mystery of love - sufjan stevens

third person pov-

horses and people are heard chattering, as sherlock holmes enters scotland yard.

he walks down a hallway filled with people, passing a security officer along the way.

"i was really quite shocked." a women is heard saying.

sherlock approaches the main at the desk, "sir?"

"don't be ridiculous." sherlock says, putting his finger in the air and walking right past the man.

"lestrade?" he says, walking through a doorway looking around, "lestrade."

"ah... sherlock holmes."

"we meet again."

"please." lestrade says, walking into his office, "you've been building quite a reputation for yourself, despite your best efforts to avoid the press."

"the marquess case. you need to arrest his grandmother, the dowager. she's trying to kill him, as she killed his father."

"two questions. how did you arrive at that conclusion?"

"it's a question of divided loyalty and succession. with the boy dead, the uncle would take the vacant seat in the lords and stand against the reform bill and the extension of the vote, just as the dowager wanted. the boy, i deduce, would not, nor would his father have."

"so why would it not be the uncle himself that did the deed?"

"to the father or the son?"

"father?"

sherlock stands up with a newspaper in hand, "his uniform in the press photographs."

"oh."

"the medals on his chest. he wasn't in the country when the boys father was killed, rather serving in the afghan war."

lestrade let's out a slight chuckle.

"it's always there, the truth."

"yeah."

"you just need to look for it." sherlock says, opening the door to leave.

"second question. how did your sisters get there before ya?"

"i'm sorry?" he says.

flora's pov-

enola and i walk through the busy streets of london, her in a cream colored dress and me in a lavender one.

"i look fine." i hear someone say.

tewkesbury.

"don't fuss over him, caroline."

"please, mother." he argues.

"oh, can i just-"

"don't. i'm trying to have these men's respect. it's quite the style, you know."

"yes. i suppose it sets your face off nicely." his mother says.

"your father would be very proud of you." his uncle says.

i see tewkesbury look around, spotting enola and i.

we walk up to the black gate as his mother looks at us in shock.

tewkesbury approaches us as well, swatting his arms around as a fly buzzes around him.

"training for the ballet, tewkesbury?" i say with a laugh as he plainly shakes his head at me.

"congratulations. you finally look like the nincompoop you were born to be." enola tells him as he laughs.

"no. you look good. this is... good." i tell him.

"the vote is in an hour. it's, um... it's quite the thing." he tells us.

"we're not supposed to bow or anything, are we, now that you are whatever you are?" i ask smiling at the end.

"well, arguably, you always had to bow. you just... chose not to." he says looking mostly at me as i can feel his mother's eyes burning into my head.

"i'll let you two talk." enola says, patting my back before walking away.

"so, uh, are you safe? are you... are you- are you comfortable? you're not still living in that terrible lodgings house, are you?"

"no," i say laughing slightly, "we used the reward money your mother gave us..."

"which you reluctantly took."

"...and found somewhere new."

"well, mother has said that there's, um... there's... there's always room for you with us. enola too if she pleases."

"your mother clearly hasn't spent enough time with enola and i."

"and what if it was i that... asked you to stay?"

"a kind offer, but one i must set to the side for now." i tell him, knowing that we haven't yet found my mother.

i can tell i've hurt his feelings, as he looks down rather melancholy.

i place my hand on his that's holding the gate, and rub my thumb along his fingers.

"i... how will i... how... when will i see you again?"

"you're not rid of me yet, viscount tewkesbury, marquess of basilwether." i say with a smile, him having one as well.

he gently removes my hand from the gate and kisses it, looking me straight in the eyes.

i smile at him, lowering my hand.

i walk away, taking only a few steps before stopping and running back to the gate.

"i love you too." i say before rushing away again.

hi everyone i hope you enjoyed this chapter!

if you want... you should totally check out my new book falling - it's a fanfic about luke patterson from julie and the phantoms! i would rlly appreciate it if you did!

hope everyone's staying healthy and safe !