"The Widow" Bertha

The next afternoon.

To be honest, Bertha really didn't want to deal with high-society wives if it wasn't for the clues of the Truth Society.

As the Home Secretary and the wife of a British lord, Mrs. Ward is naturally not interested in Miss Marple's case, but she has the responsibility to win over "Holmes' lover" for her husband, so even if Bertha and the other party are deeply in love Knowing that each other is not the same way, they still have to act kindly.

"What happened at Thornfield Park is truly a tragedy."

After listening to Bertha's "interesting story", Mrs. Ward sighed: "Married a wife, but can't fulfill the duties of a wife, Rochester is really pitiful."

Bertha: "..." She has been imprisoned for ten years, and she has not seen the sun for ten years. Isn't she pitiful!

Mrs. Ward put down the teacup in her hand: "As a wife, one should always do something for her husband. You think so too, Miss Marple?"

Bertha kept a polite smile: "I'm not married, ma'am, but you're right."

Mrs. Ward blinked: "I see, it's not much different. James told me that he has known Mr. Holmes for so many years, and he has never seen any woman around him. You are the first one! It can be seen that you are so powerful." A good man always has an extraordinary vision, and can fall in love with an equally extraordinary woman at a glance."

If other girls heard this kind of ridicule, they would blush even if they were pretending to be lovers.But who is Bertha?As a former reporter, she has already practiced the "thick skin" of King Kong. Not only is she not embarrassed, but she also hooked the corners of her mouth and put on a sweet gesture: "Mycroft, in fact, there are many small problems. , but not as good as you say."

Mrs. Ward: "You still say you are not satisfied? Miss Marple, you can't hide your smile."

After the joke, the relationship between the two female relatives seemed to be much closer.Mrs. Ward put on an intimate gesture and said proudly: "James and I are also very affectionate. He has always been proud that I can help him-you heard some gentlemen making fun of members of the House of Commons for asking their wives to come forward. They're also secretly comparing themselves. Let me tell you, Senator Fisher's wife is actually quite competent."

Bertha paused with her teacup.

Sure enough, at the party last night, the topic of "women also want the right to vote" among the gentlemen was referring to Mrs. Fisher.

As a woman in the 21st century, Bertha was particularly upset by that mocking tone, and she kept this account silently in her heart.Hearing Mrs. Ward bring up the past again, she raised her eyebrows slightly: "Are you talking about Mrs. Emily Fisher who opened a private girls' school?"

"Ok?"

Mrs. Ward asked in surprise, "Miss Marple, do you know her?"

Bertha: "One of my close boudoirs holds a post at the Fisher School."

"As expected of a private detective," Mrs. Ward understood, "but she has seen a lot and knows a lot of people. Mrs. Fisher has always wanted to organize a magazine for women, but she has no funds. She once contacted me, hoping I can help."

"You don't sound like you agree, ma'am."

"..."

The elegant and decent Mrs. Jazz showed a somewhat complicated look.

"Well...I've been very busy recently, and I don't have time to attend her salon," Mrs. Ward said tactfully, "I need to check several charity projects of James."

She is hesitating.

If you don't see this point, Bertha has been a reporter for half her life, plus a "private detective" who is not popular.

Between Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Fisher there is an almost insurmountable gulf, which is by no means as simple as the House of Lords and the House of Commons.But even so, Mrs. Fisher contacted Mrs. Ward through her "transgression". Although she refused, she could still remember it, which proved that Mrs. Ward was really interested in Mrs. Fisher's proposal to organize women's chores.

Bertha has a good impression of Mrs. Fisher, maybe it's okay to help?

Realizing this, the social smile on Bertha's face finally added a touch of sincerity.

"Next time Mrs. Fisher holds a salon, maybe I can listen to it for you, madam."

"That's really good!"

Mrs. Ward's gratitude came from her heart: "I really can't leave, there are too many items to review. Especially Dr. Lang En's pharmaceutical research, his laboratory gave me a long list."

Pharmaceutical research?

Bertha's heart moved: "Is it a medical medicine?"

Mrs. Ward: "Yes. It is said that it has entered the clinical stage... If it is successful, it can be used to treat many diseases. This is a very good thing, but I don't know much about medicine, maybe I have to let James see it himself."

Dr. Long, Bertha silently said the name in her heart, and picked up the teacup again.

It can be regarded as catching useful people.

"It's not as interesting as your job, Miss Marple," said Mrs. Ward. "Do you have any other cases going forward?"

"There is no case."

Bertha took a sip of the black tea, and had to say that the tea leaves from the Lord's house were really good, and even Bertha, a coffee party, tasted a strong and fragrant taste.The woman holding the teacup turned her head sideways. Today she only wore half of her hair in a bun, and the black hair hanging down on her forehead made her lazy and casual.

What a charming girl, Mrs. Ward could not help but sigh, no wonder she could charm such a character as Holmes.

"However," Bertha curled her lips, and a look of anticipation flashed in her dark golden eyes, "There are still other things that I need to pay attention to personally."

What's the matter?Naturally, Mycroft personally promised himself information about the gypsies.

……

At the same time, the Whitechapel area.

It just rained, and the already muddy and dilapidated streets were even more desolate after being washed.Among the old huts and open carriages one after another, the colored cloths hanging were covered with mud spots.When the sky cleared completely, the road, which was only three steps wide and piled up with a lot of sundries, was immediately crowded with dark-skinned people wearing alien costumes.

This is a shanty town for the gypsies.

They are few in number, but feared by others.Even the most vicious gangsters in the neighborhood will not provoke the gypsies who settled here for no reason.Look at the tarot cards and crystal balls placed in front of the convertible, and look at the broken animal bones in front of the tent. Who knows what will happen if you provoke them?

