The Forgotten Niece of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 12

I heard coughing and spluttering around me, the coughs were loud and hoarse, as if the one coughing as barely two feet away from me, I choked and mirrored these sounds, trying desperately to stop.

The gloved hand still covered my mouth so some of my chokes were muffled. I felt myself being rapidly pulled away from the dingy back alley and felt myself being more and more pulled into the maze of the alleys that could have been the size of London itself. It’s a wonder that my captor was able to navigate his way round so easily.

He finally pulled me out of a narrow alley which lead out into a bright and loud square full of people browsing market stalls which were full of random junk or instruments that I never knew existed.

I didn’t have time to have a closer look as I was still being pulled roughly through the streets, he was tall, and his long strides were quick, so I had to run just to keep up with him.

He wore white gloves that had enclosed around my wrist, I had seen those gloves before. His hair was tousled and fell over his dark, brooding eyes, I had also seen those eyes. He wore smart black trousers, with a black coat to match as if ready to go to an evening dinner.

I knew who he was. I knew exactly who he was.

Thoughts whizzed through my head so fast that I could not contemplate each question before another popped up in my head. Why was he helping me? Where was he taking me? Why me?

 I didn’t have to wait long for my answer as he abruptly stopped, looked around himself before smiling at me and linking his arm through mine. “Don’t look so worried,” he said quietly into my ear, “we will look like lovers, no-one will be suspicious.”

I didn’t want to be anyone’s lover, especially not his, he had trouble written all over him. “I’m not the one being suspicious! And I am not your lover” I retorted, as I tried to wriggle out of his grip, but he kept a tight hold on me and a smirk on his face and he walked aimlessly around the market.

“I can always try to fit in. Oh really? Well, I’ll just say that I’m not pleased with having to share you with some other foolish boy, but I can always change your mind…” He said slyly.

“What are you talking ab-” I was about to demand before he leant down and kissed me on the cheek. I was shocked, but I finally caught up to reality and shoved him away.

“What on earth did you think you were doing?!” I asked outraged, I was fuming, why couldn’t I go anywhere without a boy leering at me?! He smirked and tried to repress his laugh with a cough and tried to look away, but once he looked back and saw the unimpressed expression on my face.

He couldn’t hold it anymore and let out a roar of a laugh, causing several people to turn their heads our way, I didn’t care, he was really pushing his luck with me. “Well?” I demanded. “I merely wanted to make an impression on the prettiest girl in London” He winked.

“You certainly did that” I said under my breath, he heard and sniggered like the immature boy he was. “The look on your face!” He said between giggles, Lord, what was wrong with this boy?!

After clearing his throat a few times, and wiped away a tear he said calmly “My apologies, miss…?”

“Eliza”

“Miss Eliza,” he confirmed “now tell me, why on earth did you think that picking a man’s purse would go well? I could see from miles away that you weren’t going to get away with it, silly little girl” He said patronisingly, I narrowed my eyes and stuck out my tongue.

“I didn’t think anything. I was told-” I argued, but he cut me off.

“Ah, the youth of today, never thinking, always doing, never thinking of the consequences…” He said expertly whilst shaking his head in mock disappointment, a smug smile playing on his lips.