Part 11 (1/2)

”Can't think of a better time, Doctor”

I hear shouts in the distance: Lestrade and his constables come to find out the source of all the commotion

He arrives shortly afterwards in person, a veritable battalion of officers in his charge

”When I heard about a fire at Greenland Docs, I had an inkling I'd find you two at the scene,” he says Behind hi ushered away in handcuffs

”Well, congratulations, Inspector,” Holmes replies

Lestrade scowls curiously

”You've had your first inkling,” Hol expletives to himself, Inspector Lestrade turns his back on us to direct his men

”Back to Baker Street then, Watson?” Hol off his soot-s to his feet ”We can both have a smoke and warm ourselves by the fire, eh?”

It takes all of estion

Instead, I follow and hope we don't have far to walk before we can hail a cab

In the aftermath of the fire only one body is found, that of Henry Jekyll, returned to his natural for the autopsy myself I had hoped ould find them both; to have survived such devastation, surely the rievously injured

Despite all of its efforts-it savedbut an abomination As a doctor, I am a man of science and reason The evidence of h it clearly exists, this monstrous creation of Victor Frankenstein is neither scientific nor reasonable

As I pack s complete, I make haste back to Baker Street When a rational ed by the irrational, his view of the world is thrown into jeopardy I think ue feels this way too, for so ic and reason

Cli into the back of a black cab, far from co is for certain-Sherlock Holmes and I have not seen the last of this creature Our paths will cross again I hope to dear God that we are ready when they do

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Kyham He has written several novels and short stories set in the science fiction and fantasy worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 for the Black Library, one of which, The Primarchs for the Horus Heresy series, was a New York Times bestseller His y, and The Fall of damnos Most recently, he released the epic fantasy novel The Great Betrayal

Find him at his website: nickkymecom or follow him on Twitter NickKyme

MRS HUDSON AT THE CHRISTMAS HOTEL

BY PAUL MAGRS

From the Journal of Dr John Watson Novee envelope postmarked Sussex Of course I knew at once that it cast various yellowing papers and envelopes there was a jar of his finest hoineered honey, wrapped in a protective bundle of muslin Holmes' bees' honey is a rare treat and a welcoh my beloved does object to the occasional dead Hy deeper in the brown paper parcel proved there to be a further bundle and this was a padded box, such as ht contain an item of jewellery Indeed, inside the box there were two splendid multi-hued crystals They looked rather like a pair of eyes I passed theasped ”Whatever is he doing, entrusting such things to the Royal Mail?”

I couldn't answer her satisfactorily without first absorbing the import of his note, which was folded neatly underneath these packages I do enjoyas they often do upon events in our shared past of which even I aations were going on continuously all around us, and I wasn't aware of even half of the than ever, I a:

Watson-please find enclosed the latest production of ht, they are very slow and perfectionist and what is contained in this jar represents al of their small selves I trust you will find it delicious I also enclose the Eyes of Miiled here in the early 1890s by extraordinary means and the manner of their theft is still, I am afraid, a closed book However, they have recently coain and were sent to eon, a deceased spinster from the North Yorkshi+re coastal town of Whitby They are a superstitious folk in that part of the islands, and will believe any silly piece of nonsense when it coic and necromancy and so on The nieces of this elderly, formidable lady-known as the local oman, apparently-believe that their ninety-four-year-old aunt hisked away before her time at the behest of dark forces (Before her tie of ninety-four!) As you knoill have no truck with such things as ic and dreadful sentimental drivel about demons and so on, especially at my time of life

Nevertheless we must respect the beliefs of others-at least, in terht lead their owners to behave Maude Sturgeon, I am infor an influence of great evil They had been in her possession ever since they were so Her nieces found thes after her demise and they have decided to be rid of theood wisdom-they have sent theeon never presented the jewels to the authorities three decades ago as she was plainly instructed to, but as you know, I have no faith in the doings of womankind Especially not the kind of wo relatives to sprinkle their ashes illegally and unhygenically around a national monument such as the ruined Abbey at Whitby

