Author's Note:
The dates and corresponding events mentioned in this story are based on "A Chronology of Sherlock Holmes" by William S. Baring-Gould, compiled by
James Hoy, MD (found online via search engine)
This story (Watson's narration) takes place in the year 1888, closelyfollowing the events chronicled in The Sign of Four and A Scandal in Bohemia.
The Case of James Carmichael: Part 1
As many of my readers are aware, Sherlock Holmes had already established a well-respected position as the world's only consulting detective long before I had the fortune of sharing a living quarters with him. After the account concerning "A Study in Scarlet" appeared in the papers with his credentials, the number of his cases increased exponentially. Even after I had left Baker Street following my marriage to Miss Mary Morstan, I frequently corresponded with Holmes, as I was loathe to cut off my ties with my friend. In fact, I was rather pleased with his rising popularity, for this kept his hands away from his dreadful seven percent solution and syringe. However, I soon began to doubt the effectiveness of the constant activity my friend put on his brilliant mind, for when I would appear to call upon the fellow, I found myself waiting for hours on end in the parlour for Holmes to appear from his expeditions around the London area, oftentimes leaving alone in disappointment. Other times, he would be in his rooms smoking his pipe for hours on end, brows furrowed and eyes closed, ignoring my futile attempts at conversation. As a physician, I put in a few suggestions to eat and to replenish his energy, although he would either refuse to acknowledge my presence or would give me such a dangerous glare that I would hurriedly retreat back home to my wife's more amiable company.
At last, the level of cases began to wane and Holmes found more time to catch up on matters outside of crime. I followed the opportunity to call upon him at Baker Street, and found myself sitting in the parlour smoking a pipe with Holmes in high spirits once again.
"I say, my dear Holmes, I cannot seem to recall the last time we properly sat down and had a smoke together," I remarked.
"That would be February of this year, if I am not mistaken," he lazily replied, "How is Mrs. Watson?"
"She is still as winning as ever," I said, eyes twinkling.
Holmes gave a low chuckle.
"Ah, yes, Watson, your affinity towards women will ever be a hindrance should you ever desire to grasp the true science of deduction."
"In the end, you cannot deny that my instincts were right about her, Holmes."
Sherlock Holmes left his place from his chair, and retreated into his bedroom. He reappeared with his familiar tin case box and, after a moment of rummaging through it, casually tossed a packet into my lap.
"Here you will find one of my earlier cases not long after the Musgrave Ritual, in which I believe you will find a fatal flaw in letting emotions and outward appearances take over calculated reasoning, however cold it may seem." He gave a sigh and said, "You have seen me fail before, Watson, when I overestimate my own abilities and fail to act quickly enough upon my instincts. The case of Irene Adler should remind you of it, I'm sure. The case sitting in your lap ended almost in tragedy, and actually did in certain aspects, as I was still young and not yet hardened and wary enough of a woman's abilities."
I carefully opened the packet in my lap. In my companion's powerful script was written, "The Case of James Carmichael, November 1879", followed by pages of notes, some jotted down rather hurriedly as though they were scribed in moments of inspiration.
"As you can see, Watson, I strictly stayed to the cold facts of my cases when I took the time to pen them instead of romanticizing them like you tend to do."
"Your style of writing is so unemotional that one would think he was reading an epitaph than a sensational crime," I retorted, "I would much rather have you tell me the story yourself."
Holmes leaned back among the cushions in his armchair and took a long, satisfactory sniff of his shag tobacco before beginning:
"Very well, Watson. As you know, this case is dated nearly nine years ago, when I was still a student finishing up my studies at the University. I was living in Montague Street without the reputation that I possess today. However, I did find myself confronted with cases brought upon my attention by various acquaintances that I made throughout my university career. One such acquaintance was a doctor, not unlike you, Watson, who would visit me should I fall ill, however rare the occasion. He was a kindly fellow and took great care of his patients, many of whom were close friends of his. Doctor Theodore Brighton was his name, as you can see among my notes. He has had some exposure to my rising capabilities in deduction, and so appeared at my doorstep one rainy afternoon in November. I showed him into my rather cluttered sitting area, which then doubled as a makeshift chemical laboratory for my various experiments. After accepting a cup of tea to warm himself, he explained his reason for his visit.
