Disclaimer – I am not Conan Doyle… d'uh…
Notes – just a series of short one shots from Holmes's point of view (which I've never tried before) set from Watson's marriage to Mary Mortsan to the events leading up to Reichenbach Falls. Not based on a single case, or any specific case either… oh, just read it!
Observations of a Wife
The Marriage
Of course she said yes. What woman wouldn't? Anyone with a modicum of sense could see that he was a good man, one that could very well be the template for the Ideal Man. His virtues were many, his vices few, and his patience endless.
It had to be, to tolerate me and my habits.
The practice in Paddington had been non-existent when he'd bought it – his sweat and blood had worked the business into one that was very profitable, and he'd done so despite his periodic absences to assist me in the pretty problems that crossed my path.
Of course, that didn't mean that he could afford to buy her a house, which he clearly wanted to. Her employer solved that conundrum by offering them rent of a house that she had inherited, at a much lower rate than it was worth. It gave my Watson some pain to swallow his pride and accept the offer, but in the end he had no other choice. The practice in Paddington was only a set of rooms, unattached to a house and therefore unsuitable for the accommodation of a Wife. He had never needed to consider accommodation before – he'd always resided at my side.
Despite my initial reaction, one which did me no justice and caused him some pain, I of course attended the wedding, standing as his best man. He had given me a look of such relief when I capitulated, and I flatter myself that it was my presence that steadied his nerves as we waited for Miss Morstan at the registry office.
We went from the registry office to Simpsons and from there to the train station. She boarded the train as he joked that he couldn't possibly join her until the train was moving, and we shook hands on the platform. The glint of his wedding band stood out upon his left hand, an adornment that I didn't think I'd ever become accustomed to seeing on him.
"You'll come for dinner when we get back," he informed me, "And I'll still come with you on your cases…"
"Provided Mrs Watson can spare you," I couldn't help but saying, knowing that with the acquisition of a Wife his time would be severely curtailed.
The train whistle sounded and the porters began to slam doors.
"John! Surely you weren't serious!" Mrs Watson's laughing voice called and he gave me that cheeky grin that I had become so accustomed to over the course of our singular friendship. He clapped me on the shoulder once more and entered the compartment, slamming the door behind himself.
I didn't wait to see the train depart.
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