The Angel Part Two

As I slowly pushed aside the door, the dark morgue embraced me with a distinct eerie chill, inviting fear to whisper and pushing aside any quite rational reservations in preference for outright panic. Indeed, for a moment I seriously considered bolting-it as fast as my gammy leg would take me, right back to civilisation and shamelessly hugging 'civilisation' for being so wonderfully mundane. However, my upbringing and education defied all hope of escape; if there was danger a Watson would face it head-on and chin up, if there was a patient needing care I was duty-bound to grant it. I held my light higher, "I say, are you there Mr Holmes?"

"Helloa, over here,*" his voice was loud and confident; presumably I was expected to follow its direction. Regrettably Bart's morgue was a large and a somewhat sparse place, furnished with white tile-bricks, so his crisp tones bounced and echoed about the rooms.

"Where precisely is 'here'?"

"Use your common sense and follow the blood."

I lowered the light and immediately found the occasional red marks; they guided me eventually to a small corner at the far end of the room. Against the wall was a chair and in it was slumped a small dark-haired fellow. Kneeling before the chair was Mr Holmes himself, holding what looked like a woollen scarf tightly against the man's right leg.

"Why drag the fellow to a dark corner?" I was somewhat reluctant to approach, lack of light made them both appear quite sinister.

"Because madam, behind that wall is a vent from the boiling rooms, it is the warmest place down here. Look, his bleeding seems to have slowed a little, the blood is congealing to heal the wound don't you think?"

I kneeled next to him, "or he may have simply run out of the stuff." I gently pushed the bloody scarf aside and shone my lantern onto the wound. The little fellow wore a rather splendidly coloured tweed trouser; this had been torn aside to reveal a substantial gash running almost the length of his calf and inner foot. The sheer size of the cut would have been the main cause of the blood loss, indeed it had almost slashed his boot in two. "You were right Mr Holmes, this gentleman needs immediate attention. I'm sorry; frankly I did not fully believe or trust you." I carefully set aside the bag which contained various items needed to treat a patient for trauma and a small fire-axe, (lest I should be called upon to defend myself from the odious Mr Holmes.)

He pointed at his bloody coat, "yet you observed this?"

"Which could have easily been animal blood, you sir are an odd fish, this may have all been a silly trick to make me look foolish, or at worst a deception to ensnare me. Here, hold this and let me look closer."

"Yet you followed me regardless."

"I had no choice and I rather think you accounted for that. Besides you may be a horrid person Mr Holmes, but there is honesty about that nastiness boarding on bluntness. Can you help me remove all this material, especially these trousers; this boot will come away easily but that one will have to be unlaced."

"If I am to be honest Miss Watson, I find your attitude equally offensive, though you have previously stated this as out of character, so far I have found no evidence to support that assertion. I assume you wish me to tear away parts of his undergarments and not remove them entirely; I will take the liberty of leaving as much concealed as possible. Dear me, he is not a pretty sight dressed, but a young lady should not be exposed to such a frightening spectacle as these legs."

Our patient was unconscious, his breathing was regular and strong, his pulse steady. His skin was pale, though there was a quality about him that suggested that this was normal, around his eyes there was an olive greyness, probably a combination of blood loss and general fatigue. He was a little rat-faced looking fellow, all small and solid with hairy arms and somewhat exceptionally hairy legs. A preliminary examination of these showed that although the wound was large in length, it was fairly shallow and away from any vital arteries. It had cut into the Vastus Medialis and Soleus muscles; however my initial concern was the damage to nerve tissue across the right foot and the Abductor Hallucis muscle, that part of the cut was much deeper. "This is a sword wound, I have treated hundreds, but none quite like this; very large, with a dashed sharp blade and an odd tip to it. Who the devil did this?"

Mr Holmes raised an eyebrow, "a Niuweidao sword to be more precise. We were studying a nasty little problem at Blackfriars and I'm afraid this gentleman took it upon himself to liberate a shipment meant for China, the fellow guarding the cargo was none too pleased."

"You realise that the blood loss has been mostly caused by agitation. This gentleman has been moved a considerable distance, you should have kept him still and had him brought here via a cab."

"In the intervening time the fellow that inflicted this injury would have recovered consciousness and called his colleagues. Then all six of them could have joined me in searching for this hypothetical cab. If it is any consolation, I did carry him a good deal of the way." He pointed to his bloodied coat as through it were a testimonial.

"Even so, dragging him here and not consulting a proper doctor was fool-hardy at least."

"Miss Watson, could we possibly call a truce, I for one am rather tired of all this bickering. I have 'dragged' him here for his own safety. This gentleman should currently be off-duty, he certainly should not be with me and we both should have not been in that particular area. The group of individuals who did this are rather dangerous, I will resolve that. In the meantime we need to keep him hidden before he is traced and eliminated. Now, do you wish me to fetch anything from the bag you came with?"

