𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓, holmesbury

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥

Tewkesbury's POV :
I went to my room to get ready for the ball, but there wasn't anything nice to wear because everything was so casual. Enola came in and noticed that I was struggling.

"Come with me, I know a location with a lot of ball attires," she added, and I had no choice but to nod.

We proceeded into town, which was lovely. Enola started to say, "So there are so many nice choices-," but I cut her off. "What's in it for you?" I said. She glanced at me and wrapped her arm around mine. "Doing what's good for a friend," she replied. "I'm getting you an invite to the annual ball," she added.

I knocked on George Clarkeson's door, asking, "What do you need, sir and madam?" A guard said, "I'm James Theodore John Tewkesbury; I have been invited to the annual ball, 1885." I said, "And who are you bringing, Mr. Tewkesbury?" The guard asked, "Does Sir George Clarkeson have The Locked Princess painting on his walls?" She asked, "Mostly ancestors, but yes, it's his favorite painting." The guard answered.

Enola squeled "I'm Enola Eudoria Heddassa Holmes, by the way, and I am the famous painter in Oxford." Enola said, looking down, "Please do come in." The guard said he'd let us in.

As we looked around the halls of his palace, I asked Enola, "Can't you believe it?" Sir George Clarkeson loves your painting. She smiled. "I mean, I squealed, didn't I?" She said that as We walked to his office, he immediately recognized Enola's face.

"Ms. Holmes," he said with a grin, "how do you know me?" "I've seen what you're doing; I admire it; I'm sorry I didn't send you an invitation to my ball ; here it is," he said as he handed out an invitation.

TIME SKIP

The ball was in 2 hours. I felt nervous. I knew how to do everything. I wondered why, as I was looking at myself in the mirror, I heard the bathroom door open. It was Enola. She looked so good in her sapphire blue dress. I grinned.

"I have a request..." She said, I tilted my head. "Do you know how to dance?" She asked with a huge smile, and I nodded, grabbed her waist, and held her hand." I said, and as we started doing the steps, I twisted her around.

As we were dancing, we had a lot of fun, but that fun escalated quickly as we heard a knock on my door. I checked who it was and said, "Oh! "Phoebe, please do come in," I said as I let her in. "Oh, Enola, you're going to the ball too." "Yeah...." she added with a nod.

"I'm going to the ball to go undercover, honestly." She said, "Undercover?" I questioned, and Phoebe looked at me: "Yes, Sherlock assigned me to go undercover as a woman named Sophia Elizabeth Houston. I informed mom and uncle" answered , "He couldn't go to the ball himself?" Enola asked

"He was not invited." Phoebe said, "Phoebe! James! "The carriage is waiting." Our mother yelled, and I looked at Enola.

Enola's POV :
I slipped out the window, sprang over the flower wall, landed on the ground, cleaned the dirt off the dress, and then grabbed a cab to the ball.

Tewkesbury's POV :
I arrived at the ball and looked around nervously. As our family was walking, I saw a family walk by us and say, "Oh, Caroline, how long has it been?" A man said that as he kissed both sides of my mother's cheeks, I felt weirded out. I found out the guy's name is Harrison Peter Wilson.

"This is my son James, and his... friend, Sophia Elizabeth Houston," Peter says.She introduced "Nice to meet you," Harrison said as he shook my hand, and I smiled foolishly. "This is my daughter, Hailey Cynthia Wilson," he explained.

I was shaking her hand for so long, but I stopped as I glanced at Enola. Hailey turned around "I know that lady; she has a art gallery." My uncle said, She was going down the stairs, and she looked at my family.

"Miss, why don't you come join us" Phoebe said as Enola went over to our place.

"Are you the artist?" Mother questioned, "Yes, I believe you went to my art gallery." Enola remarked, as her mother nodded, "I'm James Tewkesbury." I offered her my hand, and she shook it, "My name is Enola Holmes." She replied with a grin.

TIME SKIP

"Miss Holmes, please excuse us." My mother said, as Enola walked away, "So, me and Harrison made an agreement." Mother said, I was scared; what could it be? "We are giving you and Hailey an arranged marriage," Mother exclaimed. Phoebe was surprised.

"Mo-Miss, this isn't the royal family." Phoebe said, "Oh, Sophia, arranged marriage is for everyone." Mother said, "Hailey had a big smile in her." I did not agree with this, but I had no choice but to follow.

I went to a private room, and as I entered the room, I saw Enola; she was reading Emma by Jane Austen, and oh, how I love her novels.

"Enola..." I called her name out, and she turned to look at me with a grin. "You read Jane Austen novels too?" I questioned, "I love her novels; what's your favorite?" Enola inquired as I sat next to her, "Pride and Prejudice," I replied as she looked at the book and smiled, "Classic," she said as she looked at me.

"Mansfield Park" She said, "I love that novel!" Anyways," I said, "Mother got me an arranged marriage with her friend's daughter, Hailey Cynthia Wilson." I said, and she raised her eyebrows. "I thought it was only the royal family who could do that," she said.

"So did I," I said, and we stared at each other for a moment before the door opened.

"It's Phoebe! "Hi, I'm so sorry if I interrupted something." "You did not," she said as I put my lips inside my mouth.

"Okay, I have to tell you that this Wilson girl looks related to us." Phoebe said, "Really think so?" I asked, "Enola, what is it?" I saw Enola have a look of realization. I questioned

"We can trace your family tree," Enola said. "Please do so," Phoebe said.

TIME SKIP

Enola had finished tracing the family tree, finally; it had been hours. "You guys are related... Enola said, I was shocked "how?" Phoebe asked, "You two share the same ancestor, Daphne Martin. Daphne Martin was a very famous poet in the year 1645." Enola answered

"That's a way out of this arranged marriage," I said as Enola handed out the paper and Phoebe and I exited the room to our table.

"James, what have you been doing there?" Mother asked, "Just reading a few novels?" I answered, "Ms. Tewkesbury, we traced our family history, and as it turns out, Hailey and James share the same ancestor, Daphne Martin, who was a very famous poet in 1645." Phoebe said

"You guys will still get married when you reach the age of 19, which is in 2 years, I suppose." Uncle said, I was in shock; I knew the consequences, so I had to agree.

I drew Phoebe into the room where Enola was."So? Did they call off the marriage?" Enola asked, "No..." I answered, and she looked at Phoebe. "You guys need to get out of here, now!" Phoebe said , as I grabbed Enola's hand and ran, Phoebe said.

"Our belongings are still in your room." exclaimed Enola 'Oh no!' I thought to myself, "We need to sneak in there and change into our casual clothes." I said this as Enola nodded.

Phoebe's POV :
As Enola and James left, I wanted them to not get caught. I wished them good luck.

A minute or two after Enola and James left, I heard the door open; it was Mother: "Ph-sophia, where is James?" Mother asked, and I had completely forgotten I was still under cover as Sophia Elizabeth Houston said, "He's run away." I faked crying, which she believed and was not surprised at all.

"But he drew you to the room, didn't he?" Mother asked, "Yes, but he distracted me with something, which made me turn around, and the next thing that happened, he was gone." I cried out.

"We need to find him," my uncle said...

Tewkesbury's POV :
We have finished packing, changed into our casual clothes, and hailed a cab all the way to the train station.

We were sitting in a carriage when Enola exclaimed, "So, we're heading back to Oxford, crazy." I nodded, looking out the window.

53 MINUTES LATER

Oxford, home sweet home