"It will be good to see Emily again." Louis Moriarty remarked as he and his brothers rode in a carriage headed for the Rockwell Estate.
"It's been three years since she left to travel the world with her grandfather." Albert agreed. "I can't wait to see how she's grown."
"She'll be nearing the age to debut." William said thoughtfully as he looked out the window. Though his expression was unreadable to any other, Louis knew exactly what his brother was thinking. He was looking forward to seeing their friend again, but also worried about the future that lay ahead for her.
"Perhaps that's why the earl wanted to speak with us." Albert remarked, having also understood what William was thinking. "After all, he knows that we care for Emily more than his son does."
William smiled softly. "Of course. After all, she joined us even before you did." He closed his eyes as he began to recall the past.
物語の過去
It was the early morning of April 1st, 1866, and a small crowd had gathered outside the blaze that had engulfed the Moriarty Estate in the suburbs of London. As the fire raged while the brigade worked to stop it, two carriages suddenly arrived on the scene. From within the first carriage, two men and a small girl scrambled out. Emily, dressed in her nightgown, stood at a distance with her father and grandfather as she stared at the flames in horror.
Then, from within the inferno, three boys trudged out, the eldest guiding the younger two.
"Are you all right?!" Someone asked urgently.
"Doctor, quickly!!" Another person called.
"My name is Albert..." The oldest boy began, "I'm the eldest son of Count Moriarty, Albert James Moriarty!" Despite the circumstances, he was smiling as he added, "And…these two… are my brothers… William James Moriarty… and Louis James Moriarty."
Emily's face lit up in that moment, 'They're alive!!' She started to take a step forward, but the moment her foot hit the ground, pain lanced through her head. With a silent cry, she clutched her head in agony. However, she then looked back up at the three boys and noticed the burn on Louis' cheek. "Louis!" Ignoring her headache for the moment, Emily rushed over to the three boys, who looked at her with a hint of surprise. She stared at Louis' injury for a moment before suddenly turning to the servants who had been in the second carriage and began giving orders. "Quickly! Soak a blanket in water and bring it for Louis!" She gently took the youngest boy's hand and pulled him away from the other two. "Albert and William must be doused immediately, but we mustn't get any water on Louis' face!"
The servants and others around them immediately responded to the girl's authoritative commands. Albert and William were promptly doused in water, while a wet blanket was wrapped around Louis. Emily carefully dabbed his face and hair with a damp handkerchief, being careful to avoid where he was burned. Once that was done, the wet blanket was tossed aside and all three boys were wrapped in dry ones before being swept into the second carriage. Emily also clambered into this carriage, while the doctor who had arrived on the scene was ushered into the first carriage. Emily sat beside Louis, monitoring him carefully as the carriage sped back toward her family's townhouse, but William couldn't help noticing how heavily she was breathing.
When they arrived at the estate, Emily promptly had somebody dump a glass of brandy into a basin of water. She soaked a cloth in this mixture and climbed onto the sofa beside Louis. She held out another, dry cloth to William, who was sitting on the other side. "Have him bite down on this." She told William before looking at Louis gravely. "Louis, this is going to hurt." She warned, "I apologize, but it must be done."
Louis nodded in understanding, already holding the dry cloth between his teeth as his brother took his hands. Emily reached up and gingerly applied the soaked handkerchief to his burn. Louis was unable to completely contain his cry as he bit down on the cloth, squeezing his brother's hands tightly. "Ooh… I'm sorry…" Emily whimpered, "I know it hurts, but it will help prevent an infection. I wish there was a less painful way to do this…" As she continued to dab at the wound gently, Albert noticed that Emily's face was flushed, and her breathing was growing ragged.
"There…" Emily said as she sat back. "I think… that should do it…"
"Emily? Are you all right?" Albert asked with concern.
Suddenly, the girl swayed and teetered off of the sofa.
"Em!!!" William cried in alarm. Albert, who had already been approaching her, managed to catch her in his arms.
"Emily!" The girl's mother screamed.
William quickly moved to kneel down and check on Emily while Louis watched from his spot on the sofa.
"Emily! Can you hear me? Emily!" William called. He moved to check her temperature and was surprised when she weakly grasped his hand. Emily's eyes opened just a little as she gazed at him.
"Louis… make sure… they treat Louis… first…" That was all she managed to say before she passed out completely.
"Emily!" Albert exclaimed.
"Brother, this is…" Louis began, and William's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What is it?" Albert asked.
Louis turned to him, "It's just like when we first met her…"
Albert's eyes widened as his mind went back to the day he had first met these three.
"I beg you, forgive my absence last week, but… It seems I caught a bit of a cold." It was right after that apology one year earlier that everything had began.
"There's nothing to forgive, Lord Moriarty." The sister assured, "Your visits are a high point for the children and brighten their day." She looked a bit worried as she added, "But frankly, shouldn't you be back at home, resting and building up your strength?"
At this, Albert smiled bitterly. "I would… but it hardly feels like home these days." He admitted. There was a reason for that. If home is where the heart is, then it might've been more accurate to say that Albert James Moriarty did not have a home. After all, his father went on and on about maintaining the family's image, but was brazen enough to take both his wife and his mistress to parties with him. His mother would speak of "noblesse oblige" and philanthropy, but in reality, she hated commoners. Meanwhile, his younger brother was already the type of twisted person who took pleasure in other people's suffering. Even the servants were condescending and scornful. What about such a place could be home for this kind young man?
"There you are! Can you read this book to us?"
"Of course." Albert replied, "I'll be right there—" He stopped as he realized that the girl hadn't been talking to him, but to another orphan—one he had never seen before.
Sitting in the center of where the children were gathered were two boys and a small girl, none of whom Albert recognized. The tallest (and presumably oldest) of the three was a boy with pale blond hair. The other boy sitting beside him had slightly darker blond hair. Nestled on the other side of the first boy was a little girl whose hair was concealed by the scarf she was wearing, though her strawberry blonde bangs did peek out.
"Here! This is the book that one of the nobles gave us to read." Said the girl who had spoken before. This child was one Albert knew; a little girl whose light brown hair was always in twin braids.
"Those two boys and that little girl… I don't think I've seen them before…" The young nobleman said, referring to the three new faces.
