A/N: Oh, I don't even know anymore. I think there may be three chapters to this. I have most of the second chapter written. We'll see where this takes us! Spoilers for the show up to season one, episode five.

The last person Adelaide expected to run into at the small bookseller located just around the corner from Scotland Yard was Madame Korzha, but there they were; staring at one another in the aisle, volumes of books on biology on one side, chemistry on the opposite.

Madame Korzha spoke first, her voice warm, slightly amused, and distinctly via the East End, "Good day, Constable Stratton."

Certain things clicked in Adelaide's head and instead of a greeting, she said, "You were the one who directed them to search out my former name, weren't you?"

Korzha, or perhaps it was Edith, due to the accent, merely said, "They would have discovered it eventually, would they not? Perhaps you would have even told them yourself."

"You took that particular option from me," Adelaide said, although with no accusation in her voice.

"As you took it from me," Edith replied, smoothly arching an eyebrow.

"It was in the process of an investigation."

"Still."

Adelaide sighed as she shook her head. "Oh, it doesn't matter that you told. You're quite right, I would have revealed it to them at some point." She met Korzha's eyes. "I'm sorry I revealed your alias."

"No, you're not," Korzha said smiling. "In fact, it was very well done of you to find it out. I didn't know that constables were taught the finer details of passport forgery."

"We all have our talents," Adelaide said.

"Yes," Korzha said still smiling. "Yes, we do." She tilted her head to the side. "I rather admire you, Constable Stratton. You've somehow managed the miraculous. You hold a position of authority in a man's profession."

"Minor authority," Adelaide amended. "And my hold on it is tenuous at best."

"Nevertheless," Korzha said. "How did you manage it?"

"Hard work," Adelaide said slowly. "And not taking 'no' for an answer." She sighed again. "And being far too willing to put up with two amateur detectives while they run haphazardly across London."

"And you're loving every minute of it," Korzha said laughing. "Don't bother trying to fool me, but especially don't bother trying to fool yourself. You're in quite the unique position to learn so much."

"You mean from Dr Doyle?" she asked. "Sherlock Holmes is still a fictional character at the end of the day."

"But that doesn't mean there isn't anything to learn from his methods," Korzha said. "They've served me rather well as you may have noticed."

"I noticed," Adelaide said wryly. "I rather admire you as well."

Korzha looked surprised, but covered it up quickly. "Do you? I can't imagine why?"

"Because you found a way to employ your mind and your skills so that they would do some good," Adelaide said. "I can't say I approve of the way you go about it and I certainly don't approve of taking advantage of people's grief, but you…" Adelaide paused, then said, "You've made your own way in a world that doesn't like to lend much credence to a woman's talents. I can't help but respect that."

"Well," Korzha said looking away and then back. "I certainly hadn't expected to hear a compliment from one of Scotland Yard's finest. Thank you, constable."

"Have you ever considered joining the force?" Adelaide asked, only half-teasing.

Korzha laughed, the sound rich and throaty. "Oh, I don't think they'd have little old Edith. I have far too muddy a past for Scotland Yard. I'm not what you would call respectable."

"Neither are people who work under an assumed name," Adelaide said, ducking her head slightly.

"I expect you have your reasons," Korzha said slowly.

Adelaide nodded. "I do."

When she declined to say anything further (she may respect and even like Korzha, Adelaide wasn't about to reveal all of her secrets in the middle of a bookshop to a known con-woman), Korzha just nodded.

"Good woman," she said. "Keep those secrets close. There's a great number of people who would like to see you fail, I imagine."

"If I took the time to list them all, I'd never get anything done," Adelaide said.

"Well, I know of two gentlemen who seem to be quite firmly on your side," Korzha said. "You really should let him teach you some tricks of the trade."

Adelaide frowned. "Dr Doyle?"

"Oh, no," Korzha said grinning. "Mr Houdini."

"Oh," Adelaide said feeling her cheeks flush. "I don't think-"

"I hardly meant that, my dear," Korzha said, a grin still playing about her mouth. "I meant his legerdemain. He is extremely gifted and would be more than willing to teach you anything you wished to know." She adjusted her shawl on her shoulders. "And if you're interested in, well, the other things he's quite gifted in…" Adelaide's eyes widened, as Korzha put her hand on her arm and leaned in to say, "I'm extremely sure he'd be willing to impart any and all knowledge he has on the matter. Very enthusiastically, I hasten to add."

"I don't-" Adelaide attempted again.

"I know you don't," Korzha said patting her arm. "But that doesn't mean you can't."

Adelaide blinked at the other woman, who just smiled benignly and said, "I've so enjoyed running into you again, constable. I'd say we should do this again, but-"

"We should," Adelaide said firmly and it was Korzha's turn to blink as Adelaide continued, "We should most certainly do this again."

A hesitant smile, this one seemingly younger than her previous ones, spread across Korzha's face. "Well, in that case, until we meet again."

"Yes," Adelaide said nodding. "Until then."

Korzha nodded to her and then moved past her on the aisle. Adelaide heard the bell jingle over the door as she left. Adelaide stared unseeingly at the books for a moment, then surreptitiously felt her pockets. She breathed a sigh of relief when she confirmed everything was where it should be.

She continued to browse and considered Korzha's advice to learn what she could from her two charges. The idea certainly had some merit to it and learning some sleight of hand could come in useful, she supposed. The question remained, how and when to ask?

Adelaide wouldn't get a chance to even broach the subject until several days later when they were on the north bound train enjoying some refreshments in the dining car.

And if she deliberately waited until he had taken a sizable sip of his customary glass of milk before asking him, "Mr Houdini, would you be willing to place me in handcuffs later?" which in turn caused him to dribble profusely all over his lovely waistcoat as well as Dr Doyle's travelling coat, well…

If she was destined to be stuck with the pair of them, she was going to do her best to enjoy herself.