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𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞
•••
"SO YOU GENUINELY BELIEVE MY LIFE IS IN DANGER?" Tewksbury called after Enola, following the Holmes girl down the stairway of their room. Amelia followed in suit, humming a light tune under her breath. She had a bad feeling about the carriage parked just outside, but she got distracted by the flurry of Enola and Tewksbury that she didn't comment.
Enola filled a kettle with water, rolling her eyes.
"Uh, from whom?" He asked after a moment, and Amelia only glanced to Enola for the answer. She knew that the girl had figured something out, but needed to connect the dots, and when they met up with Tewksbury, ask him a few questions about his family.
"Your past and your future," Enola hummed, looking at the confused boy. Amelia also tilted her head, coming up beside him and giving the young detective just as confused of a look.
"Whatever does that mean?"
"Your family. They didn't send a detective to find you. They could have, and they didn't. Instead they sent a murderer." Enola frowned, where Tewksbury just looked confused. Sure, he hated most of his family, and only ever wished to live on the streets of London, blending in with the crowds, but he never imagined that his own family would be the cause of his attempted demise.
"Nothing like some good old fashioned family dramatics," Amelia muttered, fluttering over to the window to try and see the weird carriage again. Stretching on her tippy toes to see out the glass window. Tewksbury spared her a glance, but was more worried about the pressing issues at hand, like if he was going to encounter the man again.
"Why would anyone want me dead?"
"Countless reasons." The girls commented together, beginning the journey down to the kitchen to put the water on the stove. Amelia thought it was a idiotic thing to say, as he was one of the most wanted people in London and the surrounding areas. He was a marquess, and was about to fill a seat in the House.
"Your personality, your ridiculous hair, your silly smile, or possibly your land, your estate, your title, your seat. Same reasons they wanted your Father dead. Greed does funny things to people, Tewksbury." Amelia looked back with a wince, glaring at Enola for being so insensitive towards the boy's family. The girl hardly seemed to care, wandering over to the kettle, which was beginning to bubble. Amelia just sighed, turning around to look through the kitchen window. She had a better view of the streets, and viewed the calm carriage.
"So you're saying you think they killed my Father?"
"I don't think. I know."
As Tewksbury went off in a tangent, the Hastings' girl watched the shifting of the horses hooves as their reins loosened. They snorted, lowering their long necks in a stretch as they were on a break. Amelia noticed the carriage doors opening from the side, and her eyes widened in a gasp, shoving her face against the glass panes. None other than the annoying city-boy, Mycroft stepped out, looking severely impatient as he flicked his wrist to look at his watch.
"Enola—"
Bang!
Enola hit Detective Lestrade over the head with the boiling pot of water, hurriedly rushing up the stairs of the home. Tewksbury grabbed Amelia's hand, shoving the man back down as he tried to right himself. Amelia kicked his stomach as she ran by, trying to ignore the flutters in her heart from the jump scare and Viscount's hand in hers.
They ran up the stairs back to the girl's bedroom, slamming the door shut. Enola urged them to shove the dresser in front of the door to try and prevent him from getting in as he banged against the door. Breath ragged, Amelia ran a hand through her hair, silently letting go of Tewksbury's hand. Her mind was racing. Enola just saved them.
"Open up Miss Posy. Or should I say, Miss Holmes!" The man called from the other side of the door, pounding on it as he tried to shove it open with brute force, to no avail. They had their hands against the door, fighting back, but they were but three teenagers against a full grown man. Enola, sensing their predicament, motioned for Amelia to gather the belongings.
Cautiously letting the two handle the door, Amelia was a blur around the room, grabbing a complementary bag and shoving her and Enola's belongings in it.
"Inspector Lestrade! I need to report an attempted murder! You're supposed to be on our side!" Enola called back, hastily pushing against the force of the dresser. Amelia returned to help them out, but it was no help, as the three were struggling either way. She didn't know why the detective would turn on her, but she assumed because of the ransom on Tewksbury's head, and Enola's older brothers, who were as impatient as ever to find her. Well, Mycroft was. It seemed whatever Amelia did to try and stop Sherlock, he just found his way out, highly amused at her attempts of stalling him. He was in no hurry. He liked battling a sharp mind like himself, and who else to do so against than his own sister— and her sidekick.
The trio heard some bickering behind the door, one of the voices sounding like the inn lady. Amelia almost groaned in annoyance. Of course she couldn't catch a break. They could trust no one. It was one thing that Amelia actually learned from her Father.
"If you wouldn't take a bullet for them, keep them at arms length."
Though his meanings were selfish at the time, Amelia took note of how he held himself. It was a tough economy, and the social and political hierarchy was a battle of its own. While she never cared too much of what her Father was wrapped up in, she understood.
"See that window over there? It leads onto a roof. I need you to climb out and take off into nowhere," Enola turned her head to Tewksbury, and Amelia came to the sudden and sullen realization of what was to come next. She couldn't help the frown on her face as she thought of all the things her family would do when she got back, and Enola being sent off into finishing school. But worst of all, Tewksbury being left alone in London with a murderer on his tail. She could possibly never see him again.
"And leave you two?" He asked like the two were crazy. Enola furrowed her eyebrows, looking at the boy with a glint in her eyes.
"We need to hold this door!" She yelled stubbornly, fighting to keep up the slack he let off when he realized her intentions.
"But you need to get away too!"
"If he catches you, your life will be in danger. If he catches me, it is simply a life I do not want."
"I don't want to leave you." His tone dropped from frantic to emotion-filled.
Amelia sighed, closing her eyes.
"Now go!"
"But—!"
"Viscount just GO!" Amelia snapped, making him look at her. Enola looked away at the hurt look in his eyes, but the short haired girl didn't. He hesitated for a moment before giving a firm nod, letting go of the table. Both Amelia and Enola felt the drastic difference between their strength alone, and knew they couldn't keep it up. They felt tears rushing to their eyes, but he was gone.
