#regency!lock

Chapter 16 || Read from the beginning

It wasn't like the poets wrote. There was no sudden realisation, no grand epiphany that knocked him off his feet, the sun didn't suddenly come out from behind the clouds and dawn upon him.

It was a gradual realisation, a slow romance of the heart, stealing him away one heartbeat at a time.

He knew what was happening all along. Oh, he had tried to resist and put distance between them, but he was drawn to her like a honeybee to a flower. Eventually, all his protests faded and he let himself fall freely, happily.

And now it was time. She suspected, he knew. But was dubious, no doubt of his own making for his cold disregard early in their acquaintance.

He had surely been a fool.

As the sun was rising over the garden, he stepped out onto the veranda and searched for his wife, catching her just down the path by the rose bushes, the hem of her dress damp with dew.

He quietly came upon her, yet to be noticed, and took a moment to memorize the sight of her in the early morning light, with gold and red hues dancing across her profile.

As Molly reached out to touch the petals of a particularly vibrant rose, he did the same. She drew back and looked up at him, her brown eyes wide in surprise.

Carefully, he plucked the flower from its stem, never looking away from her, and gently, reverently, tucked it behind her ear, letting his hand linger against the warmth of her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered at his touch and he delighted in the blush that darkened the apples of her cheeks.

Slowly, he leaned down, his hand coming around to cradle the back of her head, his fingers getting lost in the softness of her hair. He held back before their lips touched and waited, hoped, that she was willing to fall, as he had done.

He felt her small hand on his cheek just as she lifted her face and closed the distance, her lips brushing against his, once. Twice. Then again, more confidently.

It would be easy to get carried away. But now was not the time, he knew. They had an entire future together to look forward to and this was their beginning.

With great reluctance, he broke their embrace. Suddenly shy once more, she would have stepped away, but for him catching her hand as she pulled it back. He pressed a tender kiss to her palm, her skipping heartbeat matching his own.

He smiled and stepped back, holding out his arm. With an answering smile, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.

Chapter 14 || Read from the beginning

Chapter 15 || Read from the beginning

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable New Year's Eve, and may you all recover speedily from the hangover. 😉

And here is my New Year's gift to you: A small, back cover-style preview of the new slow burn I'm working on. Regency!lock, marriage of convenience (sort of), and plenty of pining!

First chapter will be posted on Wednesday!

~*~

When Molly Hooper agreed to marry Sherlock Holmes, she never anticipated that she would be made to feel like the other woman.  The truth of her husband’s scandalous affair has made her the laughingstock of London.  Unable to bear the shame, she flees to his estate in Kent, and there begins to heal.  Unfortunately, just when she finds herself almost content with her situation, her life is once again upended by none other than her husband.

Sherlock Holmes never intended to marry, happy to continue as a bachelor for the rest of his days.  Even his dalliance with Irene Adler was never meant to be permanent.  But after his meddling brother forces him into matrimony, with the full and enthusiastic support of their parents, he is determined to send his new wife away to the country and ignore her existence.  Once she is gone, however, his ‘perfect’ life begins to fall apart, leaving him with nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to.

I Know No Other Way: Chapter 11 || Read from the beginning

FYI, this chapter has another time jump, though not a huge one, and it should be the last. But then, these two dorks have a tendency to write their story without consulting me, the cheeky buggers. 🤣 Thanks for reading!

~*~

The month of June saw a marked improvement in Molly’s spirits. In the nearly two months since she became Mrs Holmes, she had settled into a happy, busy routine. Her mornings, weather permitting, were spent with Mr Martin, tending to the hives and harvesting their honey, or with Nellie and Ruth in the vegetable garden. Of course, there were days the weather did not permit, and she was forced to stay indoors, but she found ample enough means to pass the time, as she and Mrs Martin set about planning renovations to the more outdated rooms within the house. When not making such plans, she wrote to her parents, who were now settled in Surrey for the summer, taking care to give them the impression that Mr Holmes was in Kent with her, without saying so outright, and that she was perfectly content. The latter was almost the truth.

Chapter 13 || Read from the beginning

Jesus Christ, this was hard to finish. And it certainly wasn't helped by half of my family interrupting me numerous times throughout the day. Love my family, but man! JUST LET ME WRITE!!!

Anyways, the long overdue next chapter is here at last, though it is definitely a filler chapter at best. Thanks again for being patient with me, and here's your sneak peek:

~*~

The afternoon passed, mercifully, without further incident, though Sherlock’s vexation had not abated. He stormed the grounds as his mind waged war on itself, all but upended by the absolute fiasco his day had become. A scandal narrowly avoided, a wife he hardly recognized, and exile from both Baker Street and Hive Cottage—both of which he owned—and to cap it all off, the light drizzle of rain began falling in earnest. Were he a believer in signs or the supernatural, he might have thought the skies were mirroring his foul temper.

I Know No Other Way: Chapter 10 || Read from the beginning

Yes, I know, it's technically still Tuesday (in some parts of the world), but I'm posting early, just this once, for two reasons. 1) Tomorrow is going to be hella busy at work, and I know I won't have time to post until way late, and 2) I am so excited for y'all to read this!

So... oh, darn, you get the next chapter early. I know that just breaks your little hearts. 😉 Don't get used to it, though!

~*~

As May bled into June, Sherlock and Watson still had yet to apprehend their murderer. For the past three weeks, they had spent nearly every waking hour (begrudgingly, in Watson’s case) following false trail after false trail. Every day that passed without answers only worsened Sherlock’s mood, which in turn worsened Watson’s mood, along with that of Mrs Watson, and Mrs Hudson, and frankly, every person in his acquaintance.

His sole comfort in all of this was the lack of social obligations. He had all but gone into hiding, and the majority of the ton believed he was already removed to the country, happily ensconced in marital bliss. As far as he was aware, only the Watsons, Lestrade, his household, and his Irregulars had any notion of his still being in town, none of whom would betray his whereabouts even if they had the opportunity. Even so, he kept to himself in the daylight hours, and only went out after dark, just to be safe.