Aylia Holmes

11. The Return to Society

They travelled another two hours before the dying sun forced them to call it a night. Neither had enough energy to build a proper fire, so after gathering and clearing several of the wild, edible plants, they made their dinner off of the raw plants Elwin pointed out.

The stars had just begun to pop out when Aylia, laying studying the stars, turned to him and asked, "Who taught you so much about plants?"

Glancing over at her, he looked back up towards the stars and said, "My uncle at first, but when I was sent away, I didn't get to learn much more. Louis knows far more than I do."

"Sent?" Aylia repeated curiously.

"My father served and he wanted me to do the same," Elwin admitted. "I wanted to stay. I wanted to stay at Basilwether Hall and not leave Louis, but my father...he's not someone you can fight for long."

"Yeah," Aylia said softly. "Mycroft is like that. It was all Sherlock and I could do to convince him to keep my governess instead of sending me off, but usually, he just tells us what we are going to do. The only thing he's told me to do that I haven't done is...make a suitable match."

"Yeah," Elwin said quietly. "I have a little sister, and all I hear my father tell her to do is focus on getting married. What is that like, to have all that pressure?"

"It feels like you're constantly failing everyone around you," Aylia admitted. "Like every moment you're not in front of the altar is a moment wasted, but I just can't."

"Why?"

Aylia was silent so long Elwin feared he had offended her until she said, "It feels like my world stopped ten years ago, but everything is still catipulting forward and it is all I can do to not fall behind."

"My mother died too," Elwin said softly, keeping his gaze on the stars. "When I was sixteen, she got really sick, violently sick, and...a week later, she was gone."

"I'm sorry," Aylia whispered, turning her head to look at him.

"She was the kindest person I've ever known. She was the only one who could soften my father."

"My father was the only one who could soften my mother," Aylia said with a small laugh.

Elwin smile, looking over at her. Her features were not hazed by the moonlight, but rather as the stars and full moon cast their light down on them both, her face was lit up with a cool, soothing light. Elwin realized with a start that he was admiring her, admiring her soft features and beautiful smiles in a way he had never admired another before. Smiling softly to himself, he turned his eyes back to the stars.

.

They woke early the following morning, shivering from the chilly dew, but as neither were particularly hungry, they elected to get moving immediately instead of stopping to eat. Aylia had more trouble than she had the day before with following Enola and Louis' trail, but even so, they kept a good pace and soon reached a little town where all trace of them disappeared.

"What do you think?" Elwin asked, surveying the town.

"They were going to London," Aylia said. "They wouldn't have stayed here. They must have gotten someone to drive them there. Our only hope now is to find them in London."

"In a haystack, you mean," Elwin said with a sigh.

"We'll find them, Elwin," Aylia promised, taking his hand into her own.

He looked up at her, taking her other hand into his own.

"Ayla, I-" he began.

"Aylia!" a startled voice cried.

Instantly letting go of Elwin, she turned to find herself facing Mycroft.

"Look at the state you're in!" he cried, rushing down from his carriage and approaching her. "Come with me now."

"But, Mycroft-" Aylia began, glancing back at Elwin as she was forced into the carriage. Throwing him off, she retorted, "You can't just leave him behind! He saved my life."

Mycroft glared at her a moment before turning slowly towards Elwin. Letting out a sigh, he gestured towards the carriage. In any other circumstance, Elwin would have ignored such a cold invitation, but Aylia's earnest expression was enough sincerity and warmth to soften his resolve. Nodding, he climbed into the carriage after handing Aylia in.

The moment the door had shut, Mycroft, who had sat beside Aylia, asked, "The papers are saying you were thrown out of the train. What were you doing that far up?"

"We were looking for-" Elwin began.

"Some refreshments," Aylia interrupted quickly.

Mycroft narrowed his eyes at her, but thankfully missed Elwin's perplexed expression. They rode the rest of the way in silence until they had arrived at Elwin's flat.

When the carriage rolled to a stop, Elwin hesitated a moment before slipping out, pausing just long enough to say, "Goodbye, Miss Holmes."

Aylia's heart wrentched in her chest as she said, "Goodbye, Mr Tewksbury."

They stared at each other another moment before, with a sharp order from Mycroft, the carriage rolled away.

"Why were you taking that train anyway?" Mycroft asked irritably. "You know there are two closer stations."

"That station had the earliest train to London," Aylia lied, wishing more than anything she was still alone with Elwin or even that she could be close to him. Before he could speak again, she demanded, "Where is Sherlock?"

"Working a case," Mycroft replied irritably. "As I should be, had you not decided to go missing."

"I was shoved out of a train!" Aylia retorted angrily.

"Do not raise your voice at me!" he screamed, pointing an accusatory finger in her face.

Aylia flinched, curling into her corner.

"You were looking for Enola, weren't you?" Mycroft snapped. Aylia remained silent, but her silence told him enough. "Aylia, you are to remain with Aunt Loretta. You may not leave for any reason other than whatever silly balls and dances you are invited to. You are not to go out on your own until you're married."

Aylia refused to speak a word until they had reached the home of Aunt Loretta and Uncle Archibald.