by June Thomson
We had walked part of the way back to the house in silence, Holmes sunk deep in thought, when he came to an abrupt halt and, with a gesture of his hand which encompassed the whole scene, he exclaimed, ‘Look at it, Watson! The garden! The trees! The rose-beds! The house itself, so neat and trim, the very image of respectability! I believe I once remarked to you that the countryside presented a more dreadful record of sin than the vilest alleys of London.* I am not so certain that my conclusion was correct for I am now more inclined to think that it is in these pleasant, leafy suburbs where we may find lurking the greatest evil, concealing its depravity under the cloak of gentility and moral rectitude.’
In the weeks that followed, Holmes made no further reference to the case. I am not even sure that he followed the newspaper reports of Mrs Abernetty’s arrest and subsequent trial at which she pleaded guilty. It was as if he wanted to expunge from his mind all memory of the investigation.
Instead, he flung himself into a variety of tasks and diversions, busying himself with his chemical experiments or indexing his papers although there were occasions when he shut himself up in his room for hours on end, playing his violin, or took himself off for long, solitary walks. I had good reason to believe that he was also seeking solace in his old habit from which I had been trying to wean him for years.* Although he never openly used the syringe in my presence, there were days when he lay supine on the sofa, staring moodily up at the ceiling.
I was therefore much relieved when Inspector Lestrade called one evening to seek his help in the Grenville Hyde affair, a complex case which occupied my old friend’s time and attention over the next few weeks.
It was, I recall, not until one morning in early September that Holmes made any reference to the Abernetty case. I was up later than usual and, when I came downstairs to join him at the breakfast table, I found a copy of The Times lying beside my plate, folded back to a news item which was marked with red ink. The report stated that the trial of Mrs William Abernetty had ended and she had been sentenced to hang.
Although expected, the verdict nevertheless caused me some sadness, largely on account of her victims although, remembering her beauty, I felt a small vestige of compassion for the lady herself.
Whether or not Holmes read these thoughts on my face or, knowing my nature, deduced my feelings, I cannot tell. But, taking back the newspaper, he remarked in a loud, firm voice, ‘Do not waste your pity, my dear fellow. Let her go to the oblivion she so justly deserves. For that reason, I shall be much obliged if you did not publish an account of the case.’
I gave him my word and therefore this narrative will be placed among my private papers.
Since I completed this account several months ago, circumstances are now a little changed and consequently I wish to add this final postscript. Only last Tuesday, Holmes relented so far as to permit me to make a passing reference to the Abernetty case in one of my published adventures, with the proviso that the lady herself should not be named so that she should remain, as he had wished, in that anonymous outer darkness into which the law had consigned her.*
* The case is referred to in ‘The Adventure of the Six Napoleons’ which, although undated, is generally assigned to 1900. The Wimbledon tragedy must therefore have taken place before this date. Dr John F. Watson.
* Although ice had been used for centuries for the preservation of food and the preparation of cold dishes, it was only in the early 1840s that two American firms, the Wenham Lake Company and Thomas Masters,’ began manufacturing refrigerators and ice-boxes, and the first artificial freezing mixtures were patented. The sale of ice-creams in the street was introduced in 1850. Dr John F. Watson.
* The quotation is taken from a speech by the second witch in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Act 4, Scene 1. Dr John F. Watson.
* In ‘The Adventure of the Three Garridebs,’ Mr Sherlock Holmes comments on Inspector Lestrade’s ‘occasional want of imaginative intuition’. Dr John F. Watson.
† In 1889, Mrs Florence Maybrick was accused of murdering her husband, James Maybrick, with arsenic obtained in this manner. Although she was found guilty, the sentence of death was commuted to life imprisonment. Dr John F. Watson.
# The Arsenic Act of 1851 restricted the sale of arsenic to people over twenty-one. Details of every purchase had to be recorded in a poisons register and, before sale, the arsenic had to be coloured with either soot or indigo. Dr John F. Watson.
