I love this challenge - it's strangely addictive!

Disclaimer - I do not own Holmes or Watson…

Nanny

It had been a strange case from the very beginning. Firstly, we had come home from the opera one night to find a note from a lady that was so smudged that it was illegible. Then, five days later, the lady had appeared - a woman with white hair, and hazel eyes. Unfortunately, we had not got one word out of her due to the fact that as soon as she had seen Holmes in his black suit, leaning against the mantel, she had shocked us both by screaming loudly and running out of the room. We had chased her, and found her address. We followed her, had got involved in a case concerning her employer, Lord Beresford, and had been convinced of his utter despicability. After being imprisoned in his house, and witnessing the murder of his wife, we had escaped. But not alone…

"What are we meant to do with it?" asked Holmes, as we both stood, staring into his bedroom. Inside a two-year old toddler, with golden-blond curly hair was sitting on his bed, playing with his magnifying glass.

"It's not an it, Holmes. It's a child."

"What kind do you think it is?" I stared at him for a moment, and then shook my head disbelievingly.

"They are not like dogs, Holmes. They do not come in kinds. It is either a boy or a girl. I think boy."

"Do we need to feed it?" I stared at Holmes. Honestly, you would think he was discussing a pet cat, rather than a child.

"I think that would be a good idea."

Holmes stood, looking at the little child for a minute. "So, erm…Doctor…"

"What, Holmes?"

"Well, you are used to children…"

"No."

"Watson…"

"This was your case, Holmes…you…Oh heavens…!"

The child had run forward, and was pulling at the cloth placed on Holmes' chemistry table. As he pulled, the chemicals were brought closer and closer to the edge. I bent down, and grabbed the child out of the way. The child laughed, obviously perceiving this as a great game, and tugged, hard at my moustache. "Ow!" I cried.

At exactly the same moment, Holmes let out a string of curses "That thing has broken my favourite magnifying glass!"

"Well, you should not have given him it to play with."

Holmes glowered at me, and then at the child, who decided at that moment to reach out and pull Holmes' hair, hard.

"That is the last straw!" said Holmes. "I am going straight to that child's aunt and getting her. He cannot stay here."

"And you are going to leave me with him? Blast it all, Holmes, I'm a Doctor, not a Nanny!"

Holmes grinned. "I will be back in a couple of hours." Before I could stop him, he ran out, down the stairs and had slammed the front door.

Growling, I surveyed the child and the child surveyed me. Then I had an idea, as the child's clumsy hands reached up for my moustache. "Come on, my boy…how would you like to learn to play the violin?"