A Scandal in the World Of Goldfish [A Mycroft Holmes Fanfiction]

Chapter 3- Good Morning Downing Street

In the Smallwood master bedroom, a butler poured a cup of coffee and placed it on a silver tray with the day's newspaper. He took the tray and walked to the master bathroom tub, full of bubbles and surrounded by scented candles. He averted his gaze from Lady Smallwood's naked body bathing in the antique soaker tub and placed the tray on a side table.

Lady Smallwood laid, relaxing in the antique soaker tub, with her blonde hair tied up in a towel and a mask on her face. She dried her hand on a hand towel and picked up the newspaper. She pulled off the mask on her face and read the headline then stared at the crude caricature attached to it. She sighed and shook her head pensively, 'Today is going to be a long day, Jenkins. Can you hand me a towel, please?' she asked and held her hand out.

Jenkins was about to leave but returned to select a monogrammed white towel from a stand. He opened it up and approached the tub, averting his gaze as she stood up and wrapped it around herself. She dried herself off and donned a fluffy white bathrobe as she walked to the bedroom. As Jenkins excused himself, Lady Smallwood went and sat down on the edge of the king-size bed. She sat on her husband's side and tenderly placed her hand where he used to rest his head, bowing her head sombrely. She took his pillow in her hands and brought it to her face, taking in the smell of her husband. A whole year since he had passed, yet she still found herself being able to smell him in everything he had touched. She quickly composed herself and straightened the pillows, as servants poured in with breakfast, racks of clothing, boxes of shoes, trays of jewellery and purses.

Lady Smallwood tried on several outfits before deciding on a long-sleeved, knee-length blood-red dress. She sat at the dressing table, making a phone call as servants did her hair and make-up. She snapped her fingers, gesturing to the servant to pin the brooch on her dress. She heard the call go to voicemail for the umpteenth time and glared at the servant as she pinned the butterfly brooch on the boat neckline of her dress. She disconnected the call and tossed her phone on the vanity. She stared at the mirror, fuming with rage, 'Stop! Everyone out!' she yelled at the three women working on her hair and make-up.

The servants scattered out of the room and Lady Smallwood took a deep breath, staring at her reflection in the mirror as she felt a hot flash coming over her. She waited for it to pass and stared at the lines forming on the corner of her eyes and lips, the image of the caricature attached to the article flashing in front of her eyes. She composed herself and spritzed Claire de la Lune on her wrist and neck, before taking her bag and leaving the room.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a younger woman sat in front of her dressing table in a trashy downtown apartment. She coiffed her blonde hair and applied bright red lipstick. She neatly arranged the fallen traces of hair and spritzed Claire de la Lune on her wrists and neck. She walked to her front door and opened it to get her newspaper. She reached down to pick up the tabloid newspaper and then looked at the front page. She lit a cigarette and sat on the edge of her bed as she read the article- 10, Downing Street After Hours. She ripped the paper in half then using a lighter she set it on fire. She watched the caricature of the older woman burn and chucked the newspaper in the bin.

In the mansion, Mycroft entered the kitchen with his suit jacket and briefcase in hand. Meredith sat at the kitchen island reading something on her iPad. She got up and poured Mycroft a cup of coffee, 'The article is out. Downing Street is swarming with reporters' she informed and passed the newspaper to him.

That was the most she had said to him since they found out about the article. Mycroft sipped on his coffee as he read the article, 'At least they're not outside our house. We can't avoid the press forever. We have to go to work. You take the service entrance. I'll take the main gate' he said.