Chapter 4
Before long, Christmas was upon England. The Watsons were having a quiet Christmas with some distant relatives of Mary's. However, the Holmes' were on a train to Yorkshire. Christine and Sherlock had already fessed up to Watson, who was undoubtedly SHOCKED at the turn of events, and now it was time for the hardest of all: Telling the parents.
It was hard to tell who was the most nervous. Sherlock, who would have to explain about what caused Christine to vanish from the Holmes' family's life, ten years passed since he swore off women only to come home married and with a ten and a half year old daughter; Christine, who was practically banned from her family manor, would have to explain how it had been her childhood best friend who fathered her daughter and was now married to him; or Emma who was FINALLY meeting her aunts, other uncle (through marriage), and grandparents.
After the train stopped, the family got out and got into a cab. A half an hour later, the cab pulled up to a large manor. The trio went up to the door and rang the doorbell. A few minutes later, a butler opened the door
"Master Sherlock. What a pleasant surprise. And Miss. Callaway. It's been a while" the butler greeted
"That it has James." Christine said. "But my name is not Miss. Callaway anymore"
"I see" James said when he saw the actress take the hand of the consultant detective "Congratulations"
"Thank you James" the two chorused
"And who is this?" James asked
"Emma" Emma introduced herself before turning to her parents who gave her a nod of approval. "Emma Elizabeth Callaway-Holmes"
James looked Emma over for a few minutes before turning to the parents
"Yes." Sherlock confirmed. "Emma is mine and the reason Christine vanished from Yorkshire"
"I see" James said with mirth in his eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss. Emma"
They went into the manor and James walked them over to the sitting room.
"Master Sherlock, Ms. Christine, and Miss. Emma are here to see you" James announced before the family walked in to see Sherlock's mother, his younger sister, and Mycroft.
"Why am I not surprised you would be here?" Sherlock sighed to Mycroft
"When I heard that you three were coming, a world war couldn't stop me" Mycroft teased as their mother hugged her long-lost son and daughter-in-law
"And this must be Emma." Mrs. Elizabeth Holmes said to her granddaughter. "Your grandmother Mary told me what she knows about you. You look JUST like your mother"
"Thank you" Emma said with a curtsy.
"Mother…" Sherlock hesitated. "She's your granddaughter as well."
Elizabeth looked up and saw the wedding bands on her son's finger as well as on Christine's
"Congratulations!" Elizabeth said as she hugged them again thinking that Emma was her step-granddaughter. "I take it that it was quiet because of Emma"
"You have no idea, Mother" Mycroft teased as he lit a cigar.
"Hold on!" Jeanette Holmes realized as she pointed to Mycroft and then to Emma and then to her other brother and sister-in-law. After she figured it out, she turned to Mycroft. "How long have you known, Mycroft?"
"I've been wondering the same thing myself" Sherlock added as he turned to his brother
"Ever since I got word that Christine had given birth" Mycroft answered.
"and you never told me/us!" Mycroft younger siblings exclaimed
Elizabeth turned to Christine
"Emma's Sherlock's biological daughter, isn't she?" Elizabeth asked
"I happened after we got word of Nicholas' death" Christine explained as the siblings argued with each other "Sherlock came to comfort me, we had a few glasses and things got a bit out of hand. We had decided to put it passed us and pretend it never happened, but two months later, I discovered I was pregnant and vanished to save his reputation. When he found out, he decided to take responsibility. Sometimes I feel that I don't deserve him"
Once the argument died down, the family sat together and discussed what all the others have been doing for the past ten years.
"I hope you three will stay for the Christmas Ball tomorrow" Jeanette said to her brother
"May we?" Emma asked having never been to a ball
"I see no reason why not" Christine said
0000
The next night,
Christine and Sherlock were walking around the ballroom greeting old friends whom they haven't seen since childhood. Sherlock's father had been out of town the day before so he had no idea that he was a grandfather.
"What do we have here?" a humored voice came
The two turned and Christine smiled at the sight of her godfather who was now her father-in-law
"Hello Uncle Charles" Christine greeted
"Hello Father" Sherlock greeted
"Have you two met Jonathan Cartwright?" Charles Holmes asked as he motioned to an 11 year old boy
"I don't believe we have" Sherlock answered "But his sister I believe we have met"
"Why do you ask?" Christine asked
"Because of the way he acts. Reminds me a bit of yourself Sherlock when you were his age."
The three adults walked up to the boy who was asking some of his peers a riddle
"What man loves more than life; fears more than death or mortal strife; That which a contented man desires; the poor possess, the rich requires; the miser spends the spendthrift saves; and all men carry to their graves?" the boy asked
The kids looked around as if hoping they had the answer
"Nothing" a female voice came from the group before Sherlock could answer
The kids and the three adults turned to see Emma coming out dressed in Jeanette's old electric blue dress.
"Lucky guess." Jonathan said. "What has a hand but no arms and a face, but no head?"
"A clock" Emma answered
"A mouth but no face; always running, always in one place?"
