Meaning Of Loving You- Enola Holmes

002: Sent Away

Liam, Sherlock and Mycroft where in the study playing pool.
"What is she up to, Sherlock and Liam?" Mycroft asks. "She was too old to remarry, she had no passions or ambitions I was aware of. She simply had to ensure Enola, and when your father passed Lilli decent lives and to live their remaining years with dignity."
"Well, in her defence, she was only in charge of Lilli the past few months I have been away." Liam says, taking his turn.
"This is my house, not hers, and has been since father died." Mycroft says, as Lilli and Enola hide around the corner listening in on the gentlemans conversation. "She asked for 16 years to bring up Enola and help bring up Lilli here. I gave it. And for that I deserved to be robbed? I am not the villain here."
"Perhaps she needed the money." Sherlock suggests.
"You clearly don't. Or has the government cut your salary?" Mycroft asks. "It's always the same, isn't it. Always the same. We don't see each other for months, and then you blast in without a care and condemn me with your bon mots."
"Simply inquiring." Sherlock says, as Mrs Lane walks past the girls and into the room.
"You are judging. You are judging something for which you took no responsibility." Mycroft says. "You've never shown an interest in this family."
"I don't mean to judge." Sherlock tells him.
"We have two problems as I see it." Mycroft says. "One, finding a boarding school that is willing to take Enola and Lilli on, so they won't be complete failures in this world. That I'm in the process of solving..."
The two girls share a look before deciding to walk away.

__________

Before they knew it, Enola and Lilli were in a room with Miss Harrison, the runner of the most well known boarding school in London. The same one Lilli had gone to, up until her father died.
"Stand tall, girls." Miss Harrison tells them, adjusting the girls chin, as they straighten their backs.
The girls had been measured for their uniforms when Miss Harrison said they would need amplifiers.
"Hips are simply a function of legs, aren't they?" Enola asks. "What need if have they of amplification?"
"Aren't you a clever little tongue? I'll enjoy that." Miss Harrison says.
"I won't enjoy being imprisoned in those preposterous clothes." Lilli remarks.
"These clothes will not imprison. They will free. They will allow you to fit into society, to take part in its numerous pleasures. To catch an eye, to attract." Miss Harrison. "And don't see why you're making a fuss, Miss Wilson, you're use to wearing these clothes, you wear them on nearly a daily basis."
"Not by choice." Lilli says.
"At my finishing school, you both will learn how to be young ladies, and you'll make many new friends. Some girls are still there from when you went there Lilli. They are so looking forward to seeing you again."
"We don't need friends. We have our own company. In each other." Enola says. "And we don't need to go to your ridiculous school."
Miss Harrison then slaps Enola, causing Lilli to gasp.
"You're crazy!" Lilli says, earning a slap herself.
The two girls hold their cheeks as they run out the room and into the room their brothers were in.
"No! Please don't do this to us!" Enola begs, as the two girls stand in front of the three men.
"Let us remain happy. We are happy here." Lilli says.
"You are young women now, girls. You need an education." Mycroft tells them.
"Test us on anything you think we need to know in order to be sufficient for this world." Enola says.
"If she taught you so well, you wouldn't be standing in your undergarments in front of me." Mycroft says. "You have no hope of making husbands in your current states."
"We don't want husbands!" Lilli says.
"And this is another thing you need to have educated out of you." Mycroft says.
While Enola begs to Sherlock not to let Mycroft do this, Lilli gives Liam a hurt look. Just then Miss Harrison walks into the room.
"Well, we have had a lovely little chat haven't we?" Miss Harrison asks the two girls, walking up to them. "I can tell we're gonna be firm friends."
"Oh, Miss Harrision, I'm so grateful for your kindness." Mycroft says, as Miss Harrison wraps an arm around both girls.
"Mr Holmes, it's an honour." Miss Harrison says.
"I shall bring them tomorrow. Myself. With Liam of course." Mycroft says.
"Yourself? Good." Miss Harrison says.
Lilli glances over at Liam to see an apologetic look on his face.

After Miss Harrison left, Lilli and Enola were sat up in a tree sketching.
"I also enjoy a sketch." Sherlock says, sitting at the bottom of the tree the girls were sat in. "Helps me think, process my thoughts."
"Helps us do the same." Enola says, before both girls drop a piece of paper.
They reach for them but it gets to far and Sherlock grabs them. He looks at Enola's and laughs seeing the way she had drawn Mycroft.
"A caricature. Perhaps best if Mycroft doesn't see it." Sherlock says, before looking at Lilli's which was a new dress design she was working on. "Wow. Lilli, this is incredible."
"Thanks." Lilli replies, quietly.
"Do you intend to stay up there?" Sherlock asks, when the girls don't make any sign of moving.
"We were hoping for some privacy." Enola tells her older brother.
"You know, the last I remember of the two of you, you were quiet timid little things." Sherlock says. "You both had pine cones wrapped in wool, dragged them with you wherever you went. Enola yours was Dash and Lilli yours was Bolt. Someone told you that Queen Victoria had a cavalier King Charles spaniel called Dash and you wanted the same. And Bolt just matched a bit. We could never persuade either of you to put any trousers on. Your bottoms were always bare. I think that's all the memories I have."
"Thank you." Lilli says. "Now if you could forget them all."
"Pine cones called Dash and Bolt?" Enola asks.
"That sounds ridiculous." Lilli says.
"Our fathers, depending on who's house we were at, us to chase you all about the place, shouting, 'Get those damn dogs out of my house!'" Sherlock says.
"Lilli, it's time to go." Liam says walking up to them. "The carriage is here."
Lilli sighs, jumping down from the tree. She bids a quiet goodbye to the Holmes siblings before leaving with her brother.

__________

Upon returning to their home, Liam sighs as they walk through the door.
"It's good to be home." Liam says, looking at his sister, seeing the far off look on her face. "Lil? Are you okay there?"
"Oh yeah, I'm completely fine with getting sent off to a finishing school." Lily says sarcastically.
"I'm not going to let you get sent away. But Mycroft is most definitely going to send Enola away." Liam tell her.
"And you are just going to let that happen? You are going to let my best friend get sent away?" Lilli asks.
"Lil, I don't have a say in what happens to Enola. Neither does Sherlock. Mycroft is the only one who can decide because Enola is his ward at the moment." Liam explains.
Lilli looks at Liam with a mix of emotions.
"I'm not letting my best friend get sent away alone." Lilli finally speaks up after a moment.
She gives her brother one last look before walking away.