"Ah yes…" The sister turned her attention to her charges as she answered, "We took the brothers and their friend in just last week while you were away." As the eldest of the three opened the book and began to read it aloud, the sister continued, "The younger brother is so sickly and frail, the poor thing. But that aside, all three are literate, and the two boys even know Latin. Moreover, the oldest one is knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects, especially maths and chemistry. Whenever he opens his mouth, he leaves adults speechless." She explained, "He says he knows so much because they used to stay in an abandoned library, but I believe the Lord must have gifted him with high intelligence from birth."
Albert watched the three of them. The little girl was clinging to the oldest child's arm as she leaned over to look at the book for herself. The younger of the two brothers seemed to be paying more attention to his older brother than the book. Of these three, only two were siblings, yet they had arrived together and were clearly close. Not only that, but all three of them could read? What an unusual trio.
Shortly thereafter, the Sister called the children to come and greet Albert. The elder of the two brothers politely introduced himself and his brother, Louis. Louis, the one that the Sister had said was sickly, seemed to be a very quiet child. As for the little girl, she was practically hiding behind the older of the two boys, but upon being introduced, she stepped forward and curtsied gracefully to Albert.
"How do you do? I am Em. It is a great honor to make your acquaintance, Lord Moriarty."
Albert was stunned. Everything from her curtsy to her speech had been flawless—the level of etiquette one would expect from a noble's child. 'No…' Albert thought to himself, 'Even most noble children can't introduce themselves that well. Not at her age.' When she had finished her greeting, the little girl immediately latched onto her friend's arm again, hiding her face in his sleeve. Apparently, she was extremely shy. Nonetheless, Albert smiled kindly at her. "My, my! What wonderful manners!" He praised her, "It's very nice to meet you as well." Em continued to bury her face in her friend's coat, but Albert didn't take this personally as he addressed the oldest boy again, "How old are you three?"
The boy smiled politely, "I'm ten, and Louis just turned nine. As for Em, she'll be six on March 15th."
"Congratulations to both of you." Albert said with a smile.
In the days that followed, Albert observed the three children. The oldest boy had piqued his interest, but he also found himself observing the much younger Em. She was usually at the eldest boy's side, but she often fussed over Louis out of concern for his health. She also tended to the other children whenever they incurred even the smallest of injuries. He learned from the older of the two brothers that she had read Notes on Nursing by Florence Nightingale the previous autumn, due to her concern about Louis' health. When she wasn't fussing over someone, Em was either helping the eldest boy to teach the other children things like math and reading, or she was learning from the boy herself. From observing them, Albert soon realized that the little girl was also highly intelligent (apparently, she even helped the sister with the bookkeeping), and she seemed to revere Louis' brother. The way she fussed over others, kindly taught children older than herself, helped the Sister, and followed after the oldest boy was endearing. However, Albert could only ever observe her at a distance, because she would clam up if he approached.
There was one other thing that stood out to him, and that was Em's impeccable manners. Both of the boys were very polite too, but considering her age, Em was on another level even compared to them. Not only could she greet people perfectly, but her posture, the way she stood, and the way she walked were all elegant. When she sat, she crossed her ankles to the side and placed her hands upon her lap. No matter how you looked at it, everything she did implied that she had been raised with care. It was hard to believe that she was truly from the East End.
One day, the young nobleman came across a strange scene as he arrived at the orphanage. The oldest of the three children was kneeling in the dirt and writing with his finger. Em was sitting beside him on her knees. She was clutching onto her friend's coat and leaning into him, as if she was afraid, yet her gaze was fixed solely on what he was doing. There was a sparkle of fascination in her eyes. Gathered around them and looking at what the boy was doing were four men from the working class.
"According to these calculations, one person can advance at a rate of roughly ten inches per hour." The boy summarized, "Taking into account the firmness of the soil… in order to dig a distance of forty yards, it would require a week of labor."
As he said this, the little girl's gaze snapped upwards toward him, "But there are 24 hours in a day. Wouldn't they get awfully tired?" She asked.
The older child chuckled softly as he smiled warmly at the girl. "That's right. But I meant for one person. There are four men here, so how many hours a day would they each need to dig?"
At this, the younger child smiled brightly in excitement. "Six!" She chirped. "If they each dug for six hours, they'd achieve twenty-four hours worth of progress!"
Her friend chuckled again, "That's correct."
"Oh, but…" She tilted her head curiously, "How many inches is forty yards anyway?"
He smiled patiently, "Well, there are twelve inches in a foot and three feet in a yard, so how many inches are in a yard?"
"Thirty-six." She answered easily.
"That's right." He told her, "So, what is thirty-six times forty?"
"Hm… let's see…" The child murmured as she began writing in the dirt with her own finger. "Four times six is twenty-four, so we write down the four and carry the two… Four times three is twelve, plus two, is fourteen, so four times thirty-six is 144, but since this is forty times thirty-six, we add a zero to the end to get 1,440."
The older boy gave her a pleased smile, "That's correct, very good." It was clear that he liked watching her figure things out.
"Hm…" The little girl murmured, her brow furrowing cutely as she pondered something.
Her friend smiled with interest as he tilted his head, "What is it?
"Twelve times twelve is 144, and twelve times two is twenty-four, so… wouldn't it actually take six days, not seven?"
He smiled warmly again, clearly pleased that she had noticed this fact on her own, "You're correct, but… there are variables that we can't take into account here, and besides, six days is very close to a week, isn't it?"
"Yes it is." She agreed.
One of the men standing there chuckled, having watched this exchange, "You've got quite the head for numbers too, missy." He praised, "You're making us grownups look bad."
For some reason, the little girl responded by squeaking in alarm before clinging to her friend. She buried her face into his coat as she trembled.
The men were confused at first, but then they chuckled in light-hearted amusement, likely thinking that the girl was just shy. It was at that moment that one of them noticed Albert standing nearby. The man in question sighed as he stood up properly, which prompted the two children to stand up as well. "What do you say, fellas?" The man began as he started erasing the calculations by kicking at the dirt with his foot. "I guess we'd better get back to our work then, huh? If we don't get a move on, we'll never finish today."
"Problem solving again?" Albert asked as the men left. The boy turned toward him as he continued. "You're like an advisor to the townspeople… actually, more like a consultant, I would say."
