Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I'm just borrowing them to keep myself entertained during these strange times. I promise to put them back where I found them. Thank you to the wonderful Rachel New for creating these wonderful characters, and the amazing cast for bringing them to life.

Part 1

It was London in the year 1882. The sun was shinning as Eliza Scarlet walked towards Scotland Yard. The skirt of her blue dress swaying with her steps, her matching deep blue hat angled on her head keeping the sun from her eyes. It was a familiar route to walk now, and she did it almost daily these days.

Sometimes it was to get some information from Detective Inspector William Wellington, The Duke to his colleagues, for a case she was on, occasionally he was letting her help with one of his cases, and mostly it was just because she just liked to annoy him on a daily basis.

Horse and carriages trotted passed in the lane, as she walked under the bridge before the office entrance. Street people and the upper class passed her on their way towards the Thames, just a stones throw away. Discreetly Eliza turned left and up the front steps into the reception area.

She smiled at the Desk Sargent, Alfred, as she walked in the door and passed the booking in desk, letting herself into the main building. Alfred was so used to seeing her walk in that he barely lifted his eyes from his paperwork.

William's office door was open, but he wasn't in it, so as usual she put her bag on his desk and made herself comfortable in his chair on the far side of his desk. She picked up the top closed file from his pile and glanced over the paperwork inside. It was an old case file from 2 months earlier, and according to the notes the family were looking for an update. Sara Gilbert, 23, reported missing by her father, but found dead 3 days later by the Thames with her throat slit.

Eliza picked up the black and white crime scene photo's that accompanied the written report. It was a grizzly scene, with the photo's being taken on the banks of the Thames, though the body didn't look dumped, more placed there with care. She was fully dressed, with her gold necklace still on her, and there was no signs of assault or injury other then the slit throat. The report also noted that the girl hadn't been killed where her body had been left. There was very little evidence for the police to follow up on.

"Eliza." William's voice made her jump, as he walked into his office and saw her sitting in his seat. William was used to seeing her in his office these days, she often let herself in, but it still surprised him to see her sitting at his desk.

"William," she looked up and smiled, giving him her best innocent smile and resting her chin on her hand. He was dressed in his familiar black suit and navy blue patterned waistcoat. His dark hair perfectly styled and his beard had been freshly trimmed.

"Eliza, what have I told you about reading the files on my desk." His Scottish accent always sounded thicker when he was annoyed with her, as he walked over and took the file off her. He closed it and placed it back on the top of his pile.

"Well it's about time someone looked at these files," she teased, motioning to the tall pile of files on his desk that she thought never seemed to get smaller.

"3 murders, 2 assaults, 1 robbery, and 1 arson..." he reeled off, almost to prove he had looked at each file, and confirming he knew exactly what each file was, even if he hadn't fully worked through them.

"Now I assume you're not here to question my workload…?" William motioned for her to move out of his seat, but Eliza didn't move.

"I need to look at a missing persons report…" William eyed her suspiciously.

"Clara Wilson. Her parents reported her missing nearly 5 months ago but as yet have heard nothing from the police."

"You do realize I'm busy, with my own work."

"It will take you 5 minutes to grab one file…. Plus, it's my birthday, so you have to be nice to me." Eliza smiled her best smile, the kind that lite up her eyes, and she knew always got William to do what she needed, while William just shook his head.

"Stay here, … and don't read anymore of my files."

"Of course…." She lied with a shrug, as she watched him walked out of his office and turned towards the archive room, then she picked up the next file in the pile to read.

A short while later, William returned with the file in his hand, and noted that Eliza was still sat on his side of the desk, reading yet another of his files.

"One missing persons file," He said, closing the file she was reading. "Now can I have my desk back?"

"Thank you," she smiled, standing up and taking the file from him. She moved round to the other side of his desk and sat down as she looked over the file he'd given her.

"Is this it?" She asked him.

"Yes," he replied, sitting at his desk and pulling open his own work.

"Two flimsy pieces of paper, and a family photograph…" She seemed surprised.

"Don't look at me, it's not my case," William said, almost defensively.

"Has anyone even investigated her disappearance?"

"Look," William sighed, "She's a young girl, probably met someone unsuitable and run off with him. You'd be surprised how often that happens, and with no evidence of any wrongdoing there's not a lot for us to investigate."

