Adeline Holmes - Lord Tewksbury

Chapter 4

The next day, Adeline and Enola were planned to leave for the finishing school, but as Adeline predicted, Enola had been left a message and a rather large stack of cash by their mother so when Enola came running into Adeline's room at nearly midnight, she had already packed a small bag for Enola and her, and made a rather formidable plan in her head.

That next morning, Adeline and Enola laid out the bicycles in the village and changed into Sherlock's old clothes which Adeline thankfully still kept in his trunk, cleaned and folded neatly. Pondering wether to leave a letter for her brothers she decided to write a note to Sherlock reading "Dear Shirley, you know why we left, you know where we've gone and you know how long you think it's going to be before you find us but dear brother, hasn't anyone ever told you not to underestimate a woman? All my love, Addie p.s I made another cake in the pantry x"

As the sisters made it to the train station in the next village, they strode quickly to get onboard, walking past a rather wealthy family ordering the carriage to stop to find their missing son and looking at Enola, Adeline made a mental note to investigate it later. However, rushing on board she noticing something or someone suspicious, as they tipped their hat to the family before disappearing on the train, most likely to find the boy and possibly kill him. Thinking no more of it for now, they walked through the train until resting in a carriage.

As Enola and Adeline sat in the train with their heads down, Adeline lulled Enola until she was gently shutting her eyes, but they were interrupted by the sound of fabric being ripped. Looking up, the girls saw a rather large fabric bag with a hand poking out of the side in order to unlock it. Calmly, the older sister shhhed her younger sister and hid her behind her back, while making sure their hats were on and covering their hair. In a matter of seconds, the bag had fallen down and a formally dressed boy, no older than Adeline, appeared in the gap, sighing before looking at them quickly. "Hello." He said with a cautious look in his eyes still there. Adeline decided she could trust him, and the hat was itching her forehead, so she took it off and smiled at the boy, before letting her brown hair frame her face to her shoulders as usual. He smiled at her beauty and was in awe for a few minutes before Enola spoke up. "please get out of this carriage." He immediately stood up and replied "I can't. I'm in hiding.. but of a to-do. Bribed a porter to put me in this and get me on board. Very daring." Adeline couldn't help but laugh slightly but quickly composed herself and turned to the boy." What's so funny?" He asked and she sighed with a smile before exclaiming "Hiding in a bag isn't daring. Running onto the moving train, and jumping out of it, a tad more impressive." He looked fairly offended before brushing it off and he was about to ask for her name before Enola spoke up again repeating her words. "Get out of this carriage right now." He shrugged his shoulders before swiftly changing the subject as he observed the siblings. He turned to Adeline and said,"Now, I know your a girl and a rather beautiful one at that, even if your in men's clothes." He commented as she rolled her eyes before waving him to continue, and he turned to Enola before continuing "You however, look like a boy yet isn't one either." Adeline was quick to reply and defend her sister as she mumbled quietly "you think you look normal." He leaned forward and spoke with a smirk "you're not a boy at all." "I might be a boy." Enola commented with her head raised high. "Who are you?" He asked tentatively before Enola fired back "What are you?" He raised a brow before holding his hand out and saying "I'm Viscount Tewksbury the Marquess of Basilwether." As Enola looked at the hand carefully weighing out the pros and cons of becoming friends, Adeline rolled her eyes and shook his hand confidently, drawing his attention to her. " My name is Adeline Holmes. Yes as in Sherlock. He's my brother. But none the less pleased to meet you, Tewky." He looked at her with a shocked expression before he smiled and said "The pleasure's all mine, Linnie." Enola was about to say that Adeline was only called that by Enola herself but she shook it off when seeing Adeline's wide smile. However she did comment "you're a nicompoop." He sighed before trying to explain " I'll have you know, I have just undertaken a particularly daring escape-" but Adeline cut in now with a stern face at the thought of her sister in harm. "You have not escaped. There is a man in a brown bowler hat currently on this train searching for you and once he finds you, he will think we helped hide you, and I will not have my sister endangered by this." His eyes soften for a minute at seeing Adeline's ferocity for her sister but it soon turns to worry at the thought of being hunted down. She sighed and looked across to him " Therefore like my sister I ask you to get out of this carriage."

They sit in silence for a minute before Tewksbury composes himself and speaks again " Your sister reminds me of my uncle, and you a little bit. I've left him at the station.He's bossy too. Left them all: my mother, my grandmother. But I'm fine, I'm free." Adeline stands up before walking up to him and stating "Good, I'm truly happy that you're free, and can have a great life in normalcy but I can't ask you kindly anymore. Get out of the carriage Tewky." He nods in Adeline's direction before walking over to the door "thank you, Linnie and... linnie's sister. A man in a brown bowler hat?" She nodded slightly towards him "It'll be fine" he whispers and when he leaves Adeline closed the door after him and sat down with a sigh.

Thirty seven seconds later Tewksbury burst in and whisper shouted "He's coming!" To Adeline as her lips parted before she stood up to take command. Enola looked straight at him before mumbling "of course." And looking to her sister. "He's checking every carriage, he didn't see me." "Of course he did. Therefore I must ask you to let me talk to my dear sister for a second before I help you inspite of it ruining my plan." Adeline said calmly before turning to Enola not waiting for an answer. " Enola, listen carefully. Take this money and get a lodgings in London. Buy a dress and corset and make sure to fit in as much as possible.The man won't know who you are, just take down your hair to look slightly more respectable and less suspicious. I will come back to you at the fruited house, you'll find out what I mean soon enough. I will always come back to you. I love you Nola, now I must go." She says while taking off her necklace and giving it to Enola. She wasted no time picking up Enola, patting her back softly and pushing her into the closest carriage before turning to Tewksbury with tears in her eyes. Before he could comment she took his hand and linked her fingers with his before taking him down the train in a rush, just short of missing the bowler hat's few from the other end of the train. "Right then, let's save your life Tewky."

Adeline opened up the end door and saw the rackety engine shaking in front of them. Turing around, she saw to bowler hat slowly getting closer so she turned to Tewksbury. "Tewky, do you trust me?" He answered unphased and quickly replied "with my life , strangely enough Linnie." Her lips parted in surprise but she focused on the engine and slowly walked across the hinges linking the carriages. Seeing Tewksbury struggling to focus she smiled at him before walking back over and guiding him across while she walked backwards, all the while looking into each other's eyes and staying calm. Near the engine, the train took a jolt and Tewksbury ended up in a hugging position with Adeline but none the less accepted it and immediately hugged her quickly before pulling away slightly. "Do you believe in me Viscount Tewksbury?" She whispered. "With my head and heart, Adeline Holmes." He whispered back and she nodded before replying as she looked over his should to see the bowler hat aiming a gun. She lent over and whispered into his ear "That's the only reassurance I need Tewky." Before launching them off of the train onto the rolling cliff by the viaduct.