my legs under his to trip him. He fell into his companion, the knife falling from his hand in a desperate attempt to avoid killing his partner. 

I made a move to get out of the alley, but the one who had let go of me grabbed my ankle and pulled me to the ground. I hit hard, but turned around to kick him in the face, but before I could do so, the man I'd tripped punched me in the temple, which almost immediately led to my seeing stars as I hit the ground again. He punched me again and again, and the only thing I was grateful for was that he hadn't found his knife. I knew my beating hadn't gone unnoticed by the people outside the alley, and there were some calling for the nearest constable. I tried to raise my head, but another blow to my head left me curled up by the wall of the alley, bleeding and shaking badly. 

I heard the sound of footsteps running to and away from me; I surmised with what little consciousness that I had left that the constable had finally arrived.

"Enola!" A voice shouted, kneeling beside me.

Darkness crept in at the edge of my vision, and I barely had room for one thought. 

Tewkesbury?

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There's the first chapter. Let me know if you like it!

~Jen