"The Widow" Bertha

Two days later, in one of the more unusual residential neighborhoods of London.

Mrs. Moss came back from the grocery store and happened to see Mrs. Lawson, who lived in street 13C, going out. After the two ladies greeted each other, they stopped at the door to chat about the household.

"It seems that someone really wants to move in 13B," Mrs. Lawson said. "Yesterday, I saw a man who looked like a housekeeper and a few servants to move things."

"housekeeper?"

Mrs. Moss was very surprised: "People who live here can still have a housekeeper?"

You must know that they are all ordinary families, and the richest family in the whole street is just a daughter married to a banker as a successor, taking advantage of her husband's light investment and getting rich all at once, even so, it is absolutely impossible Not to the extent that a housekeeper is needed.

Mrs. Moss has lived in this street for 12 years, and she lives in the 13A house. She only knows that the 13B next door was sold a few years ago.But gossip is like a housewife, and she didn't find out who the house was sold to or when it moved in.

After several years of vacancy, does the buyer finally remember that he still has such a house?This made Mrs. Moss curious: what kind of people would be their neighbors.

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Moss got the answer after this thought had been in her mind for only one morning.

Mrs. Moss made breakfast, sent her husband and son out of the house, and was about to tidy up the living room and send the clothes to the laundry shop. When she passed the balcony of the living room, she saw a carriage parked in front of the apartment next door.

This is amazing!

Mrs. Moss immediately put down her housework, pretended to open the door for ventilation, and opened the window.

Without blocking the line of sight, the scenery on the street is unobstructed: Mrs. Moss looked at the carriage for a long time, but couldn't find anything unusual. The ordinary carriage with a plainly dressed driver is nothing like the vehicles that can be seen everywhere on the street. The difference, not like the privately owned kind.

After the driver stopped the car, he got down and opened the door respectfully.

The first person to come down was a tall and tall gentleman. He looked to be in his early thirties, well-dressed and smiling. Even to the driver, he politely thanked him, and then he helped his hat and weighed it. Weighing the cane—a few extremely simple movements, but it highlights his impeccable good upbringing.

After the etiquette and appearance were confirmed to be correct, the man looked up at the apartment in front of him.

What a style!

Mrs. Moss sighed in her heart, she looked like a cultural person, but she didn't expect that the person who bought 13B turned out to be such a refined gentleman, maybe a university professor or a publisher.

Mrs. Moss thought that the gentleman would walk in directly, but she didn't expect that after he stood still and observed, he suddenly turned around and stretched out his hand towards the carriage.

This gentleman is not alone, thought Mrs. Moss.

She saw a slender hand protruding from the carriage, with fingertips gently resting on the gentleman's palm, and then a tall girl let the man lead her slowly out of the carriage.The girl was wearing a dark green dress with little decoration on her body, but it didn't matter that her outstanding appearance attracted Mrs. Moss' attention.

When the girl got out of the carriage, she took the gentleman's arm affectionately.

"Sir, madam," the coachman said, "please go first, I will carry the luggage."

"Thank you, Mickey." The charming girl said.

It turns out that the new neighbors are a couple.

Mrs. Moss closed the window contentedly when a handsome couple walked through the gates of 13B: she had to tell old Mrs. Lawson at once that such a respectable family had bought the apartment next door.

She has to find a way to get along with them.

And regardless of what Mrs. Moss thought, Bertha was quite satisfied with the safe house.

The apartment is not big, with a bedroom upstairs, a living room downstairs, plus the supporting bathroom and kitchen, it is surprisingly full.London in the [-]th century was already very expensive, and most of the residents in the current neighborhood are ordinary citizens. Such apartments can be considered to be in good condition.

Most importantly, it was clearly a temporary safe house, but Bertha couldn't find any faults in any aspect.

She is not a person who is obsessed with food and clothing. When she was a reporter, no matter how poor the accommodation conditions were, Bertha never complained.But she also has her own preferences and aesthetics. The huge apartment is clean and bright, and the curtains in the living room have been replaced with lighter materials, which are completely different from the traditional heavy decoration of the Victorian era.

Bertha loved the sun, but conditions were not so good in London.Therefore, even when he was temporarily staying in Pall Mall Street, as long as the sky was clear, Grace would draw the thick curtains and open the perennially closed windows for Bertha.

As for the bedroom, it was temporarily arranged according to Bertha's living habits. The furniture and furnishings were almost exactly the same as those in the master bedroom at No. 23 South Bank Street. Usual materials and brands.

