Disclaimer: as usual the marvellous characters that are Holmes and Watson belong to ACD. Others are my own.

Chapter 5

The clock on the ornate mantlepiece struck three as Sergeant Hooper entered the room, followed by Lord Falconer. The latter looked utterly spent and stumbled slightly as he made his way to his chair.

He had had the unenviable task of identifying the body of Trevose, found trussed up in a sack in the stream at the foot of the hill leading to Otford Hall. Holmes and Watson had supervised the bringing of the body to the stable at Trethewan Court, and the local policeman had been quickly alerted by Ashley Needham. He now comforted his sister, who in turn was standing over the chair now occupied by Falconer. Holmes sat facing them, Watson standing behind.

"I need you to be strong, Lord Falconer," Holmes was saying.

"Strong? How can I be!" exclaimed Falconer. "Mr Holmes, since you have arrived I have suffered trespass and now murder! How can I be strong? I just want my boy – to know he is well."

"And so do I," replied Holmes, levelly. "But your present condition does nothing to help us get any nearer to the culprit or culprits."

"Is there anything more, Mr Holmes?" asked the policeman. He had recognised Holmes straight away, and now seemed to be somewhat in awe of him. He had done nothing without the express approval of the consulting detective.

"Just one matter," said Holmes, turning to him. "Who made the report of the quarrel between young Benjamin Falconer and the two strangers, the day before the disappearance?"

"I will have to go into the village to check, sir," replied Hooper. "I was not on duty. That would be Monday, yes?"

"Yes, thank you, that would be most helpful," said Holmes.

As Hooper left the room, they were joined by Dorcas Trevanion, the housekeeper. She had clearly been crying, and her red eyes looked imploringly at Holmes.

"Sir, is there anything at all ....?"

"No, Dorcas," replied Falconer. "No news. And no clue as to who has done this to Trevose. Whoever they are, I will happily pull the hangman's rope for them!"

"Lord Falconer!" interrupted Holmes. "I am going to go into the village with Watson shortly. Before we go, I need you to review for me the events leading up to your son's disappearance one more time."

Falconer sighed. "If you think it will help. I don't see how reviewing it all over again will help. But, very well..... my son first started his extended visits down at the castle last week, Wednesday. Up to that point he had been going down there with the Needhams, but my recollection is that from that day onwards he was alone. Those visits continued on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I was not here on Sunday but I understand from Trevose - understood from Trevose – that he went again, alone, very early, and returned very late. Monday this week I was back, and by the time I arose he had already gone. I believe that is the day he was seen in heated conversation with these two strangers that have been seen about the place. Tuesday he went out early again, and that was the day of course that he disappeared. The Needham lad called just before tea time to enquire of him, and seemed most put out that he was not here, nor had he been. But I did not think anything of it until Wednesday of course, since he had been coming back from his visits later and later. The police were very good, very quick, but .... well, you have seen how it is. It is quiet here, Mr Holmes. Then yesterday, being Thursday, I engaged you."

Holmes had closed his eyes throughout the discourse, as if weighing up various possibilities as Falconer recounted the timeline. When he had finished, he leaped from his seat.

"Very well, that is clear enough, your Lordship. I need you to stay here whilst Watson and I go into the village. I want you to have one last search for the notebook. I know the police already have, but have a good look through Trevose's quarters again for me, please. Now, is there a good hostelry in the village where we can have one of your famous 'cream teas'?"

"Yes, the Crown, at the far end of the village, nearest the Castle."

"Very well. Meet us there at six o'clock. I hope to have made progress by then."

"You have an idea, Mr Holmes?"

"I have four. I am certain one is the correct solution. We will know shortly after six. Good-day, your Lordship."

With that, Holmes left the room, Watson following. Once outside the house and walking down the driveway, he said, "And what do you make of that, Watson?"

"Apart from the discrepancies in the stories of Lord Falconer and that of Ashley Needham?"

Holmes smiled at Watson. "Excellent, you see, time spent in my company is having a positive effect on you! Well done."

"You don't have to be quite so patronising, Holmes!" laughed Watson.

"A thousand apologies Watson," laughed Holmes in return. "Yes, indeed, there are a number of interesting factors. I believe the key to this puzzle lies with the two strangers."

"They were seen the day before the disappearance talking to young Falconer. And two men matching the description were seen on the drive at Trethewan Court and were almost caught in the act of delivering a ransom message. Yes I think that is a safe assumption, Holmes!"

"Hmm, we shall see. I do not think anything can be described as a 'safe assumption' here, Watson! Where are they now?"

"Hiding somewhere?"

"Yes, but where? Their mention in the nationwide newspaper report yesterday morning will mean that they cannot merely be staying in some boarding house. This is a small community, Watson, people notice incomers. It troubles me somewhat that they seem to be able to come and go with the ability of the zephyr."

"Meaning? For all your platitudes, Holmes, you are now speaking with more obscurity again!"

Holmes smiled a knowing smile. "Then I will keep my powder dry, Watson, in that respect. But they are the key, believe me."

