Private Investigation

Before You Know It

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Agatha questioned sat on the edge of the bare mattress as Sophie adjusted  her hair in the mirror. The room they were in had been stripped of all the black and emerald furnishings. All the furniture, bar the bed and the vanity had been  removed and the rugs rehomed elsewhere in the manor. This was mostly down to Sophie, when she returned to the manor, shaken and distraught, she had locked herself away in her room.

The next day, those that remained in the household the next morning were awoken by the thud of furniture being pulled down the stairs and out into the drive way. Sophie had decided to purge her room of anything and everything Rhian had  once bought her. Broken trinkets and and tattered clothes lay on the grass below her window. All the pictures Sophie could find of the the two of them had been burnt to ash, well nearly all of them. Sophie was determined to erase this from her life just as she had once tried to do before. She thought after all this time she would have learnt, but each time she allowed others to bring her down. 

"Oh darling, you know -" Sophie stopped herself. She was about to give her best friend a flamboyant response pretending she was perfectly fine, but the moment she met Agatha 's eyes in the mirror she knew that wouldn't work. Slowly, Sophie turned around and went to sit on the bed  with Agatha. "Aggie, I just can't. I can't stay here. For years this has been like a prison to me, but now I'm free. I can go where ever I want with whoever I want." Sophie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm still scared that I'm going to wake and hear them arguing or screaming at me for being late. Every time I walk down the halls I can see him beside me. The study still smells  of his cologne and I just can't -" Sophie had to stop herself  before the tears began to fall. It even hurt to say his name but she didn't know why, she didn't love him, she doubted that she ever loved him, but the thought of a world without him scared her. "This house is yours now, Aggie, and I don't doubt that you and Teddy will make it perfect." 

"But where will you go? Can't you just stay until you have a plan?" 

Sophie smiled to herself. Agatha had never needed her like she needed Agatha, but she wanted Sophie. She was the only person that ever really had and that comforted Sophie when she felt lost and alone. 

"Aggie you don't need me getting in your way. Anyway, you have a wedding to plan. I'm expecting big things Mrs Pendragon."

Agatha laughed at what would probably be the only time Sophie tries to divert attention away from herself. Before stood, at first glance, the immaculate Sophie Mount, but the longer shot looked the more she noticed. There was a faint bruise on her temple that was still visible under the makeup. Her white dress had a slight grey tint and her black coat was starting to fade. Agatha realised that these clothes were never worn by Sophie Pendragon, only Sophie Mount. The sound of a car horn echoed through the open window from the car outside. 

"Sounds like my chauffeur is ready." Sophie placed her large black hat on, careful not to ruin her hair, and headed for the door with Agatha close behind. 

"I wouldn't let him hear you say that." 

*** 

Tedros lifted the last of the leather suitcases into the back of his car. The sheer volume of luggage combined with small boot meant the back seats were also piled high with cases. No one would ever accuse Sophie of travelling light. 

"Teddy are we ready to go?" Sophie came down the steps of the front door, wobbling slightly as she crossed the gravel driveway in her heels. 

"How exactly do you plan on getting all of this onto the train by yourself?" Tedros asked eyeing up the small mountain weighing down the back of his car. 

"I've got my ways." Sophie said mysteriously which in reality meant Hort would be waiting for her since he elected not to stay at the Manor. 

Tedros opened the passenger door for Sophie, always the gentleman, before getting in the drivers side.  Sophie looked back at Agatha standing barefoot o the steps in her usual attire of slacks and Tedros' shirt. Even though Agatha might not like it now Sophie knew she was where she belonged, more than Sophie ever would. She might not be the conventional Lady, but that is what made her perfect. 

"I'll be back before you know it." Sophie called, blowing kisses to her best friend as Tedros turned down the drive way. 

Agatha waved back until the car disappeared out of sight. Sophie turned to Tedros with a sad yet serious look on her face. "Look after her for me." 

Not able to see Sophie's expression, his eyes focused on the road, Tedros responded light heartedly. "I don't think Agatha is the one that needs taking care of. 

"Everyone needs taking care of even if they wont admit it." 

*** 
As time went by Sophie adopted the same policy she had for all those she lost, she would never visit the grave, never lay flowers in his memory but every once in a while she would spare a thought for Rhian as she watched the chaos of London for from her window and sometimes, very rarely, she would smile but would never say why. 

Agatha continued to fight for those less fortunate alongside Yara and the other Evers, until she had her first child ten years later.  Afterwards she continued to work from the side lines, organising events but no longer being a public figure.  

Tedros decided to honour Rhian's memory and never revealed the truth behind his parentage, instead grieving to the press before focusing on the future. 

Kei stayed in Carleon for a year, visiting Rhian's grave every Friday night. He then moved away to start a clean slate. Only one man knew his whereabouts and he would never admit it as it would mean they could no longer be enemies. 

As for the detectives, well that's classified.

The End