Family Secrets
An Hope Holmes Adventure Chapter XXII
Faith Robin
He laid the gun down on the floor and slid it across the floor. It stopped somewhere behind me.
"No," I whispered hoarsely.
'Tie him up' Moriarty ordered tightening his grip on my waist. The minions grabbed him and held him still. The gun was removed from my rib cage and he shot my father. The world slowed down that few seconds.
"No!" I screamed and broke free of Moriarty's grip. I ran to my father's side.
"Hope," he whispered quietly. I held his hand and squeezed. Then I pulled my handkerchief out and pressed it to his chest. He tried to get up but fell back.
"Don't try to get up you are hurt badly," I whispered pressing the cloth on the wound. I could feel his pulse though the fabric. I heard the click of a gun behind me. I didn't react and continued to apply pressure.
"Hope move," My father said trying to get up and shield me.
"No," I said quietly, continuing with the pressure. The gun went off and I fell on top of him.
I woke with a start. I was drenched in sweat. I sat up and gasped. I looked around me trying to calm my racing heart. After a few moments I relaxed and stood up. I glanced at the clock it was nearly noon. I looked around for Granger. She had fallen asleep in the chair. I went to my room and splashed the water from the basin onto my face. I dried my face and stared into the mirror. My bun was loose and strands of hair were out of their assigned positions. I pulled out the bobby pins and let the tangled mess fall around my shoulders. I started brushing.
'Heavens what a dream, if I'm going to rescue Father I have to set aside my feelings,' I reminded myself, still feeling my heart pound. I finished up with my hair and changed my dress. I placed the dagger and pistol in their hiding places. I looked in on Granger. She was still fast asleep.
'I won't bother her right now,' I decided. I went back into my quarters and opened my makeup table. I laid out my necessities and sat in front of the mirror. I started applying the makeup. I would leave as an adult woman and hopefully return with some answers. 'Answers that will help me regain father,' I thought to myself. Soon after would I discover that I would regret this action.
I finished with my makeup and went to the lavatory. I went under the sink and pulled out a package of yellow hair dye. I pulled out a coin sized pill of the dye. I plugged and filled the sink full of water. I dropped the pill into the water and watched the pill saturate into the water. I breathed deeply and held it for a few moments.
'Remember you are doing this for Father,' I reminded myself as I exhaled and as I had second thoughts about dying my hair. I looked down at the sink filled with the dye. 'It's ready,' I thought as I took one last look at my reflection as Miss Hope Russell a.k.a Miss Hope Holmes. I took a deep breath and plunged my long black hair into the sink with the yellow dye.
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