The Warning, Chapter the Fifteenth

Holmes ran back to Mrs. Hudson, who was beginning to stir. He picked up the small woman and put her on the couch, and went to the door. He opened it as Wiggins was just about to knock.

"Blimey, Mister 'Olmes, you sure did put a scare in me..."

"Wiggins, I need a doctor for Mrs. Hudson right now. Get Dr. Palmer, and I will explain later. Go!"

Wiggins went.

Holmes headed back to Mrs. Hudson, who was awake and struggling to sit up. Holmes gently pushed her back down on the couch. "The doctor is on his way. What happened here?"

" They took him, sir! The doctor....."She brought her hands to her face and began to sob quietly into them. With an effort she composed herself and turned to Holmes.

"I was just finishing up the baking, when I heard a commotion on the stairs. Two people were coming down the stairs, half-carrying and half-dragging him. The next thing I knew, I felt something hard in my face, and then I was waking up here. Oh, Lord, but my head hurts."

"Stay still, Mrs. Hudson. I sent Wiggins for Dr. Palmer. He should be here soon."

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Now, dear lady, let us take a look at you." Dr. Palmer stepped through the front door, which Holmes had left ajar for him.

Holmes joined Wiggins by the door. He didn't want to get too far away, but he did want to give them some privacy.

"Well?" Wiggins was fairly vibrating with equal parts cold, curiosity , and suppressed excitement.

After Holmes had given a brief explanation, Wiggins was suitably awed.

"Wiggins, I need you to do something for me. This gang is very dangerous and quite ruthless as well. Therefore, I want you to be extremely careful. I need you to keep watch on Mrs. Hudson. I need to go out tonight, but I don't want her to be unprotected. Can you and a few of the boys sit with her while I am gone?" He pressed a few sovereigns into Wiggins' hand.

"Oh, aye, Gov. What time do you need us for?"

"As soon as possible."

"Righto."

Wiggins left to find his friends.

Holmes was lost in thought about what his night's activities would consist of. His musings were interrupted by Dr. Palmer's presence.

"Um, sir?"

"Yes, how is she?"

"With some rest, she will be all right. She was knocked about a bit, but she was shaken up most of all. She has quite a bruise on her face, but, fortunately, nothing was broken. I've given her a dose of laudanum to calm her down so that she can rest."

"Good. I have business to attend to tonight, and this makes leaving the house much easier. Two people came in and kidnapped Dr. Watson. When Mrs. Hudson surprised them, one of them kicked her in the face. I think that you should make arrangements for your family to be elsewhere for a few days."

"Oh, good God! You're right, I need to see to my family. Good day!"

The man ran off to do just that.

As soon as there was someone there to stay with Mrs. Hudson, Holmes went out and whistled for a cab.

"The Diogenes Club." Holmes ducked into the cab rather quickly, for it had begun to rain. As he sank back in the overstuffed seat, he wondered how the questions he had for his brother should be phrased. When the cab came to a halt, Holmes got out and paid the cabbie. Truth be told, he had no more of an idea how to approach his brother than he had before. He finally came to the conclusion that directness would be best. By this time, he was being conducted to the Stranger's Room, where Mycroft would join him. Holmes just had time to settle himself in a chair opposite the fire, when the door opened and Mycroft strode in.

"Hello, brother mine." He offered his brother some brandy and biscuits. They were eagerly accepted, as Holmes had not breakfasted yet.

"This looks serious, Sherlock. What did you need to ask me about?"

Briefly, Holmes told him of the morning's events. Knowing that he would want to see it, Holmes handed him the note he had found on Watson's pillow.

"The note is signed P. Moriarty. I thought you might be able to tell me who she is."

"P. Moriarty? A sister, perhaps?"

"I have no idea, but I am quite certain that I will find out tonight."

"You are not going......."

"I cannot see how I can retrieve a living Watson otherwise, do you?"

"Sadly, no I do not. But to endanger yourself so....."

"Brother mine, he would do the same for me, and do it unflinchingly. I cannot do less for him."

"It seems that your course is set."

Mycroft had just drawn breath to say something else, but the door opened at that moment. A young man walked hurriedly to Mycroft and whispered something to him. Mycroft rose and addressed his brother.

"Sherlock, I am needed at my office now. Please come by later, and I may have more to tell you. Will you do this?"

"Of course. Forewarned is forearmed, as Father used to tell us. Till later, brother mine."

When he left, Holmes hailed a cab that took him to Scotland Yard. Holmes went to Lestrade's office and knocked.

"Come in."

"Thank you, Inspector. I wanted to see how the case you took me on was progressing, and to bring you up to date on some new developments."

"New developments? What has happened?"

"He recounted the story yet again,and handed him the note.

"I think that we should go over to Dr. Palmer's and make certain that he and his family are all right," said Holmes.

"I think you're right," agreed the smaller man.

A growler took them to Dr. Palmer's surgery, which took up

the first floor of his home.

When no one answered their insistent knocking, Holmes kicked the door in.

Dr. Palmer and his wife lay in the middle of the living room floor. Lestrade ran to them, and Holmes took a quick look around for their two children. There was no sign of them.