A Study in Suitors ⭐

Coming Home

I was walking down the busy London Street to my mother's building she owned. She sent word to me at my finishing school that once I was finished, I was report here and she would have work for me.

I knew what the work was, I would be running the flower cart my mother also owned, that she got from my grandmother at the local market, but until I could find a husband and get married, this would be my life. I arrived at Baker Street and walked through the main door. I sighed and walked to my mom's apartment she stayed in. I knocked and waited and waited...and waited some more. I knocked again and nothing.

"Mother?!" I called out. I got no response, so I decided to make sure she wasn't with a tenant upstairs. I set my bag at her door and headed up to the second floor. "Mother?" I called down the small hallway and someone peaked out of an open door, not my mother but a man and he smiled at me politely.

"Can I help you with something?" He asked me and I sighed.

"Yes, have you seen Mrs. Hudson?" I asked and he shook his head.

"No, I do apologize. If I see her, should I tell her who is looking for her?" He asked. Before I could answer him, I heard a shriek behind me.

"Portia!" She squealed as she ran at me, and I smiled turning around in enough time for my mother to wrap her arms around my neck and hug me tight.

"Hello mother." I said as I hugged her back. Once we broke apart, she looked at the man still standing in his doorway to his room.

"Dr. Watson, this is my daughter I was telling you and Mr. Holmes about. This is Portia." She said shoving me over towards this man who I now know as Dr. Watson.

"Pleased to meet you." I said and extended my hand. He smiled and kissed the back of my hand and I smiled. I saw another man sitting further in the room looking at some papers. He looked and we made eye contact. He was in a suit, a well-tailored suit but his hair seemed unkempt and the slight curl in his hair falling in his face. He walked to the door and gave me a polite smile.

"If you would excuse us ladies, we have work to do." He said and I half nodded and looked at my mother.

"And I would like to get settled please." I said and my mother nodded.

"Holmes don't be rude. Sorry about him Portia." He said and I shook my head.

"No problem at all." I said. Beatrice, my mother and I went to walk away from the room.

"I'll see you around Portia." Dr. Watson said and I smiled back at him.

"I'm sure you will." I said he closed the door. My mother looked at me as we headed down the stairs.

"So, you finished school?" Beatrice asked and I sighed.

"Yes mother, that's why I'm here." I said and she nodded.

"Well, I will let you get settled today and then I would like you to start running the flower cart at the market tomorrow." She said and I nodded.

"Who is running it now?" I asked as we walked into the apartment.

"Emilia." She said and I smiled. Emilia was my friend from finishing school, but she finished a year before me.

"Will we be working together?" I asked.

"Oh no! She is set to get married in a few months' time and needs to prepare." Beatrice said and I nodded. Marriage...an institution I was going to try and put off as long as I can. My mother walked me to my room in her apartment, my childhood room, the room I left when I went to finishing school. I sighed and set my bag down on the floor at the foot of the bed.

"Emilia found her fiancée while working at the market, maybe you will too." Beatrice said and I half nodded. "Well, I will let you get settled..." Beatrice said and walked out shutting the bedroom door. I laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

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I woke up the next morning and headed to the kitchen to find my mother had made a small breakfast of eggs and toast only she wasn't sitting alone.

"Mr. Holmes." I said in shock, and he gave a slight smile.

"Ms. Hudson, good morning." He said and I shook my head.

"Portia would be fine." I said and he nodded. Beatrice smiled at me from the stove when I walked up to her and kissed her cheek.

"I didn't know we had a guest." I whispered to her.

"He said he wanted to speak with you." Beatrice said and I groaned.

"Great..." I said. I grabbed 2 pieces of toast. "I'm heading to the market." I said. I headed out before Beatrice could protest. Mr. Holmes quickly wiped his mouth off and followed me at the door.

"Ms. Hudson...Portia...please...a word." He said following me from the house.

"Mr. Holmes, I'm not exactly sure what you could have to say to me, you don't even know me." I said and he sighed catching up to me as I walked down the cobblestone street.

"Please, call me Sherlock."

"Okay Sherlock, what could you have to say to me?" I asked and she smiled.

"I just wanted to apologize for how I acted yesterday. I was informed it was rude and I could have been a little more polite." Sherlock said and I huffed a laugh. I stopped walking and looked at Sherlock.

"So, you waited until this morning to come and tell me while have breakfast in my mother's apartment?" I asked and he half nodded.

"I didn't know if it was appropriate to come call on you last night." He said and I half nodded as I shuffled my feet and looked at the ground.

"Well, you weren't rude, you and Dr. Watson were working. I was the crazy mad coming up the stairs yelling, interrupting you." I said and he smiled.

"It was entertaining for a moment, I must say." Sherlock said and we both gave a small laugh. I heard the clock from town start chiming.

"Crap! I have to go, I'm sorry." I said rushing off.

Sherlock watched me run off down the street and slightly shook his head. Portia certainly was a character; a character he knew he wouldn't mind seeing every day.