"The Widow" Bertha

After Jane Eyre in the original book ran away from Thornfield Manor, she was finally found by a lawyer surnamed Briggs, and inherited [-] pounds from her uncle.

Although she generously chose to divide the [-] pounds into four parts, three of which were given to the descendants of her aunt, [-] pounds was by no means a small amount, enough to turn a tutor from nothing into a respectable lady with a generous dowry.

But the current situation seems to be better than the original "Jane Eyre".

After getting Jane's approval, Bertha took out the letter from Briggs' lawyer, glanced at it quickly, and then raised a smile that could be called surprise: "Congratulations, Jane."

Jane's eyes sparkled: "I have relatives, Bertha."

Yes, her uncle wasn't dead yet.

In the letter, lawyer Briggs stated that he was in London, and his wife bought a magazine called "Women's and Children's Education". In the second issue of the magazine, there was an article on girls' education written by Miss Jane Eyre herself. .

When Lawyer Briggs saw this name by chance, he remembered that his client, Mr. Love, who retired in Madeira Islands, happened to have a lost niece named Jane Eyre.

It's no secret that Jane is a former public speaker on women's hygiene.Lawyer Briggs just asked someone to inquire, and soon determined that this Miss Jane Eyre was the relative whom Mr. Love had been thinking about for a long time but could not get in touch with!

"Have you answered your letter?" asked Bertha.

"Well," Jane nodded, "Mr. Briggs said he had written to my uncle about finding me."

"Perhaps you can ask Mr. Briggs to inquire again," Bertha reminded kindly. "Since you have an uncle, you may have other relatives."

Because Bertha intervened in the plot, Miss Jane Eyre never ran away from Thornfield Manor at night, and naturally she didn't run into her pastor cousin and two kind-hearted cousins.

Pennies were one thing--Miss Jane Eyre didn't care, but blood relatives were another.Jane has been living in a lonely family since she was a child, and the existence of her relatives is much more important than that inheritance.

"I didn't expect that," Jane really looked expectant, "You're right, Bertha, I don't have much memory of my parents. I got the good news today that I still have an uncle. Maybe I'll ask more carefully. , and more relatives will come.”

Seeing Jane's sincere joy, Bertha's mood immediately improved.

"Retirement in Madeira Islands," she thought for a moment, and tentatively said, "Your uncle's family is very rich, Jane."

"I suppose it should be so."

"Then I want to congratulate you again," Bertha smiled. "From the moment you receive the letter, you are a rich lady."

Jane just shook her head: "I don't care about it, I can earn money by myself. What makes me happier is that I am no longer alone in this world, Bertha."

Bertha: "Then what are your plans next? The Madeira Islands are not in the suburbs of London."

Apparently Jane had plans long ago: "I want to visit my uncle."

really.

Bertha was not surprised to get such a response: "Have you thought about it? After coming to London for a year, it is hard to gain a foothold. If you are not happy, I will definitely not pour cold water on you, but as far as I am It seems that you worked and lived with Mrs. Fisher very fulfillingly, and you like it enough, so you just leave like this, do you have the heart?"

Jane didn't mind Bertha's anti-tune, but she was very grateful: "I thought you would persuade me to live with my uncle directly."

Bertha: "If you were a rich lady, drinking tea and socializing every day like Miss Ingram once did, it would definitely drive you crazy."

Jane: "I think so too."

Although the young girl is full of interest, her thoughts are still reasonable: "I just want to visit, and I won't stay long. Maybe I will come back in a few months. Mrs. Fisher is also happy for me, Bertha, she is willing to stay for me. There is a place for the school."

Then Bertha had nothing to remind.

From a tutor at Thornfield Manor to a "London girl" who can give a speech on the stage, Miss Jane Eyre's progress is changing day by day, and now she can take care of everything by herself without others' advice.

only……

Bertha deliberated, and said the latter sentence: "If you want, please inform Edward yourself, even as a friend."

Miss Jane Eyre fell silent.

Finally she let out a breath slowly: "I will."

"Then we have to open a bottle of wine today," Bertha pretended to change the subject easily, "It's a big happy event worth celebrating!"

You just want a drink!Jane couldn't help laughing.

The second floor of the office is equipped with an independent kitchen. For the good news, Bertha went to tell the cook Minnie herself, and then she found Mr. Postman.

Before Bertha could speak, Mr. Postman delivered the note in front of Bertha: "Mr. Holmes has some news."

The messages Mycroft had sent were always succinct, and they were no different today:

[To my dear Bertha:

A member of the Truth Society captured alive in the residential area spit out a useful news today.They have long planned to trouble the Thames Office. Now that Dr. Lear is dead, we have every reason to suspect that the Truth Society may advance this plan in retaliation.