Anyhow, I am too old and decrepit to run about the place with supposedly ical crystals Would you, Watson, please see that they are disposed of correctly? My initial thought was that you should present them to my brother Mycroft, for official restoration to the Finns, ould no doubt be delighted But then I thought why not give the things to Professor Challenger, that old charlatan? If they are indeedthe very idea, old friend-well, at the very least Professor Challenger ht squeeze a little entertainht his new housekeeper, Mrs Hudson She nise the Eyes of Miimon, and be reminded of an escapade of her own from 1895

An escapade which the also-enclosed packet of letters and postcards rather chaotically details They are all addressed to you, st my many jumbled papers and effects

Do you ree co her holiday in the early su our breakfasts at 221b-that our absent housekeeper was losing hervery odd about these twin jewels froive off a rather odd vibration? Don't theyin the superstitions of the wild north-easterners?

With great affection, Holmes June 15th, 1895 Whitby; The Royal Crescent, The West Cliff Dear Dr Watson, Now I hope you two sillies are seeing to yourselves properly I put some nice jam on the kitchen counter, did you see? For breakfast Damson Home-made I won't be away for more than a week My sister Nellie could never put up with er than that Today we have had a trip out to Scarborough, where folk go to take the waters I h Far more civilised than all that hullaballoo further down the coast Here, life is enteel As you yourself toldfurther Frazzled and malcontent, I think were the words you used to describein my ears when you left

Anyhow, relax I ood Doctor tellsrather lazy days strolling about the intricate streets of this town, on both sides of the harbour During yesterday's rather gusty afternoon we even took a bracing walk up the 199 steps to the old, broken-down Abbey I ah INot that either of you wish to hear of my sundry complaints, of course As far as the pair of you are concerned, all I ever do is run up and down staircases

This evening we attend a special rander hotels on the West Cliff Nellie has pro of wonderh Ime Do you know this neck of the woods, Doctor?

I do hope all is peaceful at hoine, eations I aa man of your elevation to run around with the ewbank, Dr Watson, but you would lighten e it

Now, please give Hiood wishes, and do save some for yourself

Oh-the picture on the reverse shows the ruined Abbey and St Mary's Church, at the su upward slope of 199 steps which Nellie and I doughtily tackled yesterday You will be amused to note that, from this elevation, the stairs describe a reversed question rassy cliff Mysteries everywhere, you see

Yours, Mrs Hudson Dear Dr Watson, As you know I practise s and I hardly ever touch a drop of alcohol, and so I don't know quite what caht at the Christmas Hotel There was, I think, a feverish and hysterical at ever so slightly arand, i edifice of the one-hundred-year-old hotel and I ad at its palatial splendour It was painted pink and its ere lit up charht Inside, however, it was clear that all the guests were aith the party spirit There was dancing and hectic activity in every direction one cared to look We found a foyer triaudy Christmas decoration and barely roouests to manouevre ourselves As you know,of a trial, scuffling past the vast Scots fir andfor the ballroom at the far end of the first floor

Nellie had already explained that the owner of the Christmas Hotel went in for these festive excesses all the year round This was how she and her custoht in June I did think it possibly irreligious, too

Things are different in the north, as we both well know, Doctor, and though I should have turned on ht to linger a little for poor Nellie's sake I don't believe she gets out enerallysaid that, I was astonished that Nellie didn't seem perturbed by the abandonment and revelry all about us It was a kind of cross between a rough Parisian dance hall and scenes from Bedlam In fact, as she led the way into the ballrooer to take part in the dancing and the various hijinks in evidence

Here there was a band, all the reen and scarlet outfits befitting of so seear to my affronted ears

Nellie must have noticed the expression on ht, to see her so unselfconscious Laughing, like this, in public She must indeed feel at hohts of the ballrooarish and there were points of light dancing nastily in her single eye

”The mistress wants to meet you,” she told me