Holmes University: The Master Blackmailer Page #4

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home to me

but indeed they arranged

my season last year.

Give me your gloves.

Oh Mrs. Hudson,

what do you think

you're doing?

You haven't been out

this morning Mr. Holmes

and you don't have

to be a detective

to see that

this young lady

is recently up

from a sick bed.

Isn't that so my dear?

We must put some roses

back in those cheeks.

Thank you.

The broth is an

excellent idea.

Mrs. Hudson

will you vanish?

I said vanish!

He was my first love.

The son of some neighbours

of ours in Suffolk

but we were ill matched.

He had few prospects.

When I came

down to London

Iast year for the season

I broke off with him.

I didn't realize

how much I hurt him.

He returned my letters

and I put them

away in a trunk,

which I keep with me.

Now, the substance

of these letters?

They're just a

little foolish.

But sufficient to cause

your fiance misgiving?

Harry's so proud of me.

It frightens me sometimes

that I cannot

live up to

his expectation of me.

Was it your maid who

found these letters?

Lillie, yes!

I trusted her.

I cannot believe

she could have

betrayed me like this.

How would this Lillie

know about Milverton?

I think the idea

may have come to her

through a misfortune

that befell a

friend of mine,

Charlotte,

who was to have married

a Colonel Dorking.

And Mr. Milverton

sent her some letters.

They were very

distressing.

Lillie and I were there

when she received them.

To think the same

fate has befallen me.

It will be all

right, Lady Eva.

What could you do?

My marriage is

on the 18th.

He's demanding that

the money

be paid to him

four days prior to the

wedding, on the 14th,

on the day of the dance.

Dance?

Lord Dovercourt has

arranged a wedding feast

and invited

half of London.

I'm dreading it.

If you will place

yourself in my hands

I'll inform Mr. Milverton

that you've commissioned

me to meet him

to make the best

terms that I can, huh?

I have limited

resources Mr. Holmes.

But enough for me

to bargain with

I cannot approach

him empty handed.

Good.

Good.

Thank you.

My felicitations to

your Godmother.

Lady Eva?

You must trust Mr. Holmes

and his methods.

Absolutely.

Mrs. Hudson will

see you out.

That young lady, Holmes,

must be treated

with infinite care

unlike your other

recent escapade.

Oh Watson,

it took some

nerve for her

to come here alone.

It is my belief

that Lady Eva

and the

Milverton housemaid

have something in common.

And what is that?

Juice.

Watson, juice

in the face

of adversity.

Now Mr. Milverton.

Well, well, well.

Eva?

Eva?

Eva?

Eva?

Lottie!

I am so glad to see you.

Paris wasn't the answer.

You've been hard to find.

What were you doing?

I fell asleep.

Johnson told me about

your Uncle Charles.

I'm so sorry.

I stayed here to

comfort Diana but

this house is so sad.

We'll call again at 6:30.

C-A-M.

You ready?

Yes.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

This gentlemen

is it discreet?

Dr. Watson is my

friend and partner.

It is purely in the

interest of your client

that I protest it.

The matter is so

very delicate.

Dr. Watson has already

thought of that.

May I?

Oh, thank you.

Then we may proceed

to business.

You said in your note

that you are acting

for the Lady Eva,

are you empowered

to accept my terms?

What are your terms?

Seven thousand pounds.

And the alternative?

My dear sir,

it is painful for

me to discuss it

but I can say

that all of this is done

with most careful

consideration

and if the money

is not paid

on the 14th then

there certainly

will be no marriage

on the 18th.

We are, of

course, familiar

with the contents

of these letters.

We shall advise

our client

to tell her future

husband the whole story

and trust to

his generosity.

Well then you evidently

do not know the Earl.

What harm is there

in these letters?

They are sprightly

very sprightly.

The lady was a

charming correspondent.

But I assure you the

Earl of Dovercourt

will fail to

appreciate them.

However, if you

think otherwise,

it's purely a

matter of business.

If you think it in the

best interests

of your client

then it would

indeed be foolish

to pay so large

a sum of money.

You go too fast.

We would certainly

make every effort

to avoid scandal in

so delicate a matter.

I felt sure you would

see it in that light.

Damn you.

Lady Eva is not

a wealthy woman.

Two thousand pounds

would be total drain

on her resources.

The sum you named

utterly beyond her power.

Return the letters at

the price we indicate,

I assure you,

it is the highest

you can get.

What you say maybe true

of the lady's resources

but the surely the

occasion of her marriage

is it not a proper

time for her friends

and relations to make

some little effort

on her behalf?

They may hesitate

as to an acceptable

wedding present

but this little

bundle of letters

would bring more joy

than all the candelabras

and butter

dishes in London

wouldn't it?

It is not possible.

Oh dear me then.

How very unfortunate.

I cannot help

feeling that ladies

are ill advised

in not making an effort.

Look at this.

This belongs to,

well perhaps it's

hardly fair to tell you

to whom it belongs

until tomorrow morning

when it will

be in the hands

of the lady's husband.

And all because

she will not find

a beggarly sum

which she could

easily do

simply by turning

some of her

diamonds into paste.

It is such a pity!

You may have noticed

a small paragraph

recently in The

Morning Post.

The sudden end

of the engagement

between the

Honorable Miss Miles

and Colonel Dorking?

Yes and it's tragic

consequences.

That was tantamount

to murder!

How do you answer for

that Mr. Milverton?

How a man

conducts himself

under such circumstances

is a matter for

himself alone.

That is a monstrous

accession.

It was you

and you alone who

caused his death.

And the sum

involved niggardly.

Indeed a mere twelve

hundred pounds

would have settled

the whole question.

Pitiful isn't it?

And yet I find

you Mr. Holmes,

a man of sense,

boggling of terms

when the whole future

and honour of your

client is at stake.

You surprise me,

you do really!

The money cannot be found.

Surely it would

be better for you

to take the substantial

sum we offer

than to ruin this

young woman's career,

which can profit

you in no way.

But you're mistaken.

An exposure would

profit me indirectly

to a considerable degree.

I have eight or ten

similar cases

materializing.

If it is circulated

that I have made

a severe example

of Lady Eva.

I'll shall find the rest

much more open to reason.

Do you see my point?

Let us see the contents

of those letters.

Mr. Holmes.

Mr. Holmes, I've

been expecting you

to do something original.

This has been tried

so often before.

Young Edward

Kroft for one.

Kroft?

The footman Veitch

who took the bullet that

was rightfully yours.

You've done

some work on me.

So you must know that

nothing ever came

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