* Dr John H. Watson studied medicine at St Bartholomew’s hospital and also served there for a time as a house surgeon. Mr Sherlock Holmes carried out his own experiments in the hospital’s chemistry laboratory which is where Stamford, Dr Watson’s former dresser, introduced the two men to one another, probably on 1st January 1881. Dr John F. Watson.
† Cabs could be summoned in the street by a special whistle, one blast for a four-wheeler, two for a hansom. Many Londoners carried a cab whistle on them for this purpose. Dr John F. Watson.
* The quotation is taken from Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, Act 3, Scene 3, in which Touchstone speaks of a man being struck more dead than ‘a great reckoning in a little room’. Many critics believe this is a reference to the murder of Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare’s fellow playwright, who, in 1503, at the age of twenty-nine, was stabbed to death by Ingram Friser in a Deptford tavern during a quarrel over the bill. Dr John F. Watson.
* In ‘The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor,’ Mr Sherlock Holmes assures Dr John H. Watson that ‘the status of my client is a matter of less moment to me than the interests of his case’. Dr John F. Watson.
* Laburnum (Cytisus laburnum) is a cultivated tree which flowers in early summer. All parts of the tree are poisonous, especially the bark and the ripened seeds. Dr John F. Watson.
† Mr Sherlock Holmes is being unduly modest. According to Dr John H. Watson, Mr Sherlock Holmes was ‘well up in belladonna, opium, and poisons generally’. Vide: ‘A Study in Scarlet’. Dr John F. Watson.
* After Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army, was defeated in battle by the Israelites, he sought refuge in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who he thought was an ally. However, after offering Sisera hospitality, including ‘butter on a lordly dish,’ Jael killed him by hammering a nail into his temple and then beheaded him. Dr John F. Watson.
* Vide: ‘The Adventure of the Copper Beeches’. Dr John F. Watson.
* Mr Sherlock Holmes was in the unfortunate habit of injecting himself with a 7 per cent solution of cocaine. He also on occasions used morphine. Dr John F. Watson.
* In ‘The Adventure of the Six Napoleons,’ Mr Sherlock Holmes speaks of how ‘the dreadful business of the Abernetty family’ was first brought to his notice by ‘the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day’. Dr John F. Watson.
THE CASE OF THE FERRERS DOCUMENTS
It has always been one of Sherlock Holmes’ most strongly held tenets that the successful outcome of an investigation may depend on the observation of trifles.* In my opinion, no case demonstrates the wisdom of this axiom more impressively than the inquiry concerning the Dowager Lady Ferrers.
It began prosaically enough with a short, businesslike letter from Mr Alistair Thackery, a partner in the highly regarded law firm of Allardyce, Thackery and Makepeace of the Strand in London. In it, Mr Thackery requested a consultation with Holmes on the following Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. but made no reference to what matter it was he wished to discuss.
Holmes duly replied, confirming the appointment and, apart from remarking that it probably concerned some dry as dust legal affair, said no more on the subject. Indeed, I believe he forgot all about it in the urgency of preparing the documents for the Abergavenny murder trial which was shortly to come to trial.†
The arrival of Mr Thackery precisely on the stroke of ten o’clock on the Wednesday morning reminded us both of the man’s existence. Holmes, who was seated at his desk looking over some of the Abergavenny papers, hurriedly thrust them aside and rose to his f
eet as Mr Thackery was shown into our sitting-room.
He was a tall, distinguished-looking man, impeccably dressed in the sober garb of a lawyer and bearing about him such an air of formal dignity that, after he had shaken hands with both of us and Holmes had invited him to sit down, I excused myself and turned as if to leave the room, assuming he would prefer not to discuss his business in the presence of a third person.
I was therefore greatly surprised when he remarked, ‘If you would be so kind as to remain, Dr Watson, I should be much obliged to you for I believe you may have a part to play in the proposition I am about to put to Mr Holmes.’
As soon as I had resumed my seat, Mr Thackery continued, ‘I shall come straight to the point, gentlemen. My business here today concerns one of my clients, an elderly and extremely wealthy widow whose recent conduct is causing me some concern. She is the Dowager Lady Agatha Ferrers.’