"The truth is… this is how I've gotten by." The boy explained. The little girl was still glued to his side, half-hiding behind him as he spoke, "When I help others, they give me food or money in gratitude. It's a more peaceful way of living… as opposed to stealing…" Then he smiled. "Anyway, if I come across someone in a dire situation, and I'm able to help them, then I like to do whatever I can for them." At that moment, the younger child tugged on his hand, prompting him to look down at her. "What is it, Em?"
"I want to learn how to solve equations like the one you were doing just now." She said with her eyes fixed on his.
The older boy smiled gently as he petted the girl's head, "It's probably a bit too early for you to learn that… you would need to learn the order of operations and a bit of geometry first… then again… you've already a mastery of multiplication and division, so perhaps you're ready to learn about exponents now."
"My, exponents already?" Albert began, kneeling down to the little girl's eye level with a kind smile, "That's quite impressive. I'd venture you're already better at maths than my younger brother. Huh?" He stopped when he noticed that the small girl was now hiding behind her friend entirely, refusing to meet his gaze.
At this, the older boy frowned in concern and turned to look at his brother, who was standing nearby, "Louis? Why don't you take Em inside now? I'll be along shortly."
"Yes, Brother." The younger boy said obediently. In response, the little girl took his hand and allowed him to take her inside.
"Please forgive her." The older boy said to Albert as he watched the pair go, still frowning in concern. "She's afraid of men, especially noblemen."
Albert looked surprised as he stood up. "But she doesn't seem to be afraid of you and your brother?" He noted.
"Though we are tall for our age, I am only ten, and my brother Louis is nine, so I expect she still sees us as children like herself. Her fears only pertain to adults." The boy explained.
"I see…" Albert frowned as he looked in the direction that Louis and the small girl had gone. "The poor girl. She must've gone through something truly horrible, to be so wary like that." It was quite clear that the child lacked the wide-eyed wonder of other small children.
"Yes…" The boy replied as his expression morphed into something akin to sadness, "…But unfortunately, nobody knows exactly what that 'something' was." He explained.
"Have you and your brother known her for very long?" Albert asked. He had heard that the three of them had arrived together, but perhaps they'd simply found her right before that.
"We met her last summer." The boy answered, "At that time… she had collapsed from a fever, and when she awoke… she couldn't remember anything, not even her name." His gaze was downcast as he recalled the state the girl had been in. "I could tell… that she had escaped from something terrible. Even now, she's still very fearful. The only time that she ever lets her guard down is when she's doing maths."
"Are you the one who taught her that?" Albert asked. It was strange enough for a child to be able to read in this area, but even noble children her age weren't able to multiply and divide.
"Some…" The boy replied, "…But the truth is that she already knew quite a bit before that. I'm not sure where or how she learned it…" He admitted before smiling softly as he looked in the direction she and Louis had gone. "…But I like watching her enjoy it. She deserves that much, at least."
Albert smiled softly, having caught a glimpse of the kindness within this young boy's heart. "You said that she doesn't remember her name. Is there a reason that you call her 'Em'?" He asked out of curiosity.
"That was the only thing she could remember…" The boy replied, "…But none of us are sure whether she is remembering the first syllable of her name or the first letter."
"I see…"
Not long after, Albert heard of a vault that had been broken into by way of an underground tunnel that was forty yards long. Though he didn't want to suspect a child of conspiracy, he couldn't help but begin to wonder. It was just after that that he learned the truth about what kind of person that brilliant orphan boy was.
"Then… the nobility are good people, right?" Said the voice of the young brunette whose hair was always in braids. Albert had been told that the children were gathered in the orphanage chapel and had come to find them, but he stopped when he heard the conversation within.
"Very true." Replied the voice of the scarlet-eyed boy. "Every day, they wear the finest clothes, eat delicious food, and fall asleep in their warm beds. That's on account of their forefathers and their contributions to this great land." He explained, "The upper class are important."
"Ohhh!" The brunette gasped in fascination.
"Perhaps… but they're not all good." Said a boy with dark hair, "They sneer down at me from their carriages and treat me like rubbish." He lamented. "Once, one even accused me of stealing and whipped me as punishment in the middle of town."
"My poor mother… They made her work all the time… until she fell sick and died!" A girl whose black hair was pulled into a low ponytail chimed in sadly. She sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.
As he watched, Albert saw Em scoot closer to the scarlet-eyed boy, clinging to his jacket as she leaned against him, "They scare me." She whimpered, looking up at the boy with fear in her eyes, "I'm scared of even being seen by them!"
The boy closed the book he'd been reading with the gentle smile of a teacher. "So then, what happens when a bad nobleman shows up? Well? Remember what I told you before?"
"We fight 'em!!" Exclaimed the little brunette with a bright smile.
"Fight them!! Kill them!!! Bring death to every evil noble!!" The group of children chanted in unison.
The boy stroked Em's hair and smiled at the others cheerfully as he spoke, "All you have to do to make this country perfect is get rid of the evil people."
Albert managed to avoid being seen as the other children exited the chapel and went on their way. It seemed that only the scarlet-eyed boy and Em had remained. The boy continued smiling gently as he looked down at the girl and stroked her hair reassuringly.
"If we get rid of all the evil people, then you won't have to be afraid anymore, Em." He said kindly. Em didn't say anything as her eyes filled with tears. She suddenly buried her face in his jacket to hide them. "Come now." The boy said gently as he stood up and helped Em to her feet. "There's no need to cry." He assured her as he took out a scrap of cloth that apparently served as his handkerchief and began to dry Em's eyes with it. "No more tears, all right?" Em nodded silently as she looked up at him in admiration. It was at this moment that Albert chose to come forward.
"I found that to be an outstanding lecture." Em gasped in fear as she noticed the young nobleman's presence, clinging to her friend as they both looked at Albert.
"You are quite the teacher." Albert continued, "Still… making an enemy of the nobility means picking a quarrel with the whole country. Can you fight them? The entire system?"
He had only wondered if the boy had considered this factor, but to his surprise, the ten-year-old smirked, his scarlet eyes glinting in the dim light of the chapel. "That's the idea! Our lives should be seen as equal in value. We all deserve the right to happiness." He asserted, "But in this country, that possibility doesn't exist. It's a luxury only the rich can afford. This class system is a curse on the civilization. It causes people's hearts to become poisoned and twisted. As a result… it gives rise to devils. Therefore… the opposite must also be true." He theorized before turning toward the stained-glass window behind him and spreading his arms out, as if basking in the light. "Once the demon is exorcised, the heart can become pure, and the curse lifted. Mark my words: This country will be purified." Albert's eyes widened in realization as he understood just how far the boy's thoughts had gone. "Are you going to report me to Scotland Yard?" The boy asked. He turned a sidelong smirk towards Albert as Em began to cling onto his coat again. "You are a nobleman. Do you also wish to see this country's true beauty?"
