"The Widow" Bertha

In fact, Bertha didn't care much about Mycroft's "favor fee" - people can be greedy for petty gains, but they can't take advantage of others' dangers, this is Bertha's bottom line.

Besides, she is sitting safely in front of Mrs. Holmes, can she overturn the stage on the spot?Could it be that you don't plan to mix it up.

"Listen to Mike," Mrs. Holmes asked kindly, unaware that the two were secretly fighting each other, "Bertha, you are not from London, are you?"

"I am not, ma'am."

Bertha responded obediently: "My home is in the village of St. Mary Mead, very close to London, a day's walk."

Mrs. Holmes: "Then is there anyone in your family now?"

Bertha shook her head.

It has to be said that the family background that Mycroft arranged for himself is quite useful, not to mention the Victorian era with underdeveloped transportation and communications, it can scare many onlookers in the 21st century.

"I came back from the United States alone," she said, "but it's okay, I don't have to worry about it, I can feed the whole family by myself."

"Ugh."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Holmes looked at Bertha with a more loving look: "You are such a strong girl, so are you living with Mike now?"

Bertha: "..."

Mrs. Holmes: "Don't be shy, I'm not that old-fashioned parent."

But you are too open, madam!Counting 100 years from today, the "old antiques" you speak of are still everywhere.

She really didn't know how to respond to these words, and Mycroft on the side took up the topic logically: "Bertha lives with me in Pall Mall now."

Bertha: "..."

Well, I'm afraid that from now on, even if Bertha doesn't know where the door of Mycroft's house opens, there will be more groceries and laundry clothes belonging to Miss Marple in his house.

"Very well," Mrs. Holmes really didn't care about this, she smiled instead, "You are right, Mike. How can you let your family live in a hotel, especially Bertha is alone now, and there is no one to take care of her."

Mycroft smiled quickly. "I'll take good care of her, mother."

Bertha glanced up at Mycroft, and then asked curiously, "Did you come to London alone, ma'am?"

Mrs. Holmes: "It makes me angry."

Having said that, the smile and helplessness on the old lady's face betrayed her true thoughts. The happy lady complained: "I told the child's father several times, but he just didn't bother to go out, saying that Mike and Shelly They're adults, they can't get lost in London, let them make their own way."

Holding the teacup, Bertha couldn't help laughing, and teased, "Then I know who Mike looks like."

Mycroft was immediately unhappy: "...I think I'm much more diligent than my father, far from being 'too lazy to go out'."

"You still say no," Mrs. Holmes did not give Mycroft this face, and blamed her not very sincerely, "I really hope that Mike and Shelley can reconcile, one will go out more to socialize, and the other will not roll in the mud. "

Speaking of another Holmes, out of politeness, Bertha said: "That little Holmes—"

"—My dear, your teacup is empty," Mycroft interrupted Bertha sweetly, "and I'll pour you tea."

"..." Damn it.

Meeting the sight of the big devil, Bertha almost bit off her tongue, almost slipped her tongue, and directly called out the detective's last name.As her elder brother's lover, Bertha can't be so strange, isn't that revealing.

Fortunately, Bertha responded quickly. She accepted the tea poured by Mycroft frankly, and asked nonchalantly, "Does little Shirley know that you are coming to London, ma'am?"

Mrs. Holmes: "I didn't tell him, don't let the young people waste their time on me. Mike is really, and called you."

Bertha smiled: "It should."

If it had not been for Mycroft Holmes himself, who was here to look forward and back and busy himself, it would have been difficult for Bertha to imagine that this amiable woman before her was the mother of the two Holmes.How should I put it, she is too "ordinary", so ordinary that she can be anyone's mother with her appearance.

But Bertha thought about it, maybe it was because of this that Mrs. Holmes raised two geniuses.

Bertha liked this lady very much, especially since she was clearly prepared to deal with the head of the spy chief, and found that today's afternoon tea was more comfortable than ever, and it was hard for her not to feel good about it.

Seeing the relaxed atmosphere in the room, when Bertha felt that she could be fooled easily, the door of Mycroft's office opened again.

The young man who had "tipped off the news" before came in again and whispered a few words to Holmes.

Mycroft frowned immediately.

"Is there a job, Mike?"

Mrs. Holmes said, "Go ahead and do it if you have a job. I'll talk to Bertha about Shelly."

Mycroft: "..."

Bertha: "..."

No!

