4th Dec: From Ennui Enigma: Mrs Hudson tells two truths and a lie.

Martha Hudson lied to everyone she knew. It was not something she was proud of; her mother brought her up better than that! Her mother would never, thank heaven, know why she lied to every acquaintance, friend and even the remaining family members she had. She thought of her mother every time, though, and had worked out a routine - two truths and lie. Like a game she had played with her sister when they were younger.

"He was a good man."

"He left me everything when he went."

"I think about him every day."

The trick to it, of course, was that no one much liked to discuss grief. They would nod sympathetically, but take her lead and refuse to probe any deeper. Then, of course, she had the ambiguous luck of meeting Mr Sherlock Holmes.

"Do you object to experiments?"

"Experiments?!" She blinked in surprise. "That is..?"

"Chemical ones."

"Oh! Well, I... I suppose not. So long as all the furniture remains in one piece and you open the windows now and again to let out the smell."

"And music? I play the violin."

She smiled wistfully. "Oh I wouldn't mind that. My late husband used to play piano, as a matter of fact-"

"Husband?" He raised a curious eyebrow. "When did he pass away?"

She swallowed, steeled herself for the routine. "Just a year ago. He was a good man-"

He snorted. "Indeed?"

She felt the blood rush to her face. "Now, Mr Holmes-"

"No, no, I only meant-!" He stopped talking then, clearly not used to apologising. He took a deep breath, and tried again. "I meant no offense, Mrs Hudson. Please do forgive me, I did not mean to pry."

"Hm. Well, we shall let the matter alone then."

He nodded sharply, and went to inspect both bedrooms.

Martha sat in the armchair - her armchair - and looked out from the window. She thought of waterlilies, the gleam of sunlight on long, auburn hair, and the gentle plod of an old piano...

"They will do excellently!" Holmes's pronouncement snapped her from her reverie and she stood swiftly, dabbing at her eyes before turning back to face him. "I will of course have to find a suitable roommate, but that should be easy enough."

"If you say so." She had heard similar things from many a prospective tenant, and held out no particular hope for this one. Besides which, she wasn't sure she could cope with acting as landlady to someone so nosey and downright rude. "I will require one month's rent in advance from each of you, if you do decide to go ahead."

He waved a hand dismissively, and they went downstairs to the entrance hallway. She handed him his coat and hat.

"I do lead something of an alternative lifestyle." He did up the buttons on his coat carefully, though it was really quite warm enough outside. "Bohemian, I believe some would call it. So there is not much that shocks me."

She frowned. Her palms began to sweat. He apparently did not notice her discomfort, and stepped out into the sunshine with a brief, fleeting smile.

"If you don't mind me saying so, she had excellent taste in decor. The living room is exactly to my liking."

Her heart stuttered. "I... I don't know what you-"

"As I said, there is not much that shocks me." He doffed his hat to her. "Good day, Mrs Hudson. I hope to see you again soon."

She stared after him, mouth agape, as he strode jauntily to hail a cab. With a deep breath, she shut the door, heart still pounding with the revelation that someone out there knew. Not only knew, but accepted.

She went back to the living room and sat in the armchair. It was probably her imagination, but she fancied she could hear the echo of a faint and tinkling laugh. She looked sternly to the seat opposite.

"I suppose you would like him, wouldn't you?"

There was no response, of course, but Martha shook her head with a smile as though there had been. She leaned back in her chair and looked out again to the sunny day.

"He won't be back. He doesn't even have someone to split the rent with," she mused, to herself this time. She felt, oddly, disappointed.