Read Online Becoming Holmes by Shane Peacock - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shane Peacock
Ads: Link
suspicious of his coming back. He looks toward the house as he passes. What he sees shocks him.
The person who has just come out the door isn’t the woman. It is a man.
Thirty-five years old, reasonably handsome, square jaw, dark hair, suit not particularly well tailored, short top hat, bag and meal in hand for a short journey: a clerk of some sort, off to London
. The man has his back to Sherlock and seems to be struggling with something. The boy gets nearer the house. That’s when he realizes that the man isn’t struggling; he is embracing and kissing a woman rather passionately. And that woman, though now more modestly dressed, is without a doubt the
same
woman Sherlock saw the night before last in the arms of the Governor of the Bank of England!
The boy has to stop himself from gaping. He moves on and comes to the end of the street and ducks down behind the hedge again. He looks back at the house. The man is departing in the other direction toward High Street where a Great Western Railway Station moves daytime passengers to and from London. The man turns and gives the woman a wave. She blows him a loud kiss, sending it flying down the street.
What is this about? The footprints in the walkway from the less expensive set of shoes were all identical and more numerous than the Governor’s. If they belong to this chap, then he has been in and out of the house several times over the last night or two. Perhaps he was even in there the very night Sir Ramsay washere! But who is he? And WHAT is she? Does she entertain men in the early hours in her home? Is she a prostitute? Was the Governor merely one of her clients, just like this man? But did this one stay all night? And why did his affection for the woman bear all the hallmarks of a husband’s tender love? But the Governor embraced her with great affection too. Is this man sharing his wife and her favors?
London and its environs contain much evil, Sherlock knows that. But this is something new again!
He cannot stand there thinking. He must be on his way. If he doesn’t leave in moments, he will be late for his meeting with Bell and they will not be back at the shop in time for him to get away to school on schedule. It is imperative to keep any followers off his Hounslow trail. But just as he steps out from the hedge to walk down the street toward his carriage, the door of the house opens again. He ducks back down.
The woman is coming out. She is indeed a beautiful lady, even when dressed in this modest outfit. Her auburn hair is pinned up under a blue bonnet that matches her dress. She has the face of an angel.
Can this woman be a dabbler in extramarital games?
And what she is pushing in front of her seems to bring that idea even further into question. She is steering a wheelchair along the walkway and out onto the foot pavement. In it sits a woman or a girl – it is difficult to tell from Sherlock’s vantage point. The invalid is wearing a dark dress and her face is covered with a veil.
It is a hot day
, thinks Holmes.
Perhaps that is why
.
But the boy can’t look any closer. The woman and her companion are coming directly toward him! He slides awayand strides around the block. As he does, he notices a park about a cannon shot in the distance at the far end of this residential area. The woman seems to be heading toward it. Sherlock moves on, as fast as he can go without drawing attention. He runs to his cab and instructs the driver to head to the city at double speed.
He has a great deal to tell the apothecary, but no idea what it all means.
10
BEHIND THE VEIL
T hough Bell is thrilled by this latest Hounslow story, he too is unable to make sense of it. The following day is a Friday, and the boy goes back to school. Though it scares him to take a day off from his pursuit of the Governor’s secret – time may be running out – he thinks it best not to return to that suburban street right away. As well, he must have more time there during his next visit. In
The person who has just come out the door isn’t the woman. It is a man.
Thirty-five years old, reasonably handsome, square jaw, dark hair, suit not particularly well tailored, short top hat, bag and meal in hand for a short journey: a clerk of some sort, off to London
. The man has his back to Sherlock and seems to be struggling with something. The boy gets nearer the house. That’s when he realizes that the man isn’t struggling; he is embracing and kissing a woman rather passionately. And that woman, though now more modestly dressed, is without a doubt the
same
woman Sherlock saw the night before last in the arms of the Governor of the Bank of England!
The boy has to stop himself from gaping. He moves on and comes to the end of the street and ducks down behind the hedge again. He looks back at the house. The man is departing in the other direction toward High Street where a Great Western Railway Station moves daytime passengers to and from London. The man turns and gives the woman a wave. She blows him a loud kiss, sending it flying down the street.
What is this about? The footprints in the walkway from the less expensive set of shoes were all identical and more numerous than the Governor’s. If they belong to this chap, then he has been in and out of the house several times over the last night or two. Perhaps he was even in there the very night Sir Ramsay washere! But who is he? And WHAT is she? Does she entertain men in the early hours in her home? Is she a prostitute? Was the Governor merely one of her clients, just like this man? But did this one stay all night? And why did his affection for the woman bear all the hallmarks of a husband’s tender love? But the Governor embraced her with great affection too. Is this man sharing his wife and her favors?
London and its environs contain much evil, Sherlock knows that. But this is something new again!
He cannot stand there thinking. He must be on his way. If he doesn’t leave in moments, he will be late for his meeting with Bell and they will not be back at the shop in time for him to get away to school on schedule. It is imperative to keep any followers off his Hounslow trail. But just as he steps out from the hedge to walk down the street toward his carriage, the door of the house opens again. He ducks back down.
The woman is coming out. She is indeed a beautiful lady, even when dressed in this modest outfit. Her auburn hair is pinned up under a blue bonnet that matches her dress. She has the face of an angel.
Can this woman be a dabbler in extramarital games?
And what she is pushing in front of her seems to bring that idea even further into question. She is steering a wheelchair along the walkway and out onto the foot pavement. In it sits a woman or a girl – it is difficult to tell from Sherlock’s vantage point. The invalid is wearing a dark dress and her face is covered with a veil.
It is a hot day
, thinks Holmes.
Perhaps that is why
.
But the boy can’t look any closer. The woman and her companion are coming directly toward him! He slides awayand strides around the block. As he does, he notices a park about a cannon shot in the distance at the far end of this residential area. The woman seems to be heading toward it. Sherlock moves on, as fast as he can go without drawing attention. He runs to his cab and instructs the driver to head to the city at double speed.
He has a great deal to tell the apothecary, but no idea what it all means.
10
BEHIND THE VEIL
T hough Bell is thrilled by this latest Hounslow story, he too is unable to make sense of it. The following day is a Friday, and the boy goes back to school. Though it scares him to take a day off from his pursuit of the Governor’s secret – time may be running out – he thinks it best not to return to that suburban street right away. As well, he must have more time there during his next visit. In
Similar Books