Your faithful Mycroft. ]

Bertha: "..."

Staring at the gentleman's neat but sharp handwriting, Bertha raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Ma'am?" the postman asked tentatively.

"It's okay," she put away the note, "tell Mike, I won't be home for dinner tonight, and call Thomas up for me."

Retaliatory advance?OK.

To this day, Bertha doesn't know how they painted the symbol in their bar bedroom.But one thing is absolutely true, and that is that the Truth Society has its eyes on Mrs. Thames.

But this is a good opportunity instead.

***

The next morning, in the red-light district five blocks away from the Thames Office.

The leader of the White Pigeon Gang, Lambert Byrne, came to the brothel of his old lover, Mrs. Raton today as usual, and saw an unexpected visitor as soon as he entered the door.

It was Thomas Thames.

The young man in the beige coat was unbuttoned, his shirt and gun were just exposed, and he looked like a prodigal son.Coupled with the unshakable red scarves and red gloves of Mrs. Thames' boys, the dark red color of the bag highlights the suaveness of handsome young people.

He was sitting on the sofa in the hall, and several young girls flirted and chatted around him, but the young master of the Thames family just lit a cigarette and looked calm.

This made Lambert Byrne jealous and angry - even if it was his lover who opened the brothel, men didn't get such good treatment.

Therefore, his tone was very rude when he spoke: "Thames, if you want your wife to know that you are coming to this kind of place, she won't break your third leg?!"

After speaking, Lambert himself laughed out loud.

Such obscene jokes are nothing more than exchange for the peaceful eyes of the young man.

Thomas raised his icy blue eyes and said calmly, "If my sister knows that I'm here to look for you, she won't blame me."

Only then did Lambert put away the joke.

"Go to the office and talk," he said, "what can we talk about sitting in the lobby?"

He spoke like a master, as if he owned Mrs. Raton's brothel.

—You know, this is Mrs Thames' domain.

Thomas didn't show dissatisfaction with this, he got up and followed the burly and rough white pigeon gang leader.

After entering Mrs. Raton's "office", Lambert sat down on the sofa carelessly, and went straight to the subject: "What does your wife want from me?"

Thomas smiled: "Good thing."

He took off his gloves, and then said unhurriedly: "My wife got a tip that someone is looking for trouble in the Whitechapel area."

"who?"

"People from the government."

"Damn it," Lambert cursed immediately, "Is this fucking criticism a good thing?"

As for Thomas' statement, he didn't have much doubts: a year ago, Scotland Yard "raided" the Whitechapel area to drive out the gypsies, and it was said that Mrs. Thames, who hadn't squeezed into the territory, helped the group of savages.

It's not surprising that he came here for trouble this time.

"Wealth and wealth are in danger, Lambert," Thomas said, "you are the leader of the White Dove Gang, you don't understand that."

"No matter how fucking bold I am, I dare not go against the government!"

"Who said we're going to fight against the government?" Thomas smiled. "We can help the government."

"you……"

Lambert narrowed his eyes: "What do you mean?"

That's what Thomas was waiting for.

"This is a win-win opportunity," he immediately began to prepare the words, "don't forget how Mrs. Thames gained a firm foothold in the Whitechapel district, not by attracting gypsies and Irish people. Can be with them If we cooperate, we will naturally cooperate with the government.”

"If they want trouble, let them come. Are you and us the only forces in the Whitechapel area? There are so many scattered retail investors. The place where the gang of thieves are entrenched in the west also gives you a headache For a long time. Suppose the fire and unrest happened in the west, and you rushed to help the government drive away the refugees and thieves, and it was too late for them to thank you.

Of course, your manpower is definitely not enough, and Mrs. Thames' manpower is not enough, but the sum is more than enough.When the time comes to lure people to the territory you have been coveting for a long time, wouldn't this be a good opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and rob.After the people from the government finish their troubles, we will divide the site into [-]-[-] divisions. "

After finishing speaking, Thomas deliberately showed a bit of uneasiness and tentativeness: "What do you think?"

This unease was exactly what Lambert wanted.

Sitting on the sofa, the leader of the White Pigeon Gang sneered a few times: After all, she is young, and Mrs. Thames is really too.How old was her brother Thomas Thames?Still tender.

After drawing such a big pie, Lambert was really moved, but he didn't show any willingness to cooperate.

Instead, he pulled his face down: "Are you coaxing the children, Thames?"

Thomas: "What?"

Lambert: "The incident that happened in the residential area a few days ago, you occupied two streets. I remember that was also someone sent by the government?"

Thomas: "..."

Facing the aggressive questioning of the thugs, Thomas Thames chose to remain silent.

