A Study In a Scarlet Heart

A Night Confession

William James Moriarty X Reader

***
It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly as a cool breeze blew around the leaves of the plants and some trees outside of Moriarty's Manor. It was like that this day was joyous for the arrival of the new member of the Moriarty Family, Y/N L/N, a young noble lady from London.

Inside of the carriage, she was sitting quietly, opposite of how her heart was beating so fast and loud as if her heart will go out of her ribcage. It felt.. like she was going to vomit. She doesn't exactly know what to feel as of the moment. Sure that the Moriarty's are fine-looking gentlemen and she indeed admires William James Moriarty, for his intellectual capabilities however, she was not prepared for this, an arrangement that was set up by her parents', specifically, her father and the firstborn of the Moriarty, Albert, who were both in the military service.

"Here we are young lady," the coachman said as he stops the carriage in front of a manor, it was smaller compared to their manor in London, but of course for five people living there, it is big enough.

"Thank you," she replied as the coachman assist her as she goes down the carriage. Her face somehow lights up when she saw Louis, she was more comfortable with him than William, because of her erratic heart and butterflies in her stomach, and Albert, who has an intimidating air around him despite being well known to the ladies.

"Good day Lady Y/N," Louis greeted her as Fred greet her too and took her small luggage to bring it inside. She muttered her thanks to the coachman as he maneuvers the carriage back to the town where he came from.

"How's your trip, young lady Y/N," she felt her heart beat fast as she heard his voice across the room, seated on a single couch, William was holding a cup of tea with a smile as he greets the young woman who's now wearing an uncomfortable look on her face. One of the reasons why William didn't welcome her the moment she entered the manor since he knows that she was uncomfortable with him.

"I.." she gulped, trying to calm herself, "It was fine.." she replied quietly as she bows her head, she wanted to scream and just run away because she can feel how the blood rush on her face!

"Well, then, Louis, please take her to her room so that she can rest for a bit," William said with a smile on his lips. His brother nodded as both he and Fred lead the young lady upstairs, leaving William alone. His smile faded slowly as they left him, and his eyes.. were staring coldly to where she was standing earlier.

***
The night time came and somehow, Y/N was happy that finally, the dinner was over. She felt somehow weird seeing Fred and Sebastian eat with them, though she felt happy that her awkwardness wasn't taking a toll earlier. The reason, William was seating in front of her, and every time she glances at him and caught her, her heart was having a mini heart attack.

Though he was handsome.  She said to herself as she was brushing her hair. She was seated in the vanity chair in front of the vanity mirror. She was looking at herself.

I am even pretty?

She asked herself. She cannot help it but compare herself to other young noble ladies, sure somehow, she is but there were more fine looking women, more confident than her, so why would he accept her father's and Albert's proposal? Does he like her?

Her eyes widen with that thought. Her face was flushed as she glanced at herself in the mirror. She continued to brush her hair as she tried to remove that thought..

"I guess, I need water." She said to herself as she stands up from her chair and walks out of her room. She smiled at Fred when she saw him in the corridors.

"I'll just get some water."

"Ah, okay, do you want me to accompany you?" Fred asked her, stopping from his tracks.