OH MY GOSH! Author blushes! I am SO PLEASED that you guys are digging this...I have been thinking about it forever, but never wrote on it cause I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested in a Regency type Sherolly story! You guys have made my day, week, month, and so on, and especially so close to my birthday!
Thanks so much from the bottom of my butt (cause it's bigger than my heart) and you all know you already have my heart! Thanks for your reviews, follows, and faves!
Molly looked at the clock above her dresser and frowned. Her fists clenched, her nails leaving small half-moon patterns upon her palms. She had about an hour to make herself ready for this absurd outing that her grandfather insisted that she go on. And what made it even worse for her; it was with a man she didn't like.
She knew her brother would never be forced to do this because he was male. She also knew her grandparents meant well, but it was still disconcerting. Why couldn't they understand that she had desires and dreams of her own? In fact, she had her entire life planned out before her and nowhere did she see becoming a wife and mother. Why couldn't they understand that she did not need a man to take care of her? That she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
Her grandparents were in their eighties and they were worried about her after they were gone. Molly understood this, but it did not make the bitter taste that it left in her mouth any easier to swallow. She remembered one particularly painful conversation that she had with her grandmother not that long ago.
Now your brother isn't going to always be able to look after you, dear. He will have his own wife and children to look after…
Molly was certain that no one had ever said anything like that to her brother. It was so unfair that in this day and age, women were still treated as they were in the Victorian age.
She stared down at the pale yellow dress that her grandfather had bought her for her outing with Sherlock Holmes. She reached out and traced the delicate patterns of the dress with her finger, sighing deeply. She did not want to do this. She had held very little conversation with Sherlock Holmes and already she knew she detested him.
She remembered with a sneer on her face how the other women at her grandfather's party had all humiliated themselves by openly fawning over this man. Many of these ridiculous and simpering women had dates but still flirted and batted their eye lashes at him. It disgusted her and she wanted nothing to do with it.
She did admit to herself that he was handsome, extremely so. He was tall, pale, and had the most striking eyes. And his voice…Her treacherous mind reminded her. She could remember the feel of his large hand wrapping around her wrist. She shuddered at the memory of how his touch had seemed to scorch her skin. The man had literally taken her breath away. She didn't know why, but she felt almost afraid of him…of the power he seemed to command from all those in the room with him.
There was a soft knock at the door. "Yes?" Molly called.
"May I come in child?" her grandfather asked.
"Of course," she said, sitting on the edge of her bed as he came into the room.
He favored her with an affectionate smile that fell slightly when he noticed her state of dress. "Why have you not made yourself ready yet? He asked. "Sherlock will be here soon, child."
Molly swallowed hard and chewed her lip. "Actually grandfather, I'm not feeling very well and I thought that I might stay in tonight with you and grandmother," she said, pleading to him with her eyes.
"What nonsense," he said. "You felt fine an hour ago. You're only nervous. Believe me, Sherlock is a fine young man and you will have a wonderful time, if you allow yourself."
"I don't like him, grandfather," she said in desperation. "I'm sorry but I don't and the only reason why I accepted his invitation is because I didn't want to be rude."
Nathaniel favored her with a stern expression. "It will be rude of you to cancel on such short notice," he said firmly. "Besides, you've barely had any conversation with the young man, how do you know that you dislike him?"
Molly chewed her lip anxiously. "Grandfather, please," she begged. "Couldn't you ring him and tell him…"
"No," he said firmly, interrupting her. "Good heavens girl, he's not going to bite you."
I wonder…she thought to herself.
"You hardly ever go out my dear," he continued. "And you are much too young and lovely to spend your days with only your grandparents to keep you company." He walked over to her and took her in his arms, kissing her on her forehead. "Now get dressed and come down stairs."
She watched him go, her shoulders slumped in defeat. Slowly, she got to her feet and began to make herself ready for this man she was determined to despise.
Molly was startled when her door was shoved open and her cousin Janine made a dramatic entrance. "Molly darling, you had better hurry up. That delicious morsel of man will be here in any moment," she said, plopping down on the bed. "Must you wear your hair in such a severe manner?"
Molly watched as Janine stood again quickly and came to her, taking the clip from her hair before she could stop her. Janine eyed her shrewdly. "There…lovely," she sighed.
"Give me my clip," Molly snapped.
Janine's eyes narrowed. "No," she bit back. She reached out and ran her fingers threw Molly's curls, brushing the soft, silky tresses around her face. "Much softer and very beautiful, dearest cousin, though you try with all of your might to hide your beauty don't you?"
"Janine, give me that blasted clip," she snapped again.
