Disclaimers: See Part 1.
*****
::London::
We turned to face the master of the house, a gentleman of average build, tidily dressed, with side-
whiskers like the mane of a bob-cat. His hair was sandy-blond, touched with a bit of grey at the
temples and in the whiskers. As we watched, waiting for MacAvoy to find his tongue again, Mr
Cavitz recomposed himself, the ruddiness subsiding like an ebb tide.
"Forgive my outburst," Cavitz said, "I'm not accustomed to finding strangers in my house -
especially at the apparent behest of one of my servants."
"It was a good-faith error," Vetinari replied calmly, "We believed MacAvoy had gained your
blessing for our presence - naturally some margin can be allowed, considering how close his
daughter came to being killed." He held out his hand to Cavitz. "Sherlock Holmes, at your
service. You have my every assurance that I will find out who caused this heinous deed, and
bring him to justice."
Cavitz clasped Vetinari's hand dubiously. "Alastair Cavitz, at yours. I thought it was just
happenstance," he said, "a gas leak or whatnot."
Vetinari smiled. "I doubt that very much - after all, I saw no gas fixture in that corner, though
they are quite plain flanking the fireplace and over by the door. Unless, of course, you can think
of a way to make gas from any of them pool over there."
Cavitz was silent.
"Now," Vetinari continued, "I am currently trying to get an idea of where everyone was when the
incident occurred."
"Well, I wasn't in the parlour, thank the good Lord, when it happened. I was in the hallway just
outside the kitchen. I was going to follow Mrs Morris - she was bringing out the cake - and my
wife back into the parlour so I could wish Rebecca a happy birthday and give her my gift."
"Was anyone else in the hall with you?" Vetinari asked.
"I was talking with Mrs MacAvoy about a strange smell under the bed. I suspected that she or
one of the other maids hadn't cleaned properly in the bedroom and I wanted to bring it to her
attention."
I barely saw Vetinari's attention flicker, but flicker it did, towards Mrs MacAvoy, who was now
standing not far behind Cavitz. I could not readily perceive what it was that had caught Vetinari's
attention, and I resolved to ask him about it later.
"Thank you, Mr Cavitz," Vetinari said presently, "You have been most helpful."
"If there's anything else I can do to help you, just ask," Cavitz offered.
"There is something you can help me with," Vetinari replied immediately, "I should like to speak
with Mrs MacAvoy's brother Nathan. I'm given to understand he was quite in the thick of it."
Cavitz frowned. "I'm afraid that will be--"
"I know where he is," Mrs MacAvoy said suddenly, "I can take you to see him once you're done
here, Mr Holmes."
"Thank you," said Vetinari, "That will do nicely. It appears we are done here for now, Mr
Cavitz. I appreciate your understanding."
Cavitz opened his mouth twice to reply, but each time shut it again. Meanwhile, Mrs MacAvoy
had flitted away into the hallway again.
"Come along, Watson," Vetinari said to me in a discreet tone as he followed her, "There is
another layer to his mystery besides the obvious."
"Yes," I replied, "I noticed you glancing at Mrs MacAvoy while you were talking to Mr Cavitz."
"Well, in the course of you noticing me, did you happen to notice what I was noticing of Mrs
MacAvoy? No, apparently not."
"Why, what did you notice?" I was privately hoping he wasn't getting distracted. Holmes would
have a fit if his own substitute was violating this unspoken code of detection.
"Mrs MacAvoy knows something about how the incident transpired. When Mr Cavitz was giving
his account of that day, I observed her reaction."
"And?"
"And what? It bears investigating, is all." He gave me the most infuriating smile of feigned
naivete that I had ever encountered. At least Holmes didn't bother being coy about his
suspicions.
Mrs MacAvoy had paused in the servants' quarters, and there we met her.
"Now," Vetinari said to her, "I believe you were just about to take us to see your brother."
"Not only that," she replied, "But there is something else you should know. Something Mr
Cavitz left out in his account."
She glanced beyond us, back into the hallways, as though she feared being overheard.
"We shall cover the matter on the way to see your brother," Vetinari said, "Shall we ask your
husband to drive us?"
Mrs MacAvoy went rather pink.
"Or not," Vetinari added with the verbal dexterity of a knife-juggler, "I expect this is a matter best
kept in privacy."
Her relief as plain as if it were painted across her forehead.
"Watson," Vetinari said, "go call a hansom. This may be a very informative journey."
