The Case of the Vindictive Spirit, Chapter the First.
a/n- Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and to Medcat for vetting this story.
"What! Mycroft, you must be joking," said Holmes.
"Not at all. You and the good doctor need to pack for a two-week vacation to the aforenamed castle, which is in Gloucestershire. There is a legend linked with this castle, and it plays a part in the murder that I am asking you to look into." It was with a great effort that Mycroft did not say "I told you so."
"Tell us about it, then."
"Very well." Mycroft cleared his throat and began. "Many years ago, the lady of the castle, Lady Viola Rittenmark, went insane. It was rumoured that the discovery of her husband's
dalliances hastened her decline into madness, but, as I have said, that is just a rumour. Her husband kept her locked up within the castle. One day, she somehow escaped and ran to the pond at the edge of the property and threw herself in. Her husband lost no time in marrying his favorite mistress. On their wedding night, the new Lady Rittenmark made a horrible discovery. She found her new husband waiting for her in bed, but he was dead. He had been stabbed in the chest. The weapon was never found. The only sign that someone else was in the room with him were the wet prints of bare feet. They started at the balcony and stopped at the bed. Then they led right back to the balcony. Three other Lords of the castle met the same fate through the years, and each one was said to have a reputation for being unfaithful."
"Did the agent share such a reputation,"asked Holmes.
"There is no concrete knowledge of any infidelity upon his part, but perhaps his killer thought differently, or knew something that we do not,"answered Mycroft.
While the two brothers were talking, Watson was busy packing as well as listening.
"How did the two agents happen to be staying at the castle", asked Watson.
"They were both friends of the castle's owner, and they had arranged to stay there that night, as the castle lets out rooms to travelers,"responded Mycroft.
"Have these deaths occurred in the same bedroom, or in different rooms throughout the castle?" inquired Holmes.
"They happened in different places in the castle. One was in a bedroom on the third floor, one was in the kitchen,one was in the chapel, one was in the belltower, believe it or not, and the last was in a bedroom on the fourth floor. I have made arrangements for one of you to stay in the same room that the last death occurred, and for the other to stay in the adjoining room. The castle's owner is aware that you are going to be investigating this death. I did not mention this, but he was shrewd enough to guess. Both of you have time to agree on a cover story of your own choosing. I wish the two of you good luck."