Bertha: "..."

She told Mickey to put down the luggage, then raised her eyebrows and turned to look at Mycroft.

The man leaned against the door frame of the bedroom, with a leisurely attitude, met Bertha's eyes that were half inquiring, half teasing, but only smiled slightly, and then said slowly: "I'm sorry to trouble you to move out again. It's too much to justify, ma'am. So I sent someone to make some inquiries, and arranged the decoration of the apartment on my own initiative, hoping to make it more comfortable to live in."

Do you call this "a little inquiry"? After such a "slight inquiry", you can even find out what kind of quilt I cover at home.

Bertha couldn't laugh or cry immediately: As expected of Mycroft Holmes, he is probably the only one in the world who can handle things to this extent.

For a moment, Bertha really didn't know whether to be happy for his thoughtfulness, or to be terrified that all the sheets she bought were found out by the other party.

"I'm even starting to feel lucky, Mike." Bertha sighed, tilting her head.

"how do I say this?"

"If I hadn't been completely honest with you from the start," the Jamaican rolled her golden eyes, provocatively and flirtatiously, "how embarrassing would it be?"

Mycroft laughed out loud at the words.

He casually put his cane on the shelf by the door. An unusual gesture, but it meant a lot to the two: Mycroft Holmes's cane was one of his self-defense tools, and it was easily put down, which proved that the current He reciprocated a considerable degree of confidence in Bertha.

"Don't underestimate yourself like this again, ma'am," Mycroft said earnestly, "If you hadn't been completely honest from the beginning, our cooperation would not have lasted so long."

"It's my pleasure, Mike."

"Each to each other, ma'am."

The long-lost business exchange went online. After the two complimented each other, they both showed a sly smile.

Mycroft moved away from the bedroom: "The kitchen has already prepared lunch, why don't you come back and tidy the wardrobe after dinner?"

Indeed, Bertha was hungry too.

To be honest, Bertha prefers the temporarily remodeled temporary residence of the safe house to Pall Mall Street—not only because Mycroft has thoughtfully arranged it into Bertha's favorite home.

The main reason is that Pall Mall Street is too big, only Bertha and Mycroft always live in such a huge mansion, and even the housekeeper often looks like an invisible person.Bertha would not have been used to it had it not been for Grace's company.

But it's different here.

The sun is rare in London today, and the curtains are drawn, and the whole living room is illuminated warmly.Without the exaggeratedly long banquet table, the square table is still covered with quite lively tablecloths, and the atmosphere of life is extremely strong.

Bertha was seated, and lunch had already been served. The dishes were simple, nothing more than ordinary stew and bread.Mycroft also opened his chair and sat down, picked up the seasoning bottle on the table: "Salt?"

Even if both of them were dressed a little formally, such a breath of life gave Bertha the illusion that she was really living with the man in front of her.

Picking up her fork, she declined Mycroft's offer, "Thank you, but I'll try it first."

As soon as the stew was in the mouth, Bertha raised her eyebrows: "You brought the cook from Pall Mall."

Mycroft: "Please rest assured, I have checked all the people who can enter this block, and I guarantee that they have nothing to do with the Truth Society."

Bertha: "..." That's not what she asked at all!

but……

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"of course."

Mycroft seemed to have misunderstood what she meant, and he responded very formally: "Not only are the people I brought innocent, ma'am, I can also assure you that the families living in the neighborhood are all ordinary families. , counting up to three generations, will not be associated with the government, gangs, and organizations such as the Truth Society."

His promise landed, but in exchange for Bertha's laughter.

This was beyond Holmes' expectation. The man across the table looked at Bertha for a moment and thought for a long time but couldn't figure out the reason for her smile.

In the end, Mycroft humbly asked for advice: "Is there anything I have overlooked, ma'am?"

"Naturally you are more thoughtful than me, Mike," Bertha refused to say, she shied away with a smile, "With you here, I can rest assured. But the meal is still important right now, isn't it? We don't talk about work at the dinner table, but you I said it myself."

Naturally, Mycroft said it himself.

So Bertha used this to prevaricate the topic, and the other party couldn't say anything more.I had no choice but to gladly accept this proposal, and after saying one more sentence that I had nothing to do today, I entered a relaxed and happy lunch time.

After the meal, Bertha gave some instructions to Migito who was in charge of sending them over.

