A Trail of Treasure - Sherlock Holmes

Chapter Six - A Trap

"Well I was promised dinner by this rendezvous." 

"Very well. Then I shall take my wife to dinner."

"Ah, my husband is too kind."

They headed back downstairs to the lobby where John still waited. He gave them a look of, 'What the hell is going on?' to which they just signaled for him to wait.

They approached the host at the dining room.

"Good evening, Sir, Madam," he addressed them.

"Good evening.  A table for two, if you please," Holmes requested. 

"Of course. May I take your name and room number, Sir?"

"Uh, yes. Mr. and Mrs... Adler," Holmes told him.  "Room 211."

"Wonderful, thank you.  Right this way, Mr. and Mrs. Adler."

"Thank you."

They followed him into the dining room and to a nice table for two.  Caroline would even say the setting would be romantic - under other circumstances, of course. 

They settled down at their table with menus, the host promising that their waiter would be with them shortly.

"Why 'Adler'?" she asked him once the host had left them.

Holmes scanned his menu.  "No reason."

"Oh really. Are you sure it's not because of a certain Irene Adler?"

His head snapped up.  "Watson told you."

"Yes. He was trying to explain why you were so rude to me the first time we met."

"I wouldn't say rude."

"You insulted me and my father!"

"Hardly."

"You called us plain and petty, respectively."

"Good evening." A smiley waiter appeared at their table.  "Would you like a bottle of wine?" He held up a bottle.

"Thank you," said Holmes.

"Excellent.  Would you like some more time with the menus?"

"Please." 

The waiter nodded and left them.

"You're still in love with her, aren't you," Caroline continued as soon as he was gone. 

"I am in love with only my work." Holmes was back to examining his menu. 

"Well, that certainly explains a lot."

"Now who's being rude?"

"I'm just stating the facts."

"As was I. Would my wife  like a glass of wine?" 

"Please. Anything to make this more bearable."

"Need I remind you that you were the one who came up with this ridiculous scheme for us?"

"And I'll remind you, again, that we wouldn't have been able to go into the room without it."

"We'd have found another way."

"I would say my idea was quick thinking. And, it worked."

SMASH!!!

The large chandelier in the centre of the dining room suddenly smashed to the floor in a heap of glass and candles, a waiter having to dive out of the way of being hit. The fallen candles instantly ignited the rug and nearby tablecloths.