December 16: "Mary Watson's and the Scotland Yard Wives Club" (from Madam'zelleGiry)
A/N: I came up with all of the wives names myself, since as far as I can remember, none of them are named in the canon. (So if I've got that wrong, I'm sorry guys! And let me know if that's the case. Thanks.)
It was Mrs. Helen Lestrade who had initially thought of the idea—and Mary Watson could not agree more—that they form a little club for the wives of the Scotland Yard detectives, and women in similar plights. After all, Helen and Mary had become close friends after hours spent worrying and complaining about their husbands' dangerous work together, and they could not help but think that there must be others who should benefit from similar experiences.
Now, after three months of meeting every other week in various members' homes, they had amassed seven total members. It was a small club, but a club nonetheless.
This meeting was being held at Alice Gregson's house, and Mary and Helen decided to ride together to the Gregson's that evening. It was a relatively short ride, but long enough to for Mary to perceive Helen's clasping and unclasping hands, and other signs of anxiety.
"Is something troubling you, dear?" Mary asked gently.
Helen bit her lip nervously. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little concerned about meeting with Alice Gregson, and after all of the things my husband has said about hers, I'm just not sure I will have it in me to be very kind to her."
"Nonsense," said Mary, laying a kind hand on her friend's shoulder. "I know you; you are much too kind to treat anyone ill, regardless of what your husband says. Besides, I've met Alice. She's a very sweet woman, and I'm sure the two of you will get along very nicely."
"If you say so," Helen replied dubiously.
When the pair arrived, Elsie Bradstreet and Dorothy Jones were already there, as well as Alice Gregson, of course, and within the next few minutes, Ada Baynes and Ellen Hopkins both arrived.
Their "meetings", as they called them, were very informal, and mostly consisted of sharing stories, worries, and fears for a couple of hours, and then returning home feeling refreshed after sharing with other women who truly understood their plight.
"…And of course, I was up half the night worrying myself to death," Alice Gregson was saying to the others, "Toby showed up at some God-forsaken hour of the night, and had the nerve to ask me why I hadn't gone to bed!"
"Geoffrey's done the same to me!" Helen exclaimed.
"They're all like that," said Ada Baynes sagely.
After about half an hour, Alice's maid came to announce that they seemed to have a late arrival.
"Helen, did you know of anyone else coming?" asked Mary.
Helen shook her head. "Did you, Alice?"
"No," Alice replied. "Well, she is welcome, whoever she is. Bring her in."
A minute later, a very flustered middle-aged woman entered.
Mary Watson gasped. "Why, Mrs. Hudson! I didn't know you were coming!"
"Good evening, ladies," she said, flustered. "I am sorry if I am intruding….I—I was told I ought to come to this address."
"By whom?" asked Mary, gently ushering to a seat.
"Your husband," said she, shaking her head. "I'm not entirely sure what happened…"
"Take your time," said Helen gently.
"Well," said Mrs. Hudson, "I was doing a little dusting in the front hall, when the door flew open and Mr. Holmes stumbled in, white as a ghost, blood soaking through him all over. I thought I would faint, but recovered a moment later. By then, the Doctor—your husband, I mean—was helping Mr. Holmes up the stairs to tend to him. I followed them up, but I was so flustered I didn't know what to do with myself! I've seen blood before, ladies, but heavens above, I have never seen Mr. Holmes or anyone else in such a horrible condition!"
"Will he be all right?" asked Alice, echoing the thoughts of all the others.
"Dr. Watson said he could fix him up all right, and that I ought not worry myself, but I could not help but worry!" Mrs. Hudson threw her hands in the air in a gesture of defeat, then shook her head. "I can't remember exactly what I said, but then the Doctor wrote down this address, and told me I ought to wait here for a while."
"His instincts were sound," said Elsie Bradstreet with a kind smile. "All of us have been in situations similar to yours before, and will be again."
"This is the Scotland Yard Wives Club," Helen explained, in answer to Mrs. Hudson's confused expression. "We meet to discuss fears, griefs, and to share stories with one another.
"Though we are not all exactly wives of Yarders," said Mary with a smile. "And I am sure that if you ever wish to join us again, you would be very welcome to."
There were Of course's and Oh, yes's and Please do's all around the room.
Mrs. Hudson breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "That is good to hear. I daresay I have plenty of fears, griefs, and stories to share, if you would care to hear them."
Mary smiled. "That's exactly why we are all here," said she.