4 – Meeting Miss Holmes Was the Worst (4)
When the newly hired tutor, who had arrived in the house less than two days ago, made a suspicious proposal for the youngest daughter, Mrs Holmes had no choice but to be alert. No, she attempted to be alert.
Mrs. Holmes had just apologized when she heard from her maid, Sally, that her youngest daughter had been improper towards the young, handsome home tutor on his first day.
The conversation should have ended smoothly, but it had concluded with a proposal that was difficult to understand outright. Even someone as oblivious as Mrs. Holmes couldn’t help but be suspicious.
Thus, Moriarty appended one final statement. No matter how dubious the proposal might seem, anyone would be momentarily swayed by the offer to do the job without charge.
Naturally, this couldn’t completely alleviate the unease felt by Mrs. Holmes.
However, Moriarty had already anticipated this.
As briefly demonstrated in front of Sherlock Holmes, he was always intuitive. Unlike young Holmes, who studied his exterior and quickly found clues for her deductions, he could understand most people merely by observing them.
Moriarty recalled the first evening as a home tutor, having dinner with the entire Holmes family.
They were a commonplace family.
Mr. Holmes, widely known as a reverend of the Anglican Church in this region, was respected as a resident inheritor of the family business.
The head of the Holmes family, a man in his fifties, was ascetic as proper for a religious person, stoic, but more than anyone, a conventional man who valued his family.
However, he seemed anxious towards his significantly younger wife. Mr. Holmes was oblivious to it and did not reveal it, but Moriarty was clearly aware.
But unlike young Holmes, he was undeniably a dull man, a typical person we could find anywhere.
The same could be said about Mrs. Holmes. She had fairy blood in her lineage which allowed her to maintain her youth even in her mid-thirties, and perhaps due to this, she was a lady who found a certain tedium in ordinary life.
A person who might dream of an occasional detour, if given the chance.
However, she was a conventional housewife and was strict regarding her children’s education. Running on her mind was specifically her youngest, Sherlock.
Even anyone could see that Sherlock was far from the typical girl. As Mrs. Holmes possessed the moral sense of the average woman of this era, she couldn’t help but worry about the future of her unruly youngest daughter from early on.
But Moriarty could understand why Mrs. Holmes was still lenient on young Sherlock. After all, she was only eight years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Holmes had three children in total, two sons and the youngest daughter, Sherlock.
But the eldest son of Mr. Holmes and older brother to Sherlock, Sherrinford, was absent from the dinner table. Sherrinford, who was three years younger than Moriarty, was studying theology at a strict boarding school to inherit his father’s business.
Sherlock, Mycroft, and Sherrinford.
Despite Mr. Holmes being just a regular man, these odd names were a clear hint of an eccentric side.
Moriarty’s arrival at the house was the first time he came across such unusual names.
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As aptly befitting for their names, Mycroft and Sherlock, at least among the two children he met, were distinctive in Moriarty’s eyes.
Different from those dull and stupid ones, unlike those forgettable and unremarkable hoi polloi, these were two relatable and unforgettable little ones.
It was for this reason that Moriarty impulsively volunteered to take over Sherlock’s education. Although it was half an impulse, he had no regrets.
And he knew that Mrs. Holmes was still wary of his proposal. Mrs. Holmes was an ordinarily boring woman and was inclined to find regular female tutors for her daughter’s disciplined education in future.
Predicting this future didn’t even require minor deductions. Sherlock was a unique girl, no, a unique existence, one that was too much for any conventional education or foolish home tutors to handle. Moriarty had a premonition.
So certainly, it would be impossible for her to entrust the education of her eight-year-old daughter to an unfamiliar man, however young, and despite him proving reliable as the tutor of her son.
However, Moriarty cautiously added.
If anyone who knew his inner thoughts were to witness this, it was an act that ironically induced fear due to such brazen behavior. Disguised as a sincere young man, he made himself appear to be one who was consumed by the past memories and family love.
“When speaking with Sherlock, memories of my younger sister came flooding back…”
“Is that so? If she was Moriarty’s sister, she must have been beautiful.”
“Yes, unfortunately, she passed away at the age of five. She was a child that followed me more than anyone, and I celebrate her memory even now, ma’am.”
“Oh, my apologies, I wasn’t aware, Mr. Moriarty!”
How could the stupid and ordinary Mrs. Holmes possibly suspect the young man in front of her?
Despite not even remembering his deceased younger sister’s name correctly, and never having any emotional reaction when she died, for the first time, Moriarty found himself thankful for her existence.
Of course, even without a sister, he could’ve easily lied. But smart people always need to be prepared.
The possibility was almost zero, but at the off chance that someone decided to investigate whether Moriarty actually had a dead sister, it was a good thing that he did.
From having a sister and also because she even died, Moriarty was for the first time thankful to his sister whose name he could not properly remember. Of course, not for long.
