parchment relating to the curse. They noticed a change for the worse last Friday, the day Lord Frederick came to see us.”
“And they could give you no reason why?”
“None. The only thing of interest they could tell me was that on Friday she asked to sleep in a different room. Her visit with us on Saturday seemed to improve her spirits. She was much better on Sunday and Monday. She even spoke last night of seeing Lord Frederick again, but today she was more desperate than ever before.”
I pounded softly at the table with my fist. “Blast it—what can be the matter? Michelle was perhaps being overly reassuring, but Miss Grimswell really does not seem a likely candidate for insanity. Well, there is little that can be done if she has gone to Dartmoor.”
Holmes gazed at me. “There is little that can be done in London.”
I stared at him. The ends of his mouth curved upward, but the expression could not be called a smile. His black, oily hair was combed almost straight back and glistened under the light from the window. “You are not...” I began. “You are. You are going to Dartmoor.”
“There is currently little of interest in London. I was also not exaggerating when I said Miss Grimswell might be in danger—very grave danger. Besides...” He stood up and leaned upon the window sill with one hand, pipe still in the other, staring down at the street. “Dartmoor is beautiful this time of year. I had an interesting case there once before. Watson has that one mostly right.”
“I wish I could come with you.”
He turned about. “Do so—at least for a few days. Call it a holiday if you will. Surely you could bear to be away from Michelle for a week or two?”
Not wishing to appear unmanly, I nodded and murmured something in affirmation. Especially among the upper classes, men were always going off alone on big-game hunting expeditions to Africa or India, treks in the Alps, long sea voyages to distant islands, their wives and children left behind without a thought. I could not understand this. I had not been apart from Michelle for more than a week since our marriage; in fact, it was my extended absence in Paris with Holmes that precipitated my proposal of marriage. It had made me realize how much she had come to mean to me.
“All the same, I am of two minds about going to Dartmoor. I would prefer to be sent for by the lady. That would signify that she was ready to reveal what has disturbed her. Were we just to appear at her doorstep, we might not be welcome, and her silence might be further reinforced. And then there is the problem of Lord Frederick.”
“What is the problem with Lord Frederick?”
“You will shortly find out, for he is here at last. Lady Rupert also sent for him this morning, but a second footman had no luck rousting him.” He turned away from the window, set down his pipe, slipped into his frock coat, then went to the door and opened it. Both Mrs. Hudson and Lord Frederick gave a start of surprise. “Come in, Lord Frederick.”
Today the young man was wearing a conventional black frock coat and top hat, but his waistcoat and cravat were an ostentatious plum color. His face was very pale, and he appeared rather ghastly. When Mrs. Hudson shut the door, the slight sound made him wince; he stripped off his yellow gloves and put a hand upon his forehead.
“I have been to Lady Rupert’s,” he said, “and she has told me everything. Whatever are we to do?”
Holmes gestured at a chair. “Please, Lord Frederick, sit down. You do not look well.”
“Thank you. I do have something of a beastly headache.”
“How many bottles did you have to drink last night?”
He gazed at Holmes, then broke into a weary grin. “I fear I lost count some time after midnight. How did you know?”
“It required little deduction. The symptoms of a hangover are obvious. No doubt this explains your delay in visiting Lady Rupert.”
“Yes. I believe it was after three when... when I fell
“And they could give you no reason why?”
“None. The only thing of interest they could tell me was that on Friday she asked to sleep in a different room. Her visit with us on Saturday seemed to improve her spirits. She was much better on Sunday and Monday. She even spoke last night of seeing Lord Frederick again, but today she was more desperate than ever before.”
I pounded softly at the table with my fist. “Blast it—what can be the matter? Michelle was perhaps being overly reassuring, but Miss Grimswell really does not seem a likely candidate for insanity. Well, there is little that can be done if she has gone to Dartmoor.”
Holmes gazed at me. “There is little that can be done in London.”
I stared at him. The ends of his mouth curved upward, but the expression could not be called a smile. His black, oily hair was combed almost straight back and glistened under the light from the window. “You are not...” I began. “You are. You are going to Dartmoor.”
“There is currently little of interest in London. I was also not exaggerating when I said Miss Grimswell might be in danger—very grave danger. Besides...” He stood up and leaned upon the window sill with one hand, pipe still in the other, staring down at the street. “Dartmoor is beautiful this time of year. I had an interesting case there once before. Watson has that one mostly right.”
“I wish I could come with you.”
He turned about. “Do so—at least for a few days. Call it a holiday if you will. Surely you could bear to be away from Michelle for a week or two?”
Not wishing to appear unmanly, I nodded and murmured something in affirmation. Especially among the upper classes, men were always going off alone on big-game hunting expeditions to Africa or India, treks in the Alps, long sea voyages to distant islands, their wives and children left behind without a thought. I could not understand this. I had not been apart from Michelle for more than a week since our marriage; in fact, it was my extended absence in Paris with Holmes that precipitated my proposal of marriage. It had made me realize how much she had come to mean to me.
“All the same, I am of two minds about going to Dartmoor. I would prefer to be sent for by the lady. That would signify that she was ready to reveal what has disturbed her. Were we just to appear at her doorstep, we might not be welcome, and her silence might be further reinforced. And then there is the problem of Lord Frederick.”
“What is the problem with Lord Frederick?”
“You will shortly find out, for he is here at last. Lady Rupert also sent for him this morning, but a second footman had no luck rousting him.” He turned away from the window, set down his pipe, slipped into his frock coat, then went to the door and opened it. Both Mrs. Hudson and Lord Frederick gave a start of surprise. “Come in, Lord Frederick.”
Today the young man was wearing a conventional black frock coat and top hat, but his waistcoat and cravat were an ostentatious plum color. His face was very pale, and he appeared rather ghastly. When Mrs. Hudson shut the door, the slight sound made him wince; he stripped off his yellow gloves and put a hand upon his forehead.
“I have been to Lady Rupert’s,” he said, “and she has told me everything. Whatever are we to do?”
Holmes gestured at a chair. “Please, Lord Frederick, sit down. You do not look well.”
“Thank you. I do have something of a beastly headache.”
“How many bottles did you have to drink last night?”
He gazed at Holmes, then broke into a weary grin. “I fear I lost count some time after midnight. How did you know?”
“It required little deduction. The symptoms of a hangover are obvious. No doubt this explains your delay in visiting Lady Rupert.”
“Yes. I believe it was after three when... when I fell
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