She mentioned in the office that she would temporarily move away from South Bank Street, and suddenly seven or eight young men rushed forward and volunteered to be bodyguards, which made Bertha's vanity even satisfying to heaven!But if you're happy, it's definitely not appropriate to bring a small group of gangsters with you when you're going low-key.

Especially the old Jesse in the past had a relationship with Dr. Long, not only Mycroft wanted to use this to clean up his own people, but also Bertha.

Who knows if any of Mrs Thames's boys will be undercover from the Society of Truth now?Even if it didn't, the Truth Society had its eye on Bertha, so naturally it would keep an eye on the firm.

Therefore, Bertha deliberately did not use any gang power this time, and instead approached the coachman Mickey.

"I'm going to trouble you and your friends these days," said Bertha, "and tell me that there will be no less reward."

"Yes, Mrs Thames."

"Huh?" Bertha raised an eyebrow.

"Uh," Mickey scratched his hair and immediately responded, "Mrs. Smith!"

That's more or less.

This time she and Mycroft moved into a neighborhood out of the social circle as husband and wife, under false names, of course.When Holmes relayed her new identity to Bertha, she almost didn't hold her expression. Although people in English-speaking countries like to use "Smith" as a false surname, it's okay to become the Smiths by accident.

"Don't call me wrong," Bertha warned.

"I'll pay attention!" Mickey nodded hastily. If he made a mistake, his wages would be deducted. He's not stupid.

Bertha reminded Mickey again, telling him to find Thomas in time if necessary. After getting the young man's promise, she gave Mickey a tip as if to send the coachman, and then turned and went back to the apartment.

Back in the bedroom, Mycroft had already taken off his impeccable formal coat.

It turned out that the phrase "nothing to do today" on the dinner table meant this - it meant that there should be no work-related matters to disturb Mr. Mycroft Holmes in the coming time.

Just bumped into the man changing clothes, but Bertha didn't have any thought of avoiding it, instead she took the initiative to take the formal clothes that Mycroft took off.

"What's your plan next?"

Bertha hung the clothes on the hanger for him, then turned forward, raised her hand quite skillfully to untie the man's tie.

Through the shirt fabric, Bertha's hand landed near Mycroft's Adam's apple, and the other party paused for a moment before calmly letting the lady in front of her take over the initiative.

The tall gentleman bowed his head slightly, and he had a panoramic view of Bertha's beautiful facial curves.

"I won't let you waste your time, ma'am," he replied slowly, "this is a good opportunity to investigate the people around you."

The implication is that not only Mycroft Holmes can do this, but also Mrs Thames.

This was exactly what Bertha wanted.

Although it is common to take over the opponent's territory and younger brothers in gang disputes, everyone wanders the streets for nothing more than to make a living.But because the Truth Society had once intervened, Bertha still needed such an opportunity to screen carefully.

"Okay," Bertha said happily, "maybe I still need your help."

"That's what I should say, ma'am."

Mycroft couldn't help laughing: "You even bought the coachmen in the whole of London. Does this city still have any secrets for you?"

The spy chief said this?Knowing that it was flattery, Bertha sounded like it was very useful.

She raised her eyes, and her dark golden eyes were full of smiles: "If you are so good at sweet talk, then add a few more words, I also like to listen to lies."

Mycroft also showed a smile, and said seriously: "It's not a lie, I really admire Madam's ability from the bottom of my heart."

Bertha had already taken off his cravat: "When you change, I must change. Is the cook gone?"

"Probably not yet, ma'am, do you have guests to entertain?"

It is comfortable to talk to a wise man, especially if the wise man has the last name Sherlock Holmes.Bertha had only asked the cook, and he had guessed what he was thinking.

"If that's the case," Mycroft said, "it's best to go and stop her now. It's not easy to prepare afternoon tea. You and I are new here, and the storage room is quite empty."

"It doesn't matter, as long as there is good tea."

Bertha smiled brightly: "Visitors will bring their own food."

Mycroft said in surprise, "Oh?"

There is a bit of tentativeness in the tone of pretending to be surprised.Of course Bertha understands what he means - talking about acting in a low-key manner, the two people moved in at the front foot, and the back foot is about to entertain guests?This is different from what they said in advance.

Bertha could even read Mycroft's displeasure in it.

Why not happy?Perhaps it was because Bertha did not act in the "safest and reasonable way" in his mind.

The man, Bertha smiled and shook her head.

What to say?