" 'Mr. Holmes, I apologize for this sudden appearance, for I am at my wit's end. You are aware that I have a busy practice, and I have seen all that can be seen, or so I believe. My relations with my patients are strictly professional, but I do have one patient, Mr. James Carmichael, whom I have gone to boarding school with as a young man, and with whom I have stayed close friends ever since. He was married for almost ten years when his wife died of consumption, leaving him with three children. To add salt to the wound, as some say, his youngest daughter also died suddenly of intestinal disease. She was attended to by another doctor, who ruled her illness as gastric fever, I believe. Such angels, his children. Poor James, he was absolutely stricken by his wife's and daughter's untimely deaths; I do believe that he would have taken his own life if it were not for his children to think of. But his life did take a turn, for he recovered from grieving rather quickly, and remarried a remarkable woman. Alice Pettridge is her maiden name. I have not met a finer, nobler woman.'
"Now, Watson, you are well aware of my impatience when I hear of men prattle on about the fair qualities of the opposite sex, which is what this doctor began to do, so I tactfully interjected, 'Very good, Doctor, but what, pray tell, are your reasons for seeing me?'
" 'Forgive me, Mr. Holmes. My real reason for calling is for Carmichael's other children. They seem to have contracted the same malady that claimed the life of their youngest sibling. I have prescribed the medication that is commonly used to treat the illness, and I have consulted many of my colleagues, with no results. I know that you are not a doctor, Holmes, but I am aware of your rather eclectic knowledge of many branches of science, and I simply had to come to you, for I do not know who else I can seek advice from.'
"At his speaking, I reached over behind me to one of my many bookshelves, for I have gathered a rather extensive collection as a student, and turned to Chambers's Encyclopedia for some preliminary information.
" ' "Gastric fever," ' I mused to myself, ' "Fever accompanied by stomachic pain." I do not have much information here, I'm afraid. However, I will be more than obliged to help you and your patients as I do not have any immediate plans today.'
"The doctor grasped and shook my hands eagerly, proclaiming his eternal gratitude and the sort, and we fetched a hansom to Mr. James Carmichael's private estate. Upon our arrival, the butler showed us into their rather opulent parlour, complete with lavish paintings by the masters and a grand piano, where we waited for Mr. Carmichael. Within moments, the master of the house appeared through the doorway and gave a fond greeting to the doctor. I had already begun to put my habits of observations into use, and carefully scrutinized the man. He could be no more than thirty-five years of age, yet I could immediately sense that this was a man weighed down by many of life's burdens which few men of his age have experienced. His features were fair but prominent, with the aristocratic nose and dark eyes. Though his hair was naturally dark-coloured, it was well streaked with premature greys that are not common for his age. He was tall, almost comparable to my own height, and well-mannered, clearly a person who was brought up in an affluent environment to grace England's finer social circles. Brighton introduced us, and he shook my hand firmly.
" 'I presume that you have not been in the best of health yourself, Mr. Carmichael?' I remarked gently.
"He looked rather surprised at my elementary comments, coughed, and said, 'Why, yes, Mr. Holmes, though I was sure it was minor enough to pass unnoticed.'
" 'Your face is pale, sir, and the heavy shadows around your eyes display heavy fatigue. The house is quite warm enough for only a couple of layers of clothing, yet I see that you are wearing far more than what should be necessary, and I also noticed that your hands were unnaturally cold when I shook them. You took somewhat small steps for a man of your height, which should not be an issue in an otherwise healthy man.'
"I can assure you, Watson, that James Carmichael was not accustomed to being spoken to in such a blunt manner. Imagine a man of his position having his weakness exposed by a mere student whom he had met only moments ago! Thankfully, the doctor sensed his annoyance and quickly urged him to sit down in a loveseat while I sheepishly positioned myself in an armchair.
" 'Mr. Carmichael,' I began, 'Doctor Brighton here has approached me concerning your case and the mysterious illness of your two children. One daughter has passed away, am I correct?'
