Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The last person Adelaide expected to run into at the small bookseller located just around the corner from Scotland Yard was Madame Korzha, but there they were; staring at one another in the aisle, volumes of books on biology on one side, chemistry on the opposite.

Madame Korzha spoke first, her voice warm, slightly amused, and distinctly via the East End, “Good day, Constable Stratton.”

Certain things clicked in Adelaide’s head and instead of a greeting, she said, “You were the one who directed them to search out my former name, weren’t you?”

Korzha, or perhaps it was Edith, due to the accent, merely said, “They would have discovered it eventually, would they not? Perhaps you would have even told them yourself.”

“You took that particular option from me,” Adelaide said, although with no accusation in her voice.

“As you took it from me,” Edith replied, smoothly arching an eyebrow.

“It was in the process of an investigation.”

“Still.”

Adelaide sighed as she shook her head. “Oh, it doesn’t matter that you told. You’re quite right, I would have revealed it to them at some point.” She met Korzha’s eyes. “I’m sorry I revealed your alias.”

“No, you’re not,” Korzha said smiling. “In fact, it was very well done of you to find it out. I didn’t know that constables were taught the finer details of passport forgery.”

“We all have our talents,” Adelaide said.

“Yes,” Korzha said still smiling. “Yes, we do.” She tilted her head to the side. “I rather admire you, Constable Stratton. You’ve somehow managed the miraculous. You hold a position of authority in a man’s profession.”

“Minor authority,” Adelaide amended. “And my hold on it is tenuous at best.”

“Nevertheless,” Korzha said. “How did you manage it?”

“Hard work,” Adelaide said slowly. “And not taking ‘no’ for an answer.” She sighed again. “And being far too willing to put up with two amateur detectives while they run haphazardly across London.”

“And you’re loving every minute of it,” Korzha said laughing. “Don’t bother trying to fool me, but especially don’t bother trying to fool yourself. You’re in quite the unique position to learn so much.”

“You mean from Dr Doyle?” she asked. “Sherlock Holmes is still a fictional character at the end of the day.”

“But that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything to learn from his methods,” Korzha said. “They’ve served me rather well as you may have noticed.”

“I noticed,” Adelaide said wryly. “I rather admire you as well.”

Korzha looked surprised, but covered it up quickly. “Do you? I can’t imagine why?”

“Because you found a way to employ your mind and your skills so that they would do some good,” Adelaide said. “I can’t say I approve of the way you go about it and I certainly don’t approve of taking advantage of people’s grief, but you…” Adelaide paused, then said, “You’ve made your own way in a world that doesn’t like to lend much credence to a woman’s talents. I can’t help but respect that.”

“Well,” Korzha said looking away and then back. “I certainly hadn’t expected to hear a compliment from one of Scotland Yard’s finest. Thank you, constable.”

“Have you ever considered joining the force?” Adelaide asked, only half-teasing.

Korzha laughed, the sound rich and throaty. “Oh, I don’t think they’d have little old Edith. I have far too muddy a past for Scotland Yard. I’m not what you would call respectable.”

“Neither are people who work under an assumed name,” Adelaide said, ducking her head slightly.

“I expect you have your reasons,” Korzha said slowly.

Adelaide nodded. “I do.”

When she declined to say anything further (she may respect and even like Korzha, Adelaide wasn’t about to reveal all of her secrets in the middle of a bookshop to a known con-woman), Korzha just nodded.

“Good woman,” she said. “Keep those secrets close. There’s a great number of people who would like to see you fail, I imagine.”

“If I took the time to list them all, I’d never get anything done,” Adelaide said.

“Well, I know of two gentlemen who seem to be quite firmly on your side,” Korzha said. “You really should let him teach you some tricks of the trade.”

Adelaide frowned. “Dr Doyle?”

“Oh, no,” Korzha said grinning. “Mr Houdini.”

“Oh,” Adelaide said feeling her cheeks flush. “I don’t think-“

“I hardly meant that, my dear,” Korzha said, a grin still playing about her mouth. “I meant his legerdemain. He is extremely gifted and would be more than willing to teach you anything you wished to know.” She adjusted her shawl on her shoulders. “And if you’re interested in, well, the other things he’s quite gifted in…” Adelaide’s eyes widened, as Korzha put her hand on her arm and leaned in to say, “I’m extremely sure he’d be willing to impart any and all knowledge he has on the matter. Very enthusiastically, I hasten to add.”

“I don’t-“ Adelaide attempted again.

“I know you don’t,” Korzha said patting her arm. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t.”

Adelaide blinked at the other woman, who just smiled benignly and said, “I’ve so enjoyed running into you again, constable. I’d say we should do this again, but-“

“We should,” Adelaide said firmly and it was Korzha’s turn to blink as Adelaide continued, “We should most certainly do this again.”

A hesitant smile, this one seemingly younger than her previous ones, spread across Korzha’s face. “Well, in that case, until we meet again.”

“Yes,” Adelaide said nodding. “Until then.”

Korzha nodded to her and then moved past her on the aisle. Adelaide heard the bell jingle over the door as she left. Adelaide stared unseeingly at the books for a moment, then surreptitiously felt her pockets. She breathed a sigh of relief when she confirmed everything was where it should be.

She continued to browse and considered Korzha’s advice to learn what she could from her two charges. The idea certainly had some merit to it and learning some sleight of hand could come in useful, she supposed. The question remained, how and when to ask?

Adelaide wouldn’t get a chance to even broach the subject until several days later when they were on the north bound train enjoying some refreshments in the dining car.

And if she deliberately waited until he had taken a sizable sip of his customary glass of milk before asking him, “Mr Houdini, would you be willing to place me in handcuffs later?” which in turn caused him to dribble profusely all over his lovely waistcoat as well as Dr Doyle’s travelling coat, well…

If she was destined to be stuck with the pair of them, she was going to do her best to enjoy herself.

Chapter Text

Adelaide’s pronouncement of her life possibly being in danger echoed in the train carriage. She allowed herself a moment to determine how she felt about the reveal and came to the conclusion that she didn’t feel, as she thought she might, weak or helpless. Instead, she felt comforted by her companions’ compassionate glances and she lifted her chin. There was a mystery surrounding her husband’s death and she’d always known it. Her admission of vulnerability was simply the next step in figuring out what to do.

“We’ll help you, constable,” Dr Doyle said reassuringly. “I’m sure there’s every reason to believe that you can remain safe and sound.”

“Of course there is,” Houdini said. “Especially considering you want to be taught how to get out of tricky situations.”

“I do?” she asked raising her eyebrows.

“Well, you were the one to bring up handcuffs the other day,” Houdini said, the corners of his mouth curling up. “Were you serious about learning how to escape them?”

Adelaide nodded. “I was, actually.”

“Right, well,” Houdini said clapping his hands together before diving into his bag. “No time like the present.”

He pulled out a set of handcuffs and beamed at Adelaide. She stared at the handcuffs and then at him.

“Honestly,” Doyle said as he pulled out the day’s newspaper. “Is now the time?”

“Now is always the time,” Houdini said not taking his eyes off Adelaide. “Our Addie needs to have every trick up her sleeve and getting out of a pair of handcuffs is a pretty damn good trick. Let’s go, constable.”

“I’m beginning to have second thoughts,” she said as she took the proffered handcuffs.

“Nonsense,” Houdini said. “Remember, little Peter Bennet? I showed him once and he got the knack straight away.”

“Peter Bennet was also a preternaturally bright young man,” Adelaide said.

“So says the first female constable at Scotland Yard,” he retorted. “It’s easy once you know how. Figure it out.”

“You’re not going to show me?”

“Nope.”

Adelaide glared. “I don’t think this is a proper method of teaching.”

“Since when do I do anything properly?” he said. “If you get it right, you can have some knedle.”

“You already offered me some knedle.”

“It’s always better to have incentive. Let’s go, constable.”

Adelaide suppressed a sigh and stared at the handcuffs in her hands. They were the same make as her own and she glanced at Houdini, who grinned and answered her unspoken question with, “No, they’re not yours. I haven’t touched your handcuffs in weeks.”

Rolling her eyes, she went back to studying the handcuffs. She lifted them up and peered at the joints.

“Use your fingers,” Houdini said, his voice pitched low. “You can’t see where they give; you have to feel for it.”

Going by pure instinct, Adelaide closed her eyes and let her fingers slide over the metal of the cuffs. Her fingers slipped over the fastenings and the screws and paused when she felt something give a little. Keeping her eyes closed, she felt around the small give in the metal and pressed firmly.

The handcuffs popped open in her hands.

“Oh, well done,” Doyle said, clearly watching her and not paying any attention to his newspaper.

“Atta girl,” Houdini said. “And you made excellent time, too.”

Adelaide smiled briefly as she looked down at the handcuffs. “That’s absurdly easy to open. The Yard should find a much better option.”

“Don’t tell them that,” Houdini said exasperated. “Do you know how much good publicity my show got after I broke out of that cell?”

Adelaide shook her head and said, “What next?”

“Now,” Houdini said coming to sit beside her. “You have to get yourself out of them.”

He plucked the handcuffs from her hands and made a little twirling motion with his finger. “Turn around, please.”

“You’re going to make me do it behind my back?” she asked. “Peter Bennet did it with them in front of him.”

“Yes, however you’re a grown woman who’s already figured it out without looking at them,” Houdini said. “Now, hands behind your back.”

“You’ve really been wanting to say that for some time, haven’t you?” Doyle commented dryly.

“Longer than you know,” Houdini said smiling brightly at Adelaide.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Adelaide said under her breath before turning around and putting her hands behind her back.

The weight of the handcuffs was heavier than she expected and an ache appeared in her shoulders almost instantly as her arms sagged.

“Such delicate wrists, constable,” Houdini said. “Don’t struggle too much or you’ll bruise. Just go slow this first time.”

“Yes, I’d hate to have to explain the marks,” Adelaide said staring out the window at the passing scenery as she tried to find the small give in the metal. It was exceedingly awkward from this angle and she couldn’t quite get her fingers to reach the spot she’d previously found. She huffed in frustration.

