Wowza! I've gotten a ton of story alerts for this one, so I'm gonna continue it. Please be sure to write a review! Any and every suggestion is welcomed!!! Also, add me to favorites in addition to story alert because then people who go and look at your page can see what great taste you have in stories! *wink wink*
The servant woman brought us some tea in the parlor and not long after, Mr. Jacobson came in.
"Ah, Mr. Holmes! I'm glad that you found an interest in the case I have for you. I see you brought the famous Dr. Watson as well! And who might the young lady be?"
"This is Ms. Abigail Newton, my cousin."
"It's a pleasure to know that I am in such good hands with the three of you."
"Well I can make no promises until you give us a short summary of your predicament."
"My wife died about six months ago, and shortly before I had found out that she'd been having an affair with another man. I never did find out his name, but from what my servants told me of the man that they had seen, he was tall, pale, had black hair and an aura of evil. My wife soon fell very ill and died. About two months later, I found one of my servants brutally murdered on the grounds. It appeared as though an animal had ripped out his throat. Soon, more of my servants began showing up dead like this, inside and outside the house. The most recent attack was on my trusted manservant Gregory, who was still barely alive when we found him. He told me that he had seen my wife walking the grounds at night with an unearthly glow about her. I then proceeded to bury all the servants with lots of garlic and set up traps around the house."
"Yes, we found that last part out the hard way…" I commented when he finished.
"Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry about that. I was unaware that you would be coming over today."
"Did you ever find out the name of the man your wife was having an affair with?" Watson inquired.
"No, unfortunately I never did," he looked very apologetic, "please let me know if you need any other information."
"If we could have a look around the house and grounds, I think that would provide us with information to start our investigation." Sherlock said, messing with something he'd pulled from his little pouch.
"Certainly, you have free range of the entire grounds. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend to in town. Please take a crucifix with each of you for protection." He handed us each a string of beats with a cross. I reluctantly took mine and wrapped it around my wrist.
As Mr. Jacobson left the room, Sherlock asked me what I thought of him, "His nervousness is evident in both his demeanor and overall cleanliness. I noticed that he had a few nicks from his most recent shave, which leads me to believe that when he is alone he thinks he sees things sneaking up on him in the mirror and jerks his head just the slightest. One of his jacket buttons was missing as well… and there was a tear on his sleeve. I think he's been somewhere with tight spaces and lots of pointy objects."
"Indeed… he also seemed rather anxious to leave… we should have our look around so that we make it back for Mrs. Hudson to make us some dinner." He got up and began inspecting things around the room. Watson looked a bit dumbfounded at mine and my cousin's observational skills, but quickly shook it off and joined our search for clues.
Following Sherlock's lead, I looked wandered about the house, investigating anything out of place. Before long, I came across a locked door. My lock picking skills were alright, so I pulled out a bobby pin from my hair and began messing with the lock. I was having some difficulty when all of a sudden, the door crashed open. I looked up, fairly surprised, to see Watson had just kicked down the door!
"Pardon me, Abby, but I find my methods much faster than yours and Holmes'" He offered me his hand and helped me up.
I giggled a bit, "Yes well, I can't exactly kick the door down wearing this dress now can I?" I smiled at him before carefully proceeding down the set of steps behind the door.
Halfway down, Watson stopped me, "Perhaps I should go in front, seeing as I have a gun just in case." He pulled a revolver from his coat.
I rolled my eyes and drew a pistol from beneath my skirt, "No need. I am perfectly capable and a much better shot than my dear cousin."
He smiled and shook his head as I turned around and continued down the steps carefully.
We reached the bottom and there was a lantern hanging on a hook beside the stairs. Watson pulled a match from his pocket and lit it.
The room around us lit up. There was a regular looking cellar with some old furniture covered with sheets. Something odd that I noticed was some jars with small labels on them.
The only label I could make out read 'Thallium.' I notified Watson, and we quickly went back up the stairs and shut the door.
