Wild Geese

Chapter Three

To prove this, they nearly walked into the path of an oncoming carriage. It made little attempt to avoid hitting them. Aves stood, stunned for a moment, before following Enola across the crowded street.

"Out of the sodding way, boy!" A man shouted as he also nearly ran them over.

"It's impolite to yell at people!" Aves called back. They turned in time to see Enola snicker into her hand. "What?"

London was quite as they expected. Much more...crowded. Rowdy. A man ran up and shouted about something he was selling. Aves hadn't a clue what it was except it was a shilling a piece. Musicians played on the street side. Someone was giving a speech about voting reform. Aves paused curiously on the edge of the crowd. It certainly wouldn't have been Mycroft approved. They liked it. Newspaper boys called the latest news — including one missing marquess. Aves supposed the news had traveled after all. What a hair cut could do.

What with Aves's haircut, their plan changed slightly. They would still pass as a boy. Only a proper one. There was one thing they'd expected about London that stayed the same — nice clothes shops. The owner had been put off on their ability to pay, but they had, which meant they were all to happy to let Aves dress however they liked. Even called them young man.

That the two had giggled about. It was true, however, that Aves has surpassed Enola in the passing as the opposite sex part of their plan. Stronger features, Enola supposed.

"You look like Sherlock if he didn't know what to do with his hair," Enola said, summing it up nicely, if not politely. Aves ran their fingers through their hair. It was only their first try.

Next was a dress shop for Enola. She would pass as the least expected thing of all — a lady.

The building was small and dusty. A faint light filtered through the white curtains over the window. It gave a warm, quaint feeling. Enola went to a rack of dresses in front of the window. The cheapest. And still they were nicer than any Aves had seen in their life time. While Enola searched, they ran through fingers over a few of the sleeves, only to find themself deeply disappointed. It was a light material, cool to the touch. Too light, in fact, and Aves could imagine forgetting one was clothes at all while wearing it. Most uncomfortable.

"What do you think?" Enola asked. Aves turned to see her raising a red dress to herself, so it looked as if she was wearing it.

"Gaudy," Aves said.

"So perfect, then?"

Aves was about to protest that that was the opposite of what gaudy meant, but then they remembered. The dress wasn't for their personal taste. It was for the tastes of those around them. And, looking at the crowd outside, the dress would fit in nicely. Aves gave their sister a pitying look. Then realized it was unfounded. Enola actually seemed quite please with her find, though if out of personal likings or pride in the cleverness of her plan was unknown.

At the same time, the owner of the store arrived with a sneer.

"And what do boys like you want with those?"

At once Aves bristled. They disliked the woman's tone immediately. Condescending. Enola folded the dress in her arms and turned towards the woman.

"I shall need a whalebone corset," Enola said, as if the owner hadn't spoken at all.

Though they knew why, Aves still raised an eyebrow. Not at personal distaste for corsetry. It had its function. Aves saw no reason to despise it anymore than one despised their hat. However, Mother and Enola were another story. Corsets to them where of the devil and they would make sure that anyone who could hear it would. I shall need a whalebone corset was not something they'd ever imagine Enola saying.