Aylia Holmes

9. The Home of Louis Tewkesbury

Aylia was still curled up on the couch, crying bitterly, when there was a knock on the door. She sniffled, forcing her tears to stop as she sat up cautiously.

"Aylie, it's me," the deep, rumbling voice of Sherlock said.

Aylia sighed, pulling herself to her feet before she crossed the room to open the door. There indeed stood Sherlock, looking worn and tired. Without being invited, he stepped inside. Shutting the door, Aylia leaned back against it, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You told Mycroft?" she said quietly.

"He's always had a soft spot for you," Sherlock sighed, turning to face her. "I knew he would help you."

"Then why do you look like I'm still about to hang?" Aylia asked softly, fearing for the answer.

Sherlock sighed, sinking down onto the sofa as he said, "Enola was just arrested for murder. They're sending her to prison, one in the countryside, and she'll be hung within the month."

"Oh my god," she whispered, sinking down beside him.

"I've reached out to one of Mother's friends," Sherlock explained. "She said they'll take care of it. I just wanted to let you know."

"How did you find me?" she asked.

"I knew Elwin wouldn't let you stay at home and since you hadn't come to me, Louis was the next best guess," he replied, turning to look at her.

He seemed to notice for the first time the welts, and Aylia wished to god he hadn't. She did not want his pity or his worry or even his sympathies.

"Aylie, what did he do to you?" Sherlock asked gently.

Sniffling, she said, "I contradicted him. That's why he hit me the first time, but then I accused him of being in someone else's pocket. He almost strangled me. Everything else was because I wouldn't give anything up."

Before she could say more, the door burst open and Louis appeared, exclaiming, "Aylie, Enola was just-"

"We know," Aylia and Sherlock replied at the same time.

"Oh," he said softly.

"It's being handled," Sherlock assured, rising to his feet. Turning back to his sister, he said, "It will all be all right, Aylie."

She nodded, giving him a small smile, but the moment the door closed behind him, she lay back with a sigh.

"You okay?" Louis asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," she snapped, much harsher than she intended. Glancing apologetically at him, she said, "Sorry. It's just...everyone keeps looking at me like I'm some kicked puppy. It makes me feel like a weak, helpless, kicked puppy, and I hate it."

"Sorry," Louis said. "I didn't mean to add to that."

"I know you didn't," Aylia replied. "No one does." After a short pause, she asked, "Is Elwin coming, do you think?"

"I don't know," Louis admitted with a small sigh. "I have no idea what he's doing right now."

.

The following day, Aylia could not bring herself to do anything other than lay on the couch where she had refused to move from, despite Louis' offer of his bed. Elwin had not come and had in fact not been to see her since the previous morning when he had dropped her off.

She was still laying on the couch when there was a knock at the door. Louis approached it, glancing back to ensure Aylia was out of sight before he opened it.

"I need your help," a quiet voice said. When Louis said nothing, the girl exclaimed, "Well, don't make me repeat it! May I come in?" Louis stepped back, allowing her to walk in as she said, "Firstly, I would like to apologize for so much. I have failed to see allies in plain sight. And I have-"

"Enola," Louis interrupted. "There's something I wish to say too."

"All right," Enola said.

There was a brief pause during which Aylia wondered if and how she could slip away, sensing this was not exactly the kind of conversation she either wanted to interrupt or overhear, but before she could make a decision, Louis was speaking again.

"All day, every day, all I do is compromise," he said. "If I vote for this lord's bill that will allow him tp pump bilage water into a lake, then he will vote for my foestry reform. I want to stand up and say, 'This isn't right,' but I have no allies. So to do so would be to risk all that is good, so I lie awake trying to work out which path to follow...alone. There is no search for a wife because politics consumes me constantly. That is the speech I stored up for you."

"You are a good man," Enola said, causing Aylia to smile slightly to herself.

"I'm a man now?" Louis replied.

"On occasion," Enola said playfully. "But I understand your struggle because I struggle too, and I am sorry we cannot talk more, because I have-"

"A case to solve?" Louis guessed, although not irritably as there was a hint of what Aylia took to be admiration or perhaps fondness in his tone.

"The girl I'm looking for, Sarah Chapman, she has proof that girls are dying from the phosphorus they work with every day," Enola explained. "And the factory are trying to cover it up as typhus. She knows it, and someone is going to kill her for it."

"Then what can we do?" Louis asked.

"We?" Enola repeated, almost hopefully.

Before more could be said, there was a sudden knock on the door. Louis rose slowly to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest as he remembered Aylia was still hiding.

"Don't open it. It could be the police," Enola said.

"Are you still wanted by the police?" Louis said in surprise.

"Of course I am," she replied. "I escaped jail."

"You escaped?" he repeated.

"Forget I told you that," Enola said as he crossed towards the door.

"The lights are on," he explained. "If I won't answer, they'll suspect more. Hide."

Enola crossed the room and hid behind a plant, finding herself facing Aylia. Her eyes widened in surprise, but a single look from her older sister silenced her as the surprise visitor entered the room.