"Ar-Are you not wearing a corset?!" Came an exasperated hiss. The rickety carriage carrying two young females down a cobblestone path shuddered.
"My dear, I should not have to restrain myself to such… Conformities such as the corset." Came a casual reply from the shorter girl, soft chocolate curls billowing around her shoulders, green eyes glancing around.
"Addy, Addeline, I beg of you, why can't you take pity on my poor soul and just strive to be more proper?" Pleaded Addeline DeLorne's companion, a much taller girl that towered over Addy's figure that only reached 5'1" even at the age of 20 and 3 years. Annette, the best friend of the young girl was around 5'7" or so, impossibly straight brown hair with the occasional streaks of blonde that reached down past her shoulders, hazel eyes, and a midnight blue dress.
"My dearest Annie, our business in London shall only last a couple days, and since we shall only be ridding the world of a perfectly wretched woman. I do not see a reason for my having to wear a corset if all we will do is take out…. What was her name? Mary Russell? Oh yes, if all we have to do is take out Mary." Addeline reasoned, she was never one to lose an argument, or sacrifice her own comfort for something stupid such as a corset. She could only smile as Annette gaped at her, then proceeded to fold her hands in her lap and straighten her blood-red gown.
"You will never find a husband." Annie could only sigh, "I hear our dear target Mary is engaged, poor fellow, I doubt he has any idea as to what he is in for, or how long he will have to live after the 'wedding'."
"Wanted in, Wales, Romania, Greece, and Austria, for murder, each victim: a husband, and with each death brings new fortune." Addeline recited. The carriage shuttered again then came to a stop and Addy openly cursed the thing earning a scolding from Annette. Together they casually walked side by side along the sidewalk, Addy earning curious looks from the passerby's due to her height, both of them earning the occasional wolf-whistle. Addeline wasn't foreign to the country of England or the city of London, but Annette hailing from Wales allowed her companion to steer her through the labyrinths of streets.
"Mary is having supper this evening with her fiancé John Watson and his companion Sherlock Holmes at the Royale tonight." Annette confirmed, "Apparently, Sherlock and Watson are great detectives in these parts, do you know of them?"
"I may have heard a couple things, I don't know them on a personal level." Addeline sighed taking a right, walking down the path to the restaurant she knew well. They arrived and pushed open the swinging doors, Annette was engulfed by the luxurious aspects of the building. Meanwhile, Addeline walked intently towards the owner and gave him a smile.
"OH! Miss DeLorne, welcome back, are you going to pleasure us all with a song this fine evening?" The owner greeted, a short bald man, slightly fat, with a gray mustache that covered his top lip, he gave Addeline a warm embrace and a kiss on both cheeks.
"Yes, thank you Mr. Dodd, I do hope that I am not intruding, but please allow my companion, Annette Dawkins to accompany me. She is, in fact, a prodigy at the flute and clarinet, but I find that the flute will be enough for tonight." Addeline requested politely, earning a stunned look from Annette.
"Oh Miss DeLorne, you are always welcome here, would you like your usual table when you have finished?"
"Mr. Dodd, I would absolutely love a table close to one Mr. Holmes and Mr. Watson, I have heard that they will be here soon and I would love to meet them." Addy smiled sweetly, to which Mr. Dodd agreed.
Addeline and Annette took their places on the stage, hidden behind a thick blue velvet curtain. Annette took a chair and took position with her flute as Addeline Made her way to the front center of the platform.
*
Holmes was sitting comfortably leaning back slightly in the plush seats of the Royale, trying hardly to ignore his love struck partner talk avidly with his fiancé about wedding plans. Holmes could not tolerate the woman taking his partner from him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was some deep secret in the back of her mind. A secret that Watson himself could not decipher thus leaving the duty up to Holmes. Holmes' interest was caught when he heard the Owner announce that they will be pleasured by a live performance whilst eating. Curtains opened to reveal a short girl in a black gown accented by a silver broach, Holmes was intrigued by her height wondering if it was hereditary. Holmes was especially shocked at her high soprano voice as she was accompanied by another girl playing the flute, the girl sang a soft lullaby with a steady crescendo and decrescendo in French. He caught her green eyes and lifted his hands to clap softly and she smiled. Eventually her song came to a finish, and much to soon in Sherlock's opinion.
