Chapter seven: Sherlock's revelation

Sherlock had missed the entire reception. Fortunately, for me, John, Mary Morstan and Mrs. Holmes stayed with me for the entire evening. John and Mary were very kind to me. We'd spent most of the reception getting to know each other. John told me all about the adventures and troubles that Sherlock would get himself into. It was fascinating and I encouraged him to write their adventures down.

Everyone at the party was cold and insipid towards me. Sherlock's disappearance had left us open to quite a bit of talk, even after I'd announced that I'd insisted that my husband leave our wedding day to help solve a murder. I'd faked emotions, stating that one of the reasons why I'd admired and loved him was the way he helped others. By the end of my speech, I was certain that I was going to burn in hell for all the lies I'd told.

John and Mary were great company. John was obviously head over heels in love with this lovely blonde; Mary had a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh. John kept me entertained with stories of Sherlock and he fortunately didn't press me too much about how Sherlock and I met and all that. Mary seemed to realize that the marriage wasn't exactly what it was expected to be, but she didn't let on. My father didn't stay for the reception. He'd taken my stepmother and had immediately left. He'd left a note with Mr. Holmes, with instructions for me to open it tomorrow morning.

I was almost sorry when the evening started to end. It was 8:00 and Sherlock had been absent for approximately seven hours. He must be helping tracking the murderer down. The man must be close or either Sherlock had decided to skip the entire wedding and cause more chatter.

As I walked up the stairs with Mrs. Holmes last night, I then realized I didn't know where I was sleeping. God knew when Sherlock was going to be back home and what kind of condition he was going to be in.

I swallowed thickly and cleared my throat. "Where, I mean…which room?" I closed my eyes, unable to answer.

Mrs. Holmes patted my shoulder. "Follow me." I walked down the hall and she opened a door for me. She turned on a light and I blinked. A quick glance showed me that I was in Sherlock's room. I swallowed nervously and she spoke. "He told me to tell you, that you have nothing to fear tonight."

However, her words did little to calm me down. I'd gone in and they'd sent Mrs. Hudson to help me out of my wedding dress and into my nightclothes. I'd curled up into the left side of the bed and closed my eyes. I might have nodded off, for when I opened my eyes up; I could see a familiar shape of a man at the dresser on the opposite end of the room. I would have screamed, but I recognized Sherlock's familiar curls.

I reached over and turned on the light, which fortunately, the switch was by my bed. I clicked on the light and Sherlock spun around to look at me, his eyes were wide in surprise. I looked at him and my heart thudded in my chest. The only thing he was wearing was his pants again. However, the thing that startled me was all the blood in his hair and on his face. "You're bleeding."

"It's not mine." Sherlock evidentially recovered from his shock. "What are you doing here?"

I flushed in embarrassment. "I-I thought…it was obvious. Your mother-

"Failed to realize that our marriage is temporary and in name only." My face stiffened in shock and I almost fainted. I could only watch him as he wiped the blood from his face. "I hope you didn't drink too much at the wedding. That would be the only cause that would serve for you forgetting about our arrangement."

I tilted my head to the side. "Arrangement?"

"Yes." He said calmly as he began wiping the blood off his chest. "I sent you a letter on your birthday, remember?"

I frowned in confusion. "I didn't…receive anything from you."

Sherlock paused and turned to face me. "Didn't you get a letter from me? I sent you one yesterday."

I shook my head. "No. I got nothing."

He groaned and walked over to me. I shifted and pulled the covers up a bit more around me. He exhaled. "Had you received the letter, it would have been the most wonderful present I could have given you. Your freedom."

I shook my head. "I-I don't understand."

He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Look, you didn't want to get married to me and I didn't want to get married to you. Frankly, I wasn't at all interested until you mentioned your mother and your belief about the circumstances of her death."

Light began to break over me as I began to comprehend the meaning of his words. I could only stare at him. "You, you mean that….you simply married me, to get permission to dig up my mother's corpse?"

Sherlock looked down at me. "Of course I did. Why else would I marry you? I told you, I wasn't interested in relationships, so why would I wish to assume a relationship with you?"

Everything began to become embarrassingly clear. "Why didn't you tell me this?" I demanded as fear and anger surged up inside me.

"I did!"

I jumped out of the bed and shouted at him. "No, you did not!"

"I set you a note with your birthday present yesterday!"

"I never got the letter, note or the present!" I shouted. "Three items can't all go missing by the post."

He ran his hands through his hair in agitation. "I didn't use the post, I had Mycroft," his face still as realization flooded over him. "ohh, Mycroft. It had to have been."

"Don't go blaming your brother for your carelessness!" I snapped as Sherlock looked at me. I glanced down at myself, realized that I was dressed in only my nightshift. I flushed and screamed. "Don't look at me!"

"Then put something on!" He shouted. "For God's sake, you're standing there virtually naked!"

I reached for his red night robe that was draped on the edge of the bed and pulled it around me as my face heated. "And you don't suppose I just realized that? The least you could do is avert your gaze!"

"It's nothing I haven't seen before." He glowered at me as someone tapped on the door. "Come in Mycroft!"

Mycroft came into the room; he was still in his clothes. His eyes darted around the room before studying us. "Pardon me, but could you two keep your….affectionate overtures down on a more quiet level?"

"Affectionate overtures?" I snapped. "We're having an argument."

"As there's a fine line between love and hate," he stated simply. "those particular emotions are all the same to me."

I groaned and tucked my hands into Sherlock's dressing robe sleeves. "Oh, will you talk to him?"

Sherlock frowned. "Why me?"

"He's your brother!"

"Your brother-in-law!"

I shook my head. "Well, is our marriage in name only or not? If not, then you should speak to your brother!"

Mycroft groaned. "Look, can't the two of you just go to sleep now and settle this in the morning? It's rather late for this."

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you?" He tilted his head to the sight with a tight smile on his face before hissing. "Get her out of here Mycroft!"

"Why?" Mycroft asked calmly. "She is your wife. Where else would she be?"

Sherlock snapped at him. "she is not my wife!"

"You married her today. Everyone saw."

"I'm sure I can prove that there was some kind of drug induced into everyone's systems that produced hallucinations. The average human memory on visual matters is only 62% accurate!"

"For God's sake Sherlock," Mycroft rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. "before you do anything drastic, why don't you take a few days to get to know her?"

"No!" Sherlock snapped. "I told you, I only married her to have the authority to dig up her mother's corpse! Her father wouldn't have given me permission and she certainly doesn't have the authority to give me the permission. I do now! I certainly don't need this weak, empty-headed female in my life for any reason!" My mouth fell open in shock. "Women were designed for pleasing men. Or at least, that's what their main function is intended to be."

Mycroft groaned. "Sherlock, don't be-

"She doesn't please me, nor do I want to be pleased, so therefore! I want this insignificant person out of my room now!"

I couldn't think of anything to say. My mind was in such a furious swirl that I thought I was going to faint. I couldn't stand here a moment later. I ran out of the room, shoving Sherlock to the side. Mycroft stepped aside out of my rush. I ran down the hall, straight down the stairs and out the front door into the cold night. As I slammed the door, I heard Sherlock shouting something about coming back with his robe.

Sorry about the delay, I've had a very busy day today. I might not be able to post a chapter tomorrow, but I shall try!