Chapter Twelve

On More Train Stations

Thankfully we were not as far from Victoria Station as I had thought. Holmes returned to the compartment not long after me, slamming the door to wake Jensen. His presences saved us from having to make any allusion to the incident in the dining car, although he probably would not have made an allusion in any case. Holmes tended to avoid conversations bearing on matters of the heart.

Holmes' manner toward me abruptly turned cold, with him almost ignoring my presence. I knew that this was merely a cover for his embarrassment at having so completely breached the normal rules of decorum and I was thankful for it. Another man might have tried to explain or apologise, but Holmes' reaction allowed us to act as if nothing had occurred.

Jensen had proclaimed himself quite happy to be stuffed in a hotel room and allowed to work on his equations in peace. I reflected that some days it would be a joy to have such a focused mind.

The crowds in the station had abated somewhat, as the evening commute was coming to an end, but I still didn't see the Irregular until he nearly ran over us. As we stepped out to the street, a patchwork blur came within inches of knocking Jensen into the gutter and skidded to a stop a few feet beyond us.

"Mr. 'Olmes!" The Irregular cried breathlessly, jumping excitedly from one foot to the other. He looked about six, and was probably about eight. His clothes were so heavily patched I doubted that the original fabric constituted a major part of the garment. Holmes held up a hand and the Irregular stopped jumping around and stood stock still, quivering like an excited lap dog.

"Sauvignon?" Holmes asked.

"We found 'im sir," The boy squeaked excitedly, delivering his report with short gasps for breath at the conjunctions. "We found 'im in a old pub down near Market Lane and Billy and Bobby and Mikey and Stiggins are all there watching the pub sir, to make sure 'e don't scarper off and they's another man in the pub with 'im and they's talkin' but we can hear nothing cause the walls are thick and Stiggins said that you would want us to watch 'im not listen to him and Bobby said that you'd rather hear what they was planning but Stiggins knocked Bobby upside the head so he won and they sent me to tell you everything and Mr. Geiss who owns the bakery on the corner says 'e thought 'e saw a gun." The Irregular delivered this last pronouncement with an expression of awe,

"Damn." Holmes said. "You are Andrews , yes?"

"Yessir." The boy beamed.

"Take Miss Russell and Mr. Jensen back to the hotel, then…"

"Professor Jensen." Jensen sniffed.

"Wait just a moment." I interrupted. "Aren't you going to call the Yard?" His incredulous look told me all I needed to know.

"If I call in the Yard," Holmes said with heavy sarcasm, "Sauvignon will have ample time to, ah, scarper."

"I'm going with you."

"You are not."

"You said needed another Irregular. Do you intend to capture an armed man without any back up?"

"I asked if you would be willing to help with information gathering. This is different. It may be dangerous."

"Too dangerous for a woman, but not too dangerous for children?" Andrews protested that he wasn't a child, but we both ignored him.

"That is different. They are merely lookouts. They know enough to get out of the way of danger."

"Whereas I fling myself in front of moving cars at every opportunity."

"Miss Russell, I do not have time to argue with you."

"Well then, Mr. Holmes, we'd better get moving."

Holmes opened his mouth for another rebuttal, but gave it over as a lost cause. He swore quite badly under his breath. "Fine. Do not get in his way. You are to observe. Nothing more."

I would have normally voiced a sarcastic rejoinder, but I sensed that it was the wrong time. Andrews and Professor Jensen listened to this exchange with interest. Andrews started to protest about being left to take care of Jensen, but one looks at Holmes' face convinced him to give it up. I handed the hotel keys over to Jensen with an enjoinder to remain in the room until we returned. Jensen took the keys without a fuss and as Holmes hailed a cab I heard Jensen peremptorily order Andrews to lead the way.

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