"Yes, but give me a moment more, if I am unhappy he goes straight upstairs, Chinese villains or not. I will not patch a patient together to have him die regardless. Hospitals are safe places Mr Holmes, mostly full of honest, trustworthy people; indeed, I still see no dire need to keep him down here."

"Nowhere is safe, which is why he insisted on secrecy, I wholeheartedly agreed and brought him to you. Most people should not be trusted simply because they tell the truth, especially night porters and doctors, an honest man is a dangerous one. He is an honest policeman and would be eternally grateful for your co-operation, but be aware, they are looking for a man with a sword wound and will kill to get to him. Believe me Miss Watson, all those respectable and sincere individuals upstairs would be readily slaughtered by our pursuers to eliminate any threats. You are unofficial and have much to lose yourself if discovered; therefore you are the ideal person to treat him. However, do it as best you can and send us both on our way, he has seen too much and is therefore dangerous to you."

I sniffed the air, "he has also been drinking."

"Brandy, he must have had it on his person when I left him. He was quite conscious when we arrived."

"Which was a good sign. There appeared to be a vast amount of blood on this floor, but now I see it is only smears. I assume your coat and scarf account for most of the blood-loss, which is negligible. How long since the injury occurred, was he forced to use this foot and how much blood do you think he has lost?"

"Thirty minutes. Initially I left him, his leg was bandaged above the wound to control the blood flow and the foot was elevated, the bleeding was fresh, so the loss was quite heavy, perhaps over half a pint. When we journeyed here he never walked, my coat and scarf absorbed most of it, I dragged him when exhausted, so taken as a whole perhaps one and a half pints. I have seen victims loose more and survive; therefore I would estimate his chances as fair."

"It is a shame he is intoxicated, a normal and sober response would be dashed useful for diagnosis, especially if he is in shock. I will have to wake him presently; however it is best to let him sleep for now. Well Mr Holmes if you insist then I have no choice, I will do my best and we will have to jolly-well hope his body can replenish what it has lost, without proper management he may develop hemorrhagic anemia. Just pass me a clean bowel, there is a flask in that bag with hot water, empty it with a little cold please and I will need you to find me a towel or cloth, actually a mortuary drape will do."

He looked into my bag, "you have a towel available in here, would that not be more hygienic?"

"To help clean the wound yes, but I need something to kneel on Mr Holmes, my leg tends to feel the cold somewhat keener these days. Now will you please do as I ask and without question."

He froze and his mouth opened, unfortunately he was examining the fire-axe and dropped it.

Suddenly the head of our unconscious gentleman shot up and he looked at me directly in the eye, "bloody-ell, who are you? Oh gud-no, I'm dead an you're an angel, a proper angel." He slowly raised and pointed his finger, "but it ain't no use dear angel, even gud imself couldn't get Mr olmes ere to stop askin bloody questions."

"Do be quiet Lestrade."

"Be quiet is it, when there's a messenger of the lord imself kneeling before me. Look at ow er alo shines, so bright an so beautiful."

"That Inspector is just red hair and you have been drinking." He passed me the bowel and the towels.

"Brandy Mr olmes, would av thought that big nose of yours cud smell it an de- de-deduce... Where am I? Can't be heaven, not with im ere."

I settled my things about me and started work, "you are in St Bartholomew's Hospital sir. I say, are you sure this gentleman has not had a blow to the head Mr Holmes, he seems a little confused and I need to determine if shock has set in?"

"Oy, who's pinched me trousers?"

"No, he has a talent for being confused; his powers of simple observation are always practically none-existent. This Miss Watson is Inspector Lestrade, admittedly not at his best, he is the pick of a bad lot and the finest Scotland Yard can offer." He swept his hand over the gentleman with an air of resignation. "This Inspector is Miss Watson, formerly nurse to her majesty's military, at her best and doing a splendid job, you should be skipping about on that leg in no time." He placed the light onto a low shelf and then withdrew, pulling a chair over to observe us in comfort and at a distance.

"Av I still got a leg?"The Inspector looked down suspiciously at the bottom half of himself, "not sawed it off then?"

"Absolutely not Inspector, once I've finished cleaning then I will stitch and the bleeding should subside. I do worry about your foot, I may have to do some minor reconstruction, but there is so little light it may be somewhat basic, I shall see what I can do. Afterwards you will have to visit a qualified doctor, but more essentially rest, allow the wound time to heal, besides you have lost a considerable amount of blood, your body needs time to replenish itself. Thankfully it's a clean cut and not too deep, it will heal nicely, you are lucky it was such a sharp sword."

