Mrs Hudson and the Blue Daisy Affair by Martin Davies

Author:Martin Davies
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Limited
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

After closing the door upon Sir Henry, but before I could return upstairs, I heard Mrs Hudson calling to me from the kitchen. On joining her there, I found one of the double-sized trays laid out on the table, and already laden with food: a bottle of claret, tongue sandwiches, a hefty slab of Stilton cheese, a French salad, some slices of ham, a bowl of pears and one very perfect peach. Beside the tray, on a small silver salver, lay a sealed green envelope. Not just any shade of green, I realised. Most definitely Swarkstone green.

‘It arrived while you were in with Sir Henry,’ Mrs Hudson explained. ‘I heard the carriage pull up and was able to intercept it before they knocked. I rather think, Flottie, it will contain some ripe thoughts from Lady Hastings about Mr Holmes’ negligence in allowing George Dashing to drive his own brougham. But I can’t see any need to take it up straightaway. Any further scoldings can surely wait till morning. Now, I believe some hot water was required?’

I carried up the bowl of steaming water for Mr Holmes’ feet while, behind me, Mrs Hudson manoeuvred the enormous tray up the staircase. We found our employer standing by the window in unusually pensive mood.

‘I confess it is a novel experience, Mrs Hudson,’ he told her as she set down the tray. ‘I have had various prospective clients leave this room declaring that they would rather go to the Devil; but I have never before had one tell me he would rather go to a different detective.’

‘An unwise decision, I am sure, sir.’ Mrs Hudson said it very firmly, as though it were a considered opinion rather than a commonplace comfort. ‘After all, Sir Henry knows very little about the elusive Mr Martin. As far as I can gather, sir, Mr Martin has yet to appear in person in any of the cases I have read about. His solutions are invariably sent in written form.’

‘Well, he will appear tomorrow, Mrs Hudson, at twelve noon in Cuthbert Square, and Flotsam will be there to meet him, won’t you, Flotsam?’

‘Yes, sir.’ I bobbed politely. ‘But, sir, are you really going to give up on finding out what happened in Salisbury Square that night?’

The thought appalled me. It seemed to me that somehow I owed it to Thomasina Trubshaw to discover the truth. But to my relief, Mr Holmes was smiling.

‘I don’t think I ever promised that, did I, Flotsam? I simply confirmed that I would not be acting in the matter on Sir Henry’s behalf. But I have a growing suspicion that his son is innocent of any crime, and the more the evidence against him mounts, the more that suspicion grows. And I certainly don’t intend to let an innocent man go to the gallows.’ He turned back to my companion. ‘I should also add, Mrs Hudson, that Flotsam here was magnificent tonight. Sir Henry is the sort of man who likes to cow young women, particularly ones of inferior rank, and Flotsam refused to be cowed.

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