Em gazed at Albert, her large amethyst eyes filled with fear. She was aware that Louis was standing behind the young noble with a knife in his hand. She knew that if it came down to it, her friend would stab the young man to silence him and the three of them would then make a run for it. Despite that, the fear in her gaze was directed at Albert himself.
For his part, Albert was aware of the danger that he was in. Regardless of whether he knew that Louis was there, he could tell by the elder brother's expression that he would not be leaving alive if he wished to rat them out. Fortunately, he didn't care, because his intentions were the exact opposite.
"…Please, come and live with me."
The eyes of all three orphans widened in shock.
"Please come and live with me." Albert repeated as he spread his arms out. "I wish to combine my noble status with your brilliant mind. With my wealth, my privilege, and my loyalty… you shall have all the tools you need to realize your ambitions. Use them as you please, and show me the world… as you wish it to be."
Louis lowered the knife as he and his brother stared at the other boy in surprise. Suddenly, the elder brother looked down as he realized that Em's grip upon his coat had tightened. For some reason, she was burying her face in his coat again. "Em…?"
"…You should go with him…" Em said without looking up.
The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "Em…"
Em still did not look up and trembled as she continued, "I know what the doctor said. Louis needs surgery. If you go with Lord Albert, he'll be able to get it. He'll be able to live. That's the whole reason we came to this orphanage, so that Louis could be treated! How could I be selfish and ask you to stay here with me now that an opportunity has come?!" It was clear that she was shaking not out of fear, but because she was crying, which was all the more reason that the three boys stared at her in shock.
"…Em…" The scarlet-eyed boy said. It wasn't that he was protesting. Rather, he was simply shocked that such a little girl was capable of thinking that way. He knew better than anyone that she was intelligent, but that did not equate to being able to understand the depth of the situation. It certainly didn't equate to the willingness to sacrifice her own safety (from Em's point-of-view,at least) to save Louis' life.
Albert actually recovered from the shock of the situation more quickly than the boy. He smiled softly and approached the pair of children before kneeling down to Em's level and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. This prompted her to look at him, but surprisingly, she didn't scream or try to run away, only looking at him with tear-filled eyes."You're a very brave girl." Albert told her with a gentle smile. "Even though you're afraid, you're willing to stay here alone in order to save your friend." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Tell me…" He reached forward and began drying the tears that had stained the girl's face. "Why are you so afraid? What is it that you fear?"
Em looked down in response. "When a street orphan goes missing… nobody notices or bothers to look for them… because nobody cares… I'm scared that… a noble will see me and take me away…" She explained, "It's a little safer here than on the streets, but… not really. If somebody went missing, the sister might go to Scotland Yard… but they wouldn't do anything. They might pretend to look for a while, but they wouldn't really try. The only ones I feel safe with are these two, because they're smarter than most adults."
Albert smiled sadly at the girl. "I see… to you, these two are the only ones you can count on to protect you." Em sniffled and nodded in response. Albert was grateful that she had told him, but also troubled that the child's trust in adults had been shattered. He reached forward and placed his hand on her head gently, "Then how's this? From now on, if anyone from this orphanage goes missing, no matter who it is, I'll make sure they're found. I can't protect all of the children of London, but I can at least look out for the ones living here. I promise, I will protect you in their stead."
Em's eyes widened in surprise at Albert's words, but then she averted her gaze. "Nobles sometimes break promises. We met a noble like that once before."
The green-eyed boy smiled sadly, "Yes, I suppose you're right…" He admitted before gently pressing his handkerchief into her hand. "Then keep this as a token of my promise just now. It has my name on it."
She shook her head slowly, "That doesn't mean much. You could just tell people that I stole it." Despite saying this, she clutched the handkerchief tightly and continued, "…But… I know that if you break your promise, these two will punish you, so I'll accept your token."
Albert smiled kindly and chuckled in relief. "If that makes you feel even a little better, then that's fine." He said as he reached forward and patted her head. It would take time to completely earn the little girl's trust, but at least she wasn't hiding anymore. She had finally met his gaze and spoken to him. She had allowed him to approach her. That was enough for now.
It was then that he noticed that Em was not hiding her hair with her scarf at the moment. For the first time, he could see that she had lovely, strawberry blonde curls and a very cute face… 'She really does look like her…' He thought to himself, '…Which is exactly the reason why I can't take her with us. Still…' He recalled a conversation he had recently with an acquaintance of his father's. "…Come to think of it, a nobleman whose family lives near mine recently asked for my help in finding a little girl to adopt. Apparently, he and his wife lost their daughter several years ago, and his wife never recovered from her grief. He's hoping that adopting a little girl would help her to heal." Albert smiled warmly at Em as he recalled the conversation with the gentleman. "You fit the description of what he's looking for exactly. You're around the same age as his son and you can already read and write. On top of that, you're very pretty."
"Why does that part matter?" Em asked while tilting her head.
"Something to do with fitting into high society when you're older." Albert replied with a shrug as he stood up and turned to the boy standing beside the little girl, "He wants to pass off the child they adopt as their own, so I don't think they'll mistreat her. They aren't doing this for the sake of appearances at least. What do you think?"
That had been nearly a year ago. Now, the three brothers were gathered at Emily's bedside in the Nicholson family's residence, waiting for her to wake up. As their closest neighbors among the nobility, the Nicholsons would be sheltering them for the time being. The doctor had examined Emily, but the exact cause of her fever was unknown. It was several hours after she'd passed out that the girl finally opened her eyes.
"Emily!" The three brothers said in unison, along with her brother, Edmund.
"Oh, Emily, darling!!" Lady Nicholson exclaimed in relief.
Emily turned and looked at her adoptive mother. "Mother…?" Lady Nicholson responded by smiling softly and stroking her daughter's hair gently.
"How are you feeling, Emily?" William asked with a relieved smile.
