The Deceiving Bonds: A Memoir of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter Three

I was still following Felicia Madison to the church. It seemed to take hours to get there. I was growing impatient and had my chin upon my chest brooding over how long this was taking. I was also wondering what kind of church it was that this girl was taking me to. Felicia led me through a series of alleys and streets that seemed to lead to more streets and alleys. The streets were covered in trash and dirt. This was obviously the worst part of town to be in, especially for someone as well dressed as I. I wasn't rich, in fact I was far from it, but I was dress better than most of the people who we past in the streets. It was a miracle that I wasn't robbed.

But anyways, we got to the church and Lilah and Anthorne were in the pews kneeling behind one. As we got closer, I saw that Lilah's hands rested on the back of one of the pews and her forehead rested on her hands. Anthorne knelt next to her in the same position. There was one difference between the two. Lilah's lips moved without any sound while Anthorne's remained firmly shut.

I watched the two with Felicia who shifted around and moved her eyes around the building constantly. The church was small and dark. Candles and gaslights lit the room only enough to see figures and where things were and how to get there. There seemed to be a dusky substance over everything and the few people who were there appeared to have dirt on their skin. The floor and building was made of stone as was the alter. The pews were made of wood without any kind of padding. There was one window that was placed above the alter. It was a stained-glass window that depicted Christ on the cross.

I wonder vaguely how to make my presence know to them. I could remember a time when my mother brought me to church and how she would tell me not to interrupt someone when they pray, no matter the circumstances. So I remained silent as old memories slowly arose to my mind, memories I had forgotten when I left home.

I could remember my mother, father, and brother sitting next to me in one of the pews all staring wide eyed as a man screamed about fire and brimstone. Then the same standing on the front pew and climbing over it to the second one as I watched him, frighten of the reverend as only a five year old could be. Then I remembered another time when I was perhaps twelve and walking to a wooden alter, weeping with my mother at my side. Then praying for God's forgiveness while the reverend tried to encouraged others to come then led us all in a prolonged prayer.

I could remember watching my brother being baptized in a creek not far from were we lived, knowing that I would be next. I could remember how cold the water was and how I stared straight ahead, listening to the reverend voice, too afraid to look at those standing on the banks of the creek. Then the reverend dipped me back and my feet slipped out from under me and I grabbed his arm as he brought me back up.

Then I remembered coming to London and slowly leaving church all together and how my faith became almost non-existent.

Then I was brought out my reverie when Felicia when to one of the pews and sat down. I sat two pews behind her a saw a hymnal resting next to me. I picked it up and began to flip through it, in lack of something better to do. Yet my hands stopped when I reached one song, one that I had heard every Sunday of my childhood, one that my mother would softly sing when she thought no one was listening. I slowly began to read the words printed on the worn page.

"Just as I am without one plea

But that thy blood was shed for me

And that thou bidd'st me come to thee

O, Lamb of God, I come! I come!"

I shut the book as memories came rushing back and I was flooded with emotions. It was strange to feel such things and I immediately submerged the feelings under cold, precise reasoning. I couldn't let my judgment be clouded while dealing with the deceiving siblings who sat six pews ahead of me. I began to watch them again; unconscious of the hymnal that now rested upon on my lap.

Lilah's head rested in the same position. She seemed to be a statue, unmoving, unchanging, unreal. Trapped in a moment of time for the rest of eternity, she knelt, never to rise again. Her brother next to her knelt sculpture-like cold, callous, cool. He rested forbidding, a grim expression on his face, anger evident everywhere upon him. The cause of his anger, I was unsure of yet theories were there.

My thoughts were soon interrupted when the Davis's stood up from their knelt position. Felicia stood and rushed to Lilah. They stood talking and Felicia pointed toward me. Lilah's and Anthorne's eyes followed her finger as each set filled with a different emotion. Lilah looked at me with a mixture of fear and anxiety while Anthorne with anger that seemed to be part of his persona.

