Miss. Margret Anne Hooper, was a respectable young lady, who came from a decent family. Pretty and smart, she seemed perfectly marriageable, but her interests in the medical field of pathology quickly dissuaded suitors. Most of them at least. There were a few who were enthralled by the petite brunette, and fewer still she returned the affections of.
Now past the age of thirty, many believed her to be a spinster for life, including Molly herself.
Until her father's lawyer came knocking at her door. Since her father's passing. Molly and her younger sister Haley had been taken under the care of Gregory Lestrade. A military man who had deferred to Scotland Yard. The Lawyer, a weaselly man with a receding hairline and horrible breath, informed her that her father had decreed that if Molly passed her 33rd year without a husband, then she would be married to Mr. John Watson, her dear childhood friend, if he too remained unwed. If Molly refused, than her yearly allowance would be decreased by a third. Effectively limiting Molly's academic pursuits.
After he left Molly requested a moment alone. It was a lot to take in. She hadn't seen or heard from John Watson since her father''s funeral, nearly fifteen years ago, and if she assumed correctly, Mr. Watson was also unwed. There would be no point to this charade if he was.
Taking a deep breath Molly set about penning a letter to her..fiance..nearly shivering at the word in her anger. It was not that she was adverse to the idea of marriage, in fact she had hoped to one day be married, but to have no choice in her groom, and to have this situation forced upon her. It was infuriating.
Not to mention, she had no clue what type of man Mr. Watson had become. During their childhood he was very adventurous. Smart, kind, noble, and every ounce the gentlemen Molly had dreamed of. She had held a candle for the boy, fanned by the fact he did not scorn her interests, and in fact encouraged her morbid studies and including her on his trouble making, but it had been over a decade since she saw him last, under dismal skies the day they buried her father. Who knows what he might have become.
If you have not heard by the time my missive has reached you, well I'm afraid that I must inform you of our engagement. It seems that our fathers, loved deeply by each other, had arranged for a joining of our two families, through us. They of course allowed us gratuitous time to find out own partners, but should we both remain unwed - as we have- we are to be married. I imagine that they believed we would come together of our own accord, considering our close childhood relationship.
Although I am not averse to the idea of marriage, I am sure you, as much as I, find this all a bit..irregular.
I am sorry for the abrupt nature of this and I hope you and I may come to a cordial agreement.
She sent and sealed the letter, her heart thumping in her chest for what was to come.