“You’ll figure out,” Houdini said sitting back and she saw his amused smile reflected in the window while he stared at her hands. “Don’t force it. You’ve got to be easy with them. You know it’s there; you just have to find it. And don’t forget to breathe, for heaven’s sake.”

Adelaide stopped her frantic maneuvers and breathed in slowly and deeply, then she started again. And there it was! That little give, it was right by the side of her wrist and if she tilted her arm just so…

The door to their carriage opened with a snap and she froze in horror as the train conductor poked his head in, “Tickets…?”

“Right here, my good man,” Houdini said with a flourish, presenting his and Adelaide’s tickets, while Doyle held up his own.

The conductor stared at Adelaide as she fell back against the seat, hiding her handcuffed wrists while she flushed furiously and tried to free herself.

“Ah,” the conductor said while he marked off their tickets. “She wasn’t like that getting on, was she?”

“She’s very temperamental,” Houdini said. “Turns deadly at the drop of a pin.”

“Houdini,” Adelaide said through gritted teeth.

“See what I mean?” Houdini said.

“It’s an exercise,” Doyle said glaring at Houdini. “Nothing to worry about.”

“Londoners,” the train conductor muttered under his breath as he left the carriage, pulling the door shut firmly.

“You are a terrible human being,” Adelaide said furiously.

“You can punish me when you get out…” His voice trailed off when she presented the handcuffs to him with a glare. “Oh, nice work. Under pressure and everything. Do it again.”

“Give me a piece of knedle first,” she said. “You promised.”

Houdini grinned and grabbed the tin, gallantly offering it to her with a bow. “My lady.”

“Wretch,” she muttered taking a pastry, she calmed slightly as the taste of sugared plum burst over her tongue. She sighed and closed her eyes and for a moment, the tension eased. Houdini and Doyle’s bickering over the knedle faded into a comfortable background murmur and she let herself forget all about Benjamin and who might have murdered him.

After surreptitiously licking the remnants of sugar from her fingers, she sat up and asked, “What’s next?”

Houdini grinned. “Ropes. Let’s see those lovely wrists again.”

Holding back a smile, Adelaide held out her hands and listened carefully as he explained how to watch how the knots were formed and how to twist her wrists without injuring herself.

Little did she know that the following exercise would come in handy less than a week later.

Chapter Text

Contrary to what Adelaide supposed Houdini and Doyle thought, she did have cases that didn’t require their involvement. Granted these were cases that the other constables had dismissed as too boring or not urgent enough, she still investigated them to the best of her abilities. Adelaide Stratton was nothing if not thorough for she knew one wrong move, one ‘t’ not crossed or ‘i’ left undotted and she was off the force.

Therefore when the Chief Inspector handed her a simple purse snatching case that was destined to go nowhere, Adelaide simply smiled, nodded, and said, “Thank you for the opportunity, Chief Inspector.”

Adelaide found the woman whose handbag had been stolen and sat down in her front parlour, drinking tea out of a chipped cup whilst Mrs Turner explained what happened.

“Out of nowhere, he came,” she said. “Quick as anything; wrenched it right off my arm.” She frowned. “My Sunday best handbag. My daughter bought it for me for me birthday. All lovely and green, it was.”

“I am sorry, Mrs Turner,” Adelaide said nodding. “It’s a horrible feeling to have something stolen. Could you describe him at all?”

“Young lad, he was,” she said her head tilted to the side. “Grubby clothes. Funny smell.”

Adelaide paused. “Funny smell? How so?”

“Oh, like coffee, not that I’ve ever had coffee, but they sell it in the market some days,” she said. “Yes, coffee or sommat like that.”

A quarter of an hour later, Adelaide found herself standing in front of a boarded up shop not two streets from where the robbery had taken place. She stared at the dusty windows and breathed in.

Coffee. Most certainly.

Looking around, she noticed the cellar door was slightly ajar. She took a step forward, but hesitated.

‘You will be smart about this, my girl,’ a voice said in her head. ‘Go and find another constable. Do not descend into a dark cellar on your own.’

She turned to head to the nearest corner and bumped into someone.

“Oh, I beg your pardon,” she said before getting a look at him.

Young lad.

Grubby clothes.

Smelling of coffee.

With a lady’s handbag in his hands.

Adelaide took this all in within seconds, including his suddenly widening eyes. He took a frightened step back, but Adelaide’s hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

“Oh, no, you don’t!” she said firmly.

“Jonno!” he shouted. “A lady copper’s got me!”

As she reached for her handcuffs, the cellar door flew open and another lad bounded out. Jonno, Adelaide presumed.

“Bollocks!” Jonno exclaimed. “Grab her, Smithy!”

He moved to grab Adelaide and she shouted, “Don’t you dare, young man!”

She managed to get several kicks in and shouted as best as she could, but sadly she was no match for two strong lads and she soon found herself tied tightly to a chair in the cellar, watching the two lads pace back in forth.

She took some satisfaction in the fact that Jonno now had quite the limp and Smithy sported a bloody lip.

“Letting women be coppers, eh?” Jonno said. “What’s this world coming to?”

“What do we do with her?” Smithy whispered harshly.

“Dunno, let me think,” Jonno answered.

Adelaide took the time to look around the cellar as surreptitiously as she could. She spotted several empty handbags piled in a corner as well as several wallets and a pile of pocket watched on a desk. It appeared that she’d stumbled on to something of a thieves’ den. She half-expected someone called Fagin to appear. She had quite the collar on her hands.

If she got out, that was.

While the two lads whispered to one another, as discretely as she could, Adelaide felt for the knot that bound her hands. They were clearly better at pick-pocketing than they were at tying people up and even though the rope bound her wrists tightly to the point of scraping her skin, she was able to pick at the knot quite easily.

‘Thank you, Harry,’ she thought absently.

Jonno looked over at her and she paused to simply stare back at him.

He actually looked ashamed and said, “Look, we’re not going to hurt you. We just need to figure out what to do with you.”

“Well, you could always let me go and turn yourselves in,” Adelaide suggested. “Keeping me here isn’t going to help you at all.”

“Let’s go talk to Tanner,” Smithy said nudging Jonno and Adelaide froze. Tanner was the name of the leader of one of the larger thievery rings and he wasn’t known for a gentle approach to his dealings.

“Yeah,” Jonno said breathing a sigh of relief. “Yeah, Tanner’ll know what’s what.” He pointed at Adelaide. “You just stay put, darlin’. We’ll be back.”

“I can hardly wait,” Adelaide said flatly.

The lad just gave her a smirk and headed out the cellar door. She listened and winced when she heard a lock snap into place.

“Ropes, first,” she muttered going back to work on the knot. “Then we’ll worry about how to get out.”

Biting down on her lip to stifle her gasps of pain as the old rope dug into her wrists, she worked at the knot. The last of it loosened and she let out a shuddering breath as blood flowed back into her fingers.

She got to her feet, absently rubbing at her aching wrists, and went over to the door that led out of the cellar into the building. After several minutes of trying to open the door, she gave up. The door had been blocked by something very heavy on the other side and it wasn’t budging. She turned and headed to the cellar doors.

Once again, she was thwarted in her escape as the lock on the outside of the cellar doors was quite strong and no amount of pushing on her end bore any fruit.

With a scowl, she stepped back and looked around the cellar. Upon seeing a small window that looked out onto the alley way next to the building, Adelaide’s eyes widened.

She hurried over and after she propped up a small crate to stand upon, she tried the window.

“Damn,” she said under breath upon discovering the latch was quite rusted closed. She closed her eyes in disappointment, but then shrugged as she said, “Nothing for it, then.”

Hopping off the crate, she spied a coal shovel in the corner. Hefting it in her hands, she carefully got back onto the crate. She turned her head to the side and then thrust the shovel at the window.

The glass made a very satisfying sound as it shattered and Adelaide grinned. She dropped the shovel and gingerly placing her hands on the windowsill, she pulled herself up and through the window.

“Ah,” she gasped when a shard of glass scraped the meat of her palm. Once she was fully through, she wrapped her spare handkerchief around the wound and promised to bind it more fully when she had the time.

Then she hurried to the street and hailed a cab to take her directly to Scotland Yard.

It was close to nine-thirty in the evening when Adelaide finally returned to her little flat. She dropped her bag onto the kitchen table and stood somewhat numbly in the middle of the room, suddenly at a loss to know what to do.

Not only had Jonno and Smithy returned to the coffee house with their boss, Tanner, but Tanner had brought along some of his right hand men.

Seven arrests in total were made; all thanks to Adelaide rounding up every available constable who was willing to lie in wait with her for the thieves.

Not that Adelaide would be receiving any commendations as a result of her own deeds. Oh, no, she’d have to settle for the grudgingly bestowed, “Well, good day’s work, constable. You’ll handle the arrest reports, won’t you?” from the Chief Inspector.

In the present, Adelaide closed her eyes and breathed in. She still could smell the coffee and now that the day was ending, the sting of the cut on her palm and the bruises around her wrists started to make themselves known.

Despite the utter lack of appreciation shown by her co-workers, she felt lighter than air. She had proven herself today and while they’d never say anything, she knew that they knew it.

Her eyes popped open and suddenly she felt awake. More awake than she’d ever felt. She felt like the cables in the underground, thrumming with electricity and energy and she needed to tell someone about her day.

Someone who would understand…

The urge was too great to ignore and that was the reason she found herself slipping into Houdini’s hotel in no time at all and knocking on his door.

As soon as she finished knocking, precisely what she was doing dawned on her and she recoiled in horror.

‘What are you doing, you silly girl?’ she thought. ‘Have you gone mad?’

She took a step back just as the door opened revealing…Houdini’s mother. Adelaide froze.

“Constable Stratton!” she said smiling, although her smile slipped quickly from her face. “Something has happened? Harry?”

“Oh, no, no,” Adelaide said stepping forward. “No, he’s fine. Well, I assume he’s fine. Oh, heavens, he’s still at the theatre, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” she said her smile returning. “You were looking for him?”

“Yes, but it’s not urgent,” Adelaide said. “I’ll speak to him tomorrow. Or sometime later. I’m so sorry to bother you.”

