The Runaway Groom (Tewkesbury X OC)

Chapter 7

They arrived at a tall shabby looking building. The old tattered wallpaper looked like it had been in many a war as it slowly fell down the wall. Enola unlocked the door revealing a small apartment. It was a lot smaller and slum like than Tewkesbury's. 

"Is this how you're living?" Florence gazed around in shock. "Well we're not all as rich as Tewkesbury. Did you just rent a room at the Ritz?" Enola joked. 

"I afforded myself a shade more comfort than this." he mused looking at the drab mouldy room, studying it almost. 

"Well, the woman I boarded off assured me this was a fine room." Enola defended herself and Florence just shook her head, even she had enough common sense to realise "The woman you boarded off lied."

Ignoring the comment Enola gestured to the bed "I have but a double bed, so you'll have to sleep on the floor." she told Tewkesbury. 

He didn't seem to be listening instead he was looking a t a pile of paper on the floor, he gently picked one up "You keep old newspapers?" Snatching it back she made sure it wasn't damaged "Be careful with that. I haven't finished reading it yet."

Also rather curious Florence peered at the papers, she noticed a familiar face on the front page "Oh. I'm in this one." the headline read Missing Marquess runs away with Young Bride. Glancing over her shoulder Enola nodded "So you are."

"As am I. Look." Tewkesbury pointed out. Florence could see him reading the headline but he just rolled his eyes and reengaged in a conversation with Enola. "Why do you keep all these old newspapers, Enola Holmes?"

With a small sigh she admitted "My mother. I'm waiting for her to leave me a message. She hasn't yet."

" "Message"? What..." Florence was confused how would her mother possibly hide a message to her daughter in a newspaper. "She likes ciphers." Enola explained, Florence gazed at her unsurely so she explained "Coded messages that need to be deciphered."

Tewkesbury stared at her "And why would she leave you a message?"

"Because she left me. And I thought she meant for me to find her," she paused briefly and inhaled "but I'm not sure she did now. So I left her a message, and I'm hopeful of a reply. I keep the newspapers to check."

Enola placed the paper back on the stack only to turn on her heel and have her trail catch o her shoes. She lurched forward hitting Tewkesbury and falling on top of him in a rather compromising position. 

Florence offered a hand to Enola who took it thankfully, rushing to get off of the Viscount. Florence then offered to help her fiancé but he pushed her hand away "I got it."

After brushing himself off Florence noticed they kept subtly glancing at each other, clearly it was beginning to frustrate Enola "Don't look at me like that."

"I'm sorry." he apologized, but Enola continued rampantly "I don't want your pity, Tewkesbury. If you don't stop looking at me like that, Viscount Irritation, Marquess of Bothersomeshire, I'll murder you myself."

"People don't seem to want us, do they?" Florence said quietly. Both Tewkesbury and Enola stopped looking at each other and focused on the girl. 

"No." Enola said before gently adding "Still, at least we've got each other."

It was those words that sent Florence into a spiral and in that moment she knew what she had to do. "I'll make us some tea." she offered strolling into the kitchen where she hurriedly shut the door and dropped to the floor. 

Florence could hear the two chatting but the door muffled the exact words, in her mind though they were confessing how in love they were. Florence could see it they levitated around each other, just the way they looked at each other. Just the way he looked at her.

Briefly wiping her eyes she decided that she was not going to keep Tewkesbury trapped. If he loved Enola then he should be with her. She began to put the kettle on the stove and as she turned to look for some cups and tea she was met with the sight of an older man. 

She wanted to cry out but he quickly covered her mouth and held her flat against his chest. She felt his warm breath in her ear as he said "If you scream or alert your little companions this right here" he showed her a knife which he then held on her throat "is going to spill all the blood in that pretty little neck of yours. And we don't want that do we"

Carefully so not to slit her own throat she shook her head and followed his directions as he lead them out of the kitchen. 

Tewkesbury caught a glimpse first and he began  to panic "Oh, gosh! Oh! Oh, gosh, you..." without giving the man time to think Enola disarmed him and yelled "Come on!" as she grabbed Florence's hand. 

"Come back here!" the guys yelled as they fled. They came across a small room at the top of the stairs. "Move the chest! Move the chest!" Enola ordered somewhat level-headed. 

The people outside were trying to breakdown the door but Enola, Tewkesbury and Florence sat against it using all their weight to stop them getting in. 

"Open up, Miss Posy, or should I say Miss Holmes?" the guy outside mused still  trying to break down the door. "Inspector Lestrade, I need to report an attempted murder." Enola yelled. Tewkesbury added "You're supposed to be on our side."

Florence could hear the Inspector arguing with a woman and she desperately looked to Enola.

"See that window over there? It leads onto a roof. I need you both to climb out and take off into nowhere." Enola commanded. 

"And leave you?" Florence asked, she had never felt so scared in her life. Not only had her life just been at risk but now she was going to loose a good friend. Pushing more weight against the chest Enola reminded her "I need to hold this door!"

"But you need to get away too!" Florence continued to argue. "If he catches him, both of your lives will be in danger." she paused as the words caught in her throat "If he catches me, it's simply a life I do not want. Now go."

"I don't want to leave you, Enola." Tewkesbury insisted. "Go! Go!" Enola screamed pushing them away. As they disappeared Florence couldn't stop the tears from falling.