Sherlock looked at her with his usual expression, but she knew him well enough at that point to know when he was trying to hide something. “She doesn’t mention you very often, but she happened to request it specifically in our latest correspondence. When she expressed that she’d been feeling ill, I mentioned what wonders your mother’s tea had done for me. I should think it’s a great compliment.”
Joan rolled her eyes. “Take what as a compliment, that you told her stories about me, or that she wants something from me?” She already knew how he would respond, but felt the need to voice her sarcasm either way. The vibe she got from Moriarty’s interest in her was not a good one.
“Well, both to be truthful, but I meant her request. I believe she has a great deal of respect for you, and that’s something to be admired. She doesn’t respect easily.”
While what he said was true, Joan was sure she wasn’t about to take it as a compliment any time soon. The only reason Moriarty respected her was that she’d been proven a worthy adversary. “I don’t agree with you even continuing to communicate with her, much less tell her details about my life, however small. Besides, would they even let me give it to her? For all anyone knows I could poison it.”
“She knows that you wouldn’t. I’m sure the guards could be persuaded, if you delivered it in person.”
And there it was. The true motivation finally clicked in Joan’s mind. “Is this just an excuse to get me to visit her? To what end?”
Sherlock stiffened into a deeper frown. “I could hardly know. But yes, I’m fairly sure.”
She had assumed Sherlock himself had been the one wanting her to visit, and tried not to let the surprise of his response show. “Why would you pass on the message, then? I doubt she could do anything from her position, but isn’t this kind of just serving me to her on a silver platter?”
“I would never intentionally put you into danger, Watson. I don’t believe she means you any harm.”
“What would make you think that she means me anything but harm?” She trusted Sherlock’s instincts most of the time, but she knew better than anyone how easily Moriarty could manipulate him.
He was silent for a moment, his reluctance to respond clearly evident. “Well, you see… She speaks of you much like she used to consider me. Back when I knew her only as Irene. But you have an advantage I didn’t have. You know the truth.”
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Date: 2014-03-06 09:43 pm (UTC)Sherlock looked at her with his usual expression, but she knew him well enough at that point to know when he was trying to hide something. “She doesn’t mention you very often, but she happened to request it specifically in our latest correspondence. When she expressed that she’d been feeling ill, I mentioned what wonders your mother’s tea had done for me. I should think it’s a great compliment.”
Joan rolled her eyes. “Take what as a compliment, that you told her stories about me, or that she wants something from me?” She already knew how he would respond, but felt the need to voice her sarcasm either way. The vibe she got from Moriarty’s interest in her was not a good one.
“Well, both to be truthful, but I meant her request. I believe she has a great deal of respect for you, and that’s something to be admired. She doesn’t respect easily.”
While what he said was true, Joan was sure she wasn’t about to take it as a compliment any time soon. The only reason Moriarty respected her was that she’d been proven a worthy adversary. “I don’t agree with you even continuing to communicate with her, much less tell her details about my life, however small. Besides, would they even let me give it to her? For all anyone knows I could poison it.”
“She knows that you wouldn’t. I’m sure the guards could be persuaded, if you delivered it in person.”
And there it was. The true motivation finally clicked in Joan’s mind. “Is this just an excuse to get me to visit her? To what end?”
Sherlock stiffened into a deeper frown. “I could hardly know. But yes, I’m fairly sure.”
She had assumed Sherlock himself had been the one wanting her to visit, and tried not to let the surprise of his response show. “Why would you pass on the message, then? I doubt she could do anything from her position, but isn’t this kind of just serving me to her on a silver platter?”
“I would never intentionally put you into danger, Watson. I don’t believe she means you any harm.”
“What would make you think that she means me anything but harm?” She trusted Sherlock’s instincts most of the time, but she knew better than anyone how easily Moriarty could manipulate him.
He was silent for a moment, his reluctance to respond clearly evident. “Well, you see… She speaks of you much like she used to consider me. Back when I knew her only as Irene. But you have an advantage I didn’t have. You know the truth.”