“It’s not a bother, my dear – oh. Oh, child, you’re bleeding,” she said taking one of Adelaide’s hands and peering at the bandage around her palm; she sucked in a breath as she picked up Adelaide’s other hand and saw the bruises. “My dear, whatever happened to you? Oh, come in, come in.”

“It’s nothing really,” Adelaide said faintly as she was ushered into the room.

“Blood and bruises are never nothing,” Mrs Houdini said gently. “Now, sit down. Let me get something to clean that up.”

Adelaide sat down stiffly on the sofa by the fire and watched as Mrs Houdini disappeared into her bedchamber. Adelaide looked around the room and once again pondered what precisely she’d hoped to gain by coming here. Just as she was gathering herself to leave, Mrs Houdini reappeared with a collection of white cloths and a basin of water.

“Now, let’s see what we have, my dear,” she said smiling as she set the materials down before taking a seat herself. Wordlessly, Adelaide proffered her hand with the cut to her. Mrs Houdini tsk’d under her breath. “That is a nasty cut, my dear. However did you come by it?”

“Escaping from two petty thieves through a window that I broke with a coal shovel,” Adelaide said with a small chuckle.

Mrs Houdini stopped unwrapping Adelaide’s bandage and stared at her. “Oh, my child, did you really? How marvellous!”

“I have to admit, it’s rather due to your son that I was able to escape,” Adelaide said while wincing as Mrs Houdini cleaned the cut. “He taught me how to escape from bound hands.”

Mrs Houdini smiled and nodded. “He’s always been good at that. Getting himself out of incredible situations. Oh, the trouble he’d find when he was a boy. Oh, the trouble he finds now!”

“Would you rather he didn’t collaborate with Scotland Yard?” Adelaide asked. “I’m sure I could find a way to put a halt to it.”

“No, no,” Mrs Houdini said. “He’d only find another way to do it without telling me. At least this way, he tells me about the cases you investigate. I can keep an eye on him.”

“He must have been such a handful as a child,” Adelaide said as Mrs Houdini wrapped a wet, cool bandage around her wrists.

“Oh, yes,” she said. “But always with a smile and a kiss for his mother. He takes such good care of me.”

“You’ve travelled so much for him,” Adelaide said. “Such things you’ve surely seen.”

“And you, as well,” Mrs Houdini said smiling at her. “A female constable. I never thought I’d live to see such a thing. I approve wholeheartedly.”

“You do?” Adelaide asked.

Mrs Houdini paused, then said, “I travelled on a boat across an ocean with my husband with four boys and another on the way. I arrived in a foreign land without knowledge of a single word of their language.” She took a breath. “And years later, I crossed that same ocean with my son. Only this time I know the language and I live in these beautiful rooms and I have everything that I could ever need. Of course, I do it all out of love for my son, but to know that I have the ability to do it for myself?” She smiled. “It is a great comfort.”

She held Adelaide’s hand. “I am glad for you, my dear. A woman needs a strong heart and a clear head to survive in this world. You have such a heart. And, clearly, such a head.”

“You do, as well, Mrs Houdini,” Adelaide said putting her hand on hers. “The most generous heart I think I’ve ever seen to cross an ocean for love. Twice!”

“Ah, we will do many, many things for love that we had no idea we were capable of,” she said. “But we will do even more things out of pride.”

Adelaide nodded. “I’ve come to realise the same. I had no idea I could be so resourceful, given the chance.”

“And that is what is so wonderful about this age,” Mrs Houdini said. “So many chances abound, do they not?”

“They most certainly do,” Adelaide agreed. She looked at her expertly bound hand. “You would have made the most excellent of nurses.”

“Well, I had seven children, my dear,” Mrs Houdini said. “I had a great deal of practice.”

The door to the room flew open and the women turned to look as Houdini strode in the room, clad in his shirtsleeves and his hair still damp from the evening’s submersion.

“Ma, I’m back!” Houdini said as he approached. He paused when he saw Adelaide, but smiled. “Constable! What a pleasant surprise…” He broke off when he saw her wrists and then rushed forward. “What the hell? What happened? Who did this? Are you all right?”

“Calm yourself, Harry,” Mrs Houdini said laughing. “She’s fine. In fact, I’d say she was quite remarkable.”

“Hardly,” Adelaide said shaking her head. “You’re the remarkable one.”

Mrs Houdini patted her hand. “This is a wonderful century, is it not? Such promise everywhere I look.”

Adelaide smiled and squeezed her hand. Together, they glanced at Houdini who was looking between them with an amused, if slightly bewildered look on his face.

“I’m not sure if I should be delighted or terrified that you two are apparently friends now,” he said.

Mrs Houdini got to her feet and kissed his cheek. “My darling boy, some things are not always about you. Good night, my dears.”

She smiled at Adelaide who said, “Thank you, Mrs Houdini.”

“You’re most welcome,” she said before she headed to her room.

They watched her door close and Adelaide looked up at Houdini who was looking down at her.

“Well, I’m all ears, constable,” he said sitting down and picking up her hand, gently turning it to see the marks. “These are clearly rope burns. What have you been up to today?”

Adelaide told him the whole story, from talking to Mrs Turner to finding the coffee house to the minor brawl with Jonno and Smithy to the ropes she’d escaped from to the seven arrests.

“And I thought I had an exciting life,” Houdini said mildly, lifting one of the cloths to soak it in the basin and then reapply it to her wrist. “Good work, Constable Stratton.”

“Well, mostly,” she said looking at her wrists. “Not exactly the smoothest escape.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the fundamental difference between show business and the real world,” he said looking her in the eyes. “I have a script, you know. There’s not much improvisation in my work. You were amazing today, Adelaide. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

Adelaide smiled and shook her head.

“What?” he asked sounding amused. “What’s that smile about?”

“I returned home tonight and…” She took a deep breath and looked upwards. “I couldn’t settle. I needed to tell someone.” She frowned. “No one at the Yard would listen, I’m sure. At least, not to me. And I’m sure they’d understand…”

“If they’d only open their minds a little?” Houdini offered.

“Just so,” Adelaide said.

“So what you’re really saying,” Houdini said slowly, his hand clasping hers, “is that you needed a friend.”

She paused and met his eyes, her smile returned. “Yes, that’s precisely what I’m saying.”

Houdini smiled back. “I think I’m flattered.”

“Oh, dear,” she said rolling her eyes.

“No, no,” he said squeezing her hand gently. “Applause from a hundred strangers has nothing on this moment.”

Adelaide laughed and slowly realised that she was clasping Houdini’s hand as he clasped hers. Her smile slipped slowly from her face as she stared at him.

The electricity from before returned, however it felt situated low in her abdomen. Heady and deep, she fought against an onslaught of shivers that threatened to emerge. Judging by the darkening of Houdini’s eyes, he felt something similar.

Adelaide allowed herself a moment to revel in the feeling, as it was something she hadn’t felt since Benjamin and it tasted so very, very alluring…

She broke the moment by looking away as she said, “It’s quite late. I really should be on my way.”

“Of course,” Houdini said nodding. She glanced at him and found him staring at her hand. Her breath caught as he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to the top of her knuckles. He looked up at her and whilst holding her gaze, slowly manipulated her hand so that it made a fist with her thumb on the outside. He winked and pressed another quick kiss to the top of her hand.

“This, my dear Addie, is the proper form your hand should take when throwing a punch,” he said grinning.

“Oh, is it?” she said trying and failing to hold back a grin of her own.

“It most definitely is. Now,” he said letting her hand go and scooting back some in his chair, “aim for my face and thrust it sharply and quickly in front of you.”

Still fighting her grin, she did as she was told and thrust her fist towards Houdini’s face. He dodged at the last moment and beamed at her.

“Excellent form, constable,” he said. “Now, that was a jab. Do it five more times and then be on your way. We’ll arrange for you to come round my club where I’ll teach you left and right hooks.”

“By this instruction, I take it to mean that you wish for me to learn how to box,” she said jabbing her hand swiftly towards his face, while he ducked each punch.

“You’ve proven you can get out of a sticky situation,” he said. “Let’s try to minimize the need to get out of one by not getting into one in the first place. And besides - ”

Deftly, he caught her hand on her fifth jab and she stared at him.

“I think you’re going to take to boxing pretty damn well,” he said grinning from ear to ear.

Adelaide grinned back. “Do you know, I rather think I will, too.”

Chapter Text

Adelaide had just filled her tub to wash off the worst of the cemetery dirt when there was a sharp knock at her front door. She considered ignoring them, but her customary sense curiosity and diligence prevailed and she went to the door.

“Evening, miss,” a young man wearing a hotel clerk’s uniform said, touching his forelock, “Sorry to bother you, but could you come to Mr Houdini’s room? It’s a matter of life and death, he says.”

Adelaide’s eyebrows rose as she said, “Life and death?”

“Yes, miss,” he said as he glanced at the waiting carriage. “I think it’s to do with Mrs Houdini. The lady.”

Something struck painfully in Adelaide’s chest as all sorts of scenarios flashed behind her eyes and she said, “I’ll come at once.”

Grabbing her satchel, she followed the young man to the carriage.

A short few minutes later, she hurried into the hotel lobby and spotted Dr Doyle as he arrived. Their eyes met and Adelaide’s heart sank.

“Oh, no,” she murmured joining him at the base of the stairs. “Is she-?”

“I don’t know,” he said as they hurried up the steps. “I was only told to come immediately and bring my bag.”

They were silent as they walked briskly to Houdini’s room. The door was closed when they arrived and Dr Doyle knocked sharply before he entered.

Adelaide followed him inside and pressed a hand to her stomach as she took in the sight of Houdini sitting beside his very still mother, her hand clasped in his.

Dr Doyle approached them quietly as he said, “Harry-“

“I came back to find her like this,” Houdini said, his eyes never leaving his mother’s face. “She’s so cold, Doc. I don’t…”

“I’m so very sorry, my friend,” Dr Doyle said. “What would -?”

“Could you look her over, please?” Houdini asked blinking rapidly. “Just…I need to make sure this is—“

He seemed to falter and Adelaide suddenly understood why they had been summoned.

