𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗡 ( 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘴 )

𝙞𝙞, to be a proper lady

THE FOUR sat at the dinner table in complete silence, the only noise coming from the utensils being used. Victoria looked up from her plate and coughed. "So, how was your trip down here Mr. Holmes and uh Mr. Holmes?"

"And who told you to speak?" Mycroft said in shock, not because of what she said but by the fact she even said anything at all.

"Me. I told myself to speak, so I did." Victoria said whilst eating her food. Enola tried to hide her smile as she watched her brother get flustered.

Mycroft scoffed and began to speak lowly seemingly only wanting for his brother to hear. "What was that Mycroft? We can't hear you." The girl took a sip from her cup.

The man stopped in his tracks and slowly turned to Victoria. "I was telling my brother that maybe we should be sending you to learn to become a lady instead of Enola."

Victoria choked on her water for a moment and placed down her utensils harshly. "No thank you I don't need to learn to be a lady, I already am one and so is Enola. Maybe you could use the politeness course dear Mycroft." Victoria gave a tight lipped smile leaving everyone in silent shock.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm rather tired so I shall be heading up now. Please, enjoy the rest of your dinner." Victoria gritted her teeth and watched Mycroft smile.

"Oh we will, thank you."

🎞

Victoria sighed as she began to draw, she was waiting for Enola to get out of that awful meeting with that awful teacher who was supposedly going to teach her how to be a "lady". "This is utterly ridiculous." Victoria whispered to herself.

"What was that Victoria?" Sherlock shifted in his chair.

"I said this is ridiculous, Enola doesn't need a teacher what she needs is her mother, and me, she needs me." Victoria said as she continued to draw.

"No what she needs is structure and as you see she won't get that from you, she is my ward not yours." Mycroft said as he sat down at the farthest couch from her.

"Well maybe she needs a new ward." The girl whispered to herself not knowing Sherlock could hear her. He lightly nodded and sighed.

"Brother, don't you think there are more things to be worrying about, like finding Mother." Sherlock spoke trying to change the subject.

"Like I said earlier brother you take care of that while I take care of this." Mycroft replied. Victoria scowled as she finished up her drawing and smiled. Sherlock walked over to the girl and sat next to her. Victoria covered the drawing up quickly as he sat down.

"And what might that be?" The man whispered.

"A drawing, it's silly, nothing for you to worry about." Victoria replied. Sherlock chuckled and held out his hand for the drawing. Victoria sighed and handed it to him.

It was a drawing of Mycroft with a huge head and his finger pointing out with a speech bubble of him shouting "I AM HER WARD!" Sherlock folded the drawing and laughed slightly.

"That's very accurate." Sherlock finally spoke out.

"I suppose it is." The woman replied.

"You're a great artist Victoria, all things considered." The man spoke once more.

"Thank you, it's just something I do when I'm eager, or mad or sad or anything really."

"I like that." The man said and handed the woman her drawing. Victoria grabbed it delicately and placed it next her, her other hand lingering on Sherlock's for a bit longer then she had initially wanted but didn't care. And neither did Sherlock seeing as though he hadn't said anything. But just as he was about to Enola barged it scaring the two and quickly dropped their hands.

"I don't like this." Enola said stubbornly.

"Don't like what Enola." Mycroft said as he rolled his eyes, picking up a newspaper and reading it.

"This. This dress, this woman you've let in the house, everything." Enola exclaimed.

"Well you're going to have to like it since that "woman" will be your teacher. You are a young woman and you need your education."  Mycroft said nonchalant.

"You can't make me, I'm happy here, truly happy you can't do this." Enola exclaimed. "And since you think I need education test me, test me right now on anything you think I need to know."

"If you really didn't need any learning then you would know you shouldn't be in your undergarments in front of me." Mycroft looked up at the girl then looked back at the paper. "You have no hope of making a husband in your current state."

"I don't want a husband." Enola said in disgust.

"And thats another reason why you must go get your education." Mycroft replied.

"She doesn't need a husband, what she needs is a supportive brother which you definitely aren't being at the moment." Victoria interrupted she grabbed a small blanket and covered Enola with it.

"Yes she does and if you think not maybe you should go back to wherever you came from and stay there and learn how to be a proper lady." Mycroft snapped causing Victoria to hold in her breath. "What cat got your tongue? Maybe if you as quiet as you are now all the time you would have a husband."

Victoria's jaw dropped at what the man said. "I-" The woman gulped and walked over to the door. "I have to go, I have to... call someone, very important don't want to discuss it." Victoria rushed out of the door and closed it quickly letting a tear slip from her face.

"I won't, I won't let him see me cry." Victoria said to herself not knowing that Sherlock had been following her.

"Are you alright?" The man said.

The woman wiped down her dress and wiped her tears from her eyes. "Yes, I'm perfectly fine thank you."

"Victoria..." Sherlock knew the girl was lying.

"Please don't Sherlock, I don't want to talk about it and besides maybe Mycroft is right maybe that's why I haven't married." Victoria spoke.

"That's not true." Sherlock replied.

"You don't know that, you've only known me for a few days. Maybe I should go home back to my boring life. And see if I'm finally right enough for the man waiting for me at home."

"M-man waiting for you?" Sherlock said.

"You know what, I don't want to talk about this, not right now." Victoria began to walk away before turning to face the man. "We'll speak later Mr. Sherlock."

The man nodded and watched as she walked away, not as bright as she once was when the day began, but more composed and sad, almost as if she were hiding her emotions. Like "the proper lady."