She stood, clutching her blanket around her otherwise naked body as he embraced her. “Sorry, Alice. They said you were in Philadelphia, so I went there looking for you. Only just got back.”
She laughed and in an appalling display of immodesty, understandable perhaps under the circumstances, she threw her arms around him allowing the blanket to drop. “On the whole,” she said, “I would rather have been in Philadelphia. It is a relief to see you. Now give me your coat before I embarrass your friends any further.”
He did as requested, whereupon she turned to the rest of us and asked, “Where is my little brother? Did you get Edward out of the house? They’ll kill him.”
No one responded.
Her voice had fear in it. “He saw them kill Rosa and Marduchée. He saw them beat Violet. We have to get him out of the house. Now. Get me out of these leg irons. Please. If they know you have found us, they will kill him. He is the only witness.”
Holmes moved as quickly as he could to pick the locks on the irons that were around her ankles. As soon as he was done she grabbed her fiancée by the wrist and said, “Come now. We have to get to the house.”
The two of them ran out of the room whilst Holmes worked on the lock restraining Miss Hunter. The Colonel had removed his coat and helped her pull it around herself. She was conscious and clear-minded but in considerable pain. I gently probed her body and ascertained that no bones were broken and no internal injuries discernible. We assisted her to her feet and slowly out of the ruins.
We were standing out in the graveyard when she spoke to us. “Over there. Those two graves over there. That’s where Alice said the other nurses are buried.”
Holmes began to move to investigate when we heard the sound of a gunshot coming from the house. Holmes, the Colonel and I ran out of the cemetery and found the path toward the house. We could hear a woman screaming in pain and shouting for help. Then we stopped our run and listened to a loud, horrifying, terrified scream from a man. It lasted for a full ten seconds, and then everything became silent. We started running again and burst into the house. The young officer was lying with his back against the wall, holding his shoulder. I could see blood oozing from under his hand.
Alice was on her hands and knees moving toward the door, in obvious pain. The two bitches were licking her face and nuzzling her, whimpering quietly.
Lying prostrate on the floor, a large pool of blood surrounding his head, was the corpulent body of Mr. Jephro Rucastle. I rushed over to him and could see that his entire throat had been torn out. His face and hands were covered with bleeding wounds, ripped and punctured. He had stopped breathing. There was no pulse.
Alice staggered to her feet. “Get Edward. He is in his bedroom. I told him to go there and lock his door. Get him before they do.”
She was on her feet and walking toward the staircase. I rushed ahead of her with my revolver drawn. Holmes was right behind me. At one of the doors I saw a man, kneeling down and trying to pick the lock. “Get away from that door,” I shouted. He jumped to his feet, and I saw Percy Toller then turn, run down the hall and descend the back stairs.
Alice was at the door by now. “Edward. It’s me. It’s Alice. You can open the door now. Please. It’s your sister. I’m alive. Open the door.”
Slowly the lock was turned and the door opened. At first a pale and terrified face appeared, then the door was flung open and the lad threw his arms around his sister’s neck and grabbed her with all his strength. She picked him up and carried him into one of the other rooms. Holmes leapt back down the staircase and I watched him rush to the front door. As he did I could hear the sound of a carriage pulling away and down the driveway. When I reached Holmes, he was watching three people, a man and two women, escape the property. The man was whipping the horse mercilessly.
The Colonel ran back to the ruins and carried Violet in his arms back to the house. Over the next half hour, I attended to the three injured people. As I did so I observed the two enormous bitches, Lilith and Medusa, lying on the floor, not far away from Miss Alice. The massive heads were resting on their front paws and they looked most unlike the ferocious guard dogs they have proved themselves to be. The boy, Edward, was patting them and removing all of their silly ribbons, bells, and bows.
The Colonel then ran to fetch our waiting driver and carriage. He soon returned, saying that the driver had departed. He offered to run into town and fetch the police. He turned and struck off in the direction of the Southampton High Road. He was gone no more than fifteen minutes when he reappeared, perched beside our driver, and followed by a police carriage and a second one, bearing the markings of the hospital.