We soon found Sherlock and told him of our discovery, "There was a jar of Thallium in the basement, and we don't know what for."
"Let's see… Thallium. Common poison, used to control rats and ants mostly… a very slow acting poison if dosed correctly. Perhaps Mrs. Jacobson was poisoned?" I hypothesized.
"It's certainly possible, but that doesn't explain the murders of the servants…"
"A dog will certainly rip out a person's throat if it's been starved and the person's throat has been cut open with a knife. In India, I had to be careful when changing bandages because the stray dogs just saw the wounds as meat."
"If this is the case, then who cut the servants' throats? And how could the now dead manservant have seen the then already dead Mrs. Jacobson?"
"I don't know yet… perhaps we should tour the grounds?"
We headed out onto the grounds. I was still a bit puzzled by one thing, "If his dead wife is out to get him, why kill the servants?"
"That's true, it's not like he's going to be scared if servants die. They're servants and they are expendable to him."
"Perhaps they know something that they aren't supposed to…?"
"An interesting theory Watson…" we had arrived at a sort of shed, "Now then, let's see what we can find in here."
We wound our way between an old buggy and a wall full of rakes and shovels. My sleeve caught on something sharp and I heard it tear just the slightest bit.
Continuing, we found a larger space in the back of the shed. There was a chain on the wall and a small bowl on the ground. The dirt floor was littered with large paw prints.
As we found our way back to the house, we found the servant woman who'd let us in.
"Excuse me miss! Could you answer some questions for us please?" Watson called to her.
She nodded and came over. Sherlock asked the first question, "Is there any information that you know that Mr. Jacobson didn't tell us?"
Her eyes darted about, checking to see if anyone else was nearby. Then she whispered, "He was having an affair, not the Missus."
"Do you know whom with perchance?" I inquired. She shook her head.
"All I know is whenever the Missus was out of town, he had another woman over and she always spent the night."
"Can you remember what she looked like?" Watson asked, taking out a pen and notebook from his pocket.
The servant woman thought for a moment, "Average height, Red-Blonde hair and greenish eyes from what I saw of her. She looked as though could have been the Missus' sister. Very thin face as well… pretty, but not as much as the Missus or you, Miss Newton." I smiled and thanked her for the compliment.
"Any other details?" Sherlock inquired.
"I believe she mentioned once that she was a Governess… although I'm not quite sure."
I noticed Watson grow fairly pale. He calmly put the pen and notebook away. Sherlock put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off and headed out the door.
Completely puzzled as to what the situation was, I quickly asked Sherlock.
"Mary, Watson's former fiancée, is average height, red-blonde with green eyes and a thin face who works as a governess. They'd been together two years when they broke up… which means that she was likely dating Mr. Jacobson as well."
"Oh dear… the poor man… Sherlock, why don't you go get the carriage ready, I'll find Watson, alright?"
"Yes, we do need to be getting back soon."
I walked out the door and instinctually headed for the small garden I'd seen during our earlier tour of the grounds.
Watson was sitting on a bench, his cane in hand, grimacing while staring at the setting sun.
Silently, I sat beside him.
"I thought I loved her but… It doesn't matter anyway. She never loved me it seems. The first time I go through a relationship and rationally come out of it I find that the woman I loved was also seeing another man. Of all the rotten luck…"
His words were full of sadness, resentment and regret. I studied his face.
"It's not your fault you know." I piped up.
"What?"
"Her having another man on the side, it's not your fault. So she wasn't satisfied with just you. That's her problem! In a relationship, both people should be just enough the way they are. If she can't commit, then she isn't worth the time. Not even to think about after you've broken up," I put my hand on his and he looked at me, "don't dwell on things of the past. They only drag you down."
Standing up, I turned to head for the carriage, but his hand grasped mine and I turned to look at him. He stood up and, still holding my hand, thanked me for comforting him. I blushed the slightest bit and smiled before the two of us began walking back to the main house to get a ride back home.