Faced with a young man yearning for his lost sister and seeing his daughter in her image, Mrs. Holmes couldn’t help but be swayed.
Moriarty’s own appearance also contributed to this. Beauty had always been the most powerful weapon.
Those with sharp instincts sometimes read beyond that beauty, but most people were swayed by mere appearances.
Moriarty knew very well that he was handsome. He was different from fools in that he knew everything well, and sometimes he even gained many benefits through his appearance.
Having a good appearance was like carrying a handgun in your pocket for self-defense when dealing with fools.
Moriarty added one more final challenge.
“Not yet… I understand Miss Sherlock does not attend school or have a tutor, Madam. Anyway, I’m not really going to stay in this mansion for a long time, am I? Think of it as simply teaching her basic reading and math skills for the future and playing with her. Looking at Miss Sherlock… It seems like she runs around outside a lot, maybe studying while sitting would be more… ladylike behavior?”
“Yes… she’s still a young child… She carelessly runs around and messes up the whole house with mud. Thanks to her, even Sally is having a hard time.”
“Just think of it as a simple preview, as I said. The simple math… as you know, it can be just as appropriate for the ladies in London society.”
Was that really so?
The truth didn’t matter. However, for Mrs. Holmes, who was already worried about her youngest daughter who was like a tomboy, the phrases ‘London society’ and ‘ladies’ manners’ were enough to make a decision.
“I’ll discuss it with my husband first, teacher.”
“Yes, of course.”
Although he intuitively knew the result was already determined, he ended the conversation with a smile that looked friendly.
That evening, this issue naturally came up at the Holmes family’s dinner table.
Unlike the first day when everyone ate together for the guest’s visit, Moriarty was dining separately, prepared for the guests in a detached house.
Contrary to the usual, Mycroft looked away from his parents, who were busy discussing the church’s matters, and turned his gaze to his sister sitting next to him.
Normally, she was sharp and noticed his gaze at once, but unexpectedly, she looked despondent.
Of course, in Mycroft’s memory, Sherlock always lacked energy during dinner. However, that was usually because she found the conversation between mother and father boring.
But now, it was different. It was quite shocking for Mycroft. Sherlock was an unusual girl that did not look her age. Of course, Mycroft himself was a peculiar boy in the eyes of others, but at least it was so in his perspective.
However, now she looked really, unlike her usual self, more like an 8-year-old girl.
It was as though her favorite doll was taken away from her mother despite all the efforts and tantrums she threw, a sense of disappointment reflected on her expression.
Mycroft never imagined he would ever see such an expression and atmosphere from Sherlock in his short 15 years of life, so he was quite surprised.
Still, he knew the cause. Just as much as, or even more than Sherlock, Mycroft was good at observing.
His new tutor, Mr. James Moriarty.
Although he heard from maid Sally and his mother that Sherlock had been a nuisance to the guest on the first day, it was clear that there were certain things he did not know.
Sherlock subtly hinted that she wanted a conversation with Mr. Moriarty, as though she would get a chance to meet him during dinner that night, and she looked forward to it. Because she couldn’t even talk to him last night due to her mother.
It was a bit strange for Mycroft. Although he was happy to see Sherlock, his beloved youngest sister, acting like a child, he had a nagging feeling about the man named Moriarty.
He found himself wanting to personally observe his new tutor when, surprisingly, the conversation of his parents moved onto the topic of Sherlock’s ‘tutor’.
“Mr. Moriarty? Sherlock?”
“Yes, he said he reminded him of his younger self and wishes to take the responsibility since he has nothing else to do. I think it’s okay… What do you―”
“I want to do it! I want to learn from Mr. Moriarty! Right? Please, dad, please! I won’t cause trouble, I’ll just study dutifully!”
The sudden outcry from Sherlock led to an odd silence around the Holmes family’s dinner table. Even Mycroft had no choice but to stare at his sister, eyes wide at her unusual behavior.
In fact, Sherlock was an adult-like child. Even though she was occasionally mischievous, such as astutely reading people’s secrets as if she were casting a spell and had a liking for running around outside, which often worried her mother.
Instead, she was a mature child. If she was born a boy like her older brothers, Mrs. Holmes would not have had to worry about her as she was mature and diligent with little that resembles typical childish behavior.
Now that she was throwing a tantrum like a child for the first time, even Mr. Holmes and Mrs. Holmes could not help but stare at her, unable to think of scolding her.
Mycroft was able to spot the twinkling of Sherlock’s pretty eyes turn red at that moment. Although it was a childlike emotion, a strong longing was felt.
In the end, Mr. Holmes had no choice but to give in to his daughter’s first instance of tantrums. In fact, even if Sherlock wasn’t like this, Mr. Holmes who prioritized peace and survival of the family above all else, would have allowed it.
And so, James Moriarty took charge as the tutor of Miss Sherlock Holmes. With a twinkle in her eyes, she celebrated as if she had received a precious doll, Mycroft had no choice but to stare at his sister.