Emily blinked again and turned her head towards him. Confusion crossed her face as she looked at the three boys. "Who… who are you…?"
物語の今
"If I'd only known back then." Albert lamented as he looked out the carriage window, "I was naive, I suppose. I never would've guessed that the governess hired to take care of Emily when she was adopted into the Nicholson family would use a drug to brainwash her, and that it would rob her of her memories of us."
"Don't blame yourself." William told him, "We didn't expect it either, and besides, we still don't know if Lord Edward was complicit in that or not."
Louis nodded in agreement and added, "Fortunately, Earl Nicholson took an immediate liking to Emily once he met her and fired that governess straight away. He's protected her ever since then." Indeed, the elderly earl had doted on Emily, and raised both his grandchildren at his estate in the countryside. Because it was located near Eton College, which was his other grandson also attended, the Earl had also allowed the three Moriarty Brothers to come and go as they pleased. Even if she no longer remembered the past, their friendship with Emily had remained steadfast.
The brothers soon arrived at Earl Rockwell's estate, where they were greeted by his butler, Jack Renfield. They were then escorted to the drawing room where Lord Rockwell was waiting, along with his other guests.
As soon as the men had finished greeting each other, Emily approached with a smile on her face. "Lord Albert! Lord Louis! Professor! It's so wonderful to see you all again!"
Though they didn't show it, the three brothers were slightly taken aback. Emily was no longer the little girl they remembered, nor even the girl of fourteen from three years ago. Back then, she was like a rose that had only just begun to bloom. Now, however, she was a young lady of seventeen, on the cusp of blossoming beautifully. She'd grown a few inches and had filled out nicely. Her dainty face had also matured, but it still had a youthful quality to its appearance. There was nothing sultry in her appearance—rather, she seemed the definition of pure as she smiled at them in delight.
"It's wonderful to see you as well, Emily." Albert said with a fond smile.
"How was your trip?" Louis asked.
"Oh, it was incredibly eye-opening!" Emily said happily, "I've learned so much while traveling!"
On the surface, she looked like an ordinary girl expressing her happiness over a leisure trip, but the fact that she'd described it as "eye-opening", rather than a more common adjective did not escape the notice of the Moriarty Brothers. The trip that Emily had just returned from had been a globetrotting venture with her grandfather. As a lady of the nobility, Emily was not permitted to attend college, let alone university. Her grandfather, however, was rather progressive, and he adored Emily, so it had bothered him that she had fewer opportunities for study than her brother, Edmund. Thus, after Edmund had begun at Eton College, the earl had decided to substitute classroom education with a variety of experiences. In order to broaden Emily's horizons, he had taken her on a trip around the globe.
"I saw so many different places and peoples… Oh! But before that, congratulations to all three of you on completing your degrees! I've read your thesis on the binomial theorem, Professor, and I was absolutely enthralled by it! That reminds me, I read all of the books that you lent me for the trip, and I've brought back a number of titles that I think you would enjoy in return! I've also brought back several gifts for each of you—things that I thought would interest you…" She trailed off as she noticed Earl Rockwell in her peripheral vision, "…But there will be time for all of that later." She remarked, looking a touch embarrassed, "Do forgive me for prattling on."
The three brothers were a bit taken aback. Emily wasn't terribly familiar with Lord Rockwell, so it wasn't unusual that she had clammed up upon remembering his presence, but why was she apologizing?
Albert smiled sincerely and tried to brush it off. "There's nothing to forgive." He insisted, "We're all happy to see you in such good spirits."
"But still… I'm not a child anymore…" Emily seemed to be reminding herself more than them. She averted her gaze awkwardly and added, "A lady shouldn't talk so much…"
Louis frowned. Just what was troubling Emily to make her say something like that? A moment ago, her eyes had been sparkling like jewels with excitement, but now she seemed to be ashamed of herself.
William looked a bit worried as he smiled gently at Emily. "You know we don't care much about matters like that." Such societal conventions had never mattered between the four of them.
Emily still didn't meet his gaze. "I know, but… I must learn to control myself and act with proper decorum."
Albert seemed to understand what Emily was getting at as he sat down, which allowed Emily and his brothers to sit as well. "Come to think of it, you'll be making your debut soon, won't you?"
"Yes, next June." Emily answered, "The preparations have already begun…"
It was only October, so the fact that the preparations had already started spoke to just how important one's debut into society was.
"Perhaps it's time that William and Louis make their debut as well." Earl Rockwell suggested.
"True." Albert said as he lifted the teacup that a servant had poured for him, "It was still a bit early for Will when he first completed his doctorate, but now that Louis has graduated, the both of them are at a good age for it."
Young noblemen typically debuted later than the daughters of noble families. Whereas a girl might debut as early as sixteen, a gentleman often waited until he'd completed his studies at university. With that being said, Louis and William were both secretly two years younger than the ages they'd given to the public. As a result, William had been a mere nineteen years old when he'd completed his doctorate. It would've been unusually early for him to have debuted. Meanwhile, Louis, having skipped two grades, was only twenty as it was. It was still a bit early for him—though he would at least be twenty-one by June—but there was another reason that Albert was thinking it would be an ideal time to have his two brothers debut: It would provide them with a solid excuse to be there for Emily that night.
The two younger brothers immediately understood the reasoning behind Albert's suggestion, and for William, it had made everything clear. The reason for Emily's discouraged countenance—the reason why she had suddenly withdrawn into herself—was because her duty as a noblewoman was looming before her now. Her childhood days of doing what she liked were behind her, and soon, she would have to start concealing her true self more often than not.
For Emily, fitting in to high society would be difficult. As a noblewoman, she was highly accomplished. She spoke a litany of languages from across Europe, was suitably skilled in and knowledgeable about art, had a beautiful singing voice, and was an accomplished pianist and harpist. She could even embroider well, and was skilled at both horseback riding and fencing. The only things that did not come naturally to her were dancing and fashion, but she had years of lessons to offset the former, and a skilled maid to make up for the latter. Because she had already mastered the academics required of a young lady before she'd even been adopted, Earl Nicholson had had the foresight to have her begin her cultural studies at an earlier age.
Add all of this to her natural beauty, and Emily looked to be the perfect bride by most men's standards.