" 'Yes, right after the passing of my first wife. I will not attempt to hide the fact that I was grief-stricken by this double tragedy, and I do not know what I would do if it were not for the company of my present wife, Alice. I have not known a nobler woman, Mr. Holmes. She does not come from the same social circle as I do, but has endured and transcended a harsh life as a child. She came to work for our household as a governess for the children, and was like a beacon during my darkest hours. Ah, here she is right now!'
"My young heart did not remain unmoved by Mrs. Carmichael's appearing, Watson. The woman was not a day older than twenty-five, with dark hair and eyes, fair complexion, and slim frame. Her effect upon her husband was remarkable. Glancing over to him, I noticed that his pale cheeks took on a rather healthier colour, and his joy at seeing her gave him a sudden rush of energy instead of the sickliness that he displayed only seconds before. Of course, I tried to harden my emotions against the woman, but did not fail to notice her fine clothing, proud gait, and how she seemed to unconsciously attract the attention of everyone who saw her. I do believe that she would have rivaled Irene Adler herself. We all felt compelled to stand in such a lady's presence.
" 'Oh, James, I did not realize that we had callers,' she said, 'Or else I would not have disturbed you. The maid made some tea and I wanted to bring some to you. Perhaps it would help you cope with this dreary weather we seem to be cursed with.' She suddenly seemed to recognize her visitors, and broke into a smile that made one feel as if all was right with the world. 'Why, hello Dr. Brighton! I am sorry I did not recognize you earlier. What a pleasant surprise to see you; Mrs. Brighton is well, I assume? Give her my love, and I do appreciate all that you are doing for our family. And may I inquire as to who is this other gentleman?'
"The doctor cleared his throat, straightened his coat and said, 'Yes, forgive me for not introducing you earlier, madam. This is Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who is helping me with your case, actually. His wide expertise in science should be greatly beneficial to us.'
"She offered me her hand and said, 'Pleased to meet you, Mr. Holmes. I have heard vaguely about you and your many talents. You have even done some detective work?'
" 'I am merely an amateur, and can assure you that as I am still a student, I have not had the chance to entirely devote my time to detective work. However, I can also assure you that I will do everything in my power to help you and your family at the doctor's request.'
" 'That would be greatly appreciated, Mr. Holmes.' She gave me a long, searching look in my eyes and added slowly, 'I must go check on the children, gentlemen. Excuse me,' and exited the room with a final, if smaller, smile at all of us. I could immediately understand Carmichael's undying devotion and admiration of the woman. Her presence seemed to linger on in the room, for we all remained standing, looking after her as she disappeared up the marble staircase to the bedrooms. You must be positively astounded at my reaction, Watson, for I have always chided you about your affinities toward the weaker sex, and I confess that I have not always been fair towards you.
" 'What a fine woman,' murmured Carmichael, as we sat back down. He grimaced a bit, as if in pain. 'As I have alluded to before, she did not come from a privileged family, but she had the wit, independence, and heart to manage her way. Of course, my family did not altogether approve of our marriage, especially after the likes of my first wife, who had a family lineage to boast of. But Alice was orphaned at a young age, with no siblings. I do believe that she had a difficult childhood, but I'm afraid that is the extent of my knowledge concerning her past. She has traveled a bit for her age, all around England.'
" 'Which areas around England, Mr. Carmichael?'" I inquired.
" 'Well, she lived in Manchester before I first met her. Before then, I am not quite sure.'"
" 'How long ago did you meet her?'
" 'Perhaps a few weeks before my first wife passed; a little over a year ago.'
" 'I see. Have you any other children?'
" 'Besides the ones from my first wife, none.'
" 'She has shown no desire to have her own?'
" 'Come to think of it, she has not mentioned it. We have only been married for a few months.'
" 'Any other inhabitants in the house?'
" 'None except for the butler and a couple of maids.'
" 'Very good. When did the children begin to feel ill?'
" 'If I recall correctly, my youngest daughter fell ill shortly after my second marriage. The other two were quite recent, about a week ago.'
"Carmichael was clearly bewildered by the assortment of questions that I put before him. I had a nagging thought in mind when he mentioned Manchester, but I could not quite put my finger on it. I was about to ask him another question when there came a commotion at the door. A young girl, whom I presumed to be a maid, entered the room, face pale.
