The End of All Things:
Let's put this mess in perspective.
The first part of the SWORD series opens three months after Holmes 'death.' Colonel Moriarty emerges with a challenge before Scotland Yard: to expose John Watson as a liar about his version of the battle of Maiwand. Although it takes a lot of doing with poking around, Lestrade learns that Watson served at the same time as his twin brother, who behaved impulsively and died after the war. The key evidence is tied up in the condition of Watson's sabre; it is illegal for a man in the Medical Corps to draw his weapon save in self-defence; yet he faced a criminal charge of lifting it in anger.
Watson is curiously unforthcoming about assisting the police in clearing his name. He concentrates on his upcoming fatherhood, an event he and Mary are meeting with great expectations. He appears to be doing no more than work on his writing career, his medical practice, and staying in touch with his friends of the past. He has released his version of Holmes' death, but has not yet published it. Those who have read it are talking. While it takes Lestrade a while to catch on, Watson is asking for help in a very indirect way. Pursuing a clue, Lestrade finds traces that the Watsons had been working for Colonel Hayter in an attempt to ruin Colonel Moriarty's unspecified but patently criminal activities within the service. To defend himself or to prove that his brother had been the offender would be to expose Hayter's well-meaning subterfuge.
Events seem caught at a standstill, but Lestrade faces down Moriarty's campaign of slander against Watson before witnesses. The Colonel departs in a strangely content mood. Gregson realizes this has all been a test for the Colonel: a test of the Yard's mettle to see how easily they could be distracted or swayed or bribed. He knows things are about to grow worse. Lestrade discovers two dress sabres: One clean and unscarred, the other battle-marked and scored deeply with Ogham writing. Lestrade can go no further than the literal decipher: Cave of the Dead Druid. It means gibberish to him.
In the meantime, Sherlock Holmes is seeing the world at a frantic pace. It is hardly the stuff of legends. There are rumbles of war, and thoughts of the world he has left behind are his sole motivation for preventing it. Sick and alone in body and spirit, his active mind is trapped by his circumstances to absorb everything he can of his new experiences, while waiting fruitlessly for word from his brother.
For a while things appear to be calm but Lestrade is growing morose. He confesses to his father in law that his nightmares will not stop; he constantly relives the circumstances of his worst encounter with Moriarty's most powerful agent, a man who tried to drown him in a fishpond. The dreams are re-lived events to the drowning and his fighting for life in the dark Thames while a voice whispers to him that the hour is come but not the man.
The Narrow Path:
The season—and prospects—have worsened in London. Gregson, Lestrade and Hopkins meet under clandestine camaraderie and speak frankly about the future. A recent scandal involving graft and funeral homes for Afghan war veterans have caused discomfort throughout the Yard but so far is being kept from blowing open to the public. Lestrade and Hopkins have been working together so the young man can benefit from the older man's experience and previous connections with the affected parties dating back to the actual war-time. At the palaver, Gregson advises Lestrade to stick close to Watson; he isn't safe with any Moriarty running about. Lestrade gives in to Gregson's dictatorial commands with little protest; he is starting to show the signs of strain from the events of the year.
Disease runs through the cold winter streets. Clea Lestrade falls ill; Mary Watson's health wavers.
The Watsons are proud parents of a baby boy. Watson has agreed to stand as police surgeon while Dr. Roanoke steps down. Lestrade catches another, apparently idle clue from Watson: comparisons of Professor Moriarty to a previous criminal mastermind, Jonathan Wild. Drawn to dig up Patterson again, Lestrade finds a shell of a once-strong man. Patterson says only one man was strong enough to go up against Colonel Moriarty and live: Watson's friend and patron, Colonel Hayter. Someone is listening and watching them; the price of asking for Patterson's copy of the Holmes' reports leads to an attack by a corrupt police inspector who soon kills himself in custody. Soon after, another Inspector with a tie to both men is attacked to 'keep silent' about a seemingly innocuous conversation. Running back to London, Lestrade and Hopkins barely prevent a third attack upon Watson's home by more hired thugs.
A brutally murdered man is found with Colonel Hayter's professional cards in his possession, one addressed to John Watson. Hayter does not know who the man is, but Lestrade traces him the paper-company's employment. He had stolen the cards for some reason and was murdered. Gregson's suspicions are bearing proof: the Yard is being distracted from their true duties to solve this mystery. The lowliest and least trustworthy allies of Moriarty's gang are being sent as cannon fodder against the Yard. Hayter and Lestrade independently note that Watson's published adventures of Sherlock Holmes appear to have some unknown agenda…Watson neither confirms nor denies their questions. He is content with things the way they are.
Hopkins' work with the funeral home investigations has led to further scandal and the shocking find of a barrel of human fingerbones. Watson positively identifies them as adult human, while encountering his closest rival, Dr. Pennywraith for the first time. He also sees Patterson recognize the murdered man as one of his informers against the Moriarty gang, and wonders if a man so prone to fainting would be a weak link for the Yard. Weak or not, Patterson has rejoined the Force. Geoffrey gets a letter from his grandfather addressed to his father in law's house; the letter only says he will be in to visit when he can, but Lestrade knows his grandfather is trying to warn him about something.
Clea Lestrade is at her wits' end with her husband's fading strength but can only be advised to speak with Mrs. Watson when she returns from her visit to the country. The appearance of Clea's mother-in-law bodes ill. She warns him of the failing health of Geoffrey's father in a way that makes Clea hesitant to even tell him.
Hopkins' work has reached a nadir. Something is fishy in a forgotten graveyard under new restoration. Watson struggles with his depression to attend his assistance, but when the cold winter weather is like this he is reminded of Reichenbach falls everywhere he looks. He notes that Lestrade and Bradstreet, usually the closest of friends, are awkward and brittle in each other's company.
Disaster strikes when the ground opens up under Lestrade's feet and he collapses into a grave. It is the last straw; his health tips over the line at this point. His family moves to Clea's father's house to avoid his quarantine and his grandfather is left to take care of him. Watson gives a brief comment on the effects of too much strain to a shamefaced Yard. Gregson warns Bradstreet that he'd best keep any questionable news to himself.