However, the reality was that Emily was too accomplished—at least from society's point-of-view. She knew not just modern languages, but also Latin—a language few women were permitted to study. On top of that, she was extremely intelligent and well-read. William still had the advantage of age over her, but she was easily the smartest member of the group after him. Many of the books that he'd lent her had been his own textbooks from his university studies. Her knowledge even outclassed his in certain subjects, such as nursing and gynecology. Earl Nicholson had always permitted Emily to read whatever she liked and had purchased any book she had asked for. His only condition had been that she had to keep up with her lessons in being a lady.
It wasn't an issue to the Moriarty brothers, but to most other nobles, Emily was simply too smart. Many people believed that a woman shouldn't be allowed to study the various things that Emily had. Any noblewoman with academic knowledge like hers had no choice but to conceal her intelligence. That was the way of the nobility.
Besides, there was another reason that she would struggle—at least at balls. Emily was still afraid of men. The lessons in self-defense that she'd received growing up had helped her be able to manage it, but there was no changing the fact that she still saw most men as a threat—at least until she got to know them. That was why the ballroom would be particularly trying for her. There were subtle methods that a nobleman could use to harass a lady while dancing, and seldom little that the woman could do about it. If the woman tried to defend herself or confront the man, he could easily deny it, and high society—or at least the lords in the room—would take his word over hers. Such an environment was bound to be stressful for Emily. Having William and Louis debut alongside her would give the three brothers ample opportunities to run interference on Emily's behalf, and shield her from the more troublesome men.
'I'll have to look into precisely who has a bad reputation among the ladies…' Albert thought to himself.
憂国のモリアティ
After tea time, Lord Rockwell withdrew to attend to his own affairs, while Lord Nicholson went back to his room to rest, leaving only Emily and the three Moriarty Brothers in the room. Emily intended to have the servants fetch the trunks that held the gifts she'd brought, but William stopped her.
"There'll be time for that later." He insisted, encouraging her to sit back down. "Emily, is everything all right? You seem troubled."
Emily smiled wryly. "I should've known you would notice. The truth is… my father has been pressuring me lately. He expects me to play the part of the ideal noblewoman… elegant, refined, cultured… and an absolute featherbrain." She added with an exasperated expression. "I'm convinced he believes that a lady should not have any thoughts about anything of actual import. Mother says that most noble ladies are less reserved while amongst themselves, but even she admits that if society finds out about the things that I have studied, I will most likely be ostracized. She doesn't actually dislike this part of my personality, mind you. She's just worried about me. I suppose she fears that it will be difficult for me to find a husband."
"I can't say she's wrong." Albert remarked with a slightly wry smile, "It could be a bit difficult when you're more knowledgeable than most Oxbridge graduates."
"But do you even want to find a husband?" Louis asked.
"I'm not opposed to the idea of marriage, but it would have to be to someone who accepts me as I am." Emily replied, "I have no wish to spend my entire life pretending to be someone else. However, this is a separate matter entirely. My father insists that it is my duty to marry someone of higher or equal status for the sake of our family. I have a feeling that after I debut, he intends to have me married to whichever suitor holds the highest rank before the year is out."
"Your grandfather would never allow that." Albert assured her.
"Yes, I know, but…" Emily's face clouded over, "Grandfather won't be around forever. There's no guarantee he'll live long enough to see me come into my trust. In fact… his health has been declining recently. I'm not a doctor of course, but based on the rate at which his stamina has been gradually decreasing, I'd say he has only a year or so left. Two years at best, if he doesn't get sick."
"I imagine that's why he's asked for this meeting then." Albert surmised, "He must be planning to make arrangements to protect you."
"Yes, that's most likely the case." Emily agreed.
William smiled kindly at her, "Whatever it is, we'll find out soon. In the meantime, I would like for you to tell us all about your trip."
"Indeed." Albert agreed, "We're all quite eager to hear more about it."
At this, Emily smiled and began to tell them about all that she had seen and learned. She talked about various regions and their local specialties, as well as about the various social problems she'd become aware of. She also spoke at length about new subjects and fields of study that she'd become interested in.
As she spoke, the three brothers realized that Emily's appearance was not the only thing about her that had changed. The once timid girl whose only interests were studying and charity work was now brimming with both ideas of her own and confidence. Her journey had not only helped to broaden her horizons, but also to find her own sense of identity, just as her grandfather had hoped. She had, in a sense, learned to think for herself, rather than constantly relying on others to guide her.
"Emily really has grown up into a fine young lady." Albert said nostalgically as he and his brothers gathered together sometime after dinner. The elderly Earl Nicholson had gone to bed, and both Earl Rockwell and Emily had retired to their rooms for the evening.
"Indeed." Louis agreed, "It seems like just yesterday that she was trailing after Brother like a duckling."
"She spent a great deal of time around you and Albert as well." William said with an awkward smile before looking at Jack Renfield, Earl Rockwell's butler, "Jack, did Earl Nicholson tell you his reason for asking to meet with us here?"
"Indeed." Jack answered, "It is exactly as Lady Emily surmised. She is truly gifted when it comes to assessing a person's condition."
Very few people knew that Jack and Earl Nicholson had been comrades during the First Afghan War. The Earl had been an intelligence operative who valued a soldier's skill over rank or class. He had thus been one of the few who didn't fear "Jack the Ripper." Though they served in different branches of the British Army, the two became close friends and were to this very day. The fact that Jack called the Earl by his first name in private was proof of this. It was, in fact, Earl Nicholson who had helped Jack gain his current position as the butler of Earl Rockwell.
"Alexander also believes that he doesn't have much time left," Jack continued. "And so, he intends to make preparations to prevent his son from having any power over Lady Emily's life after he passes."
"After the incident with the governess, we can assume that his son views Emily more as a pawn than a daughter." Louis said in frustration.
"Indeed." Albert agreed. "Even if he didn't know about the drug she was giving Emily, he nonetheless ignored his wife's requests to find Emily a different governess. He didn't care much about the abuse Emily might be subjected to, as long as it allowed him to conceal her true origins."
"Which means that now that she's served her purpose as a daughter for his wife and a playmate for Edmund, he'll be looking to profit from her marriage." William concluded.
"And that is exactly what Alexander wishes to protect her from." Jack stated. "This is just a guess, but… I expect that in order to protect Emily from being sold off in marriage should he die, he is hoping to arrange her marriage now. He likely intends to create a contract that his son cannot easily void if he should die."
"With one of us?" Louis asked in surprise.
