Chapter five: Wedding confessions

The wedding day,

For the fifth time, I wrenched free from the maid dressing me and lurched for the empty basin, on to dry heave again. I was so scared I was certain I was going to either faint, have a heart attack or wet myself. My mind hadn't made up which of the three it was going to do. I inhaled and straightened as my stepmother stepped into the room. My blood froze. I didn't want her in here, she wasn't my mother and we never had a good relationship. How could we, when my father married her five months after my mother had died?

She pursed her lips for a moment before turning to the maid. "You may go now; I'll take care of her."

I glowered slightly at her. "I don't need your help."

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively at the maid who hurried out of the room. My stepmother stepped towards me, her eyes running over every inch of me. "That maid tied your stays improperly."

"They're fine." I bite out.

"Nonsense." She spins me around and unties the stays. The maid had just tied me up and had been preparing to button me up when my stepmother had barged in to take control. I inhaled to protest, when she yanked hard at the strings, bringing my waist in. I was forced to grab onto my makeup table before I fell backwards on the floor. "You're a lady of society now." She pulled in sharply and I let out a sharp gasp as my sides began to ache. "You must look your best and not disgrace us."

I inhaled and spun around, grabbing her wrists. "You…are here," I spat as best as I could because my stays were so tight. "because…you are married….to my father." I shouldn't have reveled in the pain that flashed in her eyes for a moment, but I did. "You're not my mother… and I want…you gone." When she didn't move, I added. "I am….that little witch you've proclaimed me to be. I don't care for you…anymore than you care for me."

She moved to strike me, but something stopped her, her hand paused inches from my face. She lowered it and exhaled through her teeth. "No…. I won't strike you." For the first time, she spoke without even attempting to hide the hate that she felt for me. "I shall…wait for a later date. Believe me…. I don't need to do much to hurt you, after your husband will have hurt you far more than I could ever."

I immediately began to repeat Mrs. Holmes words. "Mrs. Holmes says-

"Anything that a wife has been told to say when her husband beats her." She spits at me. "Indeed, a very reliable source for a woman to believe."

I snort and roll my eyes. "Mr. Holmes-

"Has hurt his wife enough to successfully whip her into submission." She arches a brow. "Did you not fail to notice the scar above her right eye that she so carefully covers with powder? It is discernable still. She will tell you that she fell and hit it against the corner of the table. But my cousin, her doctor tells me….that it's from a whip."

I didn't believe my stepmother, she was a cruel woman, but I still couldn't help but shiver slightly at her words. "You're lying."

She arches a brow and smirks. "Call me what you want, but believe me, that Holmes family is worth nothing except for the money we can extract from them." Her eyes narrowed. "This shall be paid for fully by your virgin blood."

The blood drained from my face at her disgusting words and I pointed towards the door. "Get out. Now."

She laughs, or rather, cackles at me as she heads towards the door. "I wish…I could be there. So I could hear your screams as he throws you to the ground and-

"Get out now!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Now!"

The door flings open and Mycroft peers through the door, his face curious. "Might I ask what is going on, or would you simply prefer that I escort your stepmother to the front pew where she's supposed to be?" I can only nod and he takes a hold of my mother's arm. "I thought so. I shall send my mother in to help you. The ceremony starts shortly." He then addresses my stepmother. "I always hated stepmothers. Remind me too much of a nightmare from Grimm's Fairytales."

The moment he shut the door, I sank down into the chair and began breathing rapidly, my chest heaving violently as I struggled to breathe and contain my emotions. I reached behind me and pulled the corset free, allowing myself to inhale deeply. The door opened and I let out a started cry from my frazzled nerves. I exhaled deeply as I realized that it was Mrs. Holmes. I covered my heart with my hand. "I'm sorry. I'm just-

She placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know. I know. It's alright now."

Her words were soothing and calming to me. I slowly regained control of my emotions and stood up from the seat. "I'm fine now." Against my will, I found myself glancing at her right brow and true, there was a scar, but I was convinced that I wasn't a whip.

"Here," she reached for the ties and loosened them a bit. "let me help you. Honestly, you don't need to cinch yourself in so tight."

"My stepmother did that." I could feel her quickly buttoning up the back of the dress. I shivered nervously. "Oh, I wish my mother was here." I added hastily. "Not, that you're a poor substitute."

"I am a poor substitute." She said firmly. "I'm a mother-in-law, not your mother. I'm not going to be, nor will I try to be, however, if you wish I shall endeavor to talk to you as one." A tap on the door caused both of us to pause. "If it's anyone from my side of the family," she proclaimed. "go sit back down!"

"It's not." It was my father. "I've got a present from…Sherlock and myself."

I frowned in curiosity. "Come in then."

My father stepped into the doorway and paused as he studied me. He gazed at me for a long moment before turning to Mrs. Holmes. "May we have a moment of privacy?"

She nodded. "Just a moment though, it's almost time for the ceremony to start."

My father stepped towards me, but he didn't speak until Mrs. Holmes had closed the door. He exhaled and handed me a medium sized square box. "These were your mother's." I opened the box to reveal two bracelets with real diamonds in them. I frowned. If father needed money, why hadn't he pawned these? "They were her grandmother's." He explained as he clasped the bracelet on my wrist over my gloves. "She always planned to give them to you on your wedding day."

I couldn't help but ask. "How could her grandmother even afford them? We don't have any ties to a rich family."

He exhaled as he opened the long box, revealing a pink diamond necklace, from Sherlock. Fortunately, it wasn't a large one. It was made with refined taste. The stones weren't too large. He hadn't given me a birthday present yesterday, but then I suppose the cost of this necklace made it acceptable for both my birthday and wedding day.

"I wish, I had the time to explain it, but I cannot." He stepped behind me and fastened the necklace around my neck. "But believe me; I have my own reasons for forcing you into this marriage."

"Yes, the money, I noticed how desperately it was needed. I'll be sure to get my husband to write out a bank draft for you."

"If it were money then you wouldn't be in this situation." My father's tone changed to one of urgency. "But as I am your father and I love you, I forced you into this situation for your own safety."

Now he had me confused. "My safety? How could this be about safety?"

He exhaled. "I can't have explain, but believe me, when I swear to you that I had you marry Sherlock Holmes because I know that his family were the only people I could trust to keep you safe."

Now, he had me worried. "Father? What is it? You're scaring me now."

"That is not my intent, but I don't know when we'll see each other again. But," he glanced around and whispered. "beware of Moriarty and Adler."

The door opened and Mrs. Holmes came into the room. She paused. "I am so sorry, but we're ready for you two to walk down the aisle." She looked at me closely. "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" The words came out rather rushed and I inhaled. "Yes, I'm ready. Go ahead, we'll follow." She stepped out into the hall and I gripped my father's hand. "What is it? Are we in danger?"

"I am, you…are not anymore." Panic surged in my chest. "Now, don't worry." He patted my hand. "I found out what I could about Sherlock Holmes and he is the only man I know of who is powerful enough to protect you and has enough emotions to respect and care for you."

I shook my head. "Why….didn't you tell me this before? What is going on?"

He exhaled and reached for the bouquet of pink roses and handed them to me. "I don't have the time and what I've told you is too much. But, if I do die under any suspicious circumstance, you'll know I was right."

And so the play continues. Keep your eyes peeled for a second update later today.