Farewell

„Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon/ the world was all before them, where to choose/ their place of rest."

Paradise Lost

The gulls were screeching as though it were judgement day when we disembarked from the carriage. They circled people's heads dangerously close, trying to locate and steal some delicious morsel. I raised one hand to shoo them, my boarding card strictly tucked away in the glove of the other hand.

One of the porters came to meet us, and together, we went over all the labels before handing over the various luggage items. The quai was busy, and our man was frequently interrupted by questions from disoriented travellers. Even though, I think that we loitered on purpose, in an attempt to procrastinate the point of no return.

But of course, the moment came when all the bags had been registered, and carried away by the funny old porter with the shuffling gait. We stood there, amid the bustle of departing folks, looking at each other, and I laughed insecurely, twisting my fingers with a sense of embarassment.

„Well…I guess this is good-bye", I finally managed to say. „Wish me luck with my new endeavour. Ya knows I'll dearly need it."

Holmes raised his eyebrow. „Not to worry, Frances. I'm convinced you will just simply sweep Adelaide of its feet. The ladies there will be forever grateful to you - so will the husbands, if just for the diversion you'll provide. The only conceivable difficulty that might arise is the material supply, but I presume you can find a solution, even in the backwaters of civilization."

„Indeed I `ave, Mr. `olmes! I shall be using me former employer's connections in Southern China. Materials can be shipped from there to Adelaide in no time at all. Madame Zhao has promised to contact some friends at home, too, so I don't expect too much trouble in tha` respect."

„Very well. Then I hope you won't forget giving my best to your Uncle Jonathan. You may remember the year I was his guest at Christmas, at your place in Ireland. He is a fine man, and was a favorite with your late Aunt."

„I know. I shall not forget it."

Suddenly, we were alerted to the honking sound of steam rushing skywards from the ship funnels, and I became aware it was now high time for our farewell. And farewell it was. I would travel half-way around the world, and chances were slim that we would ever meet again. With a smile, I extended my hand and grasped his to shake it cordially.

„Good-bye, Mr. `olmes. Have a safe return to England, and mind that you look in on old Uncle John from time to time. He needs some diversion as much as the good wives at Adelaide."

„You have my word on that, Frances." Holmes smiled back at me - briefly, briefly - and, rather unexpectedly, kissed me on the brow. The chaste gesture stirred me deeply, and, with mixed feelings, I went past the cordon to ascend the gangway. Up at its highest point, I turned around quickly, for people were pushing past me with some force, and I only just succeeded in raising my hand and waving good-bye to a man I only knew by the cut of his head, a fleck that swiftly disappeared in the faceless crowd.

oooOOOooo

Mrs. Hudson had cleared out the ashes from the fireplace and built a new fire just in time for the men to come into the study - Holmes' unnecessary clearing of the throat an indicator that her further presence was not required. She sighed her annoyance, and scuttled out of the room, leaving behind two forms that sank increasingly deeper into their seats in an after-dinner daze.

It was some time before speaking was to be thought of, and when it was, the doctor had assumed a wistful tone that soon waxed philosophical. „Well, well. The young ones fledge and go away. It is nature's course, I suppose. And the old ones are left behind to pine, to deteriorate, and finally, to decay. It has got to be this way, or how is change to be effected, if blood and spirit are not renewed from generation to generation? And without change, mankind would stagnate, and lose its power to adapt to new challenges, new situations created by the exhaustless caleidoscope of history."

His friend made a non-committal sound, and the doctor revolved in his seat to shoot a quizzical glance at him. „You don't believe in such ideas, then, Holmes? Maybe you think me a rambling old man who tries to make his loneliness more explicable to himself?"

„Not in the least, my dear doctor", Holmes returned in a soothing tone, but with the corners of his mouth twitching. „I do admire your rationalist view of the matter."

Watson slumped back into his seat with a small Humph! that spoke of indignation. „You may well laugh at me, old boy", he grumbled, „but don't try to tell me that Frances' departure has left you all unmoved. You care for the girl, and you know as well as I that she won't be back unless her business venture fails utterly. But I should not think it will. What Frances means to do, she will do, and no mistake. She has been like this, always."

„Very well, doctor. She won't be back." Sherlock Holmes lit his pipe, drawing on it at regular intervals.

Watson, who sat with his back toward him, facing the fire, could not see the twinkling in his eyes, the amused tug at his mouth. Frances and the doctor seemed to be of like mind: That good-bye meant forever. But how could they be sure? One day, Frances' Uncle Jonathan would tire of the foreign seas, and return to Ireland. One day, Watson would be weak and limp, and require the loving care of a relative. One day, the ladies at Adelaide might run out of their dug-up gold, and all business might die on the Great Barrier Reef.

Holmes puffed on his pipe while thinking on these possibilities. He chuckled quietly. Even if none of these ever came to pass! He had never been to Australia before.

Hi Guys!

That was it, The Adventure of the Red-Headed Intrigue, a case for the Great Detective to deal and finally come to terms with his past.

Even if he and Frances do not come to be lovers, enough things have been achieved to justify a „Happy Ending" label: While Frances has grown to be a woman in her own right, stepping out of her Aunt's long shadow, Holmes has been liberated of the sense of guilt that for years had weighed on him. He is innocent of Kitty's end.

Apart from that, he has been able to close a door on the ghosts of his early youth, an achievement that maybe would not have been possible without Mycroft's death. Jealousies and false educational principles were the reason why the parents split their son's allegiances between them as they did, not any imagined „softness" or „femininity" on Sherlock's part. Hopefully, this knowledge can help him to be less dour, less severe with others and with himself in the future.

And last but not least, a case of international importance has been solved, and the life of an innocent woman saved! And Fanny can have a fresh start in a capacity that is her very own, totally emancipated from Kitty's paragon.

I hope you liked the story a little bit! I very much enjoyed writing it. Take care and all the best wishes from

Mrs. F