Sherlock Holmes 09 and the Sandringham House Mystery by Val Andrews

Author:Val Andrews [Andrews, Val]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780708957721
Google: zxgLAAAACAAJ
Publisher: Linford
Published: 2000-12-14T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOUR

The Vanishing Detective

King Edward was truly delighted to not only regain his priceless Rembrandt, but also to find that he had Sherlock Holmes as a house guest as well as his favourite magician Horace Goldin. The King, it can now be told, many years after his sad demise, was very fond of music-hall and vaudeville-type entertainments. When he was Prince of Wales he had haunted the stage doors of the leading London variety theatres, but where the noble lords usually courted the chorus girls. Many a ‘lady’ had graced the chorus of the Gaiety at one time; His Majesty had reached for the ‘stars’ with Miss Langtry, the famous ‘Jersey Lilly’ being a prominent example of his taste in lovely women. However, an interest in magicians and illusionists, although genuine in his case, had given him the perfect excuse to visit the stage doors. Madame Francis had been one of the King’s most recent ‘discoveries’, but she had turned out to be a very unwise choice for a royal friendship. However, he seemed strangely unperturbed at her arrest and, for that matter, the rift with his Germanic cousin which had resulted from the Rembrandt affair.

As we sat over our port, the ladies having withdrawn after that night’s splendid dinner, the King confided, ‘You know, gentlemen, this tiff with the Kaiser was inevitable, really. It would have arisen over Holland, Belgium, France or some such other place in Europe sooner or later. Between ourselves, I think he would have taken a crack at us before this if he was not related to me. He wants our colonies, you know. But don’t worry; if it came to war, we would soon show him what’s what, what?’

We all laughed politely, but Holmes appeared a little tense upon the subject.

He said, gently, ‘Your Majesty will forgive me if I utter a word of advice. I have travelled extensively upon the Continent, and I can assure you that the Kaiser is preparing to conquer France, Belgium, aye and whisper it, even ourselves. He has many weapons of offence that we do not seem to possess. Airships, capable of dropping explosives onto our cities, for example.’

The King chuckled as he made light of it.

‘My dear chap, forgive me, but I think you have been reading far too many stories by Jules Verne and H G Wells. Britannia rules the waves and don’t you forget it. As it is cousin Willy and his party are already on the jolly old briny as I speak. Let’s talk about something else.’

This was Goldin’s cue to make some salt disappear from his cupped hand, swallow a table knife and bend the King’s watch without damaging it. One way and another Goldin had given the King a feast of magic during his short stay. But I sensed that Holmes was a little distracted.

He whispered to me, ‘I shall take a stroll in the grounds, Watson. Pray give my apologies to the King, Mr Goldin and the others, if they miss me.

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