Sherlock Holmes and the case of the Blind Duchess

Chapter 5

     The estate was about an hour away from serving dinner and the sun was slowly creeping towards the horizon when Lestrade and his men arrived. Holmes and Watson, having spent the early hours inspecting the Duchess's chambers, now found themselves in the grand entrance hall to greet the angered inspector when he arrived. Lestrade had other cases that he was tending to, actual homicides that demanded his attention, so he was less than impressed when his chief was called upon by Buckingham Palace to drop whatever he was doing and make the case Holmes was working on his top priority. The tension from their fruitless search hung heavy in the air, which was why the had no choice but to call in the Inspector for his assistance, something that normally was the other way around. Their anticipation was met by the arrival of Inspector Lestrade, a scowl on his face as he was accompanied by a half a dozen uniformed officers. The inspector, a familiar face from many of their past investigations, strode forward with an air of brisk authority and appeared to be carrying a bag, as if he had a gut feeling that he would be staying the night.

     "Holmes, Watson," Lestrade greeted them through clinched teeth. "I've been mildly informed of the situation. The Duchess's safety is of paramount importance, and I am here to offer you my help to ensure it."

     Holmes, already agitated by the night's lack of progress, stepped forward to shake the Inspector's hand, a rare show of respect.

     "Inspector," Sherlock welcomed him, "Your concern is appreciated, and allow Watson and I to provide the vital details of the situation as we'll let your experienced eyes look for things we may have missed."

     Lestrade bristled at Holmes's request, as he couldn't remember the last time the private detective ever asked him for his help.

     "Holmes," Lestrade started, "This is a serious threat. The Duchess deserves the full protection of the law, so I am quite relived you reached out for our help."

     "I concur," Sherlock continued, "We shall inform you of our predicament and get you up to speed while we let you and your men inspect the premises."

     Holmes watched as Lestrade checked the same hallways and doors, looking for any flaws that the two of them might have missed but none were found. The final place for them to inspect was the private room of the Duchess herself but only Holmes, Lestrade and two officers went in to make the final inspection. Watson, the other officers and Pembroke remained in the hallway and patiently waited for them to finish up. Without warning, voices inside the room started to raise and two men inside were clearly arguing. Pembroke was about to enter to room to see what the commotion was about, but the door flung open before he could reach it and Holmes emerged from the room, wearing his hat and coat as he walked away in a complete huff.

     "Holmes!" Watson called after him, "Where are you going?"

     Holmes never answered his colleague, instead walked to the main doors, and vacated the estate. The men in the hallway went after him, shocked by what they had seen. Holmes had walked right into the carriage that was waiting outside and ordered the man to take him back to Baker Street. The driver did as he was told immediate and departed before the men inside had a chance to catch up.

     Pembroke stood there at the doorway and watched in shock as the carriage marched off and slowly became smaller and smaller. He turned back to face Watson and Lestrade with a look on his face that made his frustration rather evident.

     "What the hell was that all about?" Pembroke roared at the two men standing there.

     "We had a disagreement," Lestrade informed the angered lawyer. "He disagreed with the ground rules I was setting and just walked off like spoiled child that wasn't getting his way. Sometimes that immature bastard forgets who pulls rank around here."

     "Gentlemen, please!" Pembroke insisted, "Our goal is the same: to protect the Duchess and uncover the truth! How the hall are we going to do that without Sherlock Holmes?"

     "I've cracked many cases without him," Lestrade countered, "I'll solve this one."

     Pembroke, however, was in no mood for compromise... only results.

     "Very well, Lestrade," Pembroke conceded "If you insist on helping out, then perhaps you can take charge and succeed where other security professionals have failed."

     Watson, with a mixture of frustration and concern etched on his face, turned to face Inspector Lestrade.

     "Holmes may be impetuous," Watson exclaimed, "But his intentions are sincere. Until he returns, let us work together, combining your resources and our insights."

     Lestrade, still bristling from the confrontation, nodded grudgingly.

     "Very well, Doctor," Lestrade conceded, "We'll do this your way for now. But understand, I will have many men patrolling the grounds. I will not risk the Duchess's safety for the sake of Sherlock's pride."

     It was at the massive table in the middle of the dining hall when Watson addressed the Duchess, who had heard Holmes make his loud and abrupt exit. She had a worried expression on her face, as she couldn't understand why he would walk out on her and the case.

     "Your Grace," Watson said, with a calm tone to reassure her, "I will remain here to ensure your safety. I promise you we will not rest until this threat has been dispatched."

     The Duchess nodded gratefully, as her trust in Watson evident.

     "Thank you, Dr. Watson." She replied, "Your presence is a great comfort to this old lady in these troubling times."

     With her grace settled down, the remainder of dinner was calm and peaceful. After the Duchess retired to prepare for bed, Watson worked with Lestrade and his officers, devising a strategy to secure the castle without alerting the intruder. Yet, even as they fortified their defenses, Watson couldn't shake the nagging worry for his friend. Holmes had departed left in anger, but Watson knew that his departure was more than just a display of temper. Holmes was still investigating, somewhere, using his own methods to uncover the truth. He pictured Holmes back at Baker Street, mulling over the mystery while playing his violin. If the answer came to him, he would no doubt rush back to share it with them and rub it in all their faces.

     As the night descended once more over the castle, Watson took up his vigil outside the Duchess's chambers with the two guards stationed out there. He was determined to protect her from the unseen menace. The hours passed slowly, as the silence broken only by the occasional footsteps of Lestrade's men patrolling the corridors.

     As the clock ticked past midnight, Watson's thoughts turned to Holmes. Wherever his friend was, Watson remained steadfast in his resolve. He stood there in the halls like a guardian in the night, watching over the Duchess and waiting for the dawn that would bring new revelations and, perhaps, the end of the terror that haunted her.