Once again, a gondola scraped against the wooden jetty outside the Trelawney house. But even the grim memories of their last arrival there couldn't dull Holmes' spirits as he paid the gondolier and clambered up onto the decking.

'Holmes!' he heard Morris shout, and looked up to see his friend leaning out of one of the upstairs windows, 'I'll come and open the front door!'

When the door did open, it was only by a fraction, and Morris slipped out rather than letting Holmes in

'I'm so glad you're back,' he said, quietly, 'I don't know what that bloody will said, but Edwina's been avoiding me all day and that cousin of hers…'

Holmes instantly felt guilty for having abandoned Morris for so long. Lunch on San Giorgio had somehow turned into a tour of St Mark's Square…

'…and she's insisting that we stay here, even though half the house is moulding away, I swear you could catch pneumonia just from the curtains and…'

…then they had strolled through the market occupying the Rialto Bridge, commenting on the faintly grotesque designs of the Murano glass vases and chandeliers, then…

'Holmes!'

Morris shoved him hard in the chest, and he staggered to one side, as an almighty crash tore through the air, followed by the sound of splintering wood. Finding his balance again, inches from the edge of the wooden platform, Holmes turned in bewilderment to see what had happened.

A huge wooden shutter, now broken into several pieces, lay just in front of the front door. Holmes looked blankly up at the house where one of the second storey windows was now half naked, gulped slowly as his mind caught up with reality and…

'Morris!' he cried, his voice choking, stumbling towards the wreckage. In a blind panic he shifted the wooden frame and slats as though they weighed nothing.

'…Holmes…'

'Hold on, Morris,' he said, desperately, 'I'm sure Edwina's coming…'

'I thought,' he managed to gasp out, 'that you…you of all people…would know I don't care two pins for Edwina…' his words disappeared into choking coughs which shook his entire body. Holmes felt sick to see specks of blood appearing at the corners of his mouth.

'Morris…I don't understand…'

'…It doesn't…matter…'

'Morris, I'm going to fetch a doctor, I'm going to…'

'…Holmes…I may not…be the best medical…student…but…'

'Morris!'

The high pitched shriek could only belong to Edwina. Holmes found himself shoved to one side for the second time.

'Oh Morris, Morris, Morris…' she muttered frantically, cradling his head with her hands, but he now seemed beyond speech

'A doctor,' Holmes repeated to himself, 'we need a doctor…'

He stood up, to see Daniel standing in the front doorway, staring at the scene.

'A doctor!' Holmes cried, 'where can we find a...'

'I don't think,' said Daniel slowly, 'that a doctor is going to do any good.'

Holmes clenched his fists involuntarily,

'Let's let a doctor be the judge of that,' he said, 'where can I…'

'You…monster!' came a sudden howl from Edwina

Holmes turned in shock to see her slowly lay Morris' head back onto the platform and stand up, visibly shaking

'Monster!' she again addressed her cousin, 'I suppose this is just what you wanted!'

'Edwina, I…'

'Oh, yes yes yes! One less obstacle in the way of your little plan!'

'I don't have a plan, Edwina, and I…'

'Well know this, Daniel, I will never, never marry you. In fact…I will never marry, and Aunt Lucinda's money can rot with her!'

She dropped to her knees once again to clutch at Morris's shirt

'Morris….Morris…' her voice faded to a creaking whisper

Holmes turned away, feeling sick.