“You would like us to verify that she died of natural causes,” she said softly coming over to the sofa and gazed down on the woman who had been so very kind to her not that long ago.

“Why?” Dr Doyle asked, not unkindly. “Harry—“

“Adelaide knows why,” Houdini replied, his voice thick with pain.

Dr Doyle’s head turned sharply to look at Adelaide and she returned his gaze. Understanding flashed across his face and he nodded.

“Yes, of course. I see. Would you like me to examine her, Harry?” he asked softly.

Houdini closed his eyes as he nodded. “I know it’s stupid, but…”

“It’s nothing of the sort,” Adelaide said quietly. “While Dr Doyle is in here with you, I’ll go over the rooms, shall I?”

He nodded and his eyes flickered up to hers. “Thanks, Addie.”

“Of course,” she said, blinking back some tears and swallowing hard.

Dr Doyle set his case down and Adelaide took that as her cue to leave.

She spent the next hour carefully inspecting the doors and windows for any signs of forced entry. With a delicate touch, she looked over Mrs Houdini’s jewels and could not find any disturbance of her belongings; everything seemed to be in place. Whilst looking over the main sitting room, she averted her eyes from Dr Doyle’s examination, but noticed that Houdini had not moved from his place on the chair beside his mother. She examined Houdini’s room as well for anything amiss and was reassured, if still grieved, to admit that to the best of her knowledge, there had been no theft or outside forces at work.

She entered the sitting room just as Dr Doyle closed his bag.

“I can’t say for absolute certain, but I believe it was a stroke,” he said to Houdini. “It was very quick and may have even happened while she slept. I don’t see anything to suggest it was anything other than natural.” He glanced at Adelaide who nodded once in agreement. “Harry, I’m so very sorry for your loss.”

Houdini’s eyes shone with tears, but not a single one fell. “Constable?”

“Nothing looks out of place,” she said, her voice broke slightly, but she swallowed hard and continued, “The windows and doors are as they should be and I can’t find any roof that anyone apart from you have been in these rooms in the last few hours.” She paused. “Harry-“

“I know,” he said chuckling bleakly. “I know. I know it’s absurd, but…” He squeezed his eyes shut and lifted Mrs Houdini’s hand to his brow. His voice muffled, he said, “We were going to go to New York. We’re still going, but not together. Not ever again.”

Even as she felt the tears build in her eyes, Adelaide walked over to Houdini and put her hand on his shoulder, while Dr Doyle repeated the action on Houdini’s other shoulder.

Adelaide closed her eyes and listened to her friend cry as silently as he could until he stilled. She watched him press his lips to his mother’s hand for a long moment before laying it on her chest. Moving slowly, he rose to his feet.

He patted Doyle’s hand and said, “Thanks, Doc,” and then he turned to Adelaide and pressed a kiss to her cheek before smiling as he said, “She liked you, you know. Thought you were made of stern stuff.”

“I quite liked her, too,” Adelaide said swiping at the trails of tears on her face. “What can we do?”

“Nothing,” he said shaking his head. “You’ve both done enough for me. God, more than enough. I, uh, I have to go and find my agent and arrange…things.”

“Of course,” Dr Doyle said. “You’ll let us know when you plan to head to New York, won’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course, I will,” Houdini said swallowing hard. “I just, ah, need some time right now, okay?”

“As much as you need,” Adelaide said firmly, placing her hand on his arm. “We’re here if you need us. For anything, you understand?”

He smiled a little and nodded. “Thank you. Would you, uh, send the hotel manager in? I know he’s probably lurking in the hallway somewhere.”

Adelaide and Dr Doyle took their leave shortly after that, taking a moment to tell the hotel manager what had happened and to ask that he keep the matter as quiet as possible.

With heavy steps, they made their way down the hotel staircase. Adelaide was momentarily shaken as she observed the other hotel patrons going about their business in their fine suits and gowns, jewels sparkling merrily under the chandelier.

“What a night,” Dr Doyle said with a heavy sigh.

“Indeed,” Adelaide said abruptly very aware that she was still in her uniform and still had cemetery dirt on her shoes and skirts.

“In light of the evening’s events, would you like to join me for a quick drink, constable?” Dr Doyle asked, smiling weakly.

“I would like nothing better, Dr Doyle,” Adelaide replied.

Moments later, they were wearily seated in a table in the corner of the hotel’s restaurant, small tumblers of whiskey in front of them.

“To Mrs Houdini,” Dr Doyle said raising his glass.

“To a wonderful woman who loved with all her heart,” Adelaide added raising her own glass.

The first sip burned on the way down, but the second simply warmed her insides and settled her thoughts.

“He said that you understood,” Dr Doyle said after a time. “What did he mean by that?”

Adelaide took a deep breath before answering, “As you know, my husband’s death has never sat well with me. I fervently believe that it wasn’t as it seemed. I deeply regret that I did not investigate the matter fully. And I will carry that uncertainty with me until the end of my days.” She met Dr Doyle’s eyes and said, “Harry merely wished to avoid that uncertainty. And it isn’t as though we haven’t created some enemies in the recent months.”

“I take your point and I’m only sorry I didn’t realise what he meant earlier,” Dr Doyle said.

“It was kind of you to help him,” she said.

“It isn’t as though he hasn’t helped me a time or two,” Dr Doyle said laughing quietly. “What an odd sort of partnership the three of us have created.”

“I would never have suspected us capable of such,” Adelaide said smiling.

“I worry about him, though,” he said. “Heading off to America alone. He was very attached to his mother, as I’m sure you know.”

“It doesn’t sound as though he’ll be welcomed with open arms,” Adelaide said. “But what can we do?”

Dr Doyle looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure. Perhaps something will come to me.”

Not twenty-four hours later, as Adelaide sat at her desk, Dr Doyle strode through the office, sparing a moment to wink at Adelaide before disappearing into the Chief Inspector’s office.

Adelaide stared after him, but quickly returned to her paperwork before anyone took any notice of the interaction.

A quarter of an hour later, the Chief Inspector called for her.

“Well, Constable Stratton,” he said as she stood in front of his desk. “It looks as though you’re off to the colonies. Doyle’s found himself a haunted house and I can’t have him traipsing all over making a nuisance of himself without a minder.”

It took all of Adelaide’s self-control not to roll her eyes as she replied, “I’ll make sure to be a good example of British law enforcement, Chief Inspector. When do we leave?”

“Immediately, I’m afraid,” Dr Doyle said with a serene smile. “How are you with sea voyages?”

‘Ghastly,’ was on the tip of Adelaide’s tongue, but she said, “I’m sure I’ll manage.”

“Well, off with you, then,” the Chief Inspector said. “Let the rest of us get back to proper work.”

Adelaide inclined her head and left the room, Dr Doyle close behind her.

“Let me guess,” she said as she stopped by her desk to collect her things. “We’re travelling on the same ship as Mr Houdini?”

“Excellent assumption, constable,” he said.

“Is there really a haunted house?” she asked.

“Oh, yes, indeed,” Dr Doyle said, his eyes shining with excitement. “And I’ve managed to arrange a meeting with the Thomas Edison.”

“Incredible,” Adelaide said smiling slightly. “But, Dr Doyle, do you think that Mr Houdini will be, well, upset with us for intruding?”

“How are we intruding?” Dr Doyle asked as they left the Yard. “It’s simply a happy coincidence we’re travelling on the same ship together.”

Adelaide said nothing, but just gave him a disbelieving look.

As it turned out, she had nothing to worry about. When she arrived at the ship later that afternoon, Dr Doyle was already there talking to Mr Houdini, who managed a smile, albeit a pale imitation of his usual greeting.

“Well, isn’t this a coincidence,” he said.

“Yes, isn’t it?” she replied, very firmly not looking at Dr Doyle.

“Relax, Addie,” Houdini said. “I’m touched. You two didn’t have to do this.”

“Do what?” Dr Doyle said as they boarded. “We’re on our way to a meeting with a great scientific mind, that’s all.”

“Sure, it is,” Houdini said chuckling. “I’m probably going to be a terrible travelling companion, though. I, uh, don’t want to be too far from Ma.”

“It’s all right,” Adelaide said as her stomach swooped when a wave rolled under the ship. “I’m not exactly fond of sea travel.”

“You could have said,” Dr Doyle said.

“No, no,” she said shaking her head. “Just if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’ll find my cabin.”

“Hey,” Houdini said, catching her as she walked past. “Thanks for coming.”

Adelaide smiled as she replied, “Think nothing of it. It’s what friends do.”

He squeezed her arm and she headed off to find her cabin.

Later that night as her stomach roiled and rebelled, a porter stopped by with a teapot filled with peppermint tea and a note that read, This was Ma’s cure for seasickness. Drink up, constable. Houdini’s signature was hastily scribbled on the bottom.

Adelaide smiled and, as Mrs Houdini instructed by way of her son, drank up.

Chapter Text

Adelaide stood staring into the darkness, the sound of ship’s engine and the churning of the water beneath the hull lulled her into a sense of peace.

The wind picked up and she shivered as she pulled her wrap around her arms. Benjamin’s book was long gone in the wake of the ship and she pictured it breaking apart in the water, the thin pages dissolving into nothing, the bindings sinking into the seabed deep below.

A part of her was still aghast and horrified by her actions and if asked, she’s certain she would have preferred another way to stop things. As it was, she was going to have to deal with her actions and she honestly had no idea how to do so.

Another part of her, a small, frightened part of her, felt relieved. Her husband, as she knew him, was well and truly gone, never to return.

Another gust of wind stirred her hair and she decided that she’d had quite enough reflection for one evening. Turning around, she walked along the side of the ship, stopping when she spotted Houdini sitting stiffly in one of the deck chairs. He looked down at a slip of paper and then straight ahead.

Adelaide frowned at how troubled he looked and remembered that she wasn’t the only one to have lost someone dear recently. She walked towards him.

He noticed her and smiled a bit.

“You look cold,” he said as a greeting. “Need someone to warm you up?”

