221B BAKER STREET
As soon as the cab pulled up outside 221B, Holmes leapt out, paid the cabbie, and assisted Molly out before hastily getting them both through the front door.
He then ushered Molly upstairs, in order to avoid his landlady, Mrs Hudson and her need to engage in nonsensical chatter.
SHERLOCK'S FLAT
Once through the door to the sanctuary of his flat, Holmes shut it firmly, leaning his back against it, he let out a sigh of relief.
But that sense of relief was to be short lived as the other person in the room made her presence felt.
"Why was Miss Hawkins at the Courthouse, Sherlock?" the sound of his Christian name on her lips caused Molly's heart to skip a beat.
But she immediately reprimanded herself. She could not allow such a thing, no matter how thrilling to distract her from finding out the circumstances of the woman's unexpected appearance.
It was clear she was in league with Anderson, and that they had been responsible for the notifying the press to what was supposed to be a private ceremony. She knew Anderson held a grudge against her. But why was Janine there?
And then she remembered what had happened at the de-sanctified church...
DE-SANCIFIED CHURCH
Janine removed her hood, and stepped forward with purpose. "Emelia thought she'd found happiness with Ricoletti, but he was a brute too. Emelia was our friend. You have no idea how that bastard treated her."
SHERLOCK'S FLAT
Molly remembered Holmes' expression when Janine revealed herself. His eyes had widened in shock. And as she spoke, he looked decidedly uncomfortable.
Janine's words, she realised held another meaning, one that was directed at Holmes, and his discomfort confirmed that he understood exactly to what she referred.
So clearly they had history. And that made her more determined than ever to get to the bottom of it.
She walked directly up to Holmes, and demanded "Why does she bear you ill will?"
Holmes had hoped that Molly wouldn't spot, yet alone recognise Janine Hawkins. But he should have known better. For 'Hooper' never missed anything of importance. In resignation, he indicated the chairs by the fireplace. "I think it best as this explanation may prove a long one it be given sitting down."
Once seated, Holmes began...
"I doubt you'll recall the case of 'The Master Blackmailer' as Watson termed it, it took place a couple of years before you began working at St Bartholomew's."
He paused, to give himself a moment to compose his thoughts, and then continued.
"Charles Augustus Magnussen was a loathsome creature, a cruel and cunning individual who preyed upon the vulnerable. He paid easily motivated maids and valets generously to illicitly obtain letters and private papers that contained the intimate secrets of their masters and mistresses. He then waited for the most opportune time in which to strike. Contacting his victims, and advising them of what he has obtained, and the price, always well in excess of what the victim could afford, to be paid for the return of the documents. One such victim came to me in the hopes that I might be able to obtain better terms. Magnussen was threatening to give her letters to her fiancé' a few days before they were due to be married. Should her groom read the letters, the end result would see the wedding cancelled."
"But what does this have to do with Janine?" Molly asked. She knew Janine was not a woman of means, so she was unlikely to be the victim of such a man as Magnussen.
"Janine was Magnussen's housemaid," Holmes explained. "After Magnussen rebuffed my proposed offer that I put forward on behalf of my client, I set upon a plan to steal the letters from under his very nose. To do that I needed to learn the plan of his house, Appledore Towers, and Magnussen's daily routine."
Molly nodded her understanding, before silently urging him to continue.
"I disguised myself as a plumber, Escort by name. It was then that I cultivated a relationship with Janine, who was always more than willing to tell more than she ought about the goings on of her master. Unfortunately to obtain some of the more pertinent details I was left with no option but to become engaged to her."
Holmes paused at Molly's surprised gasp.
"Watson was naturally scandalised by my behaviour, but it was absolutely necessary that I discover the whereabouts of the letters. And once I knew all I needed to know, I allowed Miss Hawkins to discover my true identity, when I visited Magnussen again, this time at his home, as my true self."
"Hell hath no fury..." Molly murmured.
"Quite so," Holmes agreed. "Although I think you'll find Miss Hawkins scorn had more to do with what happened to her after Magnussen's death."
"His death?" the concern in Molly's voice was clear.
Holmes was quick to reassure her. "As much as I would have happily ended that vile little man's life, that pleasure was left to another."
"Go on," Molly encouraged.
"It was my intention that Watson and I perform a little burglary. But our plans went awry when Magnussen instead of being sound asleep, entered his office just as I had successfully opened his safe. We were forced to conceal ourselves behind some curtains. It soon became clear he was waiting for someone. Shortly after his visitor arrived, a woman entered from the outside door. Magnussen believed her to be a ladies maid with incriminating letters, but it was not so. It turned out she was one of his previous victims, and she had come for her revenge. She shot him a number of times, before grinding the heel of her shoe into his monocled eye."
"Were you able to retrieve your client's letters?"
"Magnussen's cries had alerted his household, that didn't leave us much time. So I grabbed every document and letter that was contained within the safe, and threw them in the fire, destroying them completely. Then Watson and I had to make a run for it."
"And what of Janine?" Molly queried.
"There are hundreds in this great city that would turn white at the mention of Magnussen's name. Miss Hawkins was known to be in his employ, so I'm afraid she was tainted by association. That meant finding a new situation difficult, and I have no doubt she fell on hard times, for which she may well have held me responsible."
By now it was quite late. Mrs Hudson brought the up a cold supper that they both ate in silence.
After they had finished Holmes got to his feet. "I've asked Mrs Hudson to prepare Watson's old room for your use. I'm certain you'll find it more than adequate."
Holmes was making his way to his bedroom when he was pulled up short by Molly's response.
"Certainly not," she stated adamantly.
"I beg your pardon," Holmes responded, clearly flummoxed by her vehement outburst.
"I said certainly not," Molly reiterated sternly. "This may be a marriage of convenience, but it will definitely not be a fake one. We will sleep together in the same room, and the same bed."
Holmes was left completely stunned, his brain quite unable to come up with a reasonable argument.
Taking his silence as agreement, Molly made her way determinably down the hallway and entered the bedroom at the end, leaving Holmes to follow meekly behind.
