Apologies for lateness!
"This is fine, Parker." Vastra called to the carriage driver. "Please follow at a few block's length." She told him as they descended from the cab.
"Yes'm." He touched the brim of his hat.
"Stay behind me, my dear." Vastra told Jenny. The human nodded, taking her girlfriend's elbow. In the carriage she had retied her hair in a bun, but lower on her head, at the nape of her neck. With her wearing trousers, and her hair out of the way, if you didn't look hard you might think she was a boy. Vastra didn't seem to like this, though if it was because boys were more likely to be attacked or something, or just personal preference, Jenny couldn't tell. Vastra tipped her head at different angles, scenting the air. Jenny wanted to tease Vastra and ask if each scent had a head position, but she knew it wasn't the time and she'd only succeed in making the woman cross with her. Vastra apparently got used to the smell of normal air in this part of town and started walking, breathing deeply. Jenny quietly kept pace at Vastra's elbow.
They simply walked in silence, waiting for Vastra to come across the smell. Jenny eyed the shadows and occasionally brushed one of her pocketknives through her pockets. She didn't feel as safe as she usually did, not with Vastra only carrying one sword, and the two of them wandering aimlessly, and Parker following them masking any sounds of people sneaking up behind them...
Hours later, Jenny's feet ached, her toes and fingers were cold, and she was nervous just from being on the street at night for so long. She was about to suggest trying again another day when Vastra stopped short, tipping her head every which way and even flicking her tongue out beneath her veil to scent the air.
"Is it-?" She stopped as Vastra made a 'be quiet' motion. The Silurian nodded, gesturing to Parker to stay where he was. Jenny followed Vastra's silent, creeping movements. A few minutes later they turned a corner and saw a couple up the road from them.
"Pardon me." Vastra called, walking purposely toward them. "You are Georgiana Irving, correct?" Jenny stuck a hand in her pocket and fingered a pocketknife.
"Who's asking?" The man stepped in front of the woman protectively.
"I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."
"Like hell we will, lady."
"Pardon." Jenny spoke up. The couple seemed surprised to hear her female voice come from what appeared to be a male figure. "If you are Anna this can be sorted very easily. Your brother's worried about you. Just go visit 'im tomorrow. 'e wants to talk, 'e 'ired us to find you." She turned to Vastra. "If we don't 'ear from Mr. Irving tomorrow we can try again. No reason to wake 'im up in the middle of the night."
"I would think he would want to reunite with his sister as soon as possible."
"Vastra, we can't make them come with us if they don't want to." She crossed her arms when Vastra hissed quietly. "That'd be more trouble than it's worth." As if the two of them could get the couple into the carriage and to Mr. Irving's by force, even if Vastra knocked them out. And what if it wasn't Anna and they ended up kidnapping people? "We're going 'ome; I'm cold, so you must be freezing." She turned her attention back to the couple who were edging away. "If you're Anna Irving, please talk with your brother tomorrow." She walked away, Vastra quickly catching up.
"Where did that come from?" The Silurian inquired.
"For a genius, you can be a bleeding idiot sometimes." Jenny grinned to show she didn't really mean it. "You were scaring them. Bad enough being out at night, but a strange woman in a veil knows you by your full name? I would'a thought I was seeing a ghost." They returned to the carriage, Parker directing the horse home.
"You are right about at least one thing." Vastra untied her hat and slumped down in the seat a bit to lean her head on Jenny's shoulder.
"And what's that?" Jenny reached up to stroke Vastra's cheek. She could feel how cold the scales were through her gloves, her hand jerking away just as Vastra spoke.
"I'm freezing."
"Bloody 'ell, Vastra!" Jenny quickly pulled Vastra's coat off, as well as her own. She held her girlfriend tight, though her scales were cold. She hoped her meager body heat would be enough for now. She hoped the sitting room fire hadn't gone out. "Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered.
"Didn't want you to worry." Vastra murmured.
"I'm worrying now." Jenny wasn't sure if she was more worried or mad.
"I knew I was safe. You are very capable and resourceful."
"Bloody stupid lizard." Parker braked and she helped Vastra into the house, unbuckling her scabbard and laying the woman on a warm blanket, throwing another blanket over her, and getting the fire burning hot before she even bothered to shut the door and take off her gloves.
"Are the blankets warm enough?" She knelt by Vastra's head.
"Yes. Thank you, my dear."
"I'm going to put the kettle on, warm you on the inside as well." She stoked the stovefire and poured some not red wine into the special kettle they'd gotten for it. She put the kettle on and returned to the sitting room to find Vastra had tossed off the blanket and was lying almost against the fireplace cover. "Vastra!"
"I'm fine." The woman murmured.
"You're gonna burn yourself!" Jenny tried to pull her away from the fire, but was swatted away.
"No, I won't." Stubborn like a child.
"You're gonna catch your clothes on fire!"
"No, I won't. And even if I do, I can buy more."
"Bloody 'ell." She felt the need to be doing something. "Will you be alright if I go stoke the fire in the bedroom?"
"Of course, I'm just cold, not an invalid."
"I'll keep an ear out, 'oller if you need anything." She hurried up the stairs and down the hall, getting the fire crackling as quickly as she was able. She walked through the sitting room on her way to the kitchen, Vastra just staring at the flames through the metal grating. She was going to dry her eyes out, but Jenny didn't say anything. She knew that Vastra knew the fire would dry her eyes, and Vastra could get quite cross when she was cold. So Jenny left her alone until the kettle was warm, pouring Vastra a cup and sitting beside her, in front of the fire.
"Not tea?"
"I thought this might 'elp you more."
"But you need to warm up, as well."
"I'm fine, ma'am."
"Very well. I'm sorry I worried you."
"'ow did you keep going like you were fine? You usually slow down when you get cold." Jenny took one of Vastra's hands, now warm from the fire.
"I simply forced my body."
"You oughtn't."
They sat quietly until Vastra declared she was warm enough and it was time to go to bed. They left their hats and things where they lay, Jenny decided she could pick everyhing up before she woke Vastra in the morning. They curled up in bed together, Vastra was actually rather warm from having lain in front of the fire, and fell asleep.
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