Our driver got down and approached Holmes. “Sorry to run off on you, Mr. Holmes. But when I heard the gunshot and then saw the carriage racing like a scared rabbit away from here, I took it upon myself to follow them into town and alert the police before they could get on a train. I hope you are not upset with me, sir, for abandoning you, sir.”
The police officers and the medics lifted the body of Mr. Jephro Rucastle into the hospital wagon. The rest of us divided ourselves between the police carriage and the hotel driver’s. I was seated with Miss Alice and Lieutenant Fowler. Alice looked out of the carriage and gave a sharp whistle. A second later the two huge bitches, now happily uncoiffured, leapt up into the carriage with us, and lay passively at our feet. From the other carriage I could hear Miss Violet shout, “Where’s Carlo? We can’t just go and leave him here.”
The beleaguered Colonel got down out of the carriage and jogged off toward the gate at the edge of the property. He returned a short time later, walking slowly, with the sleeping body of the great mastiff slung over his shoulder. He laid the hound on the floor of the other carriage, wiped the drool and slobber off his coat, and climbed back up.
Our motley crew returned to the Black Swan.
Epilogue
IT HAS BEEN A FULL YEAR since the events I have recorded above took place. In the interest of uplifting public sentiment, I am now publishing my account and informing readers of the subsequent actions of those involved.
Percy Toller, his wife, and Mrs. Rucastle were all put under arrest and charged with many crimes, including the murder of the two nurses. The start of the trial has been long-delayed because a clever defense barrister announced that he was calling at least fifty well-known men from the City, the government, the military, and the clergy as character witnesses for his clients. All would be asked to vouch for the probity and sterling nature of Mr. Toller, Mrs. Toller, and Mrs. Rucastle, and, for some reason, every one of the fifty was going to great pains to be excused from the process.
The local manager of the bank in Winchester was arrested and charged with colluding with Jephro Rucastle to fraudulently transfer payments intended for Rosa Dartle and Marduchée Lesperance to the Rucastle account.
Lieutenant Paul Fowler and Miss Alice Rucastle were married within the first month after the death of her father. She did not attend the funeral. The young seaman was able to obtain a posting at the naval base in Mauritius. She secured the legal guardianship of her little brother, and the three of them, along with one massive mastiff and two large and uncoiffured bitches, are now living on a beautiful property overlooking the Indian Ocean. The dogs are not allowed in the house. Edward’s asthma has greatly improved.
Colonel Munro pressed his suit with Miss Violet Hunter. She was initially cool to his proposal and indicated that she was significantly more attracted to Sherlock Holmes. Holmes, to his credit, would not stand for such nonsense and still harbored residual outrage and her having played havoc with his feelings, irrespective of his admiration for her courage and resourcefulness. When she came by to visit, he very harshly dressed her down and gave her a thorough scolding. She stood, staring shamefaced at the carpet, until he had finished his diatribe. She then raised her lovely face, flashed a beaming, impish smile, and gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek.
I could hear her whisper, “Thank you, Sherlock Ho
lmes, for taking care of me, and you did love my hair, didn’t you?”
The following week she married Colonel Munro, on the condition that she would not have to live in Halifax for any longer than a year, the climate there reputed to be as bad as London’s and twenty degrees colder. We received a charming letter from her last month, informing us that she was as happy as a clam and expecting a child. Should it turn out to be a boy, they had agreed to name him John Sherlock Munro.
Did you enjoy this story? Are there ways it could have been improved? Please help the author and future readers of future New Sherlock Holmes Mysteries by posting a review on the site from which you purchased this book. Thanks, and happy sleuthing and deducing.
