Sherlock Holmes and The Shadows of St Petersburg by Daniel D Victor

Author:Daniel D Victor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sherlock holmes, mystery, crime, british crime, sherlock holmes fiction, sherlock holmes novel
ISBN: 9781787052895
Publisher: Andrews UK
Published: 2018-04-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven: St Petersburg

As it turned out, Sherlock Holmes had chosen a tumultuous time to be gone from London. On Sunday, 13 November, two days after Roderick Cheek’s performance at Scotland Yard, an epic battle did indeed erupt in Trafalgar Square. Mounted members of the Metropolitan police along with hundreds of military troops waded into a raging sea of unemployed protesters.

So ferocious was the encounter that the resulting carnage earned the calamitous event the epithet of “Bloody Sunday.” Echoing the words of Lestrade, the newspapers reported that foreign elements living in the East End - in reality, desperately poor people seeking justice - had joined the thousands of poor British workers in the Square, helping turn the affair into a riot. I assumed that if Roderick Cheek were not ill, he too was part of the mob.

I, on the contrary, was never one to side with rioters no matter how just their cause, and so I did my best to avoid the fray. That meant altering the schedule I had recently developed. During the days of Holmes’ absence - that is, whenever I was free of patients - I would while away the hours at my club. Billiards, newspapers, conversation, the odd glass of Guinness - all served to address my needs. On the day scheduled for the mass protest, however, I decided to forego such pleasures. On that particular Sunday, I stayed clear of central London.

For his part, Lestrade had his hands full. At the same time he was wrestling with the Brick Lane murders, he also had to help sort out the angry workers who had been arrested and brought to the Yard.

Not to say that Holmes and I did not face our own challenges with two investigations going on at the same time. As yet, we had not reached any tangible conclusions regarding the murders of Gottfried and his wife though, thanks to the Irregulars, I considered closed the case that dealt with the whereabouts of Roderick Cheek. Oh, I could have informed Miss Cheek of our success myself; but as the lady was Holmes’ client, I assumed that, just as I had told Lestrade concerning my interviews with Cheek and Arbuthnot, Holmes would attend to the matter upon his return.

Speaking of Holmes, I should mention that in spite of the length of his absence, I worried little about not having heard from him. I understood that his work took him to many strange places - though I must confess that I did indeed wonder what he might be up to.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the eighth day since Holmes’ departure, the answer finally came. Upon returning to Baker Street following an afternoon at my club, I was happily surprised to discover my friend ensconced in our sitting room. I can picture him today as he struck one of his favourite attitudes, sitting cross-legged in an armchair enjoying his favourite briar before the hearth. It was as if he had never been away.

“Holmes!” I fairly shouted. “You’ve come back!”

“Ah,

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