This well-timed silence made Lambert mistakenly think that Thomas was guilty, so he became bold: "This is the trouble caused by your Thames, don't think I don't know! Now you want to ask me to help, and you still want to split it? Even if your family My wife begged me on the bed, and I won't take advantage of it."

If you fart again, Thomas cursed in his heart.

If he hadn't had to show weakness, he would have punched Lambert in the face.I don't even look at your virtues, are you worthy of Mrs. Xiao Xiang?

In fact, Bertha did not tell Thomas which force was coming.

But he is not a fool: the previous case caught the cabinet minister and the captain of the navy, and Pastor White admitted that most of the core members were intellectuals, which is enough to prove that the Truth Society is very powerful. Instead of hiring a group of gangsters to fight melee, It's better to just make an official excuse to make trouble.

Not only that, Thomas even felt that [-]% of the people who would come would be Scotland Yard.

So it was all the more necessary to drag Lambert Byrne into the water.

"then you……"

He put on a soft and helpless gesture: "Then what do you want to do?"

Lambert immediately opened his mouth wide: "Two to eight, you two to eight."

Thomas: "You—"

Lambert: "It's okay, I'm not in a hurry to gnaw at the hard bone on the west side. When you get beaten, I still worry that I won't be able to get it out of the water? Thames, think about it, you are begging me to do something."

Under the threat of the other party's arrogance, Thomas was silent for a long time again, and finally sighed.

"Sanqi," he said, "we three, you seven, whatever is closest to our territory, the rest will belong to you, okay?"

What's wrong with this?

In this way, the White Pigeon Gang will become the largest local snake in the Whitechapel District.Lambert's forehead was thrown at the opportunity in vain, and he might wake up from his dream with a smile today.

"it is good."

Lambert's heart had blossomed a long time ago, but there was a look of indifference and contempt on his face: "What are you going to do?"

Thomas looked like a general who has lost a battle.

He seemed to have failed in the negotiation, so although he seemed calm when he spoke again, he couldn't help but feel frustrated: "It's simple. Instead of waiting for the other party to come to the door, it is better to create a loophole for the other party. What Madam means is that we have agreed with you in advance. , create some fake news about our merger, we need to pretend to fight, and let others think that the Whitechapel District is fighting."

"I understand."

Lambert is not stupid: "When the time comes, the government decides to take advantage of the fisherman's profit. Let's find fault when you are seriously injured. Let's fight against the generals and give the government 'help' with an unscathed hole card. It's this mean?"

Thomas: "That's right."

Sure enough, it's a method only women can come up with, and it's yin and yang.

Lambert was very disdainful in his heart. Mrs. Thames has two brushes, but she is a woman after all.If you want him to say it, you should do it to the end. Who is this pretending for?

But he didn't mind either.

No one has set a limit for this pretentious "conflict", right?It might even be a good opportunity to rob Mrs Thames.

Lambert felt agitated when he thought of the beautiful lady begging him in a low voice.

"Okay," he stood up with a generous and generous appearance, "this matter is settled like this, tell your wife, her business is my business, and I will help to the end."

"That's good."

Thomas raised his hat: "I hope you will keep your promise."

When Thomas turned and left Mrs. Latton's office, the door closed, and the panic and despair on his face, like a prodigal dog, disappeared.

The young man returned to his usual calm and composed expression, his icy blue eyes were clear, where was the helpless and nervous look just now?

Showing weakness and patience is a must. Lamberts are not stupid, but they are arrogant enough.

He thought he knew about Lady Thames and her boys, so Thomas put on a live performance of what Lambert "knew".

Isn't this a successful hook?

Three to seven points is not an exaggeration, and it’s okay to give it all to Lambert, because sooner or later the Whitechapel area will all belong to Thames.

He put his gloves back on, lowered the brim of his hat, and strode away from the brothel.

Seeing him go out, Katie, who was hiding in the room, got up: "I'll go for a walk."

"Oh, Katie," the girl next door taunted immediately, "Isn't it embarrassing to put a hot face on a cold bench before? Lost your virginity, can you have a bit of backbone?"

Katie gave the woman who spoke coldly a look.

Naturally, she would not argue with such a short-sighted guy. Katie walked outside with her skirt in her hands, and at the corner, Thomas Thames was waiting outside.

The young man with a cigarette in his mouth was leaning against the wall, his silent posture looked like a painting.

What moved Katie was the way Thomas Thames smoked.

He turned his head when he heard footsteps: "Please keep an eye on Lambert Byrne's movements."

"I understand," Katie nodded. "His relatives talk about everything in bed. If he's thinking about anything, I'll be sure to let Mrs. Thames know."

She's a smart girl.

If Katie hadn't dragged Mrs. Latton to the door, Thomas Thames would not have had any impression of her—he is not someone who knows how to visit the red-light district.