‘The widow of the late Sir Cuthbert Ferrers?’ Holmes inquired, his eyes kindling at the very mention of the name. ‘I believe before she married Sir Cuthbert, her ladyship was a well-known Spanish dancer on the music-hall stage.’
‘Exactly so,’ Mr Thackery replied, pressing his lips together in disapproval. ‘The marriage caused quite a scandal at the time. That, however, does not concern us here. After the death of her husband three years ago, the title, the estate and the bulk of the fortune passed to a nephew, the only direct heir as the Ferrers had no children of their own. Her ladyship, on whom Sir Cuthbert had settled a considerable capital sum of £30,000, was also to receive a yearly allowance of £1000 from the estate which was to cease on her demise.
‘On her husband’s death, Lady Ferrers moved out of the family house, Kingsmead Hall in the county of Kent, and bought Bryony Lodge, a large property in Black-heath where she is at present residing. I handled the purchase of that house and ever since then I have acted as her legal representative. At this point, gentlemen, I should explain that my client is a difficult and capricious lady to the extent that Sir Randolph Ferrers, the present baronet, and his family have severed all ties with her. I, too, have found her behaviour so exasperating at times that I have myself been tempted to withdraw my services.
‘My duties, however, are not onerous. Under the terms of her late husband’s will, a solicitor is to visit her every quarter and to report to the trustees on her state of health, both physical and mental. Sir Cuthbert insisted on this clause as her behaviour, even before his death, was becoming a little eccentric. Because of the large financial settlement, he wished to make sure that, if ever she became incapable of managing her own affairs, the trustees could be alerted in good time and could take over the responsibility.
‘On these quarterly visits, I always take my clerk with me because Lady Ferrers invariably asks me to make some minor alterations to her will, only to countermand those changes on my next visit and replace them with others.’
Here Mr Thackery paused and for a few seconds a pained expression passed over his face as if the mere recollection of his client’s exasperating conduct was enough to distress him. He then continued, ‘Lady Ferrers has little to occupy her mind except who shall or shall not benefit from her death. Of course, gentlemen, all of this is in the strictest confidence. I should not have spoken of it had it not a direct bearing on the business which brought me here today.’
Reaching into an inner pocket, he drew out a folded sheet of paper which he handed to Holmes, remarking as he did so, ‘I received this letter from Lady Ferrers two days ago.’
Holmes perused it rapidly.
‘I see,’ said he, ‘that the handwriting in the main body of the letter is quite different from the signature. Is that of any significance?’
‘No, Mr Holmes. My client suffers from arthritis and consequently is in the habit of dictating her correspondence to her housekeeper, Mrs Donkin, merely adding her own signature when a fair copy of the letter is drawn up.’
‘And the signature is her ladyship’s?’
‘I have no reason to doubt it,’ Mr Thackery replied.
‘Nevertheless I should be grateful if you would let me keep the letter for the time being and send me another sample of Lady Ferrers’ signature with which to compare it.’
‘You suspect forgery?’ Mr Thackery inquired, looking startled at this implication.
‘I suspect nothing at this early stage,’ Holmes remarked. ‘However, as I assume you wish me to look into her ladyship’s affairs, on which this letter apparently has a direct bearing, I should prefer that the question of possible forgery is settled once and for all before I proceed any further with the case.’
‘Very well, Mr Holmes. I shall make sure that you receive another example of Lady Ferrers’ handwriting as soon as possible, although for my part, it is not the signature which causes me concern,’ Mr Thackery replied a little impatiently, as if eager to come to the point. ‘It is the contents of the letter which have aroused my suspicion.’
‘Then may I read it aloud for Dr Watson’s benefit?’ On receiving Mr Thackery’s consent, Holmes then proceeded.
‘“Dear Mr Thackery,”’ he began. ‘“I am exceedingly displeased by your discourteous manner towards me on your last visit over the alterations to my will. Because of this, I have decided that I no longer wish you to represent me. You would therefore oblige me by arranging for another partner in your firm to handle my legal affairs in the future. Yours etc. Agatha Ferrers.”’
Mr Thackery, who had listened to this recital with increasing exasperation, now broke in.
