"Now, you, be patient," Mrs. Hudson scolded. "I haven't frothed it yet."
"Froth? Whyever should it need frothed, Mrs. Hudson?"
"You, sir, have always enjoyed a good froth on your hot chocolate."
"I am in a bit of a hurry, Mrs. Hudson. I will take it as is. Surely there can be no difference in taste."
"Stop that!" Mrs. Hudson said, slapping his hand away with her wooden spoon when he tried to grab the pot.
"Ouch! Mrs. Hudson! I shall report you for tenant abuse!"
"And I shall report you for hot chocolate theft! Now hold this." She handed him a pitcher. "Keep it steady."
"Do you abuse Watson like this when he comes into your kitchen?" Holmes grumbled, but he did as she asked.
Mrs. Hudson held the pot of hot chocolate up high, and carefully poured it into the pitcher. Then, they poured the mixture back into the pot, and repeated the process a couple times until the hot chocolate had a very pleasing froth indeed. Holmes very carefully poured a cup, cradling it in his hands as he moved upstairs. He came back a few minutes later.
"Back for more already?" Mrs. Hudson asked.
"No, Mrs. Hudson, I've come for mine. The other was for the doctor, which is why I was in a hurry."
"Whyever did you feel the need? Doctor Watson has never before been so insistent."
"I was in a hurry becuse asked for it," Holmes replied as if it was obvious.
His landlady gave him a look that said it was not.
"Watson may be a patient man," Holmes said with a small frown, "but he asks so little of me, Mrs. Hudson, that I do try to do him favors when he asks. I forget, sometimes, if I wait too long, though in this instance I suppose I doubt I would have, for I enjoy your good hot chocolate as much as the doctor. Thank you, Mrs. Hudson, and I apologize for my impatience."
"And how is the doctor?" Mrs. Hudson asked worriedly. "He said he was alright, but he's hardly moved from his chair."
"He took a hard fall on the ice, I'm afraid, but the hot chocolate has already cheered him. I'm sure all will be well."
She smiled at him warmly. "You're a good friend, Mr. Holmes."
Sherlock Holmes had already turned, and so Mrs. Hudson didn't see the look on his face, but even though he stalked away while grumbling something about only wanting to get back to his experiments, she had a very good idea that he was pleased.
For the prompt from Riandra: Hot chocolate.
The hot chocolate frothing method is from a hundred year old cookbook, Choice Recipes by Miss Maria Parloa, specifically prepared for Walter Baker & Co Ltd. You can see Ann Reardon's video making it on her YouTube channel, How To Cook That, or on her website, howtocookthat . net. I haven't made it myself, but I plan to.
This was intended to be shortly after the fall Mrs. Hudson mentioned in Chapter 24.