The Secret Archives of Sherlock Holmes by June Thomson

Author:June Thomson [Thomson, June]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780749011413
Publisher: Allison & Busby
Published: 2012-10-20T13:00:00+00:00

Dr Parry was as good as his word and promptly at ten o’clock the following morning called at the inn, ready to take us on the next stage of the investigation. I, too, was eager after a good night’s sleep and an excellent breakfast to discover what was the connection between the Silver Blaze inquiry and this present murder case. But Holmes, who, much to my relief, was back on form, fended off any questions I tried to put to him.

There was no opportunity to quiz him anyway, for no sooner had I opened my mouth than Dr Parry arrived and Holmes began to make his own inquiries of him concerning the people we were about to meet.

In the conversational stakes, Dr Parry was almost as fluent as Holmes. Obviously delighted that Holmes was once more committed to the investigation, he began with great enthusiasm.

‘Now then, gentlemen, let me give you the full story. Owen Madoc is a widower with just the one daughter, Rhian. There is a son as well but he left home years ago for Cardiff, looking for adventure, see, though I doubt if he found it there. Owen must be in his late fifties, the daughter is … well, thirty-five at a rough reckoning; unmarried; speaks only Welsh, as does her father; not much spark to her, if you know what I mean. They live about half a mile up the lane from Dai Morgan’s farm in a small house called Cartref – “Home” to you, Mr Holmes, knowing your interest in the language. If you like, I could take you for a little drive tomorrow into the mountains to look at the view. The road passes their place. It would be a shame to come all this way and not see the countryside.’

On receiving Holmes’ assent to this plan, Dr Parry continued with his account of the Madocs. ‘They both help out at Plas Y Coed, Owen with the sheep and the pigs. Rhian works in the house: does the cooking and cleaning; sees to the hens as well as the butter and cheese-making.

‘I feel sorry for the pair of them. Cartref is isolated, as you’ll see for yourselves when we drive past it, although they should be back at Plas Y Coed by then. Rees gave them permission to return later this morning. So if you’d like to meet them, I could make some excuse for stopping by there.

‘As I was saying, it’s not much of a life for Rhian. As for Owen, he’s a very bitter man in my opinion. He would like to have had his own place but he was the younger son and the family farm went to his older brother. It’s left him hard; ill-natured. His wife died, too. Oh, a terrible death! He thinks life has been unfair to him and, to give him his due, I can sympathise. He’s concerned, too, about what will happen to Rhian when he dies. She’ll lose the cottage – it’s tied; goes with the job.

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