Janine giggled. "Such language from a lady," she said, moving away and back to the bed. "And no, I will not give you the clip. I am so tired of the focus that our grandparents have on getting you married off. They invite the very best young men to all of their parties in the hopes of someone catching your eye. They are so very afraid that you will die a spinster, so much so that they neglect me completely. Unlike you, I have no qualms about marrying an attractive rich man."
"What in the devil does that have to do with me?" Molly snapped.
"Tut tut…" Janine said at Molly's coarse language. "One mustn't forget that one is a lady. And for your information, it has everything to do with you. They are so afraid of dying and you being without protection that it's become their obsession to get you married as soon as possible. Well what about me? I don't have an elder brother to introduce me properly to young men and our grandfather is too busy with you!"
"You've never let that stop you before," Molly said dryly.
"Don't be crass Molly," Janine said. "I have come to ask you a favor."
Molly turned and looked at her cousin with a raised brow. "Oh yes, what favor might that be?"
"I want you to pretend that you like Sherlock, so grandfather will stop worrying so much over you and start introducing me to some of the gorgeous young men he invites to his parties," she said, with her limpid blue eyes open to their widest extent. "Please Molls, be a dear…please? Just for a little while?"
"I'm afraid that's impossible, I simply loathe Sherlock Holmes," Molly said firmly, turning back to the mirror.
"You can't simply loathe him," Janine repeated, rolling her eyes. "You don't even know the beautiful man."
"Well why don't you go with him since you seem to be so taken with him?" Molly snapped, tossing her brush down roughly.
Janine smiled a knowing smile and bit her lip. She came to stand behind Molly and wrapped her arms around her. "Because he only has eyes for you Molls, a blind man could see that," she said, giggling. "My God, please don't tell me that you couldn't see how he was looking at you at the party? His eyes followed you everywhere, even when those other ridiculous women were trying to through themselves at his feet."
"I don't want to discuss this," Molly said, pulling away.
Janine sighed. "I never took you for a coward Molls," she said. "Anyways…can't you just be nice to him, for tonight. Maybe grandfather would be put at ease and then I could actually get some male attention. Please Molls…please…" Janine begged, batting her eyelashes playfully at her cousin.
Molly unsuccessfully tried not to smile, but a slow grin crossed her features. "Very well, I'll be nice to him," she promised. "But only for tonight and I absolutely will never go anywhere near him again, do you understand?"
Janine stood and gave her a mock salute before kissing her cheek and stepping from the room. She turned back before she closed the door. "Oh and Molls, you will want to hurry, there is a surprise waiting for you downstairs."
Molly descended down the stairs twenty minutes later. Despite the reservations and dread she felt towards the evening, she could not deny her curiosity was piqued by this surprise her cousin had mentioned.
"Molly…" a male voice called to her.
Her head snapped up in recognition of the voice and her eyes lit up as she gasped in sheer delight. "Jim," she squealed excitedly upon seeing her elder brother. She broke into a run and leapt into his arms. She was so enthralled at seeing the brother she so dearly loved and missed that she did not see the lone figure standing behind him looking at her with an amused expression.
Jim lifted her from her feet and held her to him. "Hello my sweet little sister," he said laughing.
"Why didn't you write and tell me that you were coming?" she asked as he sat her back down on her feet. She took a moment to look over his features, taking him in, looking to see how he had changed and stayed the same in the year that he had been gone.
"I can see you haven't grown any taller," he teased.
She laughed and threw her arms around him again, her mood shifting from anxiety and dread to one of pure joy. That was until she finally saw who was standing quietly behind her brother. Molly let go of Jim and stepped back as the smile from her face instantly fell.
Sherlock stared at her and for the briefest moment, something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone before she could really understand what it was. Jim noted the change in his sister and he looked behind him. "Oh…yes, Sherlock," Jim said. "Come and meet my baby sister."
Sherlock smiled. "I have already had that pleasure Jim," he said coming to stand beside him, both men now looking into Molly's frowning face. "As a matter of fact, I met your charming sister the other evening at your grandfather's cocktail party. It is not coincidence that you and I have run into each other, as I am here to escort your sister to the theater this evening."
Jim's eyes flashed surprise, but to Molly's dismay, it was a welcomed surprise. "Wonderful," Jim said, clapping his hands together. "My childhood friend and my sister. This is most gratifying news indeed."
"I can assure you that it is nothing to get so excited over," she bit out, barely able to keep her voice civil. "I am just accompanying him to see a play…nothing more." She turned her gaze directly on Sherlock; her eyes were hard and cutting.
