When I finally walked back in the door of 221B Baker Street some time later, fairly bursting with annoyance and questions in equal part, I was greeted by an unexpected sight. Madeleine reclined in a nest fashioned of cushions in the middle of our sitting room floor. She was surrounded by an astonishing variety of objects including several spoons from the kitchen, one of my best gloves, the Meissen porcelain fox, the wooden lid from the box in which Holmes kept spare coins and a large cotton handkerchief. In her hand Madeleine gripped a leather watch-strap with several dark patches giving evidence that she had been using it as a teething toy.
Sitting in a chair at the head of the dining table was Holmes. Violin under his chin, he did not look up when I came in, but continued to play a Mozart adagio in his accustomed measured manner. His head bent over the instrument as he swayed slowly in time to the gentle rhythms.
"Holmes," I began, but stopped as he shook his head violently.
"Quiet," he whispered. "Can you not see she is falling asleep?" Indeed, Madeleine's eyelids appeared to be drooping and the watch-strap close to falling from her hand. Holmes continued to play for a few minutes while I stood, spellbound, and watched the baby drift off to sleep. Finally he put down his Stradivarius and very quietly stood, motioning to me to follow him out of the room.
I looked around the kitchen as we entered, noting the efforts Nanny had made to rectify our disorder. Whatever else she was, at least she was tidy.
"Now what in heaven's name is going on?" I exclaimed, taking care to keep my voice low. "How did you manage to appear in the park at just the right moment, in just the right spot?"
"That woman was sent here to kidnap Madeleine, no doubt by Moriarty himself. I cannot imagine what dire fate he threatened her with to corrupt her so. I merely divined that she was dishonest, which immediately made me suspect her every move. That is why I sent you to the park with her, Watson."
"But how did you discover her dishonesty? She seemed to me to be the soul of sweetness."
"That she was, which is why I am certain she was not fully aware of the danger she posed to Madeleine. As to her dishonesty, it was you who first prompted me to be aware of her circumstances. As I have said, I took not the least interest in her background, thinking any nanny to be better than none. However, your indignation at my not going round to speak to her references made me more aware of what she did say. I told you she claimed to have worked at one of the finest homes in London. However, when she arrived this morning you must have noticed that her mittens, which she took great pains to hide, were mended in no less than three spots. In addition, there were several clear tallow marks visible on her sleeve, the kind of mark made by a guttering candle being carried, perhaps up the stairs in the evening. Surely in a fine home gas would have already been laid on, eliminating the need for candles. This roused my suspicions, but they became firm when she returned from having set the child down in your chamber for a nap. She emerged from your room with the unmistakeable scent of warm tallow about her, meaning that she had lit a candle in your chamber, which tends to be a bit dim in midmorning. My little trip to your chamber while she was making the tea confirmed that fact. She lit that candle despite the fact that there is a readily accessible gas lamp directly beside the bed. Why else would she not use the lamp, unless it is because she did not know how? Directly after that I dispatched Harry with three wires, to the three names on the letters she brought here. He was unable to send the telegrams, as the three people no longer lived in London. The childhood teacher had died, the minister was transferred to Kenya, and the family she worked for, as I have said, moved away to India. I looked at the letters again, and could not see that they had been forged - unless by a master hand.
"Thus I insisted upon your accompanying the girl to the park, knowing that if indeed she were in league with Moriarty he might have an abduction planned. He showed his hand right away. You will recall I spotted a man outside earlier, erroneously assuming him to be following Billy. When the three of you left the flat, that figure suddenly reemerged. It was not Billy he was waiting for, but Nanny and Madeleine. I acted immediately, keeping out of sight. It is a singular phenomenon, Watson, that those criminals who are skilled in following can do so nearly invisibly, the only exception of course being when they are attempting to follow me. However, when trailing their prey most of them never think to look behind themselves. Thus it is quite simple to follow someone who is following someone else."
"I'm not quite sure I follow you."
"The man in the dark coat followed you to the park. I followed him. Thus I came to the park immediately after you did, but I was not behind you. For as you entered the gate, the man sent to trail you turned and walked a different way. He met up with a landau and spoke for a moment with someone inside, then continued. He had obviously contracted earlier with our so-called Nanny to meet in the park at an agreed-upon spot, for her to hand over our - the - child. Had you not insisted upon the young woman's references, arousing my suspicions, they would have undoubtedly succeeded."
"But the hansom cab," I cried. "Where on earth did it come from, just at the right moment?"
Holmes grinned. "My brother Mycroft. Just as I left the flat in pursuit I sent our footman running to the Diogenes Club to get him. He is always willing to assist when needed, provided he is not needed too often. As I have told you, his own power of reasoning is equal to mine, if not superior, yet he prefers not to undertake the detective life himself, preferring the quiet cultured halls of his Club. When he arrived at the park he merely followed the crowds, who had followed you so as not to miss the spectacle of a man chasing a young woman and a baby carriage."
I flushed slightly. "I suppose we made quite a sight. Truly though, Holmes, was it necessary to go driving off like that without me? It did leave me feeling rather the fool."
"Sorry, old chap. I was not certain who else might be around lying in wait to cause Madeleine harm. Remember, there was at least one other vehicle there which I saw."
"Do you suppose that could have been Moriarty?"
"Him or a crony. The man is desperate to get his maniacal hands on the baby. I am quite convinced now that the only place for her is within these four walls. She will not leave these rooms until I have assured her safety and thwarted whatever plans Moriarty has for her." He pressed his lips together resolutely. "One thing does continue to bother me."
"What is that?"
"That man in the park. I know I have seen him someplace before. It nags at the edges of my memory. He has somehow changed his appearance, for otherwise I am certain I would know him immediately."
I lifted the empty teakettle from the stove. "I am sure it will come to you in time. Meanwhile, since we are already in here, why don't I put on the water for some tea? I think there are some jumbles left from this morning."
Holmes eyed my waist. "Don't you think you might be better off without sweets for awhile, old man?"
"Well! When did you become so critical of my physique?"
"We just both need to be in prime condition to complete this case. A slow step could have cost us much, this afternoon." Of course he was right, but the idea of Sherlock Holmes noticing the physical condition of another human being for any reason other than to solve a riddle was so novel, I had to take a few minutes to digest it. In the meantime a small squeal from the outer room told us our charge had awaken.
"I'll see to her while you get the tea," Holmes threw over his shoulder as he left the room.
A few minutes later, carrying a tray laden with a pot of Holmes' favorite Chinese tea and a plate of plain water biscuits, I walked carefully into the outer room. Holmes sat on the floor cross-legged facing Madeleine, his back toward the kitchen and myself.
"Can you hold this by yourself?" he was asking, holding up a wooden mallard duck which seemed to me far too large for her to hold. "Come, show your Uncle Sher - why Watson, I didn't hear you come in." Holmes looked startled and stood hastily, straightening out the creases in his trousers. Madeleine gazed up at him as he stood, and reached out her hands for the duck.
Smiling, I put the tea tray down on the floor and lowered myself deliberately next to the child. "Do sit down again - "I almost said 'Uncle Sherlock,' but I could not bring myself to go that far. "I believe you are becoming attached to this baby, Holmes," I said for the second time that day. This time, he did not bother to deny it but merely sat back down and handed the duck to Madeleine.