The Adventure of the Curse of Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock Holmes; that honour is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate--well, some of it's pretty free-domain, but whatever. XD

KS: Halloa! Welcome to chapter the third of The Adventure of the Curse of Two. My thanks to everyone that has read, and even more to everyone that has thought enough to review! I'm also very glad that some of you seem to like my Victorian English--I didn't even know it was worth noting. XD

Now, I'm sure everyone who is familiar with A.C.D. and his Holmes stories knows that there are a lot of errors in the canon. Well, as I was reading the two chapters I have already posted, I saw little Doyle-like errors. XD

I don't mind at all having the little ones, because having little canon-like errors makes it seem more authentic. But if anyone ever sees any glaring errors--a major fault in my English, etc., don't fail to let me know in a review.

Please, enjoy the new chapter:D

We were now gathered in the drawing-room. Holmes was seated in a high-backed armchair in the centre, Stanley Hopkins was on his left, the two Chattertons on his right, and I was to their right. Before us were the remaining servants: a maid, the boy, and two fine young stable lads.

It was very quiet for the first minute or two as Holmes looked over each of them, his face as calm as if it were set in granite and the only sound was the ticking of the clock on the mantelpiece.

"Did you hear anything the night of the first deaths, two weeks ago?" Holmes asked.

Each of the servants looked thoughtful, and gradually, each of them shook their head.

"No, Mr. Holmes. I didn't hear anything." the older stable lad said earnestly. The others murmured the same.

"Nothing has been amiss? Nothing, save that 'ill feeling' described?"

"No, sir." The maid said.

"What were the dates of each set of deaths?"

"I have that, Mr. Holmes." said Stanley Hopkins. "I inquired about it as soon as I arrived." He held out a small, red notebook, already turned to the right page. Holmes took it in his long, thin hands and ran his eyes over the notes. After he was through, he passed it back to Hopkins and turned his keen eyes back on the servants.

"Who has been cooking your supper since the cook's death? I see that she was one of the second pair to die."

"Annie the maid has been doing it, Mr. Holmes." Charles replied. "And a fine enough job of it, too."

"Nothing to complain about then? You haven't noticed anything odd about the foods have you, Annie?"

The young woman shook her head. "No, sir. Nothing at all."

"Well, that settles that. It's obvious your diets haven't suffered." Holmes said, his eyes growing a bit distant as he thought. He stood up quickly. "Come, I believe I'd like to have a look at the deceased's rooms."

"Of course, right this way, Mr. Holmes." said William as he, his brother, and Hopkins stood. Charles dismissed the servants, and William guided us to the back wing of the house, where the maids slept.

"So, Mr. Holmes, have you found anything helpful which may help you to untangle this dreadful net that is around us?" William asked hopefully as we walked.

Holmes, I could tell, had been thinking, but pulled himself out of his thoughts to reply.

"I believe that the truth isn't too far away, Mr. Chatterton. But I cannot give any hopes until I have seen the rooms."

We reached the door of the first maid's chambers, and as Hopkins reached to open the door, Holmes turned quickly around to face the Chatterton brothers.

"Please, if you don't mind, I would like to investigate these rooms without interference. As I understand, Inspector Hopkins has already seen the rooms, so he can keep you company out here as Watson and I continue our investigations."

He swiftly opened the door and ushered me inside. He followed, closing the door behind himself and rubbing his long, thin hands together in excitement.

"Now, Watson," he said, his eyes shining, "We shall get down to the very heart of the matter."

Indicating for me to go to the side so I would be out of the way, he stepped forward, his sharp eyes taking in absolutely every detail of the room. His nostrils flared, and his long, sinewy form was filled with a repressed, highly concentrated, nervous energy as I have seen in no other man.

He whipped out his lens and fell to the floor, examining a few light marks on the boards, and then stood again. He crossed directly over to the bureau and checked the maid's hairbrush and other personal items. He sat them down impatiently and moved over to the bed. He lifted the skirting and looked at the side of the mattress casually. As he did so, I saw his face grow even more intense. In an instant he tore off the bedclothes knelt down beside it, and, beginning at the foot of the bed, he began to slowly examine the entire mattress through his lens.

I watched carefully as he did so, but failed to see what he was doing. About a little over halfway to the top he stopped, tossed his lens aside, and pushed down on the bed with both hands close together excitedly.

"Halloa!" he ejaculated softly. "Watson, look!"

I stepped over and stared at the place his eyes were focused so intently on. "I fail to see anything, Holmes."

In reply, Holmes pushed lightly with his fingernail at a small, almost unnoticeable red thorn sticking up from within the mattress. My own brow furrowed. I cannot claim to be as quick a man as Holmes, but even this discovery didn't completely escape me.

"Holmes...is it...?"

Holmes slowly nodded as he pulled the object from the bed in the most careful fashion. He stood, holding the thorn warily between his forefinger and thumb, and slowly paced the room as he stared at it. He suddenly stopped, and turned toward me, his eyes remaining on the thorn.

"I shall want your help to-night, Watson."

KS: Thanks for reading! I really do wish that would let me keep the formatting I've used on this--I've done a nice little job of using a perfect font, spacing, etc. (In the future, I even plan to print it out, double-columned, proper font, justified, and possibly even with added illustrations by myself, just for the sake of having it. xD )

But, I digress. I don't think this chapter turned out well. But I think I will salvage it with the next one. xD