A Study in Scarlet, Pt. 2: Sister Wives

[sanguinity]

Canon Story: A Study in Scarlet, Pt. 2
Title: Sister Wives
Author: sanguinity
Rating: PG
Warnings: Everything is extratexual and some time ago, but the same warnings as I'd give for Lucy Ferrier's story.
Summary: Ugly memories at Lucy’s graveside.
Author's notes: Two ficlets from me this week. Same characters, less than a month later.


“Don't think much of a man who'd steal a ring off a dead girl's finger, but not his willing betrothed from a house."

"Poor thing was already married, Ems."

"Shouldn't've mattered. Wouldn't've stopped me."

"That so? Don't rightly recall you stealing me out of this house. Recall you marrying Enoch yourself."

“…you ever gonna forgive me that?"

“Some day, yes.”

Comments

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I always wonder about that - that Hope leaves Lucy with her father's murderers. He may believe her to be married, he may believe he can no longer marry her himself but to just leave her there in that situation..?

But as the two women in your story illustrate, it's easy to make judgments about other people's situations; it's hard to do the brave thing yourself.

[sanguinity]

I can come up with possible explanations for it (Drebber was expecting Hope to make a move, and so guarded the place like a fortress until Lucy died), but it's a bit strange to me, too, that Hope makes no mention of even trying to get Lucy away from them.

Hard choices being made all around, yes.

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

A very interesting viewpoint - from two who are equally trapped.

[sanguinity]

Thank you!

[debriswoman]

Interesting perspective on the events
Impressed with your way with dialogue:-)

[sanguinity]

Thank you!

I am still wrapping my head around how short sixty words is. Maybe one of these ficlets, I'll have words available for something that isn't the spoken words themselves.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Interesting perspectives. Yeah, Hope is a strange dude, all around.

[sanguinity]

He is, rather.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thank you for an excellent sidelight, with solid ocs.

[sanguinity]

Thank you! I'm still wrapping my head around how short sixty words is -- so little space to accomplish a thing! -- but I'm glad to know that Emily and her co-wife came through so well for you.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

It doesn't read crowded or hurried at all, just right. And, as everyone says, well done with the ocs.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Big talk from women trained since birth to obey male authority unquestioningly (Mormon women can't even get into Heaven after death unless their husband lets them in).

[sanguinity]

Which might concern me more, if that described Emily's backstory. In fact, circa 1860, I'm relatively sure it'd describe only a minority of Mormon women's backstories: most Mormons at the time were convert immigrants. Some of those converts would presumably been true believers, but it's quite likely others were there only because their family members had converted.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

That's true - Mormonism was brand-new out of the box then. Now it makes more sense.

[k-e-p.livejournal.com]

I love how you showed the breadth of thought and opinion within this community, with just 60 words. It's incredibly smart, and makes them individuals rather than Representatives of a Monolith, which is just great- you rarely get to see that. Such a clever little fic- I'm really just stunned how much personality you managed to get to shine through with so few words.

[sanguinity]

Aw! Thank you. I would have liked to have had a few more words to play with for these two -- give their conversation a little room to breathe! -- but I'm glad to know that what I was trying to do succeeded so well.