I looked on nonchalantly when they hurried over. I felt like an outsider in a new town who had disrupted the peaceful lives of the town's people as the three came closer.

"Mr. Holmes, what are you doing here?" Lilah asked the moment she was within hearing range. Her face was flushed and eyes wild. Her brother glared with stony silence and Felicia stared nervously.

I stood slowly, standing to my full height and said somewhat cheerfully, "I was hoping you could tell me the truth about Mr. William Thatcher."

She stared at me in dismay and turned to Felicia.

"What did you tell him?" she asked, her voice shaken. She was a very emotional woman and allowed whatever emotion she felt to control her. As she spoke, I began to suspect this yet I hadn't yet realized just how deeply she could feel.

"I only told him about that night. And how Mr. Thatcher was our landlord. But I swear that was it, Miss Davis, I swear," Felicia told her as if her life depended on Lilah's opinion of her. Lilah stared at her as distraught and Felicia looked at her pleadingly, as though begging Lilah for her forgiveness.

"Then you know the truth, Mr. Holmes," Anthorne said, coldly, surprising both Lilah and Felicia.

"Do I?" I asked, confidence filling my voice. I knew I had the upper hand yet I shouldn't have let it enter my voice for Lilah hated to be the underdog.

"Shouldn't you know, Mr. Holmes? You are the 'world's greatest detective' after all," she said, sarcasm filling her voice. The woman had riled my anger and I responded quickly.

"Why, Miss Davis, I had thought that lying was a sin and had hoped you would be willing to tell the truth this time," I said, recklessly. I shouldn't have been so careless yet there was something about Lilah that made me behave strangely. But, alas, I was to be punished for my recklessness this time.

Lilah's face grew red and she slapped me as hard as she could. My head turned to the side slightly from the force of her hit and I boiled with anger.

"Miss Davis!" Felicia exclaimed, horrified that this respected woman would do such a thing while Anthorne grinned slightly. The few people in the church turned to stare at the spectacle we made, except for the faithful who continued their prayers.

"You have no right to say such things to me! You knew nothing of the circumstances or people involved with it. Don't you dare judge me when you know nothing," she raved, almost screamed.

"I know, Miss Davis, that you lied to me. Your whole story is full of falsehoods and I now want the truth of the matter," I said, calmly, coldly, just as I would anyone else I suspected.

"Felicia wouldn't lie to you, Mr. Holmes," Lilah said, glaring darkly at me

"Yet she can't tell me the beginning," I said. Lilah sighed and stared at the ground. Anthorne stared at her bent head for a moment and then turned me.

"Mr. Holmes, my sister's been through enough. She does not need this inquisition at the moment," he said and reached to put his hand on his sister's arm and drag her out of the church. Yet she resisted.

"No, Anthorne. I'll tell him. Perhaps, afterward, he'll leave us alone. And now Mr. Holmes," she said turning to me, "I hope you have in mind a place for us to talk for I refuse to do so here."

"My home will do, if you don't mind the walk. I want my friend, Watson, there when you tell me you tale. And of course, Miss Madison, will accompany us," I said. Lilah nodded her consent as did the others and we walked out of the church as the whispering began.

The walk back to Baker Street was silent. I was too indifferent to start conversation, Lilah too angry, Felicia too nervous, and Anthorne too amused with himself to share his enjoyable thoughts. I suppose we made an odd sight. Three homeless walking with a well to do man yet all processing the same dignity and all seeming as though we had goldmines in our cellars.

We reached Baker Street and soon entered my establishment. I left my visitors in the setting area and went to wake Watson who had gone to bed an hour before. He dressed quickly and together we went to tend to our guests and listen to the truth, finally.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get this out. But I've come across writer's block, losing part of this chapter after typing it, and school craziness. But I'm going to try and get back on this. So please review. Ideas and encouragement are always welcome.

Pinkmoon.