Maria came out of the shed cursing: "Abby? That damn girl, Abby, where did she go?"

Several youths from the same clan laughed and said, "I'll see her running out to play before it rains!"

Maria: "Wild girl, I have to fix her when I come back."

After she left this sentence, she reached out to tear off the colored curtains that were already so dirty that she couldn't see the color, but before Maria succeeded, two girls hurried over from a distance: "Maria! Someone is coming."

Maria: "What?"

Girl: "Yes, here comes the Thames!"

Maria's hand paused.

She turned around, and almost everyone in the narrow alley turned around—

In the dirty, cluttered, and exotic alley, Thomas Thames' figure was as striking as a white dove breaking into a flock of crows.The young man was wearing a beige overcoat that could be described as flamboyant. Even if it wasn't buttoned, the decent coat still outlined his thin and tall shoulders and waist.

Thames even wore a pair of shiny high-end leather shoes. In the muddy and difficult alley, even if these shoes were stained with mud, it was enough to make all the gypsy youths look strangely.

He walked over with steady steps, and everyone made way for him along the way.

Maria narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Thames?" she asked.

Finally, the young man stopped in front of Maria. He took off his hat, revealing a pair of ice blue eyes.

Thomas Thames smiled: "Convey a message, dear Maria."

"what news?"

"Scotland Yard intends to demolish your shanty town in eleven days."

Maria's face suddenly changed.

"Mrs. Thames sent me over when she heard the news," Thomas said in a relaxed and friendly manner, but every sentence made Maria's face even more embarrassing. "She has such a good heart, naturally I can't bear to see you displaced, Mrs. Thames said, Gypsies can go to the docks in the east of London to take shelter temporarily."

After speaking, Thomas put his hat back on.

"I hope you can remember Madam's kindness this time."

Then this beige turned and left without hesitation, leaving all the gypsies with a tall and straight back.

***

That night.

Thomas, who changed into a three-piece suit and turned into a young gentleman, came to the White Horse Hotel to convey the situation of the gypsy to Bertha, in exchange for Bertha's wanton laughter.

"Maria is going to hate you," she said with a smile, "it's a pity, I obviously think you two are pretty good together."

Thomas couldn't laugh or cry, why did Madam always think that he was a romantic debt?

"It's a good job."

All joking aside, of course, Bertha was quite pleased with Thomas Thames.

Although he played a little tricky at the beginning because of his lack of money, it was for the treatment of Connor, so Bertha didn't take it seriously.It can be considered that she was lucky to meet such a smart, agile, desperate young man when she first came to London.

Therefore, Bertha did not hesitate to praise her: "Even if Maria hates you, they must remember to owe you and me."

Thomas: "It's mainly because you're well informed, ma'am."

Bertha: "Don't flatter me."

She hooked the corners of her mouth and continued: "I also have good news to tell you. I probably know who is the culprit who killed Connor."

Thomas froze in place suddenly.

He raised his head in disbelief, and stared closely at Bertha's beautiful face—you must know that Thomas never took the initiative to look directly at Bertha.

"You, what are you saying, ma'am?"

"Dr. Langen," Bertha coldly spat out the information she had inquired during the day, "if you are in a hurry, you can inquire about it by yourself, but don't startle the snake, he is kept to lure the snake out of the hole, maybe you can catch a bigger head manipulator behind the scenes."

"..."

Hearing this, the young man clenched his fists.

Bertha had no doubt that if Dr. Lange was present at this time, Thomas would definitely kill him himself to avenge Connor.But he was very good at controlling his emotions, and within a short while, the young man exhaled a foul breath, and then let go of his palm.

"I see," he began, "if there is a need for me, I will die, madam. I swear in the name of the Lord, if I delay your order from now on, I will go to hell. "

Bertha raised her eyebrows in surprise.

Such an oath is quite important for a Catholic.Bertha knew that Thomas would be well-liked by her investigation of the matter, but she did not expect to be so exaggerated.

"Don't be too happy."

Bertha paused and said, "There is one more thing."

Thomas: "Please, ma'am."

Bertha: "Would you like to have more children named Thames?"

Thomas:? ? ?

Thomas was puzzled by Bertha's vague words, and she didn't explain, so the young man had to go home full of question marks.

When he returned to the Whitechapel area and walked to the door of the house, he finally understood what Bertha meant—

Under the moonlight, Bill Sykes and his younger brother Toby were guarding in front of their house. If it wasn't for the gangsters who were accompanied by two little boys, Thomas must have thought that the gangsters were here to seek revenge and fight.

Sikes muttered something in a low voice, then looked at Thomas a few times, and whistled: "A man depends on his clothes, boy."

Thomas frowned vigilantly, "What are you doing?"

"It's nothing."

Sykes kicked the "can't catch" Jack Dawkins beside him: "Mrs. Thames wants me to send these two boys to you."

His voice fell to the ground, "I can't catch it." Jack scratched the back of his head and asked in confusion, "I heard that Mrs. Thames wants to recognize us as godsons?"

Thomas: "..."

At this moment Thomas finally understood what Lady Bertha's words meant.

She asked Sykes to get rid of the old Jew before, and said that the children left behind are useful, what is the use?No one knows.

But Thomas knew that he was about to have two more oil bottles on hand.

Another child, Charlie Bates, was surprised when he heard this, "Wow, then you will be our uncle in the future, Thomas?"

Thomas: "..."

He slapped Charlie lightly on the head, and said angrily, "Who wants to be the uncle of you little rascals? Does Mrs. Thames look as old as your oldest son? Think of her as a sister!"

Thinking of the more lively "elder brother's life" in the future, Thomas only felt a headache—he would rather jump into a fire pit than be a baby daddy!