Historical and Other Notes
The ancient city of Winchester, in central Hampshire, was a seat of power during the Roman and Medieval periods. The magnificent Winchester Cathedral is one of the great architectural triumphs of Europe, and the home to the longest nave of any pre-modern church. It is the final resting place of Jane Austen and a favorite hang-out for John Keats during one of the most prolific times of his life.
Hundreds of thousands of emigrants departed from England through the Port of Southampton during the late 19th and early 20th century. The Inman Line (which later became the American Line) was lodged there. The Titanic departed from Southampton in April 1912.
The China Inland Mission was founded in 1865 by Hudson Taylor. It sent thousands of missionaries to China from that date until the mission was expelled by the Communist government in 1953. In continue to operate today as the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. Throughout its existence it has refused to make public appeals for financial support, required that its missionaries live in the same manner as the people to whom they are ministering, and accepts missionaries based on their ‘spiritual’ qualifications. It was one of the first mission societies to accept single woman as full equals with full and equal responsibilities.
The Mastiff breed is one of the largest of all dogs. They have the reputation of being gentle giants but are very protective of those who care for them. The Fluffy Mastiff is a sub-breed and looks as ridiculous as it sounds.
Zombies, or similar beings, were first written about in the early and mid-1800s. These undead creatures were initially associated with the Voodoo practices of Haiti and West Africa. Victorians had a great appetite for these stories, and they have continued to appeal to the popular imagination.
Trains still depart several times a day from the Waterloo Station to Winchester and on to Southampton, as did the Great Western in the 1890s.
As far as I now, the debate around art for art’s sake has never died.
About The Author
Once upon a time Craig Stephen Copland was an English major and studied under both Northrop Frye and Marshall McLuhan at the University of Toronto way back in the 1960s. He never got over his spiritual attraction to great literature and captivating stories. Somewhere in the decades since he became a dedicated Sherlockian. He is a member of the Sherlock Holmes Society of Canada, who are also known as the Bootmakers of Toronto (www.torontobootmakers.com), and, like his Sherlockian colleagues, addicted to the sacred canon. In May of 2014, the Bootmakers announced a contest for a new Sherlock Holmes mystery. Although he had no previous experience writing fiction, he entered and was blessed to be declared one of the winners. So, he kept writing more stories and is now on a mission to write sixty new Sherlock Holmes mysteries – each one inspired by one of the original stories in The Canon.
He lives and writes in Toronto, New York, Buenos Aires, and the Okanagan Valley. If you have a suggestion for a new Sherlock Holmes mystery, please contact him at [email protected].
More Historical Mysteries
by Craig Stephen Copland
www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com
Click on links to look inside and download
Studying Scarlet. Starlet O’Halloran, a fabulous mature woman, who reminds the reader of Scarlet O’Hara (but who, for copyright reasons cannot actually be her) has arrived in London looking for her long-lost husband, Brett (who resembles Rhett Butler, but who, for copyright reasons, cannot actually be him). She enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes. This is an unauthorized parody, inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet and Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. http://authl.it/aic
The Sign of the Third. Fifteen hundred years ago the courageous Princess Hemamali smuggled the sacred tooth of the Buddha into Ceylon. Now, for the first time, it is being brought to London to be part of a magnificent exhibit at the British Museum. But what if something were to happen to it? It would be a disaster for the British Empire. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and even Mycroft Holmes are called upon to prevent such a crisis. This novella is inspired by the Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Sign of the Four. http://authl.it/aie
A Sandal from East Anglia. Archeological excavations at an old abbey unearth an ancient document that has the potential to change the course of the British Empire and all of Christendom. Holmes encounters some evil young men and a strikingly beautiful young Sister, with a curious double life. The mystery is inspired by the original Sherlock Holmes story, A Scandal in Bohemia. http://authl.it/aif
