Sherlock..........Who?

The Abominable Bride Part Two

There is a brief shot of the outside of 221B, with Speedwell's next door, and then we are in the flat's sitting room. Holmes , Smith and Watson are sitting in their armchairs, and an elegantly-dressed woman sits on a dining chair opposite them.

LADY CARMICHAEL: Mr Holmes, I have come here for advice.

HOLMES: That is easily got.

LADY CARMICHAEL: And help.

HOLMES: Not always so easy.

LADY CARMICHAEL: Something has happened, Mr Holmes – something ... unusual and ... terrifying.

HOLMES: Then you are in luck.

(She scoffs.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: 'Luck'?

HOLMES (smiling at her): Those are my specialisms.

(He smiles across at Smith.)

HOLMES: This is really very promising.

WATSON: Holmes ...

(Holmes drops the smile and turns back to Lady Carmichael.)

SMITH: Please do tell us what has so distressed you.

LADY CARMICHAEL: I – I thought long and hard as to what to do, but then, er, it occurred to me that my husband was an acquaintance of your brother and that, perhaps through him ...

(She trails off. Holmes tilts his head at her enquiringly.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: The fact is, I'm not sure this comes within your purview, Mr Holmes.

HOLMES: No?

LADY CARMICHAEL: Lord help me, I think it may be a matter for a priest.

(Holmes glances across at Watson, who returns his gaze.)

FLASHBACK. In the huge dining room of their stately home, Sir Eustace Carmichael and his wife are eating breakfast with their two school-aged children, a girl and a boy.

SIR EUSTACE: And what does your morning threaten, my dear? (He takes a drink from his teacup.) A vigorous round of embroidering? An exhausting appointment at the milliner's?

(His wife cuts herself a bite of food and lifts it to her mouth.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: I hope you are teasing, Eustace.

(He chuckles. A footman brings in a silver plate on which are letters and a letter opener. Sir Eustace slits open the first envelope and looks inside. He freezes, staring at the contents in horror.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: What is it?

(Sir Eustace doesn't respond, his gaze still locked on what he can see inside the envelope.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: Eustace?

(When he still doesn't react to her, she puts down her knife and fork and looks across the table to the children.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: Daniel, Sophie, go out and play.

SOPHIE: But Mama ...

LADY CARMICHAEL: Do as I tell you. Quickly, now.

(The children leave the table and go out of the room. Lady Carmichael gets up and walks over to her husband, gently pulling the envelope from his hands. She tips the contents into her hand and then looks at the five orange pips lying on her palm. She laughs.)

LADY CARMICHAEL: Eustace! What does this mean?

(She chuckles, then notices Eustace's appalled expression as he gazes up at her.)