My Genius Rival

Chapter 3

It's too late to shop, but not too late to borrow a gown from my dearest and only sister. Of course, I have to get Archibald before I go to my family's home. I walk into my spacious two-bedroom apartment where I find Archie in the middle of zoomies. "Oh my dear, shall I give you some time little one?" I lightly chuckle and pack some things for the night, in case I can't get for too long. Of course, I leave just enough room to fit a ball gown.

"Okay Archie, zoomy time is over, we're going to see the family tonight." I pick him up being sure to keep him tight in my arms. We make our way out into the bustling street and I try to hail a taxi. So far it is proving rather tricky with a cat in my arms, I am sure I look like a mad woman. But then a heaven-sent angel appeared beside me "Would you like some help, ma'am?" she was a scrappy-looking girl, with brown hair, wide eyes, and an eager smile. "I assume you're trying to catch a taxi, yes?" She leaned forward as she spoke, and freezes as she waits for my reply. "Um, yes. It's just hard to do when holding onto a cat." She smiles and gives a quick assured nod "No matter,. I can get one for the both of us, as long as I can come with you?"

"Oh, um... sure, I suppose." She quickly glances behind her and starts looking for a cab to hail, when she finally spots one she raises her arm and calls for it.

"Thank you so much Miss...?"

"Holmes, Enola Holmes." he put her hand out for me to shake but I stood in shock. "There's more of him?" Daughter? Sister? Concerningly young wife? Dear God, I hope not his wife, although I wouldn't put it past him. We get into the carriage as the driver is getting rather impatient, Enola sits across from me. "To Bartsmont Hall please" Off we go.

"I'm his sister, and there's a final one of us too. Mycroft, but he's... indifferent with us." Another way of saying he's a complete drongo I take it, well it must run in their male genes. "Well, he surely cannot be worse than Sherlock" She chuckles lightly at my joke "So you've met Sherlock then?" Enola starts putting her hair up into a tight bun. "Oh yes, I have the displeasure of working on his latest case with him."

She scrunches her nose and a sink into the carriage seat more. "I am truly sorry. Honestly if you end up murdering him I could help you keep the police of your trail- oh by the way don't tell anyone who I am, I am currently wanted by them." She stares and nods as the finishes her sentence. Slightly terrified, I contemplate tucking and rolling out of the carriage, reason: I value my Holmes-hating life. "Oh, I didn't actually commit a crime, they're just framing me for murder" I can see she's being genuine, her eyebrows are slightly furrowed, eye contact hasn't been broken, her face is relaxed. That not a criminal.

The ride is going quite nice actually. Enola, unlike her brother, is very fun and free-wheeling . It's so funny how people can start from the same place and end up entirely different. I learned their father died about a decade ago, then both Sherlock and Mycroft moved away shortly after, which left their mother to raise Enola alone. Surprise, surprise, Sherlock never kept contact with them, the only way they knew what he was doing was from the newspaper reports of his cases.

Last year, their mother went missing which finally brought her two brothers back home. They wanted to send her away to a torturous finishing school, where she would be forced to conform to societal standards. But then, a "silly marquess" recued her, I sense some feelings there but my mouth shall remain shut for now. Anyway, she became Sherlock's ward after that whole scandal and has started her own detective agency, but it's been having about as much luck as mine.

"So, what's your name? Why are you going to Bartsmont Hall? And how did my forever lonesome brother agree to you working the case with him?" She's an inquisitive young lady, but I have nothing to hide right now.

"Well, I'm Y/N L/N . Bartsmont Hall is my families country residence, which I am going to because I need to borrow a ball gown from my sister because Sherlock and I need to attend the Match Makers ball for our case that he did not get a say in me joining." I sniffle and place my hands in my lap "Any questions?" She shakes her head, hiding a smirk, and I look out the window as I recognize this path. "We're approaching!" the driver belts as to us. Enola looks out the window and her eyes widen slightly, I suppose it is quite beautiful here.