" 'Doctor, please come quick!' she said with a trace of urgency in her voice, 'Mrs. Carmichael says the children need to be looked at.'
"The pallid, haunted look had returned to Carmichael's face upon the maid's words, and he and the doctor strode to the door. Before ascending the stairs, he spun on his heels and turned to me.
" 'Mr. Holmes, I am very sorry, but the doctor and I must see to my children,' he said crisply, 'I hope to hear from you soon, and I trust that Matthew will show your way out the front door. Good afternoon.' The pompous butler seemed to appear out of nowhere and, without another word, I found myself standing on the front steps facing a closed door.
"I had no other place to go except my own quarters, so I returned to ponder all that I had learned that afternoon. I sat in my armchair for hours, smoking my favourite pipe, and must have fallen asleep for quite a while, for the sun was quite low in the sky when I was awakened by a knock on my door. Imagine my surprise, Watson, when I found that my unexpected caller turned out to be Mrs. Alice Carmichael. I did not know what to do but to usher her into an armchair and offer her some hot tea. I seated myself on an adjacent chair.
" 'Forgive me, Mr. Holmes, for not informing you of my visit,' she said after taking a sip from her teacup and setting it back down. She gave me a demure smile.
'I came to apologize on my husband's behalf for his rather short manner with you before you left. It is not in his manner to behave like that; he has been quite distressed with the children's condition. They have just fallen asleep after taking their medicine and James went out to the gentlemen's club.' She paused and met my eyes briefly before looking away, cheeks flushed. 'I just wanted some company, Mr. Holmes, and to leave my worries behind, even for just a short while. I love my family so, but I cannot bear to stay in my own house at times, knowing that their lives are wasting away before they hardly began.' Her voice trembled, and my heart could not help but reach out to her in her predicament.
" 'Mrs. Carmichael,' I said gently, not wanting to upset her any further, 'I assure you that I will help you. If there is anything else that I can do...'
"She suddenly leaned forward and gripped my hands, her breaths becoming quick and shallow, as if trying to keep her emotions under control.
" I was at a loss, Watson. Especially at my young age, I have had little experience with women, and I grew increasingly uncomfortable. Yet, strange as this seems, I felt almost privileged that I was the source of comfort to such a woman as she. Her fingers were cold but soft against my own scarred and calloused ones. For a moment, I forgot that I was a university student and that she was a married aristocrat. We were simply a man and a woman, brought together under dark circumstances. Under the low light of the lamp, I began to take notice of the details of her face, her dark lashes, her red mouth, and porcelain cheeks. For the first time, I could not think clearly, could not figure out the next thing to do but to appreciate the exquisite beauty that was Alice Carmichael.
" 'Mr. Holmes,' she murmured. I leaned in further as if drawn by a magnet. I was aware that one of her hands had left mine to touch my face. Her eyes were shining brightly as she gave me a grateful and reassuring smile. Before I could react, she brought her face close to mine, and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I could not help but lean in and enjoy the sensation of another woman's lips upon my face. But, in an instant, my cold, scientist's mind took over and I quickly pulled away.
" 'Mrs. Carmichael, I am sorry, but this is hardly- '
" 'Please, call me Alice. A simple token of a lady's gratitude, Mr. Holmes.'
" The spell was broken, for we had both stood up as if nothing had occurred. Mrs. Carmichael gathered herself up to leave. Before she stepped outside, she turned and said, 'Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Holmes. I trust that you will let me know at once of your progress, I hope.'
" 'I will do my best.'
" 'Farewell, Mr. Sherlock Holmes.'
" 'Good evening...Alice.'
"I must have stood leaning against my doorframe for a full minute after she had gone before I could fully grasp the events that had taken place during her visit. I restlessly walked back into my sitting room, and stared at the vacant chair on which Mrs. Carmichael had sat. The room felt suddenly cold and empty, and I had a fleeting moment of longing for some female companionship. Then my thoughts returned to the case, and I tried to empty myself of all emotions. She was married, for God's sake, I said to myself. A good night's rest was what I needed, and in the morning, I would pour myself on solving the case. However, my last thought as I drifted off to sleep was not on the Carmichael children, but on their mother and the lingering token that she left with me."