Never Gone: A Study in Suitors Part Two ⭐

23 - For Safety Reasons

I walked the doctor to the front door and he smiled at me.

"Congratulations Mrs. Holmes. I hope you and Sherlock are happy with this news." The doctor said and I just smiled.

"This news is very exciting." I said and he smiled. I opened the door and he left.

I was grateful he made a house call. I wasn't feeling up to going into town to see him. I was sick and it just wasn't what I wanted. Not to mention finding this out at home was much easier.

I was pregnant, three and a half months. How could I have let this happen? How did it happen? Well that answer I knew, I didn't need that explained. Why now though? My marriage was up in the air or falling apart however you wanted to see it and now here I am having a baby.

I needed to tell Sherlock...right? I mean he was the father. Would he care? Was he even in town? I heard him and Watson were hot on the case of Irene. I needed to tell someone...

I walked out to the stable where I hired someone to tend to the horses and be my driver. I didn't feel like leaving the house but I needed to.

"Mrs. Holmes." He said as I walked in and I smiled.

"Can you please get the carriage ready? I would like to go to the Holmes estate." I said and he nodded.

"Yes ma'am." He said and started busying himself. I walked back into the house to change into a better dress than what I was in and once I had changed I saw the carriage outside and I sighed as the farmhand helped me in the carriage and then we took off.

The ride was bumpy, the ride was rough and I needed him to stop twice so I could be sick. Once we arrived I took a deep breath and got out of the carriage. I walked to the door and knocked.

The door was opened by Eudoria and I smiled hugging her. She just looked at me and placed a hand on my cheek.

"How are you holding up?" Eudoria asked and I sighed.

"Well enough. Are Enola and Emilia around? I would like to talk to all of you." I said and she nodded as we walked into the sitting room where they were both off the floor playing with MJ.

"Portia!" Enola exclaimed, rushing over hugging me. I giggled but hugged her back.

"You miss me that much already?" I asked.

"No, we have been stuck with cranky, moping Sherlock." Enola said as I hugged Emilia and sat on the couch.

"He's been staying here?" I asked.

"Of course, he had nowhere else to go." Eudoria said and I sighed looking around. "He isn't here now, hasn't been for a few days." Eudoria added.

"Oh well, that's okay because I didn't want to see him at this moment anyway. Since he is out hunting for Irene he doesn't care to see me either." I said and everyone sighed.

"He loves you Portia. he just wants your safe."

"I was safe when he was by my side, not missing. He just wants to go this alone then fine he can go it alone. Irene wants him anyway well as far as I'm concerned she can have him." I said causing everyone to look at me oddly.

"You don't mean that Portia..." Emilia said.

I took a shaky breath as my eye filled with tears. "No I don't, I miss him. The bed is empty, I'm still thinking he is going to come around when I'm there but he doesn't. He came around the other day when I was at my mothers and cleared out all of his clothing from the closet." I explained.

"There is no hope for either of you?" Enola asked.

"Not until Irene is caught or dead...no." I said and they looked at each other.

"That could be years." Eudoria said.

"Yeah well it's a risk I have to take." I said and placed a hand subtly on my stomach. I sighed and looked around at everyone.

"Portia...is everything okay? You looked a little pale..." Emilia said. I covered my mouth, getting up and rushing to the powder room I knew was down the hall. I reached in just enough time to lose the contents that were still in my stomach somehow. The doctor told me this would be ending soon but I didn't believe him at all.

I finished, rinsed my mouth out and walked out of the powder room only to be met by Eudoria leaning on the wall.

"How far along are you?" Eudoria asked and I just looked at her I amazement.

"How do you know?" I asked and she smiled.

"I had the worst morning sickness that lasted six months when I was pregnant with Sherlock." Eudoria said and I gave a small smile. "So I ask again...how far along are you?"

"The doctor guesstimates about three and a half months." I said and she smiled.

"Does Sherlock know?" Eudoria asked and I shook my head.

"We thought I had the flu, come to find out I'm pregnant but I just found out this morning." I said and Eudoria sighed. We walked back to the sitting room as the housekeeper was bringing in some tea and handed me a special cup.

"This has ginger in it. Eudoria said it would help." She said and I smiled.

"Thank you."

"Don't you think you should tell him?" Eudoria asked.

"Tell who what?" Emilia asked and I sighed looked at Emilia and Enola.

"You may as well tell them..." Eudoria said and I sighed looked at both of them as I placed my tea on the table.

"I'm pregnant. Three and a half months. No Sherlock doesn't know and furthermore I don't plan on telling him." I answered all the questions.

"Don't plan on telling him?! Are you insane?!" Enola asked.

"No! No I'm not! I have every right to keep this from him. It's for my safety, his and the baby. Right now I will just do this alone and maybe if everything can get handled soon, we can be together and I can tell him." I explained and all the woman looked at each other. "You cant tell him either. You have to let me do it but in my own way." I added.

"I think this is dumb." Emilia said.

"I don't." Eudoria said.

"Mother?!" Enola gasped.

"She is in danger, Sherlock is in danger, we need to do whatever we can to keep them all safe and if keeping this detail of Sherlock's life from him keeps his safe then so be it. They already have no contact, so it's not like he will see her." Eudoria said and I gave her a weak smile as I grabbed my tea and sipped it.

"I cant believe we are keeping this from him..." Emilia said.

"At least until the time is right..." I trailed off.

🔍 🔍 🔍

I got home from visiting everyone at the Holmes estate and I just wanted to relax and take it easy. The ginger tea did seem to calm my stomach and help.

I got out of the carriage and I saw a basket sitting by the front door and got confused.

"Would you like me to get that for you Mrs. Holmes?" The farmhand asked and I shook my head.

"No, it's okay." I said picking it up and taking it into the cabin. I set it on the same table in the living room and sat down on the couch. I saw some ginger tea, a teddy bear and some other little things. I grabbed the note and opened it up.

-Portia,
Congratulations on your new little bundle of joy! I bet Sherlock will be so excited to hear that you are carrying his child...
Or maybe not knowing that he is still looking for me and not getting any closer.
I know you kicked him out Portia, can you keep you and your baby safe from the harm I could now easily inflict on you since you're alone.
Things to ponder over...
Best wishes,
Irene-

My hand shook reading the note, she was back and knew I was pregnant. This could only mean one thing. Sherlock must never know about this baby until Irene was gone.