Now it seems that such a smart person has been reduced to prostitution, which is a pity.

As a result, Thomas changed his mind slightly. He looked at Katie for a while, and then slowed down his tone imperceptibly: "...I don't dislike your background, Katie. It's just that you and I didn't know each other well before, let alone talk about feelings. "

His original intention was to comfort Katie tactfully, but his wife refused directly, and she must have lost face in her social circle.

But she didn't expect the other party to be neither grateful nor angry. Instead, Katie raised her eyes in doubt: "What are you talking about?"

Thomas: "..."

Katie: "I just fell in love with you because you are Mrs. Thames' younger brother, and it was rumored that you are the one who holds the power of the gang."

Thomas: "..."

Katie: "Now I know, your sister is really in charge. I also work for Mrs. Thames. Do you still worry about not being able to marry a good family?"

After she finished speaking, she gave Thomas a disgusted look: "Don't think too much, Thomas, I just want to be the wife of the boss. As for who the boss is, I don't care."

Katie, who received the task, almost pushed Thomas to the sky, and turned around and left with her skirt in her hands.

In the afternoon of that day, the results of the negotiations with Lambert were delivered to the apartment of Mr. and Mrs. Smith together by the coachman Mickey.

Bertha was listening to Mycroft reading when Mickey came in, and this had been a regular entertainment both of them had retained from Pall Mall.

"What has Thomas been doing?" asked Bertha.

"He went to the red light district," Mickey said, blushing. "Well, Thomas asked me to apologize first, ma'am. He said he was looking for Lambert."

What an apology!Bertha couldn't laugh or cry.

I don't know if it's because the leader is a woman, but the young guys under her are very well-behaved.Except that Sykes still carried a bit of a gangster's aura, the young people in charge were self-conscious.

Bertha knew that they were trying to please her "boss", but no matter what they really thought, they did it, and Bertha was indeed pleased.

"What to do with Lambert?" asked Bertha.

Only then did Mickey tell Bertha the general situation and plan.

Hearing that he successfully pulled Lambert Byrne into the water, Bertha was very satisfied: "I know he can do no wrong, please come, Mickey. Go back and find Ned for a tip."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mycroft didn't put down the book until Mickey left.

Mr. Holmes, who was listening, turned his head thoughtfully: "Thomas decided this matter alone?"

Bertha asked without answering, "How is the plan going?"

Mycroft: "Whether it's good or bad, it works. Thomas knows the leader of the White Pigeons well. But..."

The man's turn was stretched by half a syllable, which was very subtle, but Bertha still tacitly caught the redundant emotion he showed.

Without Mycroft needing to say much, Bertha continued, "However, for such a big matter, it's him who made up his own mind and didn't ask me. Doesn't it surprise you, Mike?"

Mycroft smiled.

"On second thought, it's not surprising," he said. "Mrs. Thames needs a right-hand man, not a marionette."

That's right.

Bertha simply relayed the postman's words to Thomas, and then asked him to "go to Katie's side."The rest of the deployment and ideas were considered by Thomas himself.

Maybe he also asked Ned's opinion, but regardless of the process, Bertha was quite satisfied with the result, and it probably met her initial expectations.

"Then the truth will come to me in trouble," Bertha said casually. "Aren't you going to do something, Mike?"

"Of course I have to move."

Mycroft nodded: "The whole family came out, and the door of my house was empty. This is not an opportunity for nothing."

This was the moment he had been waiting for, but Bertha saw no satisfaction in Mycroft's eyes.

"Trouble?" So she asked.

"It's not trouble," sighed Mycroft, "but you have to come, ma'am."

"how?"

"The members of the Truth Society have confessed to some officials who I have never been very comfortable with," Mycroft said. "The most convenient solution is to recruit another important minister to act on my behalf. It's just that this person..."

"But someone I know?"

"Yes and no," he answered, "is Mrs. Ward's father."

"..."

Fine.

She and Mrs. Ward can also be regarded as a bad relationship. From friends to enemies, now it seems that they must be friends again.Mycroft would really give himself a hard time.

But Bertha never refuses a challenge.

"Okay," she leaned back on the sofa and said lazily, "I can help you, but it's not for nothing, Mike."

"rest assured."

Hearing what Bertha said, Mycroft smiled lightly as the gentleman sitting opposite looked at his beautiful and flamboyant "wife".

This kind of dialogue has been carried out between the two of them countless times, but after the kiss that night, when Bertha's eyes met the man's, a strange and delicate atmosphere surged around the two of them. move.

No one had pointed it out, no one had said anything, Mycroft Holmes even had the same impeccable smile and polite tone, but something was different.

"It will certainly satisfy Madam afterwards," he said.