Adelaide merely looked at him before remarking, “Really?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. Old habits. Care to join me or are you heading inside?”

“My stomach feels worse inside,” she said taking a seat on the deck chair on his right, noticing him glance at the one on his left. “I’d rather stay out here. Unless you’d rather be alone?”

“The absolute last thing I should be right now is alone,” he said looking at her and smiling a bit.

“I believe I know the feeling,” she said leaning back and drawing up her feet to lie on the chair. She stared out in the passing darkness and plucked at her dress. “Do you know what I’m most looking forward to when we return?”

“A proper cup of tea?” he guessed.

“No, well, yes, of course. I honestly don’t know what Americans are thinking when they call what they serve tea,” she said.

“Probably that coffee is the superior beverage and that tea belongs at the bottom of the Boston harbour,” he replied.

“Very droll,” she said rolling her eyes. “No, I was thinking that I shall be very happy to wear my uniform again.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “Yes. I spent an absurd amount of time staring at my dresses this morning quite upset that I hadn’t thought to bring anything in black.” She paused and looked down at her dress. “I’m not sure if I should be in mourning again or not. At least with my uniform, I have an excuse not to wear black.”

“Ah,” Houdini said nodding. “Well, you’ve mourned your husband the once, I don’t think you have to mourn him again, you know.”

“I know that’s what etiquette would suggest,” she said. “But half of the time I spent grieving him the first time was actually spent investigating. I don’t know what to do now.”

“Do you want to mourn him?” he asked, his eyes darting to the left again and then back to Adelaide.

Adelaide thought for a moment and then shook her head. “No. The husband I mourned three years ago was not the man I saw in America. I want to live my life free of him.”

“It’s a good plan,” he said. “But just to warn you; that may be easier said than done.”

“That’s what concerns me as well,” she said smiling slightly. “I’ll have to keep busy.” She paused. “Oh, Lord, I hope I still have a uniform after this. I’ve been away for some time. I could be coming back to unemployment.”

“Nah,” Houdini said. “They know they’ve got a decent copper on their hands. And hey, if they do give you the sack, you can come and work for me.”

“I’m not taking Florrie’s job,” she said. “She’s already proven herself to be an asset and I look dreadful in pink.”

“Not as my assistant, as my understudy,” he said grinning. “You already know how to get out of ropes and handcuffs; we just need to work on your breathing. How long can you hold your breath?”

“You’re not dunking me headfirst into a vat of water,” she said.

“Ticket sales would go through the roof,” he said gleefully. “And I’m a fair guy, you’d get ten percent of the profit.”

“Ten percent?” she said her voice rising. “Sixty percent, at the very least.”

“Sixty? As an amateur?” he said. “You’re dreaming. Twenty, and that’s only if the audience likes you.”

“You’re terrible,” she said laughing.

“Yeah, but I got you laughing and distracted,” he said grinning at her. “My work here is done.”

“Thank you, Harry,” she said. “Although, come to think of it, your work isn’t done.”

“What am I forgetting?” he asked, frowning.

“You promised me how to box, remember,” she said. “And apart from a very brief introduction to jabs, I haven’t had a single lesson.”

His eyes widened and glowed before he sprung up from the deck chair. “How right you are. On your feet, constable. Let’s have at it.”

“What? Here?” she asked looking around the mostly empty deck.

“Are you really in the mood to go back to your cabin and attempt to sleep?” he asked. “Or would you rather we sit here in the cold discussing every single ‘what-if’ scenario along with recounting every single regret that comes to mind?”

Adelaide thought of her quiet cabin and how each and every thought would be amplified and how sleep seemed to be very hard to come by these days.

“You make several excellent points,” she said getting to her feet. “What do I do?”

“First – you watch me,” he said winking at her.

“Naturally,” she replied.

“Quiet. Then hold your fist up like this – excellent, you remembered not to tuck your thumb,” he said. “Now, thrust up like this.”

The next several minutes were a mixture of proper boxing instructions and Adelaide doing her best not to laugh. Their fellow passengers passed them by from time to time bestowing disapproving looks, but Adelaide couldn’t be bothered by them.

“Okay,” Houdini said, his curls flying every which way over his forehead. “Now, we face each other and fight.”

Adelaide shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, his hands dropping to his sides. “That’s the whole point of the exercise – actually fighting someone else. Come on, Stratton. Don’t let your side down. England versus the US, let’s go.”

Adelaide sighed and held up her hands. Oddly enough, she was the one to throw the first punch, which Houdini dodged easily, but he grinned.

“Have I mentioned that I love a woman with a good right hook?” he asked.

“Have I mentioned that I love a man who knows when to be quiet?” she countered.

Houdini just grinned and feinted to the left, which Adelaide fell for as she thrust out her fist. Houdini lightly tapped her side and then slid away. She glared and refocussed on him while he just winked at her.

“Come and get me, constable,” he said.

Adelaide didn’t respond, just merely took a leaf from his book and feinted left. He moved and she ducked slightly and landed a light punch on his stomach.

“Oof,” he said. “Nice move.”

Adelaide smiled briefly as she bounced a little on her toes. “Do you know this is really rather invigorating?”

“I knew you’d like it,” he said grinning. “You’re a natural and you’ve got the best advantage.”

“What?”

“No one will ever see you coming,” he said winking at her.

She laughed and bounced to the left as Houdini jabbed his left hand towards her.

“Can I ask you something?” he said as he recovered and ducked his head this way and that as she tried to make some sort of contact.

“Of course,” she replied, her shoes slipping a little on the polished deck.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Sparring with me in broad - well, not daylight - but ship-light,” he said. “Not very lady-like, is it?”

“As if being completely lady-like has always been an answer for me,” she said rolling her eyes. “Honestly, you were quite right - the thought of going back to my cabin sounds horrible and I’d much rather be out here.”

“You do know, those thoughts you’re running from will still find you in the end,” he said.

“So says the man who started this little sparring session in the first place?” she retorted.

Houdini chuckled. “Touché.”

“And I know,” she said her voice going quiet, even as she held up her fists. “But those thoughts aren’t here right now and I’ll take what peace I can get when I can get it.”

Houdini smiled and opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a loud voice exclaiming, “Have you two gone mad?”

At the sound of Dr Doyle’s voice, Houdini stopped to look, but Adelaide was in mid-left hook, so her hand glanced off his chin.

“Oh, no!” she said, freezing as Houdini looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh, Harry. Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“You hit me,” he said staring at her.

“Yes, I did, and I’m so sorry,” she said stepping in close to look at his face.

“You hit me,” he said starting to grin even as he rubbed his chin. “I’m a damn good teacher, aren’t I?”

“Because you managed to finally goad Adelaide into punching you?” Dr Doyle said walking closer. “I doubt it was due to your tutelage and was more just a matter of time.”

Adelaide chuckled despite herself, and peered at Houdini’s chin. “I don’t think I hit you very hard.”

“Nah, just a tap,” he said rolling his shoulders. “It just means I have to stay on my toes. Come on, fists up. Atta girl.”

Doyle shook his head as he watched them circle one another. “The other passengers are going to talk, you know.”

“Hopefully, they’ll start placing bets,” Houdini said dodging a hook from Adelaide. “Oh! Nice form, Addie. If they do, put some money on Adelaide. She’s good.”

“You’re both incorrigible,” Doyle said. “I was going to ask if you both wanted to join me for a drink, but if you’d rather practice your fisticuffs…”

“So says the man who wrote a character who excels at boxing,” Adelaide said somewhat breathlessly as she quickly side-stepped away from Houdini.

“Hah!” Houdini said laughing. “Quick with her mind as well as her hands, Adelaide, you’re a marvel.”

“Oh, stop trying to charm me,” she said. “I’m immune.”

“Are you?” he asked wiggling his eyebrows and Adelaide’s mind immediately flashed back to their kiss. Their very awkward, if well-meant, kiss.

Heat filled her cheeks and she glanced away, but then narrowed her eyes as she managed to land a glancing blow off of Houdini’s shoulder.

“Goodness,” Dr Doyle said watching them. “You do realise that you’re providing the ship with at least a week’s worth of entertainment?”

“As long as I get sixty percent of it, I believe I’m fine with it,” Adelaide said while Houdini chortled.

“I don’t know why I bother,” Dr Doyle said with a sigh.

“Come on, doc,” Houdini said sneaking a light tap to Adelaide’s cheek which she bristled at. “We make your life interesting.”

“I can’t deny that,” Dr Doyle said.

“What have you been up to anyway?” Houdini asked.

“He’s been writing,” Adelaide said. “Look at his fingers.”

“Yeah, I’m not falling for that trick,” Houdini said standing back and holding still. “Drop the fists, constable.”

Adelaide smiled as she came to a stop herself and wiped at her forehead.

Houdini looked Doyle over and grinned. “Would you look at that? You have been writing.”

“Just getting some thoughts in order, that’s all,” Dr Doyle said, but the satisfied look on his face implied that it was much more than mere thoughts. “I was going to find myself a drink, but if the two of you would prefer to blacken each other’s eyes…”

“Oh, I think we can call a time out, what do you say, Adelaide?” Houdini asked holding out his hand.

“I think we can pick this up at a later date,” Adelaide replied as she clasped his hand.

Houdini winked before lifting her hand to press a quick kiss to her knuckles. “I look forward to you trouncing me sometime, constable.”

“So do I,” she said smiling back.

“There isn’t a drink strong enough for this,” Dr Doyle said as he headed inside the ship.

With a cheeky smile and an odd glance at their abandoned deck chairs, Houdini tucked Adelaide’s hand into the crook of his elbow and they went inside.

Later that evening, sleep came to Adelaide a bit easier than it had previously, but the weeks ahead were filled with even more sleepless nights and an incident that even the great Harry Houdini couldn’t escape from.

Chapter Text

The moment Houdini lifted his head and looked Adelaide in the eyes as he said, “Hey, you know I think this may be a trap door,” - she knew precisely what would happen next.

The floor dropped from beneath their feet and Adelaide and Houdini crashed into each other as they fell, landing hard into three feet of very cold water.

