Russell fell silent. The mood had suddenly grown heavy.
"Do you have dark, heavy secrets too?"
"Um… that sounds difficult."
"Yes."
Mary nodded deeply. Her perfect posture crumpled.
"Father scolded me yesterday."
"Mr. Morstan? Why?"
"Because of the Moriarty affair."
Mary sighed and let her dignified mask slip, slumping onto the table. She looked up at Russell with pleading blue eyes, as if she'd been terribly wronged.
"He said I never discussed contacting The Guardian beforehand. Even though he claimed he wasn't blaming me, he clearly still disliked that I made decisions without him."
"Your father is…" Russell frowned, then fell quiet. Criticizing a father in front of his daughter felt wrong.
"That's just the kind of man he is."
Mary smiled faintly.
"They have an overwhelming need for control. Everything must stay under their authority. Even if the result is good, if it happened without their permission or knowledge, they'll be displeased."
Her fingertip traced lazy circles on the smooth tabletop, her tone carrying a trace of weary resentment.
"I understand."
Russell nodded and said nothing more. He had no right to interfere in someone else's family matters.
"Still," he said after a moment, voice lighter, "the outcome was good. The newspaper printed the story. Moriarty's name is cleared."
"Your father might grumble, but he can't actually do anything to you."
"That's not necessarily true…" Mary replied instinctively.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She shook her head and smiled at him.
"I think it is true."
She straightened, picked up her teacup, and stirred the tea gently.
"Actually… there's one more thing I haven't told you."
Russell watched her.
"Father…" Mary hesitated, then forced the words out. "Father has repeatedly told me to stay away from you. He said it again yesterday—and the last time we met at Lloyd's Bank."
Russell's hand froze mid-air, teacup suspended.
"He told you not to get close to me?"
"Mm."
Mary stared into the swirling tea instead of meeting his eyes.
"Why?"
Russell's brow furrowed. Did I do something to offend him?
"I don't know either," Mary whispered, shaking her head. "Maybe he thinks you're too close to the Holmes. Father always hated Mycroft, so he developed prejudices against Charlotte and you as well."
She looked up, apology clear in her blue eyes.
"I'm sorry, Russell. Father doesn't exactly hate you… he looks down on you even more."
Russell raised an eyebrow. "Can it get worse?"
"Of course. He sees your connection to the Holmes family as only part of the problem. The real issue is that he doesn't value you at all. My father is a businessman. To him, every relationship is measured by profit and worth. "
"A poor orphan boy with no connections and no backing is, in his eyes, worthless."
Russell finished the sentence for her.
Mary looked alarmed. "That's not what I meant! My thoughts are nothing like Father's."
"Of course I believe you," Russell said with a gentle smile. "Don't worry—I won't develop an inferiority complex over this. My ego isn't that fragile. I wasn't born to be liked by everyone."
Mary studied him, then slowly smiled.
"Yes. It's enough if even one or two people like you."
She suddenly laughed.
"In a way, meeting you today was quite a risk. If Father finds out, the consequences will be serious."
Russell waved a hand. "If it happens, blame everything on me. It wouldn't be the first time I've taken the fall. Besides, right now he only looks down on me. One day he'll realize my potential."
"Oh?" Mary leaned forward, intrigued. "What are you planning?"
"Charlotte and I have an interview with The Times scheduled for next week. She's the main subject—I'm just the assistant. But given Charlotte's personality, the reporter will get better answers from me. I'll be handling most of the talking. We're being paid, after all."
"So you'll be the one speaking on their behalf?"
A spark of understanding lit Mary's eyes.
"No choice. We can't waste the momentum we've built. I just need to check wwhat's safe to say—Buckingham Palace, Scotland Yard cooperation, all of it."
Mary's smile grew thoughtful.
"A previously unknown boy suddenly appears in the newspaper as Charlotte Holmes' assistant, backed by Scotland Yard and Buckingham Palace… Even Father might have to reconsider his opinion."
She picked up her teacup.
"Even if you lose, there are always ways to win."
…
…
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