Chapter 4: Love

Over the next few weeks, Lillie and I began spending time together. Probably too much time together in Reginald's eyes. I thought we were both working on the case together but before too long we were mainly just enjoying each other's company. She spoke of her time as a governess before she was forced into marriage. And I spoke of my crazy chemical experiments and crazy ideas. While we were also working on finding any of Arthur's accomplices, she was keeping me up to date on any letters she had received recently. Fortunately for us, the blackmailer had yet to give her a time frame to get the money to him; which to me seemed awfully strange. However, to Lillie it made sense.

"Arthur is the type of man that wants to keep you guessing. Even during my affairs with him; one minute he would surprise me with a candlelit dinner and the next we would be enjoying a picnic. I of course never knew that he had been playing with me the entire time." Lille explained.

"So…he seems to like to torment the ones he blackmails," I said as we were walking along the streets of London. "But he may have another objective up his sleeve."

After I said this I saw Lillie flinch a little. There was something else. Something else she had been hiding from me throughout this investigation. I ran her name over in my head and suddenly it dawned on me. For you know Watson, women once in your head and heart can make you begin to miss important details. The name Diamond stood out to me for one reason or another; I remember reading it somewhere in a list of police reports.

"Lillie, can I speak to you in private? Let's head back to my flat."

She nodded nervously and we made our way back to my flat. She took a seat across from me and I walked over to my bookshelf and pulled out a police report and handed it to her. Her face grew red and flushed. The headline read: "The Elephant Gang Strikes."

"Lillie, if there's something else you need to tell me…I'm all ears. It's okay…you are safe here."

She took a deep sigh and handed the report back to me. She then stood up and walked over to the window and pulled the curtains closed.

"You're Diamond Annie aren't you?" I asked her. The name Diamond and also the fact that every time we went out together some of her dresses seemed to have a bit of an odd shape was suspicious. I had heard of the Elephant Gang in recent months but most of the members were unknown. The Elephant Gang was a group of women that shoplifted and stole, but it was my deduction that they had to create some sort of dress or garment to hide their treasures.

"I thought it was all behind me…Believe me Holmes, I only wanted to help impoverished women," she said, fidgeting with her hands. "I just wanted to do so without sacrificing my husband's money and wealth."

While I admired her for wanting to help those less fortunate, I also knew that it was wrong. It was wrong of her to steal but it seemed that was all in the past until Arthur James saw an opportunity.

"He's not only blackmailing your affair with him. But he's also blackmailing you with the information that you used to work for the Elephant Gang."

"I swear to you Mr. Holmes. I'm no longer involved. But if the police find out they will for sure lock me up along with the other women involved. I can't let that happen."

I looked across the room at her. To say I had fallen for her Watson was an understatement. Not only was it her beauty that amazed me…it was also her brain. She was a fierce and strong woman. Determined to do whatever necessary to protect her friends and that horrible husband of hers from the truth. No wonder she was driven from the arms of one man and into another. With her here, my old flat seemed colorful, brighter even.

"I guess I must be going…"she said sweetly.

Without thinking I grabbed her hand.

"Stay…please…" I asked her. At this point, I wasn't even thinking clearly.

She just looked up at me and smiled. A smile that was sweet and sincere. One that elevated my heart and soul. When I wasn't even expecting it, she quickly kissed me on the cheek.

"I can't thank you enough Mr. Holmes for all you are doing for me."

"Call me Sherlock…" I said as I quickly gave her a kiss of my own - this time on her lips. Sure it wasn't proper or gentile of me, and she was still a married woman, but as I said earlier on…I was a controversial bachelor.

To my surprise, she kissed me back. We both fell over onto the couch and laughed about it. Caught up in our love for one another. She reached up and took off her hat and removed the hair tie in her hair. It fell, at great length, to her shoulders. I kissed her again; weaving my hands in her hair as if her letting it down was an invitation. Without going into much detail, we made our way into the back bedroom. That night was a beautiful one. Two people who, even through various circumstances; had fallen in love with one another. After our night of passions, she looked up at me and spoke.

"Sherlock…"she gasped. "I love you…"

At the time I didn't say the words back to her. But now, I so truly wish that I had. Back then it was difficult for me to admit it. But now I can assuredly say: I loved her.