The Making Of A Man by John Worth

Author:John Worth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sherlock Holmes, mystery, crime, british crime, sherlock holmes novels, sherlock holmes fiction, Victorian London
ISBN: 9781780924755
Publisher: Andrews UK
Published: 2013-07-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

She left early to catch the train up to London, telling Mrs. Billings the housekeeper that she would probably return late that evening. With her Olivia took her only one small piece of luggage. Since her parents had gone abroad, Olivia had become much more independent - far too much so, in the opinion of Mrs. Billings. She’d known the head-strong young lady since childhood, and although as housekeeper, she had no formal control over her, there was a strong tie of affection. As the trap driven by her husband set off for the station, Mr. Billings stood on the doorstep, her hands wringing her apron with worry. She would have worried even more if Olivia had told her that she had no intention of returning that evening. Or even that she might not return for days.

Jermyn Street, that same evening in London; a discreet and proper member of a solid and very proper club, received extraordinary news. The Diogenes Club doorman had just approached, coming up to where he sat by the fireside, reading his evening paper. ‘I beg your pardon sir, but there’s a young lady wishing to speak with you, sir.’ In the sudden silence, he rose, albeit ponderously, put down is port and carefully folding his newspaper. About to go, he paused, looking around. ‘I hope you gentlemen don’t think it too amazing that a young lady wishes to converse with me.’ The quip, followed by a murmur of amusement from his fellow members helped mask his discomfiture. It was considered bad form in general to have women calling at the club. Not done.

Just behind the club porter’s booth, in the cheerless room used for that purpose, Olivia waited in nervous anticipation. For the first time since leaving home that morning she’d began to entertain doubts about this coming meeting. She had on previous occasions met the brother of Shiloh Coombes, but they had never had much to say to each other.

Not that the taciturn man had ever seemed to speak with anybody. He’d always been such an aloof, almost formidable presence; rooms fell silent as he entered. Shiloh would not hear a word against his brother but at the same time had always shied off discussing their relationship. So though Shiloh obviously held him in great esteem, paradoxically, the two brothers seemed like strangers. In the midst of these rather negative thoughts, the door opened, and the fat man himself entered.

Suddenly Olivia found herself tongue-tied, in the presence of this man, who stood now within the doorway, watching her impassively. He regarded her a while in silence; ‘I imagine you’ve come out of concern for my brother.’ Olivia was taken aback by this, but it allowed her to speak out,

‘Oh, oh yes sir, I mean, oh I’m not beginning very well am I?’ He nodded ponderously, before answering her in a rumbling deep voice, ‘just calm yourself my dear. I am not surprised that you are concerned for your friend. I was just a little surprised that you had tracked me to my lair.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.