Bertha turned her head and stared at Mycroft almost immediately, her pair of dark golden eyes wanted to nail Holmes into the sofa: I'm here to cover for you, you can't run away without your teammates!

However, her silent cry brought back a rather apologetic look on Mycroft's face.

Holmes still got up from the sofa ruthlessly: "Sorry, Mom, Bertha, I'll be right back."

OK, I remembered.

Bertha watched Mycroft follow his assistant out of the office with scorching eyes. With the sound of the door, only Bertha and Mrs. Holmes were left in the huge room.

It was too cruel. Bertha never expected that she would be abandoned on the battlefield by her comrades.

She withdrew her gaze, held her teacup, and smiled unchanged: "Strictly speaking, Little Shelly and I are still traveling together, ma'am. At present, we have cooperated and are investigating the same case."

"If so, will you speak for me, Bertha?"

"of course."

Bertha put down her teacup, and briefly told Mrs. Holmes about the drug trial case in the Whitechapel area. Mrs. Holmes was also shocked by the suspicion of drug abuse in Lange's laboratory.

After sighing repeatedly, she couldn't help but look back at Bertha: "You are really hardworking, child."

Bertha laughed: "Actually, I quite enjoyed it."

Mrs. Holmes: "Even so, covering for Mike is hard work."

Bertha: "..."

It was Mrs. Holmes' turn to smile wryly.

So, Mrs. Holmes saw it early on!

Facing the lady's knowing smile, Bertha didn't feel ashamed or panicked when her lies were exposed. After a long time, being a mother is actually very clear.

"You are so perceptive, ma'am." Bertha suddenly felt amused.

"If you think I have the abilities of Mike and Shelley because of this, then you think too highly of me."

Mrs. Holmes blinked slyly: "Actually, I don't see anything wrong with the two of you. It's just that I know Mike. If he is determined to show me his sweetheart, he will definitely not just find a weekend and spend time with me. I have afternoon tea in my office to deal with the matter."

How should I put it, she deserves to be a mother.No matter how smart a son is, he will never be better than his mother, will he?

Bertha put down her teacup and sighed: "I'm sorry, ma'am."

Mrs. Holmes immediately laughed out loud: "No need, Bertha, I should thank you for chatting with the old woman to relieve boredom. But I am curious, how can you achieve such a tacit understanding when you and Mike are not lovers?"

Bertha: "..."

"It's better to consider the child Mike," Mrs. Holmes said. "I can't guarantee anything else. My son is definitely better than one."

"Okay."

Bertha didn't blush or be ashamed, and responded to Mrs. Holmes' words with a smile: "Mycroft is indeed a heart-warming gentleman, ma'am."

She neither said she liked it nor said she didn't like it.To praise Mycroft Holmes as if he were a fool who would not be tempted, and to pluck himself clean as to judge a man who has nothing to do with it.

Such an answer could be regarded as pushing back Mrs. Holmes' teasing temptation in a serious manner.In this case, as a mother, I didn't say anything more.

Just in time, Mycroft came back after dealing with the emergency.

"I'm sorry," he apologized again, "but you didn't give Bertha a hard time, mother?"

"Look what you said."

Mrs. Holmes scolded, "You're talking to your sweetheart now? Don't worry, Bertha and I just chatted about the Whitechapel test case. How's work going?"

Mycroft bowed his head, but did not speak.

The tall gentleman smiled slightly, and the image of the precious son who was busy pleasing his mother just now was swept away.As a result, his expression changed slightly, and Mrs. Holmes immediately understood the situation.

"You young people are busy with your work," she stood up. "I finally came to London, and I should go shopping."

"Then I too—"

"Bertha, please stay here." Mycroft said suddenly.

Bertha paused and raised her head.

She looked at Mycroft, who looked calm, but after a brief eye contact, she already understood the general idea: no matter what he went to deal with, this matter might have something to do with her.

"it is good."

Bertha didn't say much, she just sat back on the sofa and picked up her own teacup as if nothing had happened.

Mycroft sent his mother out, and returned after half a cup of tea.Sherlock Holmes, who entered the room again, closed the door, and with a "click", the peaceful and pleasant afternoon tea time shattered like a dream.

Bertha turned her head to the side: "What?"

The elder Holmes turned around, looked at Bertha, thought for a few seconds and then responded.

"I am sorry, ma'am," he said, "but will I offend you if I next say that, for some inescapable reason, you need to move temporarily with me to Pall Mall?"