Read Online The Devil's Grin - a Crime Novel Featuring Anna Kronberg and Sherlock Holmes by Annelie Wendeberg - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annelie Wendeberg
Tags: Romance, Murder, Victorian, Abduction, sherlock holmes, women in medicine, 19th century london, history of medicine
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children, or themselves. Don’t you think the government knew what was going on? Don’t you think they turned a blind eye? Don’t you think they passed the Anatomical Act to make the butchering of paupers legal? Do you really believe that no one would inject a deadly disease into a pauper to test a cure for that very same disease? One worthless life less. Isn’t that an acceptable price to pay for the good of mankind? Man kind, Dr Watson!’
Watson gulped and I changed the topic, turning to Holmes. ‘So what do we do next?’
Holmes needed a few seconds before answering: ‘We? You won't do anything and I will do some thinking.’ With that, he lit his pipe again and leaned back in his armchair. After a moment, Watson and I realised that we had been dismissed.
‘ It was nice to meet you, Dr Watson.’ I said down at the street as both of us were about to part.
‘ It was, er... interesting, Dr Kronberg, to say the least. May I ask you something?’
‘ Yes?’
‘ Has your secret ever been discovered?’
‘ Yes, by Mr Holmes.’
‘ Of course, but I meant by anyone else?’
‘ No. People usually believe what they see.’
He gazed at my face for a short moment; it was the first time tonight. He had avoided looking me straight into my eyes throughout the evening.
‘ I have the impression I make you feel uncomfortable, Dr Watson. If I offended you, I am very sorry. Please forgive me.’
It took him a moment to answer, but it was something that seemed to upset him greatly.
‘ My friend has taken an interest in you!’ He choked the words out, as if the unspeakable had taken hostage of his mouth, had forced his teeth apart to slip though his lips. And he regretted it immediately.
‘ Please do not worry yourself, Dr Watson. Mr Holmes’s interest is that of a scientist in his study subject,’ I said as coolly as I could.
Chapter Seven
I let the hansom drop me off half a mile from home and walked the rest of the way. Just before entering St Giles I saw a familiar face. It was framed by flaming red hair with a hint of orange on his cheeks and chin. No matter how often he shaved, he always looked stubbly.
I liked that face and the man who wore it - Garret O'Hare, a handsome Irish redhead who didn’t have the faintest idea that half the female population of St Giles dreamed of him.
Like many of my neighbours, he earned his living by stealing whatever he got his hands on and selling it at the pawn broker’s. But in contrast to most of his colleagues, he was exceptionally good at it.
As everyone else here, Garret believed I was a young widow and a medical nurse at Guy’s, which allowed me to give my neighbours much needed medical care. In return, they offered me protection and friendship.
Smiling, he walked up to me .
‘ Anna! Ain’t ya pretty!’ said he just before stopping and contemplating. I could see his brain rattling.
‘ You've not been seein’ another… bloke?’ he enquired, scratching his chin and measuring me from soles to hat band.
I smiled and gazed at his shoes. ‘You have new boots.’
‘ Er... yeah. Where’ve ya been?’
‘ None of your business, Garret. I'm not asking you where you find all these things, am I?’
‘ True.’
He snatched my hand the moment I didn’t pay attention - like a thief, and gazed at the smallness of it in his large and square paw.
‘ Ya can’t walk ‘round here lookin’ like that,’ he said, still baffled.
‘ I can. Look, I put one foot in front of the other, just like this,’ I started walking away from him. He kept holding on to my hand and followed me.
‘ I’ll bring ya home,’ he decided and walked with me. He was so happy; he didn’t say a single word.
‘ Thanks, Garrett,’ I said, as we had reached my front door.
‘ What’re ya doin’ tonight?’ he asked with a thick voice and Forget-me-not eyes and I noticed the contrast of this gentle face to the forceful rest of him: a bulk of a man with shoulders like a
Watson gulped and I changed the topic, turning to Holmes. ‘So what do we do next?’
Holmes needed a few seconds before answering: ‘We? You won't do anything and I will do some thinking.’ With that, he lit his pipe again and leaned back in his armchair. After a moment, Watson and I realised that we had been dismissed.
‘ It was nice to meet you, Dr Watson.’ I said down at the street as both of us were about to part.
‘ It was, er... interesting, Dr Kronberg, to say the least. May I ask you something?’
‘ Yes?’
‘ Has your secret ever been discovered?’
‘ Yes, by Mr Holmes.’
‘ Of course, but I meant by anyone else?’
‘ No. People usually believe what they see.’
He gazed at my face for a short moment; it was the first time tonight. He had avoided looking me straight into my eyes throughout the evening.
‘ I have the impression I make you feel uncomfortable, Dr Watson. If I offended you, I am very sorry. Please forgive me.’
It took him a moment to answer, but it was something that seemed to upset him greatly.
‘ My friend has taken an interest in you!’ He choked the words out, as if the unspeakable had taken hostage of his mouth, had forced his teeth apart to slip though his lips. And he regretted it immediately.
‘ Please do not worry yourself, Dr Watson. Mr Holmes’s interest is that of a scientist in his study subject,’ I said as coolly as I could.
Chapter Seven
I let the hansom drop me off half a mile from home and walked the rest of the way. Just before entering St Giles I saw a familiar face. It was framed by flaming red hair with a hint of orange on his cheeks and chin. No matter how often he shaved, he always looked stubbly.
I liked that face and the man who wore it - Garret O'Hare, a handsome Irish redhead who didn’t have the faintest idea that half the female population of St Giles dreamed of him.
Like many of my neighbours, he earned his living by stealing whatever he got his hands on and selling it at the pawn broker’s. But in contrast to most of his colleagues, he was exceptionally good at it.
As everyone else here, Garret believed I was a young widow and a medical nurse at Guy’s, which allowed me to give my neighbours much needed medical care. In return, they offered me protection and friendship.
Smiling, he walked up to me .
‘ Anna! Ain’t ya pretty!’ said he just before stopping and contemplating. I could see his brain rattling.
‘ You've not been seein’ another… bloke?’ he enquired, scratching his chin and measuring me from soles to hat band.
I smiled and gazed at his shoes. ‘You have new boots.’
‘ Er... yeah. Where’ve ya been?’
‘ None of your business, Garret. I'm not asking you where you find all these things, am I?’
‘ True.’
He snatched my hand the moment I didn’t pay attention - like a thief, and gazed at the smallness of it in his large and square paw.
‘ Ya can’t walk ‘round here lookin’ like that,’ he said, still baffled.
‘ I can. Look, I put one foot in front of the other, just like this,’ I started walking away from him. He kept holding on to my hand and followed me.
‘ I’ll bring ya home,’ he decided and walked with me. He was so happy; he didn’t say a single word.
‘ Thanks, Garrett,’ I said, as we had reached my front door.
‘ What’re ya doin’ tonight?’ he asked with a thick voice and Forget-me-not eyes and I noticed the contrast of this gentle face to the forceful rest of him: a bulk of a man with shoulders like a
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