Aylia Holmes

15. The Marquess

When he had recovered breath enough, Elwin asked, "Why are you looking for Louis?"

"I think he knows where Enola is," Aylia replied, rubbing the back of her head and wincing in pain. "Now, excuse me."

"Wait, please!" Elwin cried. "Please allow me to explain."

"Explain what?" Aylia retorted, fixing her blazing, piercing eyes on him. "Explain why you never told me of your engagement or explain why you..." She sighed and finally said, "I don't have time for this. Goodbye, Mr Tewksbury."

"I know where he is," Elwin called.

Aylia turned, her eyes lighting up with hope.

"Come with me and you can ask him yourself if he knows where Enola is," he said.

"Fine," Aylia said softly.

They walked in silence together for several moments until Elwin opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't," Aylia interrupted softly.

"Can I please just explain?" he asked desperately. "I can't bear your judgement any longer."

Aylia sighed, placed her hands on her hips, and face him, her brows raised expectantly.

"Before I left to serve like my father, there was a woman I was close friends with," Elwin explained quickly. "I was a fool and proposed to her before I left. I was gone eight years, and during that time, I realized that I didn't love her at all. When I came back, I had resolved to tell her I thought our marriage was a bad idea, but that I would still go through with it if she wished because I gave my word. That was why I was on that train the first day we met."

"And did you?" Aylia asked. "Did you tell her you thought it a bad idea?"

"No," Elwin admitted. "She wasn't there. She was in London. I tracked her down this morning and told her I'm in love with another."

Aylia's breath caught in her throat as her expression softened.

Clasping her hands in front of her, she averted her gaze and asked, "And what did she say?"

Elwin hesitated a moment before he admitted, "She was hurt, understandably. She called me a scoundrel, deservedly, but she ended the engagement. I have no commitments or promises to any other, Miss Holmes."

Aylia was silent for a long time before she said, "We should, er..."

"Yes," Elwin said quickly, turning back to face the direction of his cousin.

It was a long walk, but the silence now seemed peaceful as opposed to tense. After about three-quarters of an hour's walk, they reached a large, outdoor market filled to the brim with flowers.

They wandered along in silence until they caught sight of a more secluded booth at which a young girl dressed in a pretty pink dress was standing, her hair long and flowing around her.

"Enola," Aylia whispered, a smile coming to her lips.

"I want four yellow flowers, two blue, and a red one," Enola said as she approached. "I don't care about the breed. Any flower will do."

"What are you doing here?" Louis asked with a wide smile.

"Why, if you're passionate about flowers, would you come to London?" Enola asked.

"Because I can be lost here," he replied.

"And yet I found you," Enola countered.

"And why have you done so?" Tewksbury asked. When Enola said nothing, he resumed, "You're here for the money. They've offered a reward."

"Have they? I didn't know," Enola replied, her tone dripping with teasing sarcasm. "Well, I must tie you up and claim it!"

"Do you see what I see?" Aylia asked with a small smile as Enola burst out laughing.

"I believe I do, Miss Holmes," Elwin replied, glancing over at her fondly.

"Stars and garters, are you really so ridiculous?" Enola chuckled.

"Stars and garters?" Elwin repeated, glancing over at Aylia with a raised brow for an explanation.

"Your guess is as good as mine as to where that came from," she admitted.

"I've come here because I've grown to like you more in your absence," Enola said, "and because, as it turns out, your life is still in danger."

Fetching a pink flower from the large collection around him, Tewksbury asked, "What's made you like me more?"

"Really? That is your question?" Enola replied incredulously. "Not 'Who is trying to kill me?'"

"As it is, we have an answer for that," Elwin said, stepping forward and into sight.

"Elwin," Tewksbury said in surprise, backing away slightly.

"Louis, I'm not here to bring you back," he insisted.

"Any more than I'm here to take you back, dear sister," Aylia said, also revealing herself.

"Aylie!" Enola cried, rushing forward and embracing her. "I saw you on the train and I wanted to try and find you, but-"

"It's all right, dear," Aylia interrupted, tucking a strand of hair back out of her face with sisterly affection. "I'm all right."

"So, if neither of you is here to turn us in, why are you here?" Louis asked.

"We had a run-in with Bowler Hat," Elwin explained. "Come, is there somewhere more private we could all speak? What about your aunt's, Miss Holmes?"

"Oh, give it up, already, Elwin," Aylia said, swatting him affectionately. "And no, I ran away last week."

"You too?" Enola said with a laugh. "Mycroft must be losing his mind."

"Most likely," Aylia said with a warm smile.

"We can go to my lodging house," Enola said.

"Then, there we shall head," Elwin said.