"What did you think Sherlock? Sherlock?!" Came Watson's voice trying to catch his old friend's attention over the applause and cheering.
"Oh yes dear Watson?" Sherlock blinked focusing his attention.
"She was very pretty, don't you think? I hear that she is from London actually, and has been traveling with that friend of hers for the past couple years." Watson said, Holmes could only imagine as to how he knew such information.
"Goodness! That girl, have you seen her height? And she isn't even wearing a corset!" Contributed Mary giggling wiping the corner of her mouth with her handkerchief. 'Women are so peculiar, they always have to point out flaws in others, and there is no in-between with them. Women either like another, or she hates her. Whereas men could not give a damn.' Thought Holmes glaring slightly at Mary then quickly turning his face to an unreadable mask before Watson could notice.
*
The performance went surprisingly well in Addeline's opinion, it had been some time before she had sung the lullaby her mother used to hum and it had also been a while since she had heard Annette play or even practice her flute or even her clarinet. Addy smiled and hugged her best friend warmly congratulating here and simply told her how she caught the man she assumed was Sherlock's eye. They both agreed that they should go sit down and order something to eat considering that the trip had left them both tired and starving.
Once at the table Addeline ordered a steak and a small plate of fresh fruit while Annette had some roast chicken with fruit also. After quickly eating Addy and Annie sat and made small talk only to be greeted by none other than Holmes, Watson, and Mary Russell themselves.
"We all must say that you sing beautifully and that your partner is quite the master of her instrument! I am Doctor John Watson, and this," he smiled putting his arm around Mary's waist and pulling her closer. "this is my fiancé." Addy could only giggle and shake his hand, she wasn't giggling out of embarrassment she was giggling as to how little Watson knew of his own 'fiancé'. Annette blushed and shook his hand, Addeline had to admit that John was very handsome and she knew that he had definitely caught Annie's eye.
"Yes, you do indeed sing beautifully, I am Holmes, Sherlock Holmes." Sherlock took Addeline's hand and gently kissed it making her smile.
"Addeline DeLorne, I have heard a great many things about you Sherlock Holmes. A great many things about your abilities to read people and solve a great many difficult mysteries, but I have to wonder, what can you tell about me?" Addeline introduced herself, she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity for Holmes' opinion.
"Oh Miss Delorne, I do not think find that to be a wise decision, you see, Holmes has a tendency to be a bit harsh and hurt feeling." Watson replied glancing at his dear Mary who only nodded.
"Mr. Watson, I'm Annette Dawkins, best friend of Addeline. I can assure you, nothing can offend her, in fact, you might have to be careful of what she says to Mr. Holmes. Addeline is truthfully brilliant, but shows no concern to the feelings of others, I'm worried about her future but I have yet to be able to change her." Annette explained.
"I'm a big girl Mr. Holmes, do your worst." Addeline smiled taking a seat beside him staring intently into his dark eyes while Annette took a seat beside her and talked aimlessly with John and Mary.
"Addeline DeLorne, the DeLornes are rare to meet am I right? There was a fire many years ago wiping out a family in which only a child survived, I must assume that the child was you. Your pale complexion shows that you do not like the sun and prefer to be inside, the faint bags below your eyes show that you have trouble sleeping, am I right? The way you can freely breathe and freely walk show that you are not in fact wearing a corset or the heels that women properly wear. The scar on your neck shows that you are prone to fighting, perhaps because you are easily offended by your height? But what I am wondering is as to why you have that nasty scar on your palm and as to why you have a lump on your thigh."
