The Case of the Missing Marquess

by Nancy Springer

  In The Meanings of Flowers, the rambling rose refers to “a free, wandering, Gypsy type of life.”

  And if there is a touch of larceny in the nature of Gypsies, well, so there appeared to be also in Eudoria Vernet Holmes. As was demonstrated by her dealings with Mycroft Holmes. Very likely she is quite enjoying herself.

  One question remains unanswered:

  Why did Mum not take me with her?

  Not as troublesome a thought as it used to be. That freedom-loving lady, growing old, having probably only a brief time to fulfill a dream before she dies, has done the best she can for her late-in-life daughter. Sometime—plans the girl who walks alone—perhaps in the spring, when the weather has warmed enough to permit travel, she will set out to seek for her mother among the Gypsies.

  But meanwhile, as she looks at the newspaper clipping, her rather long and angular face softens, rendered almost beautiful, by a smile: for she knows that in the secret code of flowers, a rose of any sort signifies love.

  END

  CIPHER SOLUTION

  “TIPSTAILS” INDICATES HOW THE CIPHER IS set up.

  To solve, divide the cipher in half:

  ABOMNITEUNTNYHYATEUASRMLNRS

  MLOIGNHSNOOLCRSNHMMLOABIGOE

  The first line of letters is “ivy tips,” the second line “ivy tails.” Following the letters up and down between lines:

  AMBLOOMINGINTHESUNNOTONLYCHR

  YSANTHEMUMALSORAMBLINGROSE

  Then, separating the result into words:

  AM BLOOMING IN THE SUN NOT ONLY

  CHRYSANTHEMUM ALSO

  RAMBLING ROSE