Sherlock returned her gaze, his already glittering eyes intensifying. Jim looked back and forth between them before turning on his sister. "Molly, that was extremely rude and not at all like the sister than I remember," he said, admonishing her gently.
"The sister you remember no longer exists because I am no longer a child," she said in a hard voice. "And I do not appreciate my own brother, whom I haven't seen in over a year coming home and making assumptions."
Jim reared back slightly from the anger in her voice. "Molly, I am making no assumptions. I am merely stating that I think it's grand to see my best friend and my sister getting to know one another in a social setting. Sherlock is a wonderful man and you are very special to me. I am happy to know that I do not need to concern myself over this as I trust Sherlock with my life, so I know that I can trust him with my sister," he said softly, his face showing his confusion at his sister's anger and unhappiness.
She swallowed hard and looked down. "I am sorry Jim," she said. "You didn't deserve that. I just…I don't like when people take away my right to make my own decisions, as if I am incapable of making them," she said, looking pointedly at Sherlock again.
Sherlock had the decency to look slightly abashed. "I am afraid that I made a poor first impression on your sister, Jim. Her unhappiness is entirely my fault and I hope to rectify the situation by providing her with an enjoyable evening."
Jim's expression lightened. "I am sure that she will enjoy it very much. Molls has always enjoyed the theater," he said looking at her with unveiled affection. "I certainly do not wish to keep you, Sherlock," he added, taking his sister's hand and giving it to Sherlock.
Sherlock's fingers curled slowly and deliberately around her hand. "I won't keep her too late Jim, as I know that you both will have some catching up to do," he said, pulling Molly towards him, keeping his unwavering gaze upon her.
He led her outside and to his car that was waiting for them. Molly could feel his eyes on her and she could not prevent the flush that colored her cheeks. She glanced at him quickly from the corner of her eye and noted that his expression had changed and now his eyes were glinting and mocking.
She tried to wretch her hand from his, but he only tightened his grip and chuckled under his breath. "Truly I do apologize for whatever it is that I have done that has offended you so," he said. "I only wish to enjoy your company this evening and perhaps get to know you better. Can we not at least try to be civil to one another?"
"Alright Mr. Holmes," she said. "I am…" She was cut off as he interrupted her.
"Sherlock," he said. "Call me Sherlock, Molly.
She swallowed hard and prayed that he did not notice the way her body seemed to shiver when he said her name. It simply rolled from his tongue and moved over her skin as a lover's caress might. She cleared her throat as he opened the car door and held it open for her. "Alright Sherlock…she said softly. "Let us try to be civil to one another then."
She climbed into the car and he slid in beside her. She wrapped her arms around herself in a protective manner, her treacherous mind not letting her ignore how close he was to her and how her body seemed to want to turn towards his on its own.
If he noticed her internal struggle, he made no reaction to it at all, but he was not to be denied the pleasure of having her close to him. He scooted even closer to her, his body touching hers. "Now isn't this cozy?" he drawled, his manner completely at ease while there was a tornado tearing through her insides.
He stretched his long legs out in front of him and tapped the window with his cane, signaling to the driver that they were ready to go. He turned his head towards her and she could feel the heat of his gaze on her skin. "You look exquisite tonight, Molly," he said, softly. "I am glad that you wore your hair down, such silky loveliness should not be hidden away with clips and bows." He reached out and grasped one of her curls, twirling it around his finger.
She reached up to pull his hand away, but his fingers coiled around her hand. "You have beautiful hands Molly," he said, pulling her hand to his mouth and brushing his lips over her knuckles.
"Th-thank you," she said, barely above a whisper. She looked at him and he could see the apprehension and confusion in her eyes. He suddenly felt the strongest urge to reach out and pull her into his arms. He wanted to soothe her nerves and make her trust him.
He released her hand and placed it back in her lap. "You will enjoy the play tonight," he said conversationally, allowing whatever it was that had just happened between them to pass.
She seemed to be grateful to him for his attempt at lightning the mood. She smiled at him and it was a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said. "I'm sure I will."
He swallowed hard and turned away from her face, trying to ignore how her beauty and gentleness stirred him. He needed to remind himself as to why he was truly here with her tonight. He could not let sentiment get in the way of the goal. Both he and his brother Mycroft has spent too much time to allow this endeavor to fail.
And as much as he hated using this lovely girl beside him, she was in fact the key to everything falling into place.
Now you know I couldn't make this love story easy...there just has to be more too it...and so there is :)
Hugs and thanks again for reading! Love and appreciate all of you!
And yes her brother is the one and only James Moriarty...only Hooper in this, lol!