Hold the Umbrella (Mycroft Holmes Fanfic)

Luncheon

"There are some things we must discuss before you marry Mr. Holmes."

Anne looked up from her meal. Her mother looked very embarrassed, but whatever she wanted to tell Anne must have been eating away at her for quite some time. Anne thought she knew what it was. Anne always knew what her mother had to say, or in particular, liked to talk about. 

"Father already discussed with the tailor that we are only going to loan the dress seeing that we can't afford it. There's no need to be ashamed about it mother. Besides, I only will wear the dress once." 

Anne's mother shook her head slightly while Anne took a bite of the sandwich Cook had made. 

"No, Anne. It is not that. We need to discuss you're wifely duties."

Anne's face turned red as a tomato. She averted her eyes to looks at her food rather than her mother.

Ever since she had the childish notion that she was in love with Mr. Holmes, Anne had been asking the servants questions about what to expect in a marriage. Eliza made it seem very romantic but Cook, on the other hand, was more rash. 

Cook told her what intercourse was and Anne realized she was very naive. And according to Cook, it was no fun, even though when she asked Eliza, Eliza said that it could be enjoyable. However, Eliza was a virgin, so how much could she trust her judgement. 

Filled with embarrassment Anne squeaked out, "I don't know what you mean."

Her mother cleared her throat, as though ready for a true performance. She had been preparing this discussion for quite some time and it was rather obvious. 

"Darling, you know of the Bible?" she asked.

Anne opened her mouth to speak, but her mother quickly cut her off.

"It was a rhetorical question. If you don't know our religious teaching by now, may God have mercy on you soul. Darling, in the Bible it says that Adam would lay with Eve and knew her, and after this she would produce children, those you appropriately know as Cain and Abel. Are you following me?" 

Anne nodded quickly.

"Well, when a man lays with a woman that is intercourse, and with intercourse one may produce a child. I can only reveal this, as it's all my good Christian heart can surrender, but consider yourself lucky. My mother, your grandmother Margaret, never told me what to expect, and I was absolutely terrified. All I can tell you, is lay still. In the beginning, you will not like it, or maybe you will if you're lucky. It's a man's world Anne, and his pleasure is more important than ours, however unfair it may seem. But, do not show fear. A strong wife makes a strong husband."

Anne didn't know what to say. She was absolutely mortified. Not to mention, she did not know what to expect of Mr. Holmes. Would he be gentle, or would he be a brute? She did not know.

After that, Anne and her mother finished their lunch in silence. This is the only time they would speak about such matters. Only through experience, would Anne get the knowledge she feared and desired.