The Ambitious Orphan by Amelia Price

originally
planned.” The crispness in Myron's words let her know this was a
query she shouldn't have made.
    “If it's
necessary, then I have no problem,” Amelia said, as much to
convince herself as him.
    “Good.” Sebastian
came to her rescue, handing Myron an adjusted diagram of their plan
of action once on the boat. As she looked over it, she realised it
kept her out of the most danger while also letting her play a part.
For her first official mission with the Holmes brothers, it was a
good start.
    Myron took the
drawing and, a few seconds later, he nodded.
    “We have a lot of
things to prepare. Take this list out to Daniels.” Myron handed her
two pieces of paper. “And get this from your hotel.”
    She took the
offered items and hurried off to ask the chauffeur to get started.
Despite the car looking spotless, Daniels was still outside, with a
cloth in one hand. Amelia squinted and shifted a footstep to the
left as she was momentarily blinded by the glare off the gleaming
metalwork.
    “Wow, you've done
an amazing job.”
    “First good day
we've had for it this year, and it is new. I'll keep it looking
that way as long as I can,” he said, holding his head a little
taller at her compliment. She handed him the list.
    “Our commander and
chief has some errands for us to run.” She waved her list in the
air as well, even if she didn't let him read it.
    “I'll drop you
off.” Daniels opened the car door for her and she hurried inside,
inhaling the fresh smell of the cleaned interior. She could really
get used to being driven around by Daniels.
     

Chapter 11
    Mycroft sipped his
tea and allowed his mind to process the many details still to work
out. It was the middle of the afternoon, and both his younger
brother and Amelia had completely changed the plans he'd put in
place over the last thirty-six hours.
    It raised his
chances of success, as long as everyone did what they were told,
but it also raised the chance someone other than Krylov would get
hurt. For him and Sebastian that mattered little, but for Amelia,
it could mean another occasion that she would need to recover
from.
    Even after telling
her she could join him on this mission, he was considering leaving
her behind. If Daniels returned with all the equipment they needed
before her, he would probably do just that. He doubted Sebastian
would take much persuading, especially given how close they
appeared lately. The younger Holmes would be equally concerned for
her safety. At least, he ought to be.
    There was a plane
booked to take them to the Caribbean overnight. It would give them
some time to see what the exact situation was over on Antigua
before night fall of the following day. Then they would remove the
threat to Amelia and the UK.
    With any luck,
within forty-eight hours he would be back in his study with nothing
to do but mop up a few loose ends and get back to his usual work.
The sort of thing that didn't require travelling, interacting with
people face to face, or putting one's life in danger.
    Sherlock was
sitting reading the morning's newspaper, making as much noise as
possible every time he turned a page. When the younger Holmes was
bored, it always fell to petty annoyances between the two of them.
While Mycroft could sit and wait for something for hours, churning
over ideas and theories in his head, Sherlock had to be busy or
would fidget, antagonise and otherwise make himself a nuisance.
    When he heard the
front door open, Mycroft let out a small sigh of relief, but rather
than being followed by the steady tromp of Daniels' shoes on the
hallway wood, it was followed by the pitter-patter of Amelia's
shorter gait. Accompanying it was the sound of wheels of a small
suitcase. Mycroft rolled his eyes. She hadn't obeyed his requests
to the letter.
    “I have everything
you asked for, Myron,” she said as soon as she came through the
door. “I brought everything else, as well. I figured there was no
point wasting money on a hotel room I'm not