Chapter 21

This chapter is merely to answer even the last question regarding this remarkable tale and so I have it end, where it all began. - With a little baby, a concerned country squire, a young woman safely returned, two men in front of the fireplace at 221 b Baker Street and a well-played violin.

xxx

When we arrived at Lewes, my brother was already waiting for us, Louise, tucked into a perambulator, by his side, making him look like a proud new father.

"Are you sure, you don't want to come home with me?" he asked, looking at our mother to back his suggestion. Which she surprisingly did not, glancing sideways at my husband who supported me with his arm with more strength than would have actually be required.

"You only want to postpone your farewell to this young lady, be honest." I pointed at the sleeping, healthy looking baby in the pram, who looked so unlike the little creature I had taken in to coddled her up with lots of patience and many a sleepless night. "You, with your two boys, would not mind a little princess, I dare say."

"No, I would not. But apart from that, you look as if you could do with another day of rest." Cedric answered and I realised, it was not an easy feat for my brother to let go of his little sister and see her leave in the arms of another man.

I knew he had a point though, and had I been on my own, I would at this moment, have heartily agreed to stay even another fortnight. But Lou's mother, finally recovered, was desperate to at last embrace her baby girl. I did not have the heart to have her wait any longer. And after all, there was also my husband to consider, who seemed eager to get back to London and his creature comforts. And I wanted to go home at last, too, and as much as I loved my brothers family it had been some years since I had called his house my home. Over the last week something – or rather someone else, had become my home.

"I will have that in London, Ceddy." I hence replied.

"Yes, but the baby? Who would take care of her? It is hard work, you know?"

I rolled my eyes. As if I did not know!

"Her mother, Cedric. And the nurse she employs. Louise is well now and so is her mother, I received a note from her while in Winchester. We'll drop her off on our way home and hence I will have every rest I could possibly wish for."

"All right then." Cedric sighed, his eyes darting over to my spouse. "But can I at least tempt you to an early lunch? - Or rather a second breakfast. The inn across the road serves an excellent gammon."

My stomach was growling as I had not had any appetite before we had set off and I was all too happy to at least accept his invitation. Apart from that, I knew that my brother was right, the tavern did serve the best gammon that was to be had.

xxx

"You know what?" Sherlock asked me when we, at last, had boarded the train to London, Louise in tow, still tucked into the perambulator, waving our goodbyes to my mother and brother.

"No."

"You never told me, why you kept your occupation a secret from your brother."

"Oh, that old story! Well, it is short and simple enough - when I had finished school, I was packed off to London to be introduced into society."

A grin stole across his face, as he made himself comfortable in his seat, one leg stretched out in front of him, the other foot on the pram, rocking it absent-mindedly as the little girl had become fretful, her little feet kicking aside the blanket that had covered her.

"Yes, that indeed is cause for amusement. Anyway, I was very successful in scaring away any potential suitor, as soon as I opened my mouth."

"I see nothing wrong with your mouth, I think it looks very lovely." his eyes fixed on my lips as he spoke.

"Thank you, but I think it was more what it had to say, than how it looked. My opinions are perhaps a bit too daring to befit a woman and in particular the sister of a country squire."

"That I do believe in an instant. Though I have not yet heard one opinion of yours, that I could not agree with. But you are certainly far too clever to be a traditional wife and mother. The merely decorative part does not suit you anyhow."

"Thank you, again. But you are not very traditional yourself and too intelligent to be scared by anyone who is clever likewise." I smiled. "Anyway, Cedric would have loved for me marrying a politician, or any other man of consequence and take, as you have put it so nicely, the decorative part. Though a politician, especially a conservative one, would have been just perfect in his eyes."

"Because he had just gone into politics himself, I presume."

"Of course. And he had, of course, chosen a local conservative party, which at the time had made a plea in parliament, to banish women from higher education again."

"Oh dear! I can almost see what is coming next." he chuckled.

"Yes. I mentioned my plan casually over dinner one night and have to say, I was not much surprised when he did not agree with my future plans. - To put it politely."

"So you and your mother made sure, he did not find out."

"Exactly. - How did you figure out, my mother knew?"

"Because she showed not the least sign of surprise when it was mentioned."

"Cedric could have told her by then. I am quite surprised he did not make a fuss about it."

"He could have told her, of course, and I am sure he did. But it was obvious, that she had some deeper insight. And that she was the reason he did not make a fuss. Your mother can be quite daunting, my dear."