Adelaide sucked in a gasp and flailed in the water for a moment before she realised the floor was within reach. She tried to stand and winced when a sharp pain emanated from her ankle. Suddenly, Houdini’s hands her on her waist, steadying her and she looked at him.

“You all right?” he asked, his brow furrowed and his suit clearly soaked.

“As well as can be expected,” she said, feeling the water seeping into her shoes and weighing down her skirts. “You?”

“I hate being right,” he said smirking somewhat ruefully.

“No, you don’t,” she said.

“You’re right, I don’t,” he admitted before looking up. “Although, today I might.”

They’d been back in London for close to two weeks and while Adelaide came back to a job, the atmosphere at the Yard was as it ever had been, despite her actions in the States. However, she carried on and did her job, kept a close eye on Dr Doyle and Houdini as they traversed across the city, and tried very hard not to think about her late husband.

Adelaide looked up. “How far did we fall?”

“At least a good fifteen feet,” he said.

“I heard you scaled a wall once,” she said looking at the very smooth sides of the well they’d fallen into.

“I had a good running jump,” he said. “This may be beyond me, I’m afraid.”

“It’s all right,” she said, wondering just how long they were going to be down there and what was it she was standing on? It felt like a stick of some sort.

“It’s really not,” he said frowning. “I have a reputation to uphold.”

“Well, I won’t tell anyone,” she said, realising that he still had his hands on her waist and that her hands were pressed flat against his chest. Struck by the inappropriateness of the situation, she took a step back and promptly winced as her ankle gave way; she stumbled in the water.

“Whoa, whoa,” he said, his hands tightening on her as he pulled her closer. He looked down at her. “Thought you said you were all right?”

“I may have turned my ankle a touch,” she said. “It’s fine.”

“Want me to take a look?” he asked.

“Better not,” she said.

He arched an eyebrow and smiled slightly. “I’m not asking in the hopes of making a passionate overture, constable. Just out of concern.”

“And I’m not refusing on the grounds of heading off a passionate overture,” she said smiling back despite herself. “More on the grounds that I’m not sure if I take my shoe off now, I’ll be able to get it back on.”

“Good point,” he said nodding. He looked up. “It would be a great time for Doyle to show up.”

“I left a message for him at the hospital,” she said, deciding internally there was nothing for it as she placed her hands on his chest again to steady herself. “He’ll come once he’s finished visiting with his wife and the doctors.”

“Yeah, if he doesn’t get distracted,” he said taking a hand from her waist to press it against the wall. “Damn, wall’s too smooth to scale up.” He shook his head. “It’s a great trap.”

“I wonder if this was what Mrs Gerheart was referring to when she said that there was an oubliette on the premises,” Adelaide said, peering down into the water, trying to determine where the stick was that she kept treading on; it appeared to be a pale colour.

“Well, looks like he’s been forgotten about,” Houdini said staring at a spot just behind Adelaide.

She turned to look and when she saw the skull under the water, her eyebrows rose in surprise and she leaned back into Houdini’s chest even as his hands tightened their grip on her waist.

“Oh, my. Do you think that’s Simon Gerheart?” she asked.

“Were we looking for someone else who hasn’t been seen in fifteen years?” he said. “I think we might be standing on his legs, you know.”

“I wondered what that was,” she said turning her back on the skull with a grimace. She met Houdini’s smile with a roll of her eyes.

“Afraid the ghost of Simon Gerheart will rise up out of the water?” he teased, wriggling his eyebrows.

“Well, I wasn’t before,” she retorted. “Actually, I’m more concerned that we’ll catch pneumonia if we’re stuck in this water for too long.”

“We’ll be fine,” he said rubbing his hands up and down her arms as he pulled her a little closer. She smoothed her own hands over his chest. “Nothing some chicken soup and some hot water bottles won’t be able to fix.”

“Soup, I’ll be able to manage,” she said. “However, my only hot water bottle sprung a leak recently.”

“The hotel always has plenty,” he said smirking. “And I’m always willing to share.”

“Very chivalrous of you,” she said shaking her head.

They stood in relatively comfortable silence. Well, it was comfortable apart from the freezing cold water and the fact they were quite trapped with no way out. Adelaide sighed and shifted.

“So, are we going to talk about how you’re not sleeping?” Houdini asked after a moment.

Adelaide’s eyes snapped to his; all she saw was concern reflected in them.

“I don’t know –“ she started.

“Addie, keep in mind that I think you’re a beautiful woman no matter what,” he interrupted, “but you’re paler than usual, you have dark circles under your eyes, and you fell asleep on a five minute tube ride the other day.”

Adelaide looked away. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

She glared at him. “Any hope that you’ll just drop this?”

“Nope,” he said cheerfully. “Tell Dr Houdini all about it.”

“You’re such a pest,” she said with a sigh. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just not sleeping well. I keep dreaming. About Benjamin.”

She kept her eyes fixed on her hands on his chest. He was wearing a green and grey patterned waistcoat today and it really suited his eyes. Absently, she traced a line of the pattern with her index finger.

“You dream about what you did?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head. “No. I dream about the day I found him. But he’s not… Not dead, yet. He’s looking at me and…”

She shivered and stopped talking.

“Hey, hey,” he said, his hands smoothing up and down her back. “It’s okay.”

“It’s really, really not,” she said laughing slightly. “I killed my husband.”

“And I’m so sorry you had to do that,” he said ducking his head to catch her eyes. “But he didn’t leave you any other choice.”

“I know,” she said. “I’ve been over it and over it in my mind and I know that I did the right thing. But…”

“What a thing to have to do,” he finished for her.

She nodded. “I’ll be fine, though.”

“Well, as someone once told me, it’s okay if you’re not,” he said squeezing her sides gently.

“Same goes for you, you know,” she said. “If we’re on the subject of not sleeping…”

“It’s nothing,” he said looking anywhere but her.

“What’s good for the gander is good for the goose,” she said poking his chest. “Your turn.”

“You’ll think I’m mad,” he said.

“I always think you’re mad,” she said smiling. “Honestly, there isn’t much that shocks me nowadays.”

He chuckled and winced as he closed his eyes. “I keep seeing my mother.”

Adelaide blinked. “How so?”

“I just…look around and she’s there,” he said shrugging. “Sitting on a chair or standing in a doorway. One night, I saw her in the audience.”

“Harry, that’s perfectly understandable,” Adelaide said. “I thought I saw Benjamin for months after-“

“No,” he said shaking his head. “I know what you’re talking about and this is different. I don’t think I see her, I do see her.”

She stared into his eyes and realised that his grip had tightened on her waist a great deal. So she nodded. “She’s haunting you?”

“Oh, Christ, you think I’m nuts, don’t you?” he said his head falling forward to land on her shoulder. “Addie, I’m not insane. Please don’t tell me I’m insane.”

She laughed a bit weakly and tugged a hand free to rest on the back of his neck, her fingers gently smoothing circles on his skin. “You’re not insane, Harry. You’re grieving.”

“She looks so real,” he said into her shoulder. “Like I could reach out and touch her. But I don’t dare do that, because I don’t know what would be worse. If she’s actually there, or…”

“If she’s not,” she finished quietly. “I know. Harry, it’s all right.”

“It’s really not,” he said lifting his head to smirk at her. “But thanks for not running off screaming.”

“Like I’d do anything of the sort even if I weren’t trapped in a well,” she said, her fingers still rubbing on his skin. “I don’t think you’re insane.”

“So what do I do?” he asked. “Ignore her?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I’m so sorry, but I honestly don’t. Perhaps…she’ll fade over time.”

He frowned and winced. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Then perhaps you’ll just adjust to her presence,” she said. “Have you told Dr Doyle about this?”

“God, no, not yet, anyway,” he said. “He’ll drag me to a medium or something and I’m not ready for that.”

Adelaide sighed and felt for him. A part of her thought that if any of the three of them was going to be haunted it would naturally turn out to be the most sceptical one of them.

“Anyway, I’ll handle it,” he said smiling at her and not fooling her one bit. “So, we, ah, never really addressed that kiss.”

Adelaide looked at him, her eyes widening. “No. No, I suppose we didn’t. And what a lovely way to change the subject.”

“You like that? I thought it was pretty smooth, too. So, our kiss; it was, ah, oh, what’s the word?” he said.

“Awkward?” she offered, her mouth curving upwards.

“Hey, now,” he said squeezing her sides lightly. “It wasn’t that – yes, yes, it was, wasn’t it?”

“It truly was,” she said actually giggling a little. “But memorable.”

“Oh?” he said his eyebrows lifting.

“Due to the awkwardness,” she said smiling fully.

“Ouch, a hit,” he said cringing. “A palpable hit. I think I’m insulted.”

“Well, at least half of the awkwardness was my doing,” she said. “It had been quite some time since I’d been kissed. I was out of practice.”

“Yeah, well, I have no excuse,” he said frowning. “We’ll have to try again.”

“I beg your pardon?” she asked laughing.

“We’ll have to try again,” he repeated. “Tell me there isn’t something here, Addie? That things between us doesn’t have the potential to be, well,” he leaned close and her breath caught in her throat, “something intriguing?”

Adelaide took a moment to think and to feel each of his fingers where they carefully and firmly held her waist, as well as look into his eyes. She glanced down as her cheeks flushed even despite the cold water around her legs.

“There’s something here, Harry,” she said quietly. “I just don’t know what it is.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. Are you willing to explore this something? With me?”

She pursed her lips as she looked up at him. “I’m not sure? Everything’s happened so fast and I still feel as though I’m trying to catch up.”

“Tell me about it,” he said laughing. “It’s been quite the year.”

“Indeed,” she said laughing along. “Not to mention the Chief Inspector already thinks we’re having an affair and I do so hate proving him right.”

“Whoa, whoa, what?” he said his eyes going wide. “What the hell?”

She took a deep breath. “He thinks that the only reason you gave me such a good recommendation in the first place is due to the fact that we’re having an affair. Therefore he’s quote, unquote, keeping an eye on me.”

His jaw dropped. “I…I think I’m offended. On both our behalves. I’d never recommend someone just because I was sleeping with them. What a jerk!”