"Well he's certainly not going to trust anyone else!" Jack said with a laugh.
Albert smiled in amusement, "That's true. After all, he's known about and supported us for a long time now…"
"You three boys had something you wanted to tell me?" Earl Nicholson asked. It was a little more than a year after the fire. The three brothers had asked the Earl to meet with them at his estate, which was located near Eton College. Jack was standing nearby as an interpreter, should sign language become necessary. Or at least, that was the excuse.
"Yes." William said with a smile, "To be honest, Jack recommended that we should talk to you. I was quite surprised when he mentioned that you and he were old comrades."
"Indeed." Count Nicholson stated. "The Nicholson family has a very proud history of serving in the British Military. I was an intelligence operative in those days. Jack and I got along quite well." He smirked with interest as he regarded the three boys. "However, I don't think this is about my military career. I take it has something to do with the fire that day?"
William smiled in response to the earl's challenging gaze, "What makes you think that?"
Lord Nicholson seemed almost playful as he mirrored William's expression, "When the three of you came out of the fire that morning, you did not look at all like three children who had just barely escaped with their lives and had lost both their home and their family. Albert, for your part, you didn't look even the slightest bit bothered by what had happened. Louis looked more surprised that you had claimed him as your brother than anything… and you, 'William', simply looked relieved that your ordeal was over. Overall, the three of you were more concerned by Emily's collapse later on than your own circumstances. Young geniuses though you may be, it is far too early for you to fool this old intelligence operative. I'm not going senile yet." He laughed jovially and William gave a resigned smile in acknowledgment.
"I suppose that makes this easier then." The middle child said, "Since Jack already recommended it, I'll tell you of the goals we are striving to achieve..."
"Earl Nicholson knows that Emily was originally one of us, so it stands to reason he plans to ask for our help in this matter." Louis stated.
William nodded in agreement as he gazed forward in thought, "Most likely, he plans to make an arrangement by which Emily is ultimately able to choose for herself in the end. Still, we should discuss which of us it would be."
At this, Albert tilted his head in amusement, "What is there to discuss? It would obviously be you."
Jack laughed at this, "Indeed! It would have to be you!"
Louis smiled a bit, "When we were children, Emily followed you everywhere."
"This and that are two different things." William said flatly.
"They are…" Albert agreed before adding, "…But we are talking about an arrangement to protect her freedom, so it should obviously be the person she likes best that she has to play the part with."
"I don't disagree…" William began, "…But from the perspective of high society—and her father—you would be the preferable choice."
"Yes… but we both know that it can't be me." Albert reminded him, prompting William to once again think back to that fateful day at the orphanage.
"There's another reason you're interested in Em, isn't there?" The boy asked Albert. He had sent Louis and Em out of chapel ahead of them. "I've noticed you observing her quite often."
Albert smiled guiltily. "She looks a lot like somebody I know." When the fair-haired boy said nothing, Albert elaborated. "Nearly seven years ago, my nanny suddenly left without prior notice. She left behind all of her wages, a letter of resignation, and… a letter of apology to me. It said that she couldn't tell me the reason why she was leaving, but that she hoped we'd meet again when I was grown, and that if we did, she would tell me everything. Back then, I didn't understand, but since then, I've come to realize… She'd probably found out she that was with child… My father's child to be exact." His expression turned bitter at this, "I've since found out that she was his unwilling mistress." The younger boy continued to listen as Albert gazed towards the door with a distant expression. "Not only does Em resemble her, but she's extremely well-mannered. So much so that I can only think that she was taught from the very beginning of her life. That means that her mother was well-versed in etiquette, and most likely worked as either a nanny or a governess." He looked back at the other boy, "You said she'll be six on the 15th, right?"
"We can't be certain, but it seems likely." The boy answered, "Due to her amnesia, Em isn't sure of her exact age. However, while she has not yet gotten her six-year molars, she has lost a few of her milk teeth, so I believe she is most likely five at the moment. As for her exact birthday… we can't be sure, but when we were reading Shakespeare's Julius Caesar together, she said that 'the Ides of March' sounded familiar, and that she believed it was most likely her birthday."
"That means she was probably born right around the time that my nanny would've given birth." Albert mused with a wistful expression. "To be honest, I didn't have much hope at first. I knew that the odds of locating one child, who may or may not even be alive, within the East End were next to nothing. Volunteering here was a shot in the dark at best, and yet…" He looked at the scarlet-eyed boy again, "Tell me, what do you think the odds are that Em is the sibling I'm looking for?"
"That's hard to say, but at this point, I'd say they're certainly not zero." The boy remarked, "Em does resemble you a little, and… I've already suspected that she may be the child of a noble."
"Pardon?" Albert said in confusion.
"As you said, her manners are impeccable, but there is something more." The boy explained, "One day, while she was reading the dictionary, Em came across the word 'legitimate'. After reading what it meant, she started to cry. She said that if legitimate meant that something was real, then its antonym, 'illegitimate' must mean that something is not real. She asked why children who are born outside of marriage are called illegitimate, when it was the adults who'd misbehaved. She said that such a moniker… It was like the world was telling them that they didn't deserve to exist. The only reason I can think of that she would feel so strongly about it… was due to memories buried deep within her. Memories about being an 'illegitimate' child." His own expression was bitter as he added, "'The nobles will kill you if they find you, so you have to give up who you are and live as if you do not exist.'" He shifted his scarlet eyes to meet Albert's verdant ones, "She said that that is what it means to be an illegitimate child."
Albert looked at the ground sadly as he heard this.
"Tell me…" The boy said, "Do you resemble your father, or your mother?"
Albert smiled wryly, "I resemble my father for the most part."
"And your nanny… I take it she was well-educated?"
"Yes…" Albert's smile turned nostalgic as he recalled. "At the very least, she knew how to read and write, and could do basic maths. I learned those things from her before I began my formal education. She was also trained in etiquette to a greater extent than our other servants, and—despite being from the East End—she spoke perfect Queen's English."
"I see." The boy replied, "In other words, you were looking for a child who met the following qualifications: First: A child who had been born at the right time. Second: A child who resembled you and your father, your nanny, or some combination of that. Third: A child whose manners were a direct contrast to their status. Fourth: A child who spoke proper Queen's English, despite being from the East End. Fifth: A child who was literate and perhaps had at least a basic understanding of maths. Sixth: A child who was rumored to be the illegitimate child of a noble, or at least born out of wedlock. Is that right?"