*****
End of Part 16.
*****
::London::
We turned to face the master of the house, a gentleman of average build, tidily dressed, with side-
whiskers like the mane of a bob-cat. His hair was sandy-blond, touched with a bit of grey at the
temples and in the whiskers. As we watched, waiting for MacAvoy to find his tongue again, Mr
Cavitz recomposed himself, the ruddiness subsiding like an ebb tide.
"Forgive my outburst," Cavitz said, "I'm not accustomed to finding strangers in my house -
especially at the apparent behest of one of my servants."
"It was a good-faith error," Vetinari replied calmly, "We believed MacAvoy had gained your
blessing for our presence - naturally some margin can be allowed, considering how close his
daughter came to being killed." He held out his hand to Cavitz. "Sherlock Holmes, at your
service. You have my every assurance that I will find out who caused this heinous deed, and
bring him to justice."
Cavitz clasped Vetinari's hand dubiously. "Alastair Cavitz, at yours. I thought it was just
happenstance," he said, "a gas leak or whatnot."
Vetinari smiled. "I doubt that very much - after all, I saw no gas fixture in that corner, though
they are quite plain flanking the fireplace and over by the door. Unless, of course, you can think
of a way to make gas from any of them pool over there."
Cavitz was silent.
"Now," Vetinari continued, "I am currently trying to get an idea of where everyone was when the
incident occurred."
"Well, I wasn't in the parlour, thank the good Lord, when it happened. I was in the hallway just
outside the kitchen. I was going to follow Mrs Morris - she was bringing out the cake - and my
wife back into the parlour so I could wish Rebecca a happy birthday and give her my gift."
"Was anyone else in the hall with you?" Vetinari asked.
"I was talking with Mrs MacAvoy about a strange smell under the bed. I suspected that she or
one of the other maids hadn't cleaned properly in the bedroom and I wanted to bring it to her
attention."
I barely saw Vetinari's attention flicker, but flicker it did, towards Mrs MacAvoy, who was now
standing not far behind Cavitz. I could not readily perceive what it was that had caught Vetinari's
attention, and I resolved to ask him about it later.
"Thank you, Mr Cavitz," Vetinari said presently, "You have been most helpful."
"If there's anything else I can do to help you, just ask," Cavitz offered.
"There is something you can help me with," Vetinari replied immediately, "I should like to speak
with Mrs MacAvoy's brother Nathan. I'm given to understand he was quite in the thick of it."
Cavitz frowned. "I'm afraid that will be--"
"I know where he is," Mrs MacAvoy said suddenly, "I can take you to see him once you're done
here, Mr Holmes."
"Thank you," said Vetinari, "That will do nicely. It appears we are done here for now, Mr
Cavitz. I appreciate your understanding."
Cavitz opened his mouth twice to reply, but each time shut it again. Meanwhile, Mrs MacAvoy
had flitted away into the hallway again.
"Come along, Watson," Vetinari said to me in a discreet tone as he followed her, "There is
another layer to his mystery besides the obvious."
"Yes," I replied, "I noticed you glancing at Mrs MacAvoy while you were talking to Mr Cavitz."
"Well, in the course of you noticing me, did you happen to notice what I was noticing of Mrs
MacAvoy? No, apparently not."
"Why, what did you notice?" I was privately hoping he wasn't getting distracted. Holmes would
have a fit if his own substitute was violating this unspoken code of detection.
"Mrs MacAvoy knows something about how the incident transpired. When Mr Cavitz was giving
his account of that day, I observed her reaction."
"And?"
"And what? It bears investigating, is all." He gave me the most infuriating smile of feigned
naivete that I had ever encountered. At least Holmes didn't bother being coy about his
suspicions.
Mrs MacAvoy had paused in the servants' quarters, and there we met her.
"Now," Vetinari said to her, "I believe you were just about to take us to see your brother."
"Not only that," she replied, "But there is something else you should know. Something Mr
Cavitz left out in his account."
She glanced beyond us, back into the hallways, as though she feared being overheard.
"We shall cover the matter on the way to see your brother," Vetinari said, "Shall we ask your
husband to drive us?"
Mrs MacAvoy went rather pink.
"Or not," Vetinari added with the verbal dexterity of a knife-juggler, "I expect this is a matter best
kept in privacy."
Her relief as plain as if it were painted across her forehead.
"Watson," Vetinari said, "go call a hansom. This may be a very informative journey."
*****
End of Part 16.