‘It is an extraordinary letter, Mr Holmes! Quite unjustified! I can assure you that there was not the least incivility on my part. Indeed, I believe I showed admirable patience during my last meeting with Lady Ferrers and we parted on good terms, with no sign from her that she was in any way dissatisfied with either myself or my services.’
‘Could it not be simply a whim on her part?’ Holmes suggested. ‘You spoke of her ladyship’s capriciousness.’
‘That may indeed be so,’ Mr Thackery replied. ‘However, I confess I am uneasy at the situation. The visit she refers to happened nearly three months ago. Why has she waited so long before writing to complain of my behaviour? It is this delay which gives rise to my disquiet. Although in all honesty I cannot say I feel particularly cordial towards Lady Ferrers, I have her best interests at heart. It is for that reason I wrote to you, requesting this consultation. I am due to make the next quarterly visit to Lady Ferrers on Friday morning at eleven o’clock. Before I arrange for either Mr Allardyce or Mr Makepeace to take over the duty, I should feel a great deal happier in my mind if you, Mr Holmes, with Dr Watson acting as your clerk, would agree to attend instead. I am sure you, with your wide experience as a private consulting agent, would be better qualified to judge whether or not anything is amiss. I have discussed this with my partners and both agree with my proposal. All you have to do is converse with Lady Ferrers for about half an hour and discuss with her the changes she will inevitably want made to her will on which Dr Watson, as clerk, will take notes. At the same time, you can ascertain the situation.’
‘But will not Lady Ferrers think it suspicious that neither of your partners has agreed to represent her?’
‘I think not, Mr Holmes. As senior partner, Mr Allardyce will write to her explaining that, because of the short notice of my dismissal and their own commitments, neither he nor Mr Makepeace is free to call on her on Friday morning. Therefore, as a temporary measure only, a colleague of ours, Mr Holmes, and his clerk will take over my responsibilities. At all other times in the future, Mr Allardyce himself will be honoured to act on her behalf. I believe Lady Ferrers will accept the proposal. Indeed, she will have no opportunity to reject it. If Mr Allardyce writes to her tomorrow morning, she will receive the letter only on the day you are due to arrive. Well, gentlemen, will you accept my proposition?’
Holmes glanced across at me, one eyebrow raised quizzically.
‘What do you say, my dear fellow? Are you game?’
‘Certainly, Holmes,’ I replied without any hesitation.
‘Then the matter is settled!’ Holmes declared with evident satisfaction. ‘Now, Mr Thackery, before we call on Lady Ferrers, there are one or two details which I should like clarified. You spoke of her will. Who exactly benefits from it?’
‘The bulk of her fortune, including the house and its contents, is left to her niece and two nephews, her late sister’s children and her only surviving heirs. In addition, there are several bequests to charities which Lady Ferrers has supported in the past. Her butler and housekeeper, Mr and Mrs Donkin, are each to receive £2000 with a further £5000 if they agree to care for her pet dog, a small black and white terrier called Bonny. I should add that Mr and Mrs Donkin have been in her employment for about thirty years. Her ladyship’s dresser when she was on the stage was Mrs Donkin’s mother, Mrs Campion, who is still alive. She is also left £2000, that money to be divided between the Donkins should she predecease Lady Ferrers. Further small bequests of varying amounts are left to other servants. It is these bequests as well as those to her niece and nephews which are the ones which Lady Ferrers is in the habit of changing on various pretexts. Either one of her nephews has not written to her as frequently as Lady Ferrers thinks he should or a housemaid has not dusted the drawing room to her satisfaction. On my next visit, these beneficiaries are usually restored to favour and someone else who has aroused her displeasure, the niece perhaps or her cook, is cut out of her will.’
‘But not the Donkins, I assume?’ Holmes inquired.
‘Oh, no indeed!’ Mr Thackery declared with absolute assurance. ‘They have been with Lady Ferrers for so long that they understand her every mood and anticipate her every wish. Her ladyship has never once suggested that their bequests should be altered.’
‘And what of old Mrs Campion, Mrs Donkin’s mother?’
‘She, too, has always remained in favour.’
