Chapter 4:
"...long story short, I wore a dress to the restaurant, and a rather dashing young waiter gave me several glasses of fine wine 'on the house!'"
"Really? Hahaha!"
"That's hilarious!"
Months later, Basil and Dawson sat with the Flavershams in the sitting room of 221 1/2 Baker Street, laughing over some of Basil's stranger cases.
Olivia clapped. "What happened next, Mr. Basil?"
Her father broke in. "The rest of the story will have to wait, I think. It's getting late, and Olivia and I should—"
Thunder rumbled loudly outside.
"—get moving."
Dawson pulled back the curtains, revealing one wet world.
"Tsk! What a bad storm! There's no way you'll be able to find a cab this late, and you two can't walk home in this weather."
Basil nodded. "You're welcome to stay the night. The two of you could take my bedroom."
Hiram Flaversham shook his head. "No, no. We couldn't impose like that."
"Nonsense! It's no trouble," Basil said. "I usually sleep in Daw—"
Dawson surreptitiously stomped on Basil's paw.
"—oof! On the davenport! I prefer to sleep on the davenport, anyway!"
Hiram hesitated. "Are you sure we wouldn't be imposing?"
"It's perfectly fine, Mr. Shamerflav!"
"It's Flaversham—oh, never mind. Thank you."
"Goodnight, Mr. Basil! Goodnight, Dr. Dawson!"
The doctor and the detective waited until Mr. Flaversham and Olivia had retired before they went to Dawson's room for the night.
"Daddy? Have you seen Mr. Basil or Dr. Dawson?"
Hiram Flaversham scratched his head. "No, Olivia, I haven't. I imagine Dr. Dawson is still asleep—he's had a busy week, by the sound of it, and his injuries are probably bothering him." He paused for a moment. "I'd like to thank them before we leave, though."
He opened the door of the apartment and stuck his head out. After a moment, he spotted the landlady.
"Mrs. Judson, did Mr. Basil go out?"
"If he did, I didn't see him."
"That's worrisome. He said he'd be sleeping on the davenport."
"Have you asked Dr. Dawson?"
"I think he's still asleep."
Mrs. Judson put a finger to her plump chin. "Maybe you had better wake him. Someone needs to make sure Mr. Basil isn't getting into trouble."
"I suppose you're right."
With that, Hiram walked up to Dawson's bedroom door, and rapped on it with his knuckles.
When there was no response, he tentatively turned the doorknob and peeped into the room.
Mr. Flaversham gasped. Though a pillow obscured his view of the head, it was undeniable that a figure of a mouse lay in the bed next to a still-sleeping Dawson.
"Dr. Dawson!"
The doctor opened his eyes, and sprang up into a sitting position.
"My goodness!" Hiram yelled. "Sir, I thought you to be a gentleman, and here you are, unmarried and in bed with a woman! With myself and my young daughter in the flat, too!"
"I assure you, Mr. Flaversham, I can explain—"
"Have you no shame?"
The commotion drew the attention of Mrs. Judson and Olivia, and the two peeked into the room as well. Mrs. Judson's paw flew to her mouth.
"Dr. Dawson! This is shocking! What would Mr. Basil say if he knew you brought some woman to the apartment?"
The figure in the bed with Dawson stirred.
"Quite frankly, my dear Mrs. Judson, I don't object at all."
Mr. Flaversham and Mrs. Judson watched, open mouthed, as Basil himself climbed out of Dawson's bed, yawned, and strode past them.
Olivia almost fell over trying to hide her giggles.
"Please, I—I can assure you," Dawson stuttered, red as a tomato, "this isn't what it looks like..."
Basil's voice carried over from the other room. "Get a move on, my gorgeous maiden! We have lots to do today!"
In tandem, Mr. Flaversham and Mrs. Judson glanced over their shoulders at Basil, then looked back at Dawson, bewilderment plain on their faces.
"Basil and I aren't... I mean, we didn't..." Dawson blushed even harder, and smacked a paw to his forehead.
"Oh, God..."