Smart people are conceited, and Sherlock Holmes is informal. His conceit has never been concealed and acted rashly, showing it to the outside has become a kind of difficult to get along with; while his elder brother, Mycroft Holmes, has gone to another extreme, He seemed mild-mannered and courteous enough for even the pickiest etiquette teacher to reproach him.

But in fact, this man is even more conceited than his younger brother, to the point where he claims to control everything.

It sounds arrogant, but he just has this ability, and people have to weigh whether they have that ability before they want to speak out.

In short, Mycroft mistakenly thought that Bertha had violated their unspoken promise, and he had a little emotion.

After all, they were silent before, but they cooperated tacitly.

But Bertha would not explain.

If you misunderstand, just misunderstand. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Holmes make a mistake in judgment.

Instead of being angry, she felt that this man was unhappy but hid his emotions tightly, which was a bit cute.

"I remember you brought tea." So Bertha smiled at Yan Yan, still as if she hadn't noticed anything, "Isn't it good tea?"

"Not good tea, but not bad."

"In line with the status of Mrs. and Mrs. Smith?"

"It fits the status of Mrs. and Mrs. Smith."

"Then I'm relieved," Bertha deliberately put on an expectant look, "but don't embarrass me, Mike."

After all, the smiling Jamaican girl left, not forgetting to take her suitcase before leaving.

Knowing that she was going to change clothes, Mycroft chose not to go out to avoid it.but……

The majestic Holmes stood there thinking for a long time, but he couldn't figure out which visitor could make Mrs. Thames show such a pure smile.

Not her ex-husband, not her brother, Mycroft had seen Bertha deal with Rochester.Not only did she not care about her past husband at all, but she also wished to treat him as, er, a simple friend regardless of gender differences; as for Richard Mason, it was even more exaggerated, and she simply threw the trouble on him, Mycroft, I don't want to talk to him personally.

But who else could there be besides them?

This kind of confusion became more and more intense, especially after she changed her clothes, Bertha, who always liked dark clothes, rarely changed into an ivory long dress.

The light-colored fabric softened Bertha's glamorous and sharp lines, which even made her look a few years younger.This can't help but make Mycroft ponder: If she hadn't been insane, what would Bertha look like when she first came to England ten years ago?

Will you sit in the warmly decorated living room and look forward to it like now, and will you be uneasy about the future direction?

In fact, there are many mysteries about Bertha Mason, and even Mycroft Holmes can't figure out a few things: for example, how she was sober after being imprisoned for ten years, and how she learned to be sober during the ten years of sanity interruption. so many means.

For another example, whose visit is she expecting?

Who else deserves her joy.

Mycroft claimed that he didn't reveal any doubts to the public. He was well aware of his own control. No one would know what Holmes didn't want others to know, not even the girl sleeping next to him.

And when this guest arrived, Holmes, who had always been conceited, could hardly keep his expression on his face.

When the door rang, Bertha laughed wantonly and greeted her in person.

A few minutes later, the guest she brought in was not a distinguished person, not an important person, but a very ordinary middle-aged woman.

"Mike, look who's coming!"

Bertha introduced enthusiastically: "This is Mrs. Moss, a neighbor who lives in 13A. She heard that we just moved to London, so she came to visit us and asked if she needed any help."

Mycroft: "..."

"Why, you are very kind, Mrs. Moss," said Bertha enthusiastically, as if she were a wife who had just arrived in London with her husband, "and Mike and I came in a hurry and had nothing to prepare. Let the cook prepare the afternoon tea."

"What afternoon tea are you preparing?"

Mrs. Moss smiled and said, "I just brought some snacks, Mrs. Smith, if you don't mind, I'll go home and get some tea."

Bertha said in surprise: "How can this work! There are still some tea leaves, I'll make tea right now...Mike, please entertain Mrs. Moss first."

Mycroft: "..."

The man raised his eyes and looked at her "wife".The Jamaican girl in a light-colored dress smiled slightly, her dark golden eyes brimming with the purest happiness.

Now Mycroft knew what she was expecting.

What to expect?

Naturally, Sherlock Holmes stumbled. He imagined countless possibilities in advance, but he ignored that ordinary people always like to have a good relationship with their neighbors.

Even if people in London are more welcoming than the southern countryside, visiting a new resident is still a friendly thing, and no one would not welcome the kindness of a future neighbour.

Mycroft curled his lips and stood up from the sofa.

"I'll make the tea, dear," he said with inexplicable relief, "how can I bother you?"

It turns out that such happiness, such anticipation, and genuine smiles are reserved for myself.