"But her family said here that she had no man in her life, and no reason to run away…"

"That they knew of…" He reasoned. Eliza thought for a moment. Could someone really just disappear? Certainly her father had investigated a large number of missing persons that the police seemed not to have the time to look through.

"Any unidentified bodies that would match her description?" Elisa queried.

"How would I know?" William was starting to sound frustrated, and Eliza knew she was pushing her luck with him.

"Well can I go and check the archive room?"

"No you cannot, you're not allowed in the archive room, and before you ask, no I don't have time to look for you." William tried to busy himself with his work, as if to end the discussion, but Eliza wasn't one to take no for an answer.

"What's your new Detective Phillips like?" She asked, slightly changing the subject, since she had only briefly met the young man on a few occasions. However, William knew exactly what she was doing.

"He's busy, working on something for me."

"Hhhmm… How's he settling in by the way?" A change of tactic usually worked.

"Aside from the fact he's nearly always 20 minutes late, because he's gotten lost, and he's far too cheery. Clearly he's not done the job long enough to lose that yet. Now are we done here, because I have my own work to get on with?"

That was her cue, that he was done helping her, at least for now. Well she might have lost this battle, but the war wasn't over with yet.

"Fine. I'll bring this back later," she said, motioning to the missing person's file she was about to walk out with.

"I thought you said that wasn't useful," William grumbled.

"Well, who knows, might be something in here. Good day William." She smiled at him and picked her bag off his desk, before turning to leave.

"Oh and Eliza…"

"Yes," she replied, turning around as she got to his doorway.

"Happy birthday," he smiled, the warm, kind smile that reached his eyes. The one she couldn't help but return.

Outside William's office, Detective Phillips seemed to waiting for her, as he moved towards her when he saw her leave William's office. He was a tall, slim young man, with sandy blonde hair, and dressed in a suit that was clearly too big for him. Perhaps the suit was handed down to him, Eliza wondered, maybe by a brother, or his father.

"Miss Scarlet," he smiled.

"Detective Phillips," Eliza smiled back. Phillips seemed nice, kind, and currently, far easier to get round and use to her advantage then his predecessor. Though William had clearly given him some warning that she wasn't to be 100 percent trusted.

"Can I walk you out Miss?"

"If you'd like," Eliza said, her guard slightly raised.

She usually liked to slip in and out of Scotland Yard, without an escort. It was bad enough half of William's men seemed to think she was William's latest tart, without any suggestions of her running around with yet another officer.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something," Phillips asked, as they made their way outside and down the front steps.

"Me?" Eliza was confused as they rounded the corner, slightly out of view of the main steps. What help could he need from her?

"Yes," he was fidgeting uncomfortably, and seemed slightly nervous. "Look, I really need this job, and I'm not sure I've made the best first impression with The Duke… I'm new to London and I am still working out my way around, and well it's easy to get lost on these streets…."

"And I can help you with this?" Eliza looked at him confused, was he looking for a tour guide?

"Well, I was talking to some of the lads, and they said that you and The Duke are friendly, and I thought that maybe…."

"Friendly How?" Eliza interrupted, and questioned sternly. Her face suddenly seemed very serious. What exactly were the rumors around Scotland Yard about them?

"I'm not sure…. I just thought perhaps you could put in a good word for me with The Duke…." Phillips trailed off, and suddenly felt incredibly uncomfortable under Eliza's gaze.

"You want me to put in a good word for you with Detective Inspector Wellington?" She confirmed, while Phillips regarded her, and judged her words and tone carefully.

"Why do I get the feeling I've been set up?" Phillips replied, silently cursing his new work colleagues for clearly setting him up for a fall.

"Oh I wouldn't possibly know…" She smiled sarcastically, with an annoyance in her tone. What exactly would it take for her to be taken seriously as a private detective?

"You know, can we just forget this conversation?" Detective Phillips was suddenly trying to back track and Eliza took a moment before speaking.

"Inspector Wellington choses who he works with, and I can assure you, that my opinion on that would not be welcome." Phillips nodded and turned to almost run away. "However, if you want my advice… work hard, do a good job and earn his respect. It will take longer, but will be worth it in the long run." Phillips breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Miss Scarlet. Could we maybe not mention this to him?"

"Mention what?" She smiled. This new detective might just be okay.

To be continued...