"A river"
"Two legs sat on 3 legs eating 0 legs; in came 4 legs, picked up 0 legs and ran off with it. Up stood 2 legs, picked up three legs and threw it after 4 legs. Four legs dropped no legs and ran away"
"A person seated on a stool is eating a fish. A cat comes in, picks up the fish and runs off with it. The person stands, picks up the stool, and throws it at the cat. The cat drops the fish and runs away" Emma said after a moment
"This one will get you" Jonathan said. "You're seated in a room with an all southern view. Suddenly, a bear walks by your window. What color is the bear?"
Brown/Black/Red!" the other kids chorused to Emma as she thought about this
"Why red?" she asked the 7 year old who suggested it.
"Because being so far south, the bear would be badly burned" the young boy answered
Emma noticed her father trying not to laugh at the 7 year old's explanation.
"I have an answer" Emma said to the smirking Jonathan. "the answer is white"
The smirk dropped right off of Jonathan's face as his peers looked at each other confused.
"The reason being," Emma announced. "A room with an ALL southern view would be situated at the North Pole. The only bears in that area are polar bears which are white."
"Something God never sees, the Queen seldom sees, and we see every day" Jonathan challenged
"What I am to you. An equal" Emma said before tossing her hair and walked away
"Now THAT is a clever child" Charles said with a laugh.
"I'm glad you think so. She's your granddaughter" Sherlock informed his father.
"My what?" Charles asked, laughter gone
"After Nicholas died," Christine explained. "Sherlock came to comfort me knowing how close I was to my brother. Things got a little out of hand and to save your family's name, I vanished."
"As soon as I learned," Sherlock added, "I took responsibility for my actions"
"Too late to do anything now." Charles sighed as he turned to his granddaughter who was talking to Jeanette
Over by Jeanette and Emma, Emma was telling Jeanette about the Copper Beeches case as her dress reminded her of it.
"I first suspected when it was mentioned that she found the hair in the drawer." Emma informed her. "However, I will admit that I thought that Miss. Rucastle had been killed and to escape detection, Miss. Hunter was hired, not as a governess as she thought, but as a doppleganger. But when I heard of the bolted shutters, I figured that Miss. Rucastle was still alive, but was being kept hidden from someone, the bearded man Miss. Hunter saw in her mirror."
"I take it you like working with my brother then" Jeanette observed.
"it's so much better than finding out who stole my pencil case" Emma said as a woman walked up to them.
"Hello Jeanette." The woman said as she hugged the younger woman before turning to Emma. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Emma" Jeanette explained. "Emma, this is Mary Callaway"
"Christine Callaway's mother?" Emma asked
"Yes. You've heard of my daughter?" Mary Callaway asked
"Yes Ma'am. She is my mother" Emma said.
"You mean…" Mary gasped as she knelt down to look her granddaughter over "Oh my goodness. I have only heard of you from letters from your mother, but I've never expected to see you in person. You look just like your mother"
"Thank you Grandmother" Emma said "And…I'm sorry"
"For what?" Mary asked
"Because I feel that my presence in this world has created a rift in your family and should Grandfather Edward find out who my father is, I feel that the rift will only grow to include your dearest friends" Emma explained
"Oh Emma" Mary sighed. "Don't you worry about your Grandfather. You had nothing to do with the rift between him and your mother. That was caused by the death of your dear uncle."
"As was I." Emma said having overheard her parents explaining things numerous times. "I was conceived the night Mother got word of Uncle Nicholas' death. Father came to comfort her and…things got a tad out of hand"
"yes. Grief can make one do things one normally would not do" Mary sighed understandingly. "Is your mother here?"
"Yes. She and Father married in secret three months ago to make me legitimate" Emma confirmed before looking up and smiled at her father and paternal grandfather.
Mary stood up after looking up and turned to Sherlock
"It's been a while" Mary said as she gave Sherlock a hug (the way an aunt would a nephew)
"It's good to see you as well" Sherlock said before turning to Emma. "Emma, I would like to introduce you to my father, Charles Holmes"
"It's a pleasure to meet you" Charles said as he took his granddaughter's hand
"The pleasure is all mine sir" she responded with a curtsey.
It didn't take but a few seconds for Mary to see the connection.
"Would you mind terribly if I asked for this dance?" Charles asked Emma
Emma, taken aback by the offer, turned to her father who nodded. She smiled and then turned to her grandfather.
"I would be delighted to dance with an honorable gentleman such as yourself" she said
Grandfather and Granddaughter walked out onto the dance floor
"I can't thank you enough Sherlock" Mary said
"For what?" Sherlock asked as he watched his father and daughter
"For taking responsibility. In all the letters I have received from Emma from school, her greatest desire was to know her father. Now you have made that possible by entering her life." Mary explained before turning to find Christine laughing with some of her old neighborhood friends while watching Emma and Charles. "I haven't seen Christine this happy since before Nicholas, may God rest his soul, died"
"Had I known at the time, I would have been there sooner" Sherlock explained.
TBC
A/N: Question: Where are my reviews? Please review