“Old-fashioned,” she corrected him. “He’s despised the idea of female constables from the beginning. The fact that I keep surpassing expectations -“

“And saving the president of the United States,” he added.

“And that, well, it unsettles some people,” she said.

“To hell with them, Addie,” he said. “Do what you want, I say. You’ve sure as hell earned it.”

She smiled. “I have, haven’t I?”

“Several times over, I’d say,” he said. “So have dinner with me.”

She paused. “I’m not saying ‘no’, but well… Ask me again sometime?”

“Sure,” he said after a moment before he leaned in a pressed his forehead to hers. “And I promise I’ll drop the subject, but I do think we’d be pretty amazing together. Hell, we’re already pretty amazing together. Imagine the possibilities once inhibitions fly out the window.”

“You are shameless,” she said on a sigh.

He chuckled and started to say something, but stopped and lifted his head. “Did you hear that?”

They fell silent and eventually heard, “Constable?”

“Doyle, finally!” Houdini said. Adelaide drew breath to call out, but Houdini stopped her with a wink. “I’ve got it.”

He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. She winced as the shrill sound echoed in the small space.

“Your technique has improved,” she said rubbing her ear.

“I’ve been practicing,” he said grinning back. “Doyle!”

Footsteps hastened their way and soon enough, Doyle’s face appeared about them.

“Good Lord,” he said. “Are you both all right?”

“Addie’s done something to her ankle, but we’re in one piece,” Houdini said. “It’s a lovely spot down here. Freezing and wet. What more could you ask for on an afternoon?”

“We found Simon Gerheart,” Adelaide added.

“Did you?” Doyle’s face brightened.

“He’s been our companion for the last two hours,” Houdini said nodding at the skull behind Adelaide. “And, I have to say, he’s quite the dull conversationalist.”

“Right,” Doyle said shaking his head. “I’ll go get help.”

“No!” they called out in unison.

Doyle stared down at them. “Why the devil not?”

Houdini looked at Adelaide. “I know why I don’t want help. Why don’t you want help?”

“For the same reason I expect you don’t want help,” she said. “I already have a hard enough time as it is at the Yard, I don’t want to add getting stuck in a well to my reputation.”

“Fair enough,” Houdini said with a nod before he looked up. “We have reputations to uphold, Doyle. No help.”

“Well, clearly pride doesn’t goeth before a fall with you two,” Doyle said rolling his eyes. “I’ll find a rope.”

“And something to put Mr Gerheart in,” Adelaide added. “I think there’s been some damage to his skull that I’d like you to look at.”

“You two certainly know how make demands on a fellow,” he said before disappearing.

Adelaide looked at Houdini who was grinning at her. “Ready for that soup and hot water bottle?”

“Yes,” she said. “But certainly not in your hotel room.”

He winked at her just as Doyle reappeared. “I’ve found some rope. I’ve secured it to a beam up here. Who’s first?”

“I am,” Houdini said. “Then we’ll pull Addie up.”

“Did you find something for Mr Gerheart?” Adelaide called up.

“Will a grain sack do?” Doyle asked.

“Perfect,” she said. “Throw it down. I’ll…collect the body.”

“Charming,” Doyle said before dropping an empty sack down. Adelaide caught it and went over to the skull in the corner while Houdini readied himself for the climb up the wall.

Three quarters of an hour later, Adelaide was finally out of the water and on dry ground. She shivered, feeling the heavy cold of her skirts against her skin. Her ankle seemed stable, although after prodding it, Dr Doyle recommended taking her weight off of it as soon as she was able.

“You two also need to get warm,” Doyle said.

“No time,” Adelaide said shaking her head. “The person who told us about the oubliette was Mrs Gerheart and she’s due to leave for the Continent tomorrow morning. We have more questions for her.”

“Agreed,” Houdini said.

“Fine,” Doyle said. “But then straight home, both of you!”

“Yes, doctor,” Houdini said saluting.

Doyle narrowed his eyes, but Adelaide ignored them both and headed out of the barn towards the main house.

Her skirts were mostly dry by the time she made it home in the early hours of the evening. She normally would have stayed to complete the paperwork associated with the arrest of the Gerheart’s nephew (who had killed the elder Mr Gerheart who had, prior to his push into the oubliette, written his nephew out of the will over a matter of bad investments; the nephew had figured his aunt would be a soft touch and reinstate him - point of fact, she didn’t), but the Chief Inspector had sent her home.

“To be perfectly honest, Constable Stratton,” he said, his nose wrinkling. “You smell like the bottom of a well. Go home and come back in the morning.”

She’d simply blinked and then said, “Thank you, sir,” and left, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth and it wasn’t as though he was wrong - she smelled.

It was with a great sigh of relief that she tugged her slightly damp shoes off and eased herself out of her smelly clothes. A pot of stew that her neighbour had given her the evening before in exchange for Adelaide running some errands for her, was heating up on the hob along with a kettleful of water to be poured into her hipbath. The ache in her ankle had become a dull throb and she kept glancing longingly at her bed.

She had just pulled on her warmest nightdress and her dressing gown when there was a brisk knock at the door.

Tying the ties of her dressing gown, she went to the door and peered through the gap in the window. Frowning when she saw a bellboy from Houdini’s hotel, she opened the door.

“Yes?” she asked him.

“Evening, miss,” the young man said. “Parcel for you.”

He held up a thin white box. Adelaide stared at it for a moment before taking it from him. “Thank you. One moment, I’ll get you a few bob.”

“Oh, not to worry, miss,” he said with a smile. “That’s been sorted. Have a good evening.”

He doffed his cap and Adelaide found herself smiling a little as she said, “Good night.”

The bellboy scurried up the steps as she closed the door, locking it behind her.

She set the box down on her table and hurried to move the pot of stew before it burned. Then, eyeing the box, she walked over to it and undid the string holding it closed. Adelaide lifted the top and had to laugh.

Nestled in some simple white tissue paper was a hot water bottle encased in a velvet cover of the deepest red she’d ever seen.

Adelaide ran her fingers over it and had to hold in a gasp at how soft the velvet felt. Seeing a small piece of folded card, she plucked it out of the box.

It read Sweet dreams, constable. Signed, HH.

“Oh, dear,” she said as she ran her fingers over the hot water bottle again. “I’m going to let him take me to dinner, aren’t I?”

Chapter Text

Adelaide bit her tongue and lifted her chin as the Chief Inspector spoke.

“This case isn’t one of this department’s priorities,” he was saying. “This is a police department. We catch criminals, Constable Stratton. We do not run a charity. And as much as I’d like to find every single missing person in this city, we do not and will not have the resources to do so. So, I would suggest you drop this matter and concentrate on your other assignments.”

“Sir, three women are missing,” she said.

“Three prostitutes,” he said through gritted teeth. “You know how likely it is that they simply ran off or something. We will not be taking this case any further, Constable, is that clear?”

Adelaide nodded sharply. “Crystal. Sir.”

She turned sharply on her heel, catching Gudgett’s eye as she left the office and he nodded to her.

The main office was its usual bustle of sounds and people going about their business, but Adelaide barely heard it over the roaring in her ears. It wasn’t fair. She dropped into her chair and glared down at the open report on her desk. The report that she needed to sign and file in the Closed section. Adelaide picked up her pen.

Three women, all from the same area of town, gone. Their friends were worried and yes, they were prostitutes, but that shouldn’t matter.

A soft crack brought Adelaide out of her thoughts and she made a face at the ink spilling out of her pen onto her fingers and desk.

She quickly grabbed a handkerchief and dabbed at her hands and the black smudge on the desk.

A knock on the corner of her desk had her looking up.

Gudgett stood there looking at her with his eyebrows raised.

“Yes?” Adelaide said.

“You going to keep looking for them, then?” he asked.

“I was told to drop it,” she said crumpling up the ink-stained cloth and shoving it in her bag before reaching for another pen.

He made a face. “Stratton. The Chief may live in perpetual hope that you’ll do as he says, but I know better. You’re going to keep looking for them?”

Adelaide kept silent, then shook her head. “Three women. Three leads to four, which leads to six, which leads to… It’s not right.”

“’Course, it’s not right,” Gudgett said leaning down and keeping his voice quiet. “But that’s how it goes. You think I like pandering to these toffee-nosed toffs when I know for a fact that there are folks in the East End who could use a good copper? It bloody stinks.”

“Yes, I know,” Adelaide said heatedly. “And you’re right. I know that this is how it is. And I know that if I want to keep my job, I have to fall in line.”

“Too right,” he said. Then he shrugged. “’Course that’s not to say it always has to be. And if I was someone who had some friends who had some coin in their pocket who could fund a more private venture… Well, that’d be a different story, wouldn’t it?”

Adelaide stared at him, but he just winked and headed back to his desk. She frowned and considered his words. Gudgett had been surprisingly polite to her after her return from the States. Apparently saving a president and shooting one’s husband went some way amongst the men on the force. So, she didn’t think he was attempting to push her out as he might have done in the past. Perhaps he meant it? She looked around the office and realised that she was hardly alone in wanting to follow her own cases and her own interests.

Perhaps Gudgett had a point. Perhaps she should consider alternative means of investigation. Ones outside of the police force…

She worried her lip and looked down at her desk. She sighed when she saw the ink smudges still on her fingers, so she got up to head to the ladies to try to remove the worst of it.

Emerging a few minutes later, the ink mostly gone, she nearly ran into Dr Doyle as he came down the hallway.

“Constable!” he said cheerfully, smiling. “How are you?”

“I’m well, Dr Doyle,” she said. “What bring you to the Yard?”

“A meeting with one of my contacts regarding some information for my novel,” he said somewhat sheepishly. “I would have asked you, but I wasn’t sure what you knew about police work that occurred twenty years ago.”

“Very little,” she said laughing. “Although, I imagine that even if the methods have grown some of the opinions haven’t evolved since then.” She winced and shook her head. “Pardon me, that was rude.”

“The missing women?” Dr Doyle said. “They won’t let you pursue it, will they?”

“It’s not considered a priority,” Adelaide said dully. “I’m…frustrated.”