After a good fifteen minutes they found themselves in the village. The folk seemed warm, but many faces were turned to them as they walked down the narrow street, making their way downhill to the northern end of the village.

"You see, Watson?" said Holmes. "No-one would be able to hide here. Everything is noticed. Nothing is missed."

"Except Benjamin Falconer, it would seem."

"Which rather suggests he is still here, does it not?"

This brought Watson up short. "What, in the village?"

"Somewhere close by, yes, I imagine," replied Holmes.

"So how do we ascertain the fact of this?"

"By having a delightful cream tea at the Crown – which is here, I think," Holmes replied as they came to the door of the last building in the village.

Entering the darkened rooms of the inn, they made their way to a seat near to the fire, still burning despite the mild weather. Two older ladies on an adjacent table smiled in greeting; a rather rough looking farm labourer stood leaning on the bar, talking to the innkeeper. Otherwise the place was empty.

Holmes returned the ladies' smile, and asked, "Good afternoon, I wonder whether you could help me? I'm a visitor here."

"We know," said one. "Visitor here," said the other.

"Have there been any other visitors recently?"

"Any other visitors?" said the first. "Where are there other visitors?" asked the second. The first turned to her companion. "No, the man was asking if we had seen any visitors. You know. New people."

"A few people? Why a few people?"

The first old lady smiled apologetically at Holmes and Watson. "Please forgive my sister. She is a little hard of hearing."

"What?" asked the other.

"Don't mind, dear," she continued. "Now let me think. Well there were a few of those awful newspaper chappies since Wednesday. There's one always prying around. I can't stand it myself. I can't abide gossip. Anyone will tell you that I can't abide gossip..."

Holmes' smile was wearing thin. Watson was doing his best not to laugh.

"I was only saying to Delores the other day, I was saying that if you want gossip then you need to speak to Alice. She'll give you all the gossip you want..."

"Ladies!" interrupted Holmes, "Please! Time is of the essence. Any visitors?"

"Other than that, no." The ladies turned away from the two gentlemen, muttering about how rude the world was becoming.

"There, Watson!" said Holmes. "The first step has been taken."

"I don't follow, I'm afraid, old man."

"If anyone would have noticed two strangers about the place, it would have been them! What luck, finding them straight away! Every rural community has at least one! We got two! A bonus!"

The innkeeper came over to them and they duly ordered a cream tea each. Whilst so doing, Holmes again enquired regarding any strangers or visitors and got the same reply as from the two ladies, albeit more directly. Holmes seemed content to let the matter rest, and it was gone five o'clock when, duly fortified, they left the Crown.

"Say what you like about rural life, Holmes," muttered Watson, "They certainly know how to feed you!"

Next to the Crown was the Post Office. So small that only one person could enter at a time, Holmes went in and spent a few minutes talking to the postmaster, seemingly to his satisfaction. Adjacent to the Post Office was the police house, the next port of call. Holmes knocked at the door and Sergeant Hooper answered.

"Ah, Mr Holmes, I was going to send word to you, but since you're here. The report of two gentlemen seen arguing with Master Benjamin was actually made on Wednesday morning to my colleague, PC Porthilly, by a lady. A fairly young lady, he says. He notices these sorts of things, if you understand me. She was out walking on the cliff above the Castle on Monday and saw the two gentlemen in question speaking most animatedly with a third gentleman whom she recognised from the description issued of Mr Benjamin as being of that person himself. She came here to volunteer this information on the basis that it might be of use in light of the news of the disappearance and the searching that was going on."

Holmes was smiling ever wider as he listened. "Where was searched?"

"All around and about, sir," came the reply. "There are some parts too dangerous to go direct – the old Smugglers Cove for example, being the beach below the Castle ruins; but you can see down there from the cliff top, there was no-one there. Spent all morning, we did."

"Thanks you, Hooper, that has been most illuminating!" exclaimed Holmes. "I am indebted to you. Now if you can show me the way to the Castle, I think we can start to draw this affair to a conclusion."

Hooper left them at the end of the lane leading to the Castle ruins. Holmes was beaming. "Two pieces of the jigsaw now in place, Watson!" he said.

It was now approaching six o'clock and as they waited, Lord Falconer's four-wheeler came into view, and he duly joined them. He sent the footman away with the carriage; "We'll walk back, it looks a fine night."

He turned to Holmes. "Well, how have matters progressed, Mr Holmes? Nothing at the house, I fear. But has my confidence in you paid off, please?"

"Most certainly!" replied Holmes, visibly enjoying the honour in which he was clearly held. "I believe I know where your son is being held. And I am sure we will be able to get him back, alive and hopefully unharmed. Watson – your weapon?"

"Ready, Holmes," said Watson grimly, patting his service revolver concealed in his waistcoat pocket.

"Then onward," said Holmes.

"Where to?" asked Falconer.

"It is obvious. The Castle ruins. The legendary Tintagel Castle – one of the reputed sites of lost Camelot."

"Mr Holmes, surely you don't believe...."

Holmes met his gaze levelly. "King Arthur? Oh yes. We will find the tomb there."