Exeter, 1866
Sir Arthur Hooper sat at his oak desk in the study of his house holding a letter, a letter from the Hooper's enemy, Sir Thomas Holmes. The feud between the Hooper's of Devon and the Holmes' of Lancashire had been going on for a hundred years. Nobody knew the origin of the feud, but generations had been raised to despise, hate, and kill each other. He wasn't aware that he had been sitting, staring at the letter for hours, until his wife Margaret entered the room.
"Arthur, what is it? Why are you sitting at your desk, staring at a piece of paper?" she asked him cautiously, hoping that it wasn't harsh news the paper contained.
Arthur was silent, but his lack of reaction betrayed the fact that his emotions were high. He was a man who hid his emotions; for him to be completely silent showed that this letter contained something very important.
"It's from Sir Thomas Holmes."
"What does he say?" Margaret prompted.
"I don't know what to make of his words."
Margaret came to him and wrapped her arms around her beloved husband. "You know," she remarked, "that you promised to always share everything with me."
Arthur felt that this news could mean harm to his family and he wanted to protect them from all the evil in the world.
"He has issued an invitation to us to come to see them at their estate in Preston."
"It's possible that he is as determined as you to end this feud between our families. There is no harm in a visit with them."
"There could be great harm in a visit," Arthur said darkly. "They could be plotting together to get rid of us."
Margaret shook her head as she kissed his forehead. "You and your doubtful nature. Sir Thomas Holmes has two sons and apparently another child on the way., Iisn't it just possible that he wants to end this feud for the sake of a brighter future for his children. Wouldn't you want to do that for Molly too?"
"I do want to end this feud, but I also don't want to risk my beautiful family by taking them into the lion's den, so to speak."
"I hardly think they have murder on their mind, Arthur. More likely they want the same thing as us."
"Why haven't they contacted us sooner?"
Arthur watched as Margaret went to stand over the antique wooden cradle that contained their two week old daughter, Molly. The cradle was spectacular, as it had been passed down through generations of Hooper's and now held the last remaining member of that line. He joined his wife to look down at the miracle that was his daughter. He would have liked to have had a boy, but when Molly was placed into his arms he fell in love for the second time in his life. As he glanced from his wife to his daughter he made the decision.
"We'll go., Wwe'll go to Preston to see what the Holmes have to say and hopefully you're right."
"Thank you from me and from Molly,." Margaret replied and gave him a soulful kiss.
The journey north would be long and arduous but Arthur was determined that if he could negotiate peace between the families, the long trip was worth it.
"This is them, father?" A young teenage boy questioned as father and son stood watching out the window, high up in a magnificent mansion.
"Thank God. wWe can finally put an end to all this violence."
Mycroft Holmes looked at his father and gave a deep sigh of relief as they walked down the stairs to greet their visitors. But Bbefore they made it to the door, an Irish Setter puppy came bounding down the hallway followed by a small boy running after him, brown curls bouncing.
"Myc! Myc! Redbeard run!"
Thomas laughed at his youngest son, Sherlock, who at three years old was fascinated by everything around him.
"Yes Sherlock, he's a dog, and dogs like to run,." Mycroft replied in ahis slightly exasperated voice, as if he was tired of explaining the world to his brother who was eleven years his junior.
Sherlock was hugging Redbeard who was returning his affection by liking the boy's face.
"Welcome Sir and Lady Hooper." Thomas had stepped in front of the servant to answer the door as he wanted to make sure that he was personally welcoming the Hoopers. "I'm Sir Thomas Holmes and these are my sons, Mycroft and Sherlock;, I'm afraid my wife Violet is indisposed at the moment."
"Hello, it is a pleasure to meet you all. Hello Mycroft and Sherlock." Lady Margaret smiled at the two boys. Sherlock looked at the woman with the silky brown hair and warm brown eyes and saw she held a bundle in her arms.
"Baby?" he questioned.
"Yes, this is Molly." Lady Margaret leaned down so Sherlock could see her.,
Hhe looked down at the baby and smiled as Redbeard sniffed at Molly and licked her cheek.
"Redbeard like Molly!" Sherlock spoke excitedly.
Lady Margaret smiled and hoped that this agreement would let these beautiful children live in a peaceful world where the Hooper's and Holmes' were at peace with each other. As she was admiring the children she heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up to see a beautiful woman with blonde hair and the most unusual blue green eyes that Margaret had ever seen.
"Sir and Lady Hooper, this is my wife, Lady Violet Holmes," Thomas Holmes introduced her.
"Sorry I wasn't here straight away, but I'm a bit slower these days,." sShe said as she looked down at her very pregnant stomach.
"Hello Lady Holmes, it is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Arthur Hooper and this is my wife Lady Margaret Hooper and our daughter Molly."
Violet leaned down to glimpse at a small baby with silky brown hair and warm chocolate eyes blinking up at her.
"Oh, she's beautiful. Can I hold her?"
Margaret carefully passed her baby to Violet who cradled her warmly.
"I so wished I'd had a girl;, Tthis one," she said pressing her hand to her stomach, "is another boy, I can feel it. I'm to be surrounded by boys!"
As she looked at her husband and sons, Sherlock grinned at her and seeing her holding Molly said, "Molly! Redbeard and Sherlock like Molly."
Lady Violet laughed, "it seems that my son and his dog are very taken with darling Molly;, Itand that gives me an idea on how to end this ridiculous grudge between the Hooper's and Holmes'." Everybody was listening carefully as she said, "Sherlock and Molly shall be wed. With this arranged marriage, the two families shall be forever bound together."
Both men looked to each other and smiled. "It seems that we do not need to have to talk endlessly and take part in delicate negotiations after all." Sir Thomas commented.
Sherlock looked at them, and with all of their eyes trained on him and worked out that they were planning something for him he didn't want, so and he turned and fled with his dog.