Dr Doyle nodded. “I quite understand. And I know this isn’t a solution, but come for dinner tonight. The children would love to see you. I get constant requests to have the lady constable come round.”

Adelaide smiled. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Nonsense,” he said. “Harry’s coming, too. We’d all love to have you.”

“All right,” Adelaide said after moment, nodding. “I’d be delighted.”

“Excellent,” he said walking away. “See you this evening at six o’clock.”

Adelaide smiled and headed back to her desk, her spirits lifted somewhat. They sank once more when she saw the report on the women. Setting her jaw, she signed it as a closed case. But spent a few minutes to copy her findings into her notebook. Just in case.

Dinner at Dr Doyle’s house was lovely. The children were delighted to see Adelaide and she them. She sat with Mary and they discussed her studies and Kingsley showed off some of his drawings.

Houdini entertained them all by making the children’s vegetable disappear and then reappear on Doyle’s plate.

Once the children had been sent to bed, the three adults retired to Doyle’s study.

“I hear you’re frustrated with the boys at the Yard,” Houdini said sipping his water as Adelaide sipped a small glass of whiskey.

She wrinkled her nose. “It’s not just them. The other officers have been very accommodating recently. It’s…the entire organization I’m frustrated with. So many people, so many crimes, simply…slip through the cracks.” She set her glass down. “And I’m more than aware that those with money are the ones who’ll be given preference, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Or accept it,” Houdini said raising his glass. “So, what can we do?”

She looked at him and he gave her that smirk that said he’d already read her mind and knew precisely what she wanted to do deep down, but hadn’t actually given voice to it yet. Her eyes narrowed.

“Nothing,” she said. “For now, at least.”

“You do know that we’ll do anything to help?” Dr Doyle added. “It’s been a privilege to work with the Yard, but the point has never been to provide assistance to them. It’s been to solve mysteries.”

“While exploring the possibility of the supernatural,” Houdini added. “And that can be done with or without the Yard.” He thought for a moment. “Probably be easier without them, to be honest.”

“I’m not leaving the Yard, gentlemen,” Adelaide said and when she was faced with identical disbelieving looks, she added, “I don’t think I’m leaving the Yard. I’m merely…considering my initial motives and potential options.”

“Well,” Dr Doyle raised his glass. “Here’s to potential options. Just know that you will always have our support, Constable. No matter what you decide.”

Adelaide raised her own glass and smiled at them.

The rest of the evening was spent discussing a potential plot for one of Dr Doyle’s upcoming Sherlock Holmes stories and Houdini’s new trick involving even more chains and water.

When the clock chimed for ten o’clock, Adelaide rose to leave.

“Thank you for inviting me, Dr Doyle,” she said. “This was precisely what, well, the doctor ordered.”

“You’re always welcome, Adelaide,” he said smiling warmly. His gaze shifted to Houdini. “You as well, Harry.”

“As if I’d pass up the chance to make you eat your weight in vegetables,” Houdini said grinning. “Now, shall we brave the dangerous streets of London?”

She shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Indefatigable,” he retorted.

“Inveterate,” Doyle offered.

“Ooh, ouch,” Houdini said clapping his hand to his heart. “Really, Doyle. That’s a direct hit.”

“Walk me home, Harry,” Adelaide said. “And leave poor Dr Doyle alone.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said sticking out his elbow for Adelaide to tuck her hand into with a roll of her eyes.

“Good night,” Dr Doyle said emphatically before gently closing the door.

Adelaide and Harry walked along the streets for a while before he asked, “You really considering leaving the Yard?”

Adelaide paused before answering, then she said, “I joined the Yard because I wanted to discover more about my husband’s death. His ‘supposed’ death. I needed resources beyond what I had and the idea of such a challenge appealed to me.” She sighed. “Now, knowing what I know and having seen what I’ve seen… There’s so much more I could be doing in this city and I don’t know that I’ll get the chance to do them whilst constantly restricted by Scotland Yard’s rules.” She glanced at him. “Does that make sense?”

“You’re asking an American if going into business for one’s self makes sense?” he said with a grin. “Yes, it makes perfect sense, Addie.”

“Yes, but you’re an American, of course you’d say that,” she said chuckling and he bumped her hip with his own.

“Come on, Addie,” he said more seriously. “Being your own boss? You’ll love it. You’ll be good at it. You’re competent, smart and hard-working. Which gives you a head start over most people. You’d just need some investors.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said patting his arm. “I haven’t decided anything yet.”

“Yeah, but you will,” he said looking at her fondly. “You’ll go for it and you’ll succeed. And hey, if you, ah, need a partner, you only need to ask.”

“Thank you,” she said looking down as they walked. “But, if this is something I do, which I haven’t decided one way or another, I actually had someone else in mind.”

“I’m jealous already,” he said looking at her. “Do I know him?”

“You do,” she said smiling, “and it’s not a him.”

He looked at her and then his eyes widened. “No. No, no, no, well, actually… I could see that working out. That would be…” He shook his head as a smile started to spread across his face. “The city wouldn’t know what hit it. I’ll fund the entire thing. You name the amount, I’ll triple it just to watch what you two get up to.”

“Harry,” she said laughing. “You’re shameless.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I am most definitely that.”

They walked along in comfortable silence for a while before turning into the small park located near to Adelaide’s flat.

“I’d still like to take you to dinner some time, you know,” he said quietly.

Adelaide bit back her smile. “I think I’d like that.”

“I don’t mean pub food,” he said. “I mean a proper dinner.”

“I quite enjoy pub food, actually.”

“Then we’ll have pub food. And then we’ll go dancing.”

Adelaide laughed. “Dancing? I have two left feet.”

“Liar,” he said stopping on the path. He took her hand that was tucked into the crook of his elbow and placed it on his shoulder.

“Houdini,” she said warningly as he slid his hand around her back and pulled her close.

“Humour me,” he murmured. “Just verifying your statement.”

With a silent one, two, three, he stepped to the side and Adelaide followed, a small beat behind. He moved them in a silent waltz off the path into the shadows of the trees, their feet moving in time to imaginary music.

“I knew it,” he said, the corner of his mouth curved upwards. “You dance perfectly.”

“So do you,” she said lifting her chin.

They fell silent once more as they danced and Adelaide supposed she should feel strange and self-conscious, dancing to no music in the middle of a park in the dead of night, but she really couldn’t bring herself to care about propriety. Not when Harry was looking at her as though she’d hung the moon and his hands were firm and gentle as he guided her across the grass.

Eventually, they stopped and simply looked at one another. His eyes seemed to ask a question of her. The same question they’d asked several weeks back when she hadn’t been ready to answer in the affirmative. She was ready now.

She rose up slightly and pressed her lips to his. He made a soft noise in his throat and his hand cupped her face as he pulled her body close.

They drew back and looked at one another.

“That…wasn’t awkward,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

“No, it wasn’t,” she said.

“It was…rather nice?”

“Incredibly.”

“But…”

Adelaide frowned. “But?”

“We should probably try again,” he said seriously. “You know how I feel about gathering all the data before making a decision.”

“Yes, you’re terribly pedantic that way,” she said a smile spreading across her face.

His grin was quick and delighted and this time, when his lips met hers, Adelaide sighed against them and while the kiss previously was chaste and warm, this kiss was exploratory and fun and she felt as light as air.

Eventually they pulled apart and he said, “Dinner. At the pub. Tomorrow. Then we’re going to dance the night away.”

“I’ll be there,” she said running her palm along the line of his jaw.

He closed his eyes and turned his head, pressing a kiss into her palm.

“And now, I really should get home,” she said. “I’m not my own boss, yet.”

Houdini nodded. “Then let’s get you home, Constable.”

“You want to start your own detective agency? And you’d like me to be your partner?”

Edith Pilkie, also known as Madame Korzha, stared at Adelaide over her forgotten cup of tea.

“Yes, I do,” Adelaide said sipping her own tea. “I’ve done what I set out to do at the Yard and now I’d like to help people that the Yard won’t, or simply cannot, help. And I want to staff it with women.”

Edith blinked at her and remembering her tea, picked up her cup. She took a sip, then said, “I’m doing rather well on my own, you know. I don’t need charity.”

“Oh, I know you don’t,” Adelaide said. “I’m the one who would truly benefit in this scenario. Your skills are highly valuable and I’m certain that you’ll make much more continuing in your current venture. All I’m offering is a chance for Edith Pilkie to shine instead of Madame Korzha as well as the opportunity to do some good in the community.”

Adelaide set her teacup down. “I’ll be utterly honest, I have no idea if this will work. If people will even consider hiring female detectives. But I know that we’re needed. People, especially women, don’t always feel comfortable going to Scotland Yard. I want to give them an alternative.”

Edith studied her. “You’re serious about this?”

“Deeply,” Adelaide said.

“And you want me as a partner?” she asked, her brow furrowing as a shrewd look crossed her face.

“A full partner, yes,” Adelaide said. “I have…investors waiting in the wings, should we decide to go forward.”

“Investors?” Edith repeated starting to smile.

“Investors who would, on occasion, like to assist on a case or two,” Adelaide said wryly.

“I’m sure they would,” Edith said laughing quietly. She sighed and stared down into her teacup.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to read the tea leaves,” Adelaide said.

“Hardly,” Edith replied. “It’s quite the compliment you’re paying me. You have no reason to trust me.”

“I have the best reason to trust you,” Adelaide said. “You want to help people and you want to use your mind and abilities to do so.”

“I’m not that altruistic, Constable,” Edith said.

“And I’m not completely foolhardy,” she said. “I’m not going to hold you to something should it fail to work. I just want to try. I think we’d make a good team. And I think we can do some good.”

Adelaide held her breath as Edith continued to stare at her teacup. She knew she’d made her point when Edith started to smile and lifted her head.

“You’ll have to warn me when I slip from accent to accent,” Edith said.

“And you’ll have to teach me some of your skills,” Adelaide said.

“Deal.”

Adelaide held out her hand and Edith shook it, grinning as she asked, “Well, when do we begin?”

“Right now,” Adelaide said as she smiled.

~The End~