It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

72 - Surprise

Sherlock reached out his hand to catch hers but she avoided it.

"Elizabeth." The detective called softly after her, his brow drawing together as he watched her go.

"I'm - I'll be fine, just need a moment."

Sherlock whipped his head back to scowl at his brother, "Why would you do that?"

"Honesty is everything, is it not?" Mycroft shrugged.

"Tonight was supposed to be a happy birthday celebration, Mycroft. You didn't need to go and spook the poor girl like that." Violet scolded her son once again.

"You're not at all bothered by what I've said?"

"Mycroft, there are some things people would rather explain when they are ready." Siger gently elaborated, "Elizabeth barely knows us from a bar of soap. What she did in her past is none of our business unless she makes it our business."

"She made it our business when she broke into my mansion."

The Holmes parents shared a distressed look with each other, unsure of what to make of the situation. Of course they wanted their sons to be happy, but Mycroft's information did make them question Elizabeth - not intentionally nor maliciously but simply out of the parental need to protect.

Rita stood, ashamed with Mycroft's brutal reveal and sent a sympathetic look to Sherlock, "I'll go check on her."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Elizabeth had escaped to the Ladies' toilets, locking herself in a cubicle to try and calm herself down. Mycroft had given her freedom and now he was trying to destroy her relationship with Sherlock. She knew he didn't like her, she knew he wanted her gone and knew he had hoped she would leave once he had freed her. But she couldn't let her love for the detective go.

The thief bit her fist, trying to repress the tears that were threatening to spill. Would she ever be good enough for Mycroft's approval? Her hope was that, in taking down an entire gang network on her own, that had to redeem her in his eyes surely. But would she now ever  be good enough for Sherlock's parents? She had gotten out of there before she could process any look of judgement on their faces.

Swallowing hard, she took a couple of deep breaths. She had to stay calm. She couldn't ruin the night - that's if it wasn't already ruined.

Unlocking the door, she stepped out but froze when she saw the man, dressed in a cleaner's outfit, kitted out with a bottle of bleach in his hand, stood in front of her cubicle door.

"Hello, Lizzie."

*  *  *  *  *  *

Sebastian Moran, the napoleon of crime's right hand man and personal sniper by day (and night) but tonight, waiter at Odette's. He was the one to note down the Holmes party's food and drinks orders. He was the one to point out to the cleaner that Elizabeth had just entered the women's toilets. He was the one that distracted Rita from heading in after her straight away.

"Excuse me, Miss, your food's about to be served." He said, two plates in hand.

Dr Rahat nodded, "That's fine, you can place it at the table, I won't be long."

"Of course, Miss." But as Seb moved he let a plate slip and shatter, "My sincerest apologies, I'll sort this right away and get a new order for your table."

Rita was in shock at what had just happened but the goodness of her heart couldn't refuse to help the poor man. Elizabeth wasn't going anywhere any time soon, she thought, so she crouched down beside the server, hurriedly picking up pieces of the broken plate with him.