The Inspector fiddled about in his coat pocket and produced a silver flask, took a large gulp and then lifted it into the air, "ere's to all angels of the lord. An ere's to all china-men with sharp swords, an, an to... an to the super-nin-tendant, gud bless im, he'll av my bollacks tomorrow."

"Lestrade, may l remind you we have a young lady present."

"No Mr olmes, she's an angel."

"Just moderate your language. That brandy has taken away your ability to use gods English correctly and will you cease referring to me as 'olmes'."

As the Inspector smiled down he winked at me and I must confess my heart almost melted.

Mr Holmes continued to rattle-on almost to himself, "I am well aware your Superintendent does not approve of my methods. Tonight's little farce would only confirm such disapproval; things did not go according to plan, though we did learn some valuable facts."

"You did Mr H-hholmes, I was sent to sit behind that bloody create of tea. Ow am I to do my duty when e wont let me miss?"

"You were there to keep watch Lestrade, nothing more. You should have stayed were I put you, jumping out like that was not in my plans."

"But they were being kidnapped."

"Be careful what you say in front of our nurse here." He stood up and moved closer, lowering his voice, "they were alive and safe, god only knows where they are now as I was forced to free the rest without adequate preparation. I had intended to telegraph ahead and have them all liberated at Gravesend, but that strategy relied on an element of surprise, which you effectively negated. Next time you must trust me."

"But when I sees young nippers bein treated like, like slaves they were-"

"Quiet Lestrade, Miss Watson does not need to know more than the basics, for her own good. Knowledge is dangerous, especially with that man."

"Which man?" He looked about the room as though expecting someone, then he looked suspiciously at Mr Holmes, "not your bloody maths professor again is it?"

"Quiet!"

He dramatically clamped his mouth shut, then placed his hand over it for good measure, then he started giggling. Eventually he leaned confidentially towards me, "take no notice of im I often say to myself. All charm e is when e wants sunthin, pain in the arse-ole-pardon-me, when es miffed. Bloody useful through, knows all these things, usually sits an tells ya, doesn't even hav to see for imself, leaves the legwork to us professionals," he winked again. "Only e says we all buggered-up this one, es-especially Gregson the, the pardon-me-miss I wont say what e is not to offend, but he is difficult like, Gregson that is not Mr olmes- Hhholmes, though they are both as slippery as eels if you get my meaning. Well I was dragged out I was, sud be at ome with the missis, gud bless her" he raised his flask again, but this time I managed to stop him before the silver touched his lips.

"No, you have already drank far too much tonight, alcohol will only worsen matters and your body needs to heal itself without any impediment."

"Oh well, it's a shame, everything seems less bloody after a snifter. Am I still hurting Miss- Miss Angelson, where have ya gone? Flown away then."

I had finished cleaning and was now sitting next to my bag and considering the best way to stitch the wound. "Apparently not, but I am afraid you will feel something soon," I showed him a large needle that had been sitting in sterilising fluid. "Prepare yourself sir."

His little eyes widened and he went a shade paler, "not an angel after-all, gud-elp me," then he fainted.

Mr Holmes leaned over and pattered his shoulder, "out like a gas-lamp, best thing for him. Let us hope that he stays that way." He turned to me, "Miss Watson, you have so far proved to be invaluable, brave and courageous."

It was the politest I had seen him, he oozed genuine kindness, then I remembered the little Inspectors words, 'all charm e is when e wants sunthin,' so I braced myself.

"I know this is difficult, but you must be little braver still and trust me again. I am about to leave you both here, I will be gone for perhaps two hours, potentially three. Do not be tempted to move this man or call for help until the morning. Do you understand?"

"Even if he is about to die?"

"Especially or there will be two dead before I return."

This was all starting to sound like the duplicate plot to a Charlotte Bronte novel, through Mr Holmes made a very poor Rochester. "Very well, but answer me one question before you go."

"I will do my best."

"I assume you are not policemen?" His almost comical response to this gave me an immediate answer. "Then do you work for another official authority? Frankly sir, knowing you are working for a department in her majesty's government would ease my conscience; after all I am completely flonking hospital rules."

He looked momentarily upwards and then directly at me, "why do people always disappoint? Just when they seem capable of rareness they fall back into inanity. I am my own master madam, I answer to no-one except myself. Now, I will make use of your fire-axe if I may, no doubt it will prove more useful in my hands."

I looked to where the axe had dropped but it had now disappeared, looking back I was surprised to find Mr Holmes gone as well, "I say, I wish he would cease that, it's most disconcerting and very impolite."

Part 3 coming soon... well, hopefully :D

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*I distinctly remember Holmes using the word 'Helloa' as opposed to 'Hello' as a call of recognition in one of the adventures. Now I could be wrong as I've made a quick search myself and can't quite find it?