Chapter 3
He's Killed The Dog Again
221B, Baker Street
Miss Evans, the hired nanny for Holmes and Watson stood in the doorway of Holmes's study; she observed the room with a disappointed look on her face. The room as large as it was appeared small, miniature in fact in the current state. There were folders full of paper stacked high on the desk, inventions of a strange looking appearance scattered throughout the room, vials and a large selection of bottles filled with strange substances on a small shelf just above the desk and a rather dead looking dog laying belly up in the far right hand corner of the study. She sighed and shook her head, that would be the third time this week that he'd tried to kill the dog. She carefully stepped over stacks of paper that lay across the entrance of the room and made her way over towards the dog, she bent down slowly and stroked the poor animal's head all the way down to its tail, the dog twitched before laying perfectly still again. She rose to her feet once more and surveyed the room before deciding to start with cleaning the desk. The front door swung open downstairs and two sets of loud footsteps thundered up the staircase. The door of the study creaked open and Holmes stepped into the room, spotted Miss Evans and quickly ushered her out of the room before returning to his armchair in the centre of the room, tossing his overcoat and hat to one side, picking up the large stack of papers that lay by the foot of the chair and placing his pipe in his mouth. Watson shortly followed, apologised briefly to Miss Evans and stood behind Holmes, leaning casually on the back of the armchair, scanning over the words on the paper. He stole a glance towards the small wooden window outside as the sound of horse shoes sounded down the cobbled street outside, London had always been busy for as long as he could remember but it had seemed busier these past few months. Holmes cleared his throat which made Watson jump; he instantly looked back to Holmes who was now shuffling through folders on the desk at the far end of the study.
"Holmes, shouldn't we really have started solving this case by now?"
Holmes shot a glance back to Watson "All in good time, old boy"
Watson sighed and paced over to the open doorway, a mild draft was blowing from the open window at the end of the corridor, and he shivered a little before buttoning up his overcoat "Well I shall be off for now then, Isabel is expecting me"
Holmes didn't as much as glance up at Watson "I expect you back here, first thing tomorrow morning"
Watson briefly nodded before heading down the staircase, Miss Evans standing in the reception room doorway caught him off guard.
She smiled slightly while fixing a loose strand of hair "I'll be seein' ya tomorro' then Dr" She curtsied before scuttling off back to her duties.
Watson hurried out of the doorway and down the three greying steps onto the bustling street, his mind was occupied with the thought of Isabel, he was supposed to be marrying her next month, only 3 weeks away. She was a beautiful woman with her long, wavy brunette hair and tanned skin. Her rosy lips always wore a smile and her green eyes glistened. He loved her dearly and had done for many months but he was not as sure as he first was about the idea of marriage now. He couldn't ask for more of anyone but he also knew his heart lay elsewhere. He glanced up at the small window of the study and sighed. Holmes, his best friend and companion for many, many years, they had solved endless cases together and really been to hell and back, he'd always been able to rely on Holmes but he also knew that, that was indeed where his heart truly belonged. He knew he'd never be able to admit this to Holmes but he wished that one day, Holmes would come out and tell him exactly what he wished to hear. He knew that day would never come and the thought made him miserable. He lowered his gaze and walked off down the street.