Sherlock Holmes and Young Winston - The Giant Moles by Mike Hogan

Author:Mike Hogan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sherlock Holmes, mystery, crime, british crime, sherlock holmes novels, sherlock holmes fiction, sherlock holmes and winston churchill, young winston
ISBN: 9781780923291
Publisher: Andrews UK
Published: 2013-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

Some Acquaintance among the Primates

“Holmes, wake up,” I said. “We have a visitor.”

Holmes’ eyes sprang open. He was instantly alert. “Fisher?”

“My father is downstairs,” said Churchill looking pale. “He wants to see you on a matter of grave importance.”

We followed Churchill down to the hall, and Billy opened the door of the waiting room.

“Mr Holmes, Doctor Watson and Master Churchill,” he announced.

Lord Randolph looked up from the sofa. His eyes were dark, hooded and menacing. His face was long, his hair black, oiled and severely parted in the middle. The principal feature of his face was a large walrus moustache. I had thought him a young man, he was but thirty-seven and of an age with Holmes and I, but the seams and creases of premature old age were already on his face. He had in his hand my short work, A Study in Scarlet. I had left a copy on the waiting-room table. He stood, stooping a little, and we exchanged introductions and shook hands.

“Mr Holmes,” Lord Randolph began in a commanding tone, bidding us with an elegant gesture to sit. “I did myself the honour of calling on you because I understand that Sir William Harcourt has put a certain case in your hands. It involves missing papers belonging to a Cambridge society known as the Apostles.”

“Doctor Watson has informed me of the salient facts,” said Holmes.

“I am an Oxford man,” said Lord Randolph. “But, of course, I know of this society. Members of both parties were numbered among its members and some are now in considerable positions in the Country and in Society. When Harcourt asked my advice on the disappearance of the papers, I recommended your brother, Mr Mycroft Holmes. As I am sure that you are aware, he has been invaluable to the Government on many occasions. I may even say that, when I was Chancellor, I invariably followed his advice on all matters. Except once, that is, and in that matter I was mistaken.”

Ah, I thought, a reference to his sudden and ill-advised resignation. Well, not ill-advised after all, as he would have received excellent advice from Mycroft Holmes. Lord Randolph had resigned expecting to be reinstated by a humbled Prime Minister. He had forgotten his rival Mr Goschen, who became his successor.

There was a knock at the door and Mrs Hudson entered with a tray of tea and coffee. Churchill bustled about helping her under his father’s amused eye.

“Now,” Lord Randolph continued. “Harcourt is a very capable man, but he is something of a cold fish. He has a lawyerly manner that favours a nice argument over an expression of conviction. He gives the impression that he would just as soon speak for the other side of an issue, if there was more opportunity for rhetorical flights of fancy.”

I heard Lord Randolph’s character sketch with some confusion. He described the Harcourt that I had expected to encounter, but not the charming and unassuming man that I had met.

“I felt obliged, Mr Holmes, to visit you myself.

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