The Adventure of Hecate House

Chapter 25: Come into my parlour

Arranging my appointment with my unwitting nemesis was a gentlemanly affair involving gracious contacts and handshakes. At the invitation, as I understood it, of Colonel Rangaford, he had returned to London to further impede Miss Meredith Rangaford's well-being, under the guise of inquiring after Mrs Rangaford's.

I met him there, under the bland, unrecognising gaze of that admirable young woman. I was assuming the identity of a distant friend of the family. With a sense of near-unreality, I took my seat in the Colonel's smart parlour, with a porcelain cup of tea upon my lap, and with Dr Raddison in the same room.

I studied him surreptiously. He was a tall man, and arrestingly gross, some of his bulk corpulence, some pronounced muscle-mass. His presence would be one which would fill a room. He had the slight air of a dandy, his immaculately tailored suit rather more tasteful than the somewhat flamboyant waistcoat straining over his enormous abdomen. His hair was grizzled, and swept back with pomade. His face was a large one, with jowls beginning to pendulate. Little creases around his eyes gave him a superficial appearance of bonhomie. The eyes themselves were slate-grey, and possessed of as much warmth as that stone. A prominent nose and jutting chin completed the portrait of a man of determination and decision.

I awaited my chance of imploring that he grant me a private interview.

I think I carried it off rather well, the blend of hauteur, embarrassment, nerves and eagerness. My role was enhanced by my very physical reaction to meeting the man.

Dr Raddison had sent a chill down my spine when I saw him across the street. Now, knowing what I did about him, and knowing the state Watson still lay in following a session which must have been assumed to meet with his approval, he turned my stomach.

A distant cousin of ours had once visited our house when I was six years old. The cousin, Claude, had been fourteen at the time, a year older than Mycroft, and we were both keen to impress him. He had shown us his pet - an enormous, bird-eating spider named Sidney. Mycroft, with customary disdain, had played his part by saying he had no conception of why he should want to handle such a disgusting beast. It says much for his aplomb that this attitude was not viewed as spinelessness by our cousin.

I had attempted to mimic his sanguinity, and been laughed at, and teased for a coward. With a pout, I had rolled up my sleeve, held out my hand, and demanded to hold Sidney. The terrible, creeping, shrinking sensation within my very skin I can still recall to this day as the hairy-legged beast began crawling deliberately up my arm. The same sensation was afflicting me now. Few criminals have had this impact upon me. I was not at liberty to react as I had then (my cousin had squealed with alarm that Sidney was about to bite, and I had screamed hysterically, jerking my hand away, and jumping around shaking it, whilst Mycroft and Claude howled with laughter), but instead I harnessed the sense of loathing to augment my endeavours.

Raddison had greeted me with a handshake, and we had made desultory, polite conversation. I saw the slightest flicker of greedy interest in his eyes when I revealed my assumed identity. I then reached my point, which he had been most civilly waiting for me to reach, when Miss Rangaford departed under a pretext.

"Dr Raddison, I must confess, I have something of an ulterior motive in seeking an introduction with you."

"Ah, I suspected as such, my boy. Oh, pray, do not be self-conscious. In my line of work, it pays to observe these little details."

So smooth and unctuous. He leaned in towards me to just the tiniest degree; a mannerism designed to invite confidence. I had seen Watson perform the same manoeuvre a thousand times before, and found it a warming gesture. In Raddison, it was like an obscene parody of genuine kindness. It was admirably done, and the assumption of avuncular warmth was wonderful, but I found myself wondering how anyone could ever have been taken in by this man when I myself, not generally a fanciful person, seemed to see waves of pure evil emanating from his person. I concealed my revulsion, and continued to play my part.

"It is regarding your line of work I wished to consult you. I have a wife, you see..." I stuttered artistically to a halt.

"You are to be congratulated, dear boy" prompted Raddison, with just the right blend of humour, kindness and deference, a gentle smile playing about his lips. He may smile and smile and be a villain, I thought. I smiled back at him, self-consciously, and continued.

"My wife and I are very happily married, but as yet we have no heir. I have heard you have some expertise upon these matters, which I would be most grateful to acquire. Is there any possibility you can accommodate us?" I babbled, as if I had been girding myself for this speech for days.

Raddison settled his bulk more comfortably into his arm chair.

"It is always a pleasure to be of use to young couples such as yourselves. I do run a clinic from my residence in Devon. Well, I say clinic. It is more of an all-encompassing experience, to be truthful, even if I do sound to be calling my own praises. Here is my card, and my direction.

"I would be delighted if you and your lovely lady wife would care to join me. Perhaps you would care for some preliminary information regarding uninteresting subjects such as fees before you committed?"

I flapped a hand dismissively. "Money is of no consequence in this concern. I am most willing to pay for the best care for my wife and I."

"Splendid! Now that these sordid details are no longer of interest, perhaps we could arrange a time for you to visit?"

He drew a diary from his breast pocket. I reciprocated, trying to appear as if I was trying not to appear too eager.

"I would be most appreciative if you could see us at your earliest convenience" I stated. "My wife finds our situation.... distressing, and I would prefer not to delay too long, for her sake." I made a mental note to inform Miss Hunter she was to be a rather hysterical type, and watched the satisfaction at this pronouncement just reveal itself on Raddison's face.

"You are in luck" he said, having made a concession to checking the diary. "I have a clear three days at the start of next week. Will this be time enough for you to make your preparations?" Four days. It should be sufficient for him to check my pedigree, and for me to ensure Watson was continuing to mend as I liked.

"That would be admirable. Thank you, Dr Raddison" I said, as I rose to depart, wringing his hand.

"Your are most welcome. My man will meet you at the station to convey you to my premises. I shall greatly look forward to meeting you both at Hecate House."

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It's all arranged, then. No turning back now. Violet and Holmes arrive at Hecate House in Chapter 26.