Aylia Holmes

1. Mrs Aylia Tewksbury

The wedding of Aylia and Elwin Tewksbury was a night to remember, filled to the brim with laughter and joy as everyone celebrated the marriage. It was unanimously agreed on both sides a good one, sure to last years to come and bloom into a kind, loving family for which they could be proud.

Although surprised at the engagement, the Tewksburys, including Elwin's father and aunt, accepted his new wife with admirable courtesy and hospitality. Even greater was their admiration for the beautiful woman Elwin had chosen when they learned of her help in saving Louis from what would have otherwise been sure death. Still, her humble reception of their praise and even the redirection of it to her little sister only furthered their favour.

Sherlock had no objections to the affair and even admitted approval of the match in private to Enola, so that by the time Aylia and Elwin departed from the festivities to retire for the night in formerly Elwin's but now both of their flat, everyone else left for their own homes with more than the usual cheer.

Now as no one needs telling, and there is no desire to tell it, their time together that first night can be left fully to the imagination, but when at last they lay down to sleep, snuggled in each other's arms, both felt sure, absolutely sure, that they had both made the best decision of their lives. However, their third night together may as well be told.

Elwin had been gone most of the day setting up his offices for his medical practice. After having earned his medical training during his time overseas, he had been granted an honourary doctoral status, despite having only gone through the beginning portions of medical studies at university, but even so, he already had several people interested in his services. The popularity of his cousin, Lord Tewksbury, granted him more easy publicity than he could have possibly hoped for.

But despite the enjoyment he derived from his work, he would admit plainly and clearly to anyone that his greatest joy of each day was coming home to his wife. Elwin had just arrived home, rather later than he had hoped, when he saw the light to their bedroom lit. Softly opening the door, he found Aylia half-asleep between the sheets. At his entrance, however, she looked up.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," Elwin replied, leaning over to press his smiling lips to hers.

"How was your day?" she asked, sitting up as he set aside his bag and began kicking off his shoes.

Changing into his sleeping clothes, he replied, "Very long."

"I'm sorry," Aylia said, wrapping her arms around him and setting her head on his chest.

"How was your day?" Elwin asked, running his fingers through her hair.

She sighed, closing her eyes and snuggling closer to him as she said, "Boring. I just read and visited Aunt Loretta. I need to find something to do while you're off working all the time."

"I know you'll find something to do with your time," he said. "You're too clever not to."

"Hm," she hummed distractedly. "I love you."

"I love you too," Elwin replied, turning to press his lips to her forehead.

Sitting up, Aylia cupped his cheek and kissed him. Trailing his hands to her waist just below the large scar from their last adventure, Elwin rolled them over, absentmindedly playing with her hair sprawled across the sheets as he continued to kiss her. Before they could resume to anything more...promiscuous, a sharp knock on the door caught both of their attention. Ignoring it, Elwin's lips trailed down from her lips to her throat, kissing and nibbling interchangeably as the knocking increased.

"Elwin," Aylia whispered breathlessly, involuntarily tilting her head back to give him better access to her neck.

"I hear nothing but you, my darling Ayla," he mumbled, trailing his lips to her collarbone as the knocking turned to pounding.

When the pounding on the door still did not cease, Elwin irritably got up, pressing his lips to Aylia's briefly as he slipped into his robe and approached the door. Aylia could only just hear muffled voices as she slipped out of bed, donned her own robe, and approached the doorway to listen.

"I need your help," a soft voice said. "Please, Elwin."

"But, what about?" he asked quietly.

"She's hurt," the same voice said.

Frowning, Aylia peeked out from the doorway and saw a young girl standing with Enola. The young girl seemed to have only just revealed a large cut across her arm.

"Come in," Elwin said instantly, his eyes latching on the gash. Looking up and spotting Aylia, he said, "Please fetch my bag, darling."

Aylia nodded, slipping back inside before locating his large medical bag and reappearing to find them all in the living room. Without being asked, Aylia opened the bag and withdrew gauze, a suture needle, and thread. These laid out, she disappeared into the kitchen and brought out a bowl of water and a clean cloth.

Taking these gratefully, Elwin began to clean the wound as Aylia took the little girl's other hand and began distracting her. Through this course of questioning, she discovered that the little girl was named Bessie Chapman and worked in a matchbook factory.

Aylia kept up such a lively chatter with the little girl that when Elwin cut the thread and said, "All done," Bessie was surprised to find it had passed so quickly.

"Thank you, sir," she said humbly as he began wrapping the area with gauze.

"My pleasure, Miss Bessie," he replied with a kind smile. Looking up at Enola, he said, "Anything for my sister-in-law."

Bessie smiled a wide, bright smile that caused both Elwin and Aylia to smile in return.

Turning to Aylia, Elwin remarked, "You know, if you're really looking for something to do during your days, you seem to show some promise as a medical assistant, my love."

Aylia chuckled, but only said, "I'll consider it, darling."