Continuing from the last entry…

Unusual Habits 2

Scene Two…

Is a snow covered lane, west of London, which narrows to several yards wide,

a carriage is parked near some snow covered bushes, two horses are there by its side.

A Hansom cab stops , with another behind it, five folk from scene one, clamber out,

this includes Mrs Hudson, who's there just in case her men throw more money about.

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Holmes—_Stand aside! Stay well back from the carriage! Your boot prints will ruin the scene!

I can see there are many fresh prints from the Yarders, the whole dashed department has been

trampling the ground like a herd of great hippos, how on earth can I practice my art?

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Lestrade—that's the carriage the Yarders arrived in, it's hardly a luxury cart!

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He points to an elegant, gold painted carriage, adorned with an elegant crest

and parked on the opposite side of the lane,

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Lestrade—go ahead, be my guest.

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It's ringed by a long narrow scarf, Mrs Hudson has knitted in stripes, black and yellow

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Holmes ( somewhat chastened) —an easy mistake, please go through the facts, my dear fellow.

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Lestrade…the five girls were recorded as leaving at six for the Mayor's Winter Ball,

their absence was noted by eight, a search party sent out from the Grand County Hall.

The luxury carriage was seen around midnight, the menfolk knocked out, tightly bound,

but nothing was seen of the lovely heiresses, no sign of a struggle was found.

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They walk through the snow to the luxury carriage, and stop at the miles of striped scarf…

it's clear Mrs Hudson commits to a project, and clear she does nothing by half…

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Holmes (ducking under the scarf)—that's much better, the prints of the girls are preserved.

Just stay where you are, while I check every inch, no clue will remain unobserved.

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He measures some scuff marks, one elegant footprint, a thread from a pink satin jacket

Then stares at a criss cross of lines…

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Holmes—that's odd…those are made by an old tennis racket!

Now…why would an heiress have something like this? It's the oddest and strangest of clues.

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He straightens up, suddenly…

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Holmes—yes of course! Not a racket at all, but snow shoes!

Now the prints aren't distinct, but they lead down the lane, then up to that hill over there

And suggest that one heiress came fully equipped, what led to her taking such care?

No prints of assailants, no struggle described, attack was a total surprise.

One heiress at least, was involved in the crime…a daring and dark enterprise!

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Lestrade (quite astonished)—, that surely can't be, these ladies are all finely bred!

I can't tell their folk that they might not be victims, but have taken to violence instead!

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Young Hopkins—the Mayor's Winter Ball required masks, were the heiresses close bosom friends?

Or might a young villainous maid be involved…swapped in, for her own evil ends?

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Holmes—a neat theory, but who could it be? Such a crime would take daring and wit,

and the likeliest suspect is locked up for life. No, Hopkins that cannot be it,

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In silence they trudge up the lane, to a hill, and a rather impressive white gate

with the name " The Immaculate Sisters of Mercy", inscribed on a shiny brass plate.

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Mrs H (in a muttered aside to the Yarders)—a million to one, you declared,

Those odds are now climbing, I think it's high time that the news of that jail break is shared…

~0~
to be continued…