"I must stop you there Holmes," Addeline complied, the scar is a knife wound, the lump on her thigh is a strap holding her revolver and her knife, she quickly adjusted her dress to hide them. "you're quite right about most of those things, I have a touch of insomnia, I hate corsets and heels because I prefer to me comfortable and other various reasons, and yes, I do fight, for other various reasons. My family is dead, I survived for reasons that I am unconscious to, but it was a fire that set fire to the hotel they owned and it was a fire that killed them all and left me when I was 13."
"If you would all excuse me, I have to use the facilities." Mary got up excusing herself, Addeline shot Annette a look to keep both men busy and that she could take care of it.
"Please allow me to accompany you, it was a long trip here from The Netherlands." Addeline complied getting up lifting up her dress following Mary to the lou. Mary walked into a stall while Addeline made quick work to grab her revolver, then lean against the row of sinks. When Mary came out she was greeted to Addeline pushing the end of the revolver to her forehead. "You know Mary, there's a bounty on your head in several countries."
"I'm not planning on letting you, or your little whore of a friend ruin my wedding. I saw the way she looked at John." Mary grinned pulling out a small dagger from the folds of her dress. "I love John and he's a very nice man, it'll take a while to get over him after the deed is done, but I'll do my best." Mary moved her dagger to make a small cut on Addeline's arm, as a reflex, Addeline clutched her arm in pain and accidentally pulled the trigger barely missing Mary's foot. Addeline swiftly kicked Mary's hand knocking the dagger away in which Mary retaliated by kicking Addeline in the chest knocking her out the bathroom door and into the restaurant and onto her back. Mary placed her foot on Addeline's throat pushing down only allowing Addy enough air to scream for Annette.
Annette, Holmes, and Watson came, Watson restrained Mary, while Holmes and Annette struggled to hold back Addeline and had to cover her mouth to spare people from hearing her long list of insults and curses. Everybody retreated to Holmes' apartment, where Addeline was tied down to a chair along with Annette.
"BLASPHEMY! Why isn't she tied you, you have the indecency to tie me and Annette down when I was the one you found on the ground being choked to death!" Addeline protested, feeling that Mary being able to stand and be babied by Watson was completely and utterly unfair.
"Mary claims that you attacked her first." Holmes said bluntly, lighting his pipe and taking a few puffs and letting the room be filled with smoke.
"You don't know the truth." Annette sighed relaxing against the ropes, she knew that Addeline wasn't really tied up, she was just letting the ropes sit and that the knots were already undone.
"And what is the truth?! You attack my fiancé with out any good reason, what did she ever do?!" Watson yelled cuddling the crying Mary. Addeline sighed and stood up letting the ropes fall before taking a short stroll around the room observing the various newspaper articles, poisons, concoctions, and telescopes.
"Mary Russell is really a serial murderer." Annette explained dropping her own cringing at the untidiness of the room.
"Annette and I wanted to collect the bounty on her head, she is wanted in several countries you see." Addeline said glancing at Sherlock who nodded and Watson who looked outraged.
"How can you casually say such things about another human being? Are you human?!" Watson's face was red by now with rage a vein very visible in his neck popping out.
By now Addeline was fed up with arguing, she reached into the pocket of her coat and pulled out various newspaper articles in various languages with pictures of Mary and other men that were currently deceased, the headlines were always the same: WANTED. Holmes and Watson read over the articles clearly surprised while Annette and Addeline stood in front of the doors blocking any means of escape for Mary. Watson rubbed his face running a hand through his hair, unable to look his 'fiancé' in the eye or even look at her. Addeline was pretty content with herself, she exposed a wanted woman, and she would be able to collect the bounty.
"Addeline, love, I take it you and Annette are bounty hunters?" Holmes inferred, glancing at the pair.
"You are correct, what are you going to do with the woman in question?" Addeline asked curious as to know if it was going to mess with her plans to collect the money. "I personally, would love to take her back to one of those countries, get the money for me and Annette, and let the country to be determined execute her. But that's just me."
"And after that?"
"Meet a nice man, settle down, etcetera."
Holmes watched Addeline intently, trying to decipher the encrypted code that made up the small girl.