I laughed, shaking my head in exasperation at the same time. How would I even manage to smuggle a birthday or Christmas present into the house, without him noticing? Once more Mrs Hudson's words came to mind. And then something else, something more pressing.

"Your housekeeper as well. - This may sound a bit odd, but how are we going to arrange our living arrangements?"

"Do you want to live with me?" he looked at me intently, stopping to rock the pram and sitting upright, slightly bending forward.

"Do you want me to live with you?" I asked, suddenly unsure of how we would commence. The last week all of a sudden seemed like a wonderful dream.

Sherlock had been sitting opposite of me, but now he got up and sat down by my side, taking my hand.

"What do you think?" he pulled me close and kissed me – or rather tried to – since as soon as our lips were about to touch, Louise began crying.

I picked the unhappy baby up, taking her out of the pram and began feeding her the bottle that had been conveniently packed into the foot end of the vehicle, wrapped in a thick piece of woollen fabric to keep it warm.

"I guess I will have to get used to this, sooner or later." He smiled, not the least taken aback, shaking the babies tiny fist.

"It is not very often I agree to take on a charge such as this. I have only done so once before and then only for two days." I informed him.

"That is not what I meant." he carefully pulled me close again, one of his fingers trapped in a tiny pudgy fist, and kissed me.

xxx

So we dropped off my little charge, and I agreed to come to dinner sometime soon and at last, we made our way home. - His home for the moment.

When we did reach 221b Baker Street, I was ready to faint and accordingly put into my husband's single bed, which in turn caused a slight uproar with his motherly landlady. In a state of being half awake and half asleep, I listened to the ensuing conversation through the slightly open door to the living room - not without some amusement.

"Mr Holmes!" I heard Mrs Hudson scold. "You cannot just put a lady in your bed."

"Why ever not?" he asked pausing in his task of tuning his violin.

"Because that is an indecent thing to do."

"How so?"

"Oh, Mr Holmes, do I really have to explain the concept of propriety to you?"

"It appears so since I thoroughly fail to understand your concern."

"You cannot just put any given lady into your bed, it will cause a scandal. And she is the sister of a friend of yours. What would he say?"

"I don't put any given lady into my bed, I've put just this one into it. And besides, she is the sister of my brother in law. I doubt he would mind very much."

"I never knew you had a brother in law. - But then again, I never knew you had a brother for several years, so why should it surprise me you also have a sister?" the landlady mumbled, "And anyway, it still would not make it decent for the young miss to sleep in your bed since she still would not be a relative of yours."

"I don't have a sister, Mrs Hudson," he replied calmly. "Oh, and before I forget, I hired a new page boy. He'll arrive in two days. From Winchester."

"Never mind the page boy, rather be so kind and explain to me how on earth you could have a brother in law without having a sister? Doctor Watson, can you not try and reason with this impossible man?"

The doctor had clearly just come in. He sounded confused when he answered:

"I could try if you tell me what the matter is."

"Mr Holmes here, put that young lady, that came here last Thursday – you know the one who fainted – into his bed to sleep there."

"I fail to see the problem, Mrs Hudson."

In my mind, I could vividly see the poor woman stare at her two lodgers in exasperated disbelief.

"By the way, Watson, have you written to your wife? Will she return to London?"

"Do not dare change the subject!" the landlady screeched.

"I am sorry, I thought that with Watson's reply it was closed." was the innocent reply.

"You are pulling my leg!"

"I am, Mrs Hudson. I am." I could even hear the smile in his voice. "Sir Cedric is my brother in law because I am married to his sister. - The very lady who now sleeps in my bed. And since she is my wife, there is nothing indecent in her doing so."

For a moment everything remained silent before Mrs Hudson spoke again.

"Oh, at last!" she exclaimed. "At last you have come to your senses. It was about time."

Her warm and happy exclamations were soon drowned in soft and soothing tunes, as Sherlock Holmes settled down to an afternoon of music. I had had no idea just how well he could play the instrument. The lovely sound soon carried me off to sleep and when I woke up in the late evening, I found that even a single bed can hold two people easily.

A gentle hand caressed my temple and a gentle voice whispered, almost indistinguishable:

"I love you, Harriet. I love you so very much."

I turned around to face my husband, kissing his lips, before replying:

"I love you, too, Mr Sherlock Holmes."

"I did not know, you were awake," he muttered, sounding slightly embarrassed, wrapping his arm around me, to pull me even closer.

"Does it make a difference?" I asked, caressing his cheek.

"It makes all the difference. But in a good way."