Biographical Note: Contains Spoilers for BEEK
Not much is known about Patricia Donleavy's early life. She was born Patricia Louise Moriarty sometime during the 1880s. After the death of her father, Professor James Moriarty, in 1891, Patricia and her mother quietly moved to America. Mrs. Donleavy-Moriarty died when Patricia was eighteen, At the same time, the teenage girl accidentally came across a copy of "The Adventure of the Empty House," Dr. John H. Watson's account of Sherlock Holmes's "return" from his apparent "death" at the Reichenbach Falls. According to later accounts by Mrs. Mary Russell-Holmes, it was during this period that Patricia began plotting revenge against the man who killed her father.
Even less is concrete about Patricia's university years. It is believed, although not known for certain, that she attended one of the women's colleges on the East Coast. She studied "pure," academic mathematics (as opposed to the applied maths needed to teach on the elementary or secondary level), and slowly became involved with the leadership of her father's criminal organization.
No friends or classmates from Patricia's university years have stepped forward to provide any detailed information on her mental or physical condition at the time. Historians have long speculated whether a reference to a "Patsy Moriarty" in the epistolary novel Daddy Longlegs could be our Patricia Moriarty. The narrator, writing to the benefactor who paid her tuition, attends a parade for Field Day and remarks on a few girls who wore costumes for the occasion. Of one, dressed as a farmer's wife and described as "tall and thin," she says, "Patsy Moriarty (Patricia really. Did you ever hear of such a name...?)" Could Patricia have lived under the name Moriarty through her college years until she realized the extent to which her surname was associated with the evil that her father had committed? Could this just be a coincidence?
One enigmatic comment made by Donleavy towards the end of her life has caused much speculation on her personal relationships. After appearing in Holmes' Sussex home with a rifle in 1918, she reportedly told Russell, "How unfortunate that he [Holmes] has a man's body." This statement has been interpreted by some historians to mean that Donleavy herself had no interest in men, and some have even suggested that Russell and Donleavy had an affair sometime during the Oxford years. Russell's own writings on the subject do not go into much detail, and thus any conclusions on this (or any other) relationship must be considered pure speculation.
What is known is that, sometime during the early 1900s, a Patricia Donleavy attained a position of mathematics tutor at Somerville College, Oxford University. She was an extremely stern tutrix, who could--in the words of former student Mary Russell-Holmes--"reduce a strong man to tears." Despite her strict attitudes, she was generally well-liked by students and faculty, although the latter group would sometimes whisper about the odd fates of the two Somerville maths tutors who preceeded her. Donleavy was also known as extremely touchy about the subject of her past, and only spoke of "when I was younger" or "when I was at university" in the most cryptic of tones.
Dung this time, Patricia Donleavy almost completely followed in her father's footsteps; after the kidnapped Jessica Simpson (daughter of respected American politician Senator Jonathan Simpson) was rescued by Holmes and Russell, Donleavy once again focused deeply on her teenage obsession with Holmes's death. The plot became more and more concrete as the months went on, especially when Donleavy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in October of 1918. During the next few months, Donleavy arranged for her own medical leave from the university, all the while attempted to plant time bombs in the homes of Watson, Holmes, and (in one instance) Russell's rooms at Oxford.
When these plans were foiled (as it is now believed Donleavy expected them to be), Patricia Donleavy broke into Holmes's house when he was away, and--upon his return--attempted to force him into signing a "suicide" note that would have forever cast a dark shadow over Watson's accounts of the detective...as well as completely exonerated James Moriarty. He would then be injected with a lethal dose of cocaine. According to Russell-Holmes's later writings, only a few sarcastic remarks on the part of Holmes prevented this course of action from taking place. While holding a pen above the note, Holmes reportedly made a remark that Professor Moriarty committed suicide by following Holmes to Reichenbach. He then expressed his disgust that a criminal who dealt in such sleazy trades as opium and prostitution could outwardly lead the life of a respected academic, "buying his wife pretty dresses and playing mathematical games with his little daughter." Holmes then elaborated on the blight that James Moriarty had been on society. At this, Donleavy went mad, attempting to both shoot and physically assault Holmes and Russell. The resulting fight between Russell and Donleavy left the former with an injured collarbone and the latter dead. The location of her body, as well as any will she may have had for her considerable ill-gotten fortune, is unknown; although some evidence could probably be found by contacting Inspector George Lestrade, Jr., of Scotland Yard.