The Bald-Headed Trust. Watson insists on taking Sherlock Holmes on a short vacation to the seaside in Plymouth. No sooner has Holmes arrived than he is needed to solve a double murder and prevent a massive fraud diabolically designed by the evil Professor himself. Who knew that a family of devout conservative churchgoers could come to the aid of Sherlock Holmes and bring enormous grief to evil doers? The story is inspired by The Red-Headed League. http://authl.it/aih
A Case of Identity Theft. It is the fall of 1888 and Jack the Ripper is terrorizing London. A young married couple is found, minus their heads. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, the couple’s mothers, and Mycroft must join forces to find the murderer before he kills again and makes off with half a million pounds. The novella is a tribute to A Case of Identity. It will appeal both to devoted fans of Sherlock Holmes, as well as to those who love the great game of rugby. http://authl.it/aii
The Hudson Valley Mystery. A young man in New York went mad and murdered his father. His mother believes he is innocent and knows he is not crazy. She appeals to Sherlock Holmes and, together with Dr. and Mrs. Watson, he crosses the Atlantic to help this client in need. This new story was inspired by The Boscombe Valley Mystery. http://authl.it/aij
The Mystery of the Five Oranges. A desperate father enters 221B Baker Street. His daughter has been kidnapped and spirited off the North America. The evil network who have taken her has spies everywhere. There is only one hope – Sherlock Holmes. Sherlockians will enjoy this new adventure, inspired by The Five Orange Pips and Anne of Green Gables. www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com http://authl.it/aik
The Man Who Was Twisted But Hip. France is torn apart by The Dreyfus Affair. Westminster needs Sherlock Holmes so that the evil tide of anti-Semitism that has engulfed France will not spread. Sherlock and Watson go to Paris to solve the mystery and thwart Moriarty. This new mystery is inspired by, The Man with the Twisted Lip, as well as by The Hunchback of Notre Dame. http://authl.it/ail
The Adventure of the Blue Belt Buckle. A young street urchin discovers a man’s belt and buckle under a bush in Hyde Park. A body is found in a hotel room in Mayfair. Scotland Yard seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes in solving the murder. The Queen’s Jubilee could be ruined. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Scotland Yard, and Her Majesty all team up to prevent a crime of unspeakable dimensions. A new mystery inspired by The Blue Carbuncle. http://authl.it/aim
The Adventure of the Spectred Bat. A beautiful young woman, just weeks away from giving birth, arrives at Baker Street in the middle of the night. Her sister was attacked by a bat and died, and now it is attacking her. A vampire? The story is a tribute to The Adventure of the Speckled Band and like the original, leaves the mind wondering and the heart racing. http://authl.it/ain
The Adventure of the Engineer’s Mom. A brillia
nt young Cambridge University engineer is carrying out secret research for the Admiralty. It will lead to the building of the world’s most powerful battleship, The Dreadnaught. His adventuress mother is kidnapped and he seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes. This new mystery is a tribute to The Engineer’s Thumb. http://authl.it/aio
www.SherlockHolmesMystery.com
The Adventure of the Notable Bachelorette. A snobbish nobleman enters 221B Baker Street demanding the help in finding his much younger wife – a beautiful and spirited American from the West. Three days later the wife is accused of a vile crime. Now she comes to Sherlock Holmes seeking to prove her innocence. This new mystery was inspired The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor. http://authl.it/aip
The Adventure of the Beryl Anarchists. A deeply distressed banker enters 221B Baker St. His safe has been robbed, and he is certain that his motorcycle-riding sons have betrayed him. Highly incriminating and embarrassing records of the financial and personal affairs of England's nobility are now in the hands of blackmailers. Then a young girl is murdered. A tribute to The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet. http://authl.it/aiq
The Adventure of the Coiffured Bitches. A beautiful young woman will soon inherit a lot of money. She disappears. Another young woman finds out far too much and, in desperation seeks help. Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Miss Violet Hunter must solve the mystery of the coiffured bitches and avoid the massive mastiff that could tear their throats out. A tribute to The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. http://authl.it/air
Sherlock Holmes Never Dies - Collection Three: New Sherlock Holmes Mysteries - Second Edition (Boxed Sets Book 3) Page 35