Albert seemed amused. "Yes, you've even more or less listed them in order of importance. The matter of speech, manners, and education all hold relatively the same weight. My nanny would've been strict about the first two, but even if something had happened to her, I understand she had family members who were also literate."
The younger boy nodded, "Yes, it is that criteria—along with the matter of approximate birth date and appearance—that narrows down the possibilities significantly. In fact, if Em meets all of them, then I would say the odds are lower that she isn't the one you're looking for."
Albert looked slightly relieved, "Yes… you're probably right. If it's not Em, then it's likely that my younger sibling isn't even alive. That's why… I've decided to think her as my sister, even if I should find out that she's not. That's the most I can do at this point."
"I take it there's a reason why you aren't bringing her into your home as well then." The blond-haired boy remarked.
Albert smiled ruefully, "Indeed. It wouldn't be safe for her there. Given how much she resembles my nanny… if my mother were to lay eyes on Em, she would likely fly into a fit of rage. In truth, I had already been planning to find her a family. As long as she remains a commoner, she will be in danger. Being adopted by nobles with good hearts will be the best protection for her. Incidentally, the family I spoke about earlier outranks mine—if only by length of history. If she is with them, my mother won't be able to hurt her."
"Lord Alex knows about the possibility of Emily being my sister—I've discussed it with him before—so he won't even consider me as an option." Albert remarked, "Even if he did, I would refuse. Still, I do intend to do all that I can to protect her."
"We're all in agreement on that." Louis replied with a nod.
"At any rate..." Albert began, "If it's you, Will, it will give the two of you an excuse to see each other often and for you to teach her like you used to."
Jack nodded, "Alex believes that her intelligence is already greater than that of most university students, but…"
"…It is a shame that she can't actually go to university…" William assented. There were universities that accepted women nowadays, but they largely limited female students to things like nursing or teaching degrees. Universities that would allow Emily to study whatever she wanted were few and far between. Not only that, but as a noblewoman, Emily actually had less freedom in this regard. As it was, she was set to debut before her brother, Edmund, had even completed his studies at Eton College.
William did sympathize with how frustrated Emily must've felt about the disparity between her brother's opportunities and her own. Strictly speaking, he and Louis likely would've been able to attend Eton College even if they hadn't joined the Moriarty Family. Putting Louis' condition aside, they had both been King's Scholars, which meant all of their expenses were paid for, and they likely could've achieved the same for university. The difficulties that would've come with doing that in spite of being members of the underclass would not have scared them away. Emily, though, would never have had such opportunities either way, and William could imagine that if things had been different—if he had been in a position where attending university wasn't even an option—he would've been quite frustrated. For Emily, this could not be helped, so the only thing that he could do for her was to teach her himself, just like when they were children. Even if she was already more knowledgeable than most Oxbridge graduates, there was no doubt that she wanted to learn even more. She was quite similar to William himself in that regard.
As stated in the description, this is a slight AU--One in which Irene Adler will not become James Bonde because I don't care for how they messed with Irene's character compared to the Canon.
In the original Sherlock Holmes Canon, Irene Adler is one of the few people to truly outsmart Holmes. Not only that, but in the original story of A Scandal in Bohemia, Irene happily marries and, in regard to the king of Bohemia, tells Sherlock that "I love and am loved by a better man than he." I personally think that is really beautiful. She is a smart woman who knows what she is worth. She prefers a man who truly loves her to a king who wouldn't marry her because of her "common birth". Destroying that part of her character and forcibly shoving her into the James Bond role was just completely unnecessary. If they wanted to throw James Bond in that badly, they should have made him a completely separate character!
I don't even understand the point of throwing James Bond and Moneypenny in because James Bond is from the wrong time period! Jack the Ripper was actually a real serial killer, but at least he's connected to the right frame of time! Why not use something more fitting like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or Arsene Lupin or something?!
Another thing that I feel they failed to do with Irene's character is that they failed to make use of her existence as a female character to highlight the severe gender inequality of the times. Yes, gender inequality still exists, but strictly speaking, so does conflict between the classes in the UK (both exist in America as well, for that matter). However, it was much more severe in the Victorian Era. We're talking about an age where women couldn't even own property except under very specific circumstances... which basically amounted to orphaned, widowed, divorced, or, basically, "she should've been married by now".
So if you like Bonde... yeah, sorry, but this is not the right fan fic for you. I will probably write out Moneypenny as well just to get rid of the entire, completely-out-of-place, James Bond reference. As an avid Sherlock Holmes fan, it's just annoying in my opinion.
I was, incidentally, toying with the idea of a Sherlock Holmes Fanfic involving an intelligent young noblewoman and Professor Moriarty when I stumbled upon this spin-off, so that's actually where this fanfic first started. I debated for quite some time on where and when this fanfic would begin and finally decided to just say, "screw it" and threw Emily in as a childhood friend who has a few holes in her memory.
Incidentally, Emily's childhood nickname is not a reference to Albert's (and later Louis') codename of "M". It was more just that I needed something that could easily turn into "Emily".
EDIT 12/01/23:
I added a bit more to this introductory chapter because I wanted to include the bit about Emily's possible origins, for the sake of clarifying the reason for Albert's affection towards Emily. With Louis, there's no real need for that because it just makes sense with Louis' character that he would feel gratitude to Emily for the way she looked out for him when they were young.
Also, as a point of reference, you really aren't supposed to treat a burn with alcohol, because it will obviously irritate the wound. However, in 1866, antibiotics did not yet exist, and I'm not sure if there was any kind of antiseptic available that wouldn't have irritated it... So I would think that disinfecting the burn would've taken priority over avoiding irritation. Burn care for anything beyond first degree was pretty much a shot in the dark back then. Wound care in general kind of was.
Dousing William and Albert and using a wet blanket on Louis was--and still is--basic first aid for people escaping a fire. It helps to immediately cool the skin, is basically all that's needed for first degree burns, and helps to lower the body temperature, which tends to climb when you're surrounded by flames. You don't want to lower the victim's temperature too much though, or they'll go into shock, hence the dry blankets that followed. Obviously nowadays, they would also be given oxygen--among other types of emergency first aid--but that wasn't an option in 1866.