The Eligible Bachelor Page #4

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I was very tired.

God knows what

I said to her.

I don't remember.

Dear Mr. Holmes,

I Agnes Northcote,

being of sound

mind and body...

You observed Miss Hettie

Doran leave the house,

you introduced

yourself to her.

You walked together

in the park.

You warned her against

Lord St. Simon.

Yes.

Did she try to defend

Sir Simon to you?

No.

Not at all?

All she said

was thank you

that has decided me.

Oh, go on.

You took her back

to the theatre

and sent out for

some clothes?

Yes.

Had she money with her?

No, I bought the clothes

and I gave her a

couple of sovereign.

That was very good of you.

Not at all.

She told me her father

would reimburse it all.

She wrote a note

to him for me.

Ah a note.

Now can you tell

me anything about

Lord St. Simon's

previous marriages?

Nothing.

Nothing?

Nothing.

I live for the present

and nothing else

is a waste of time.

You know nothing about

his first wife's death?

Nothing.

The second marriage

was annulled,

do you know why?

No.

Well an annulment

usually takes place

when there's unfitness

in one of the partners.

Do you know what

that might be?

No.

No?

Nothing?

You're not permitted

to discuss anything?

No.

May I ask why?

No.

Not any a man

should be worthy

of such love.

Is it passion?

Fear?

Oh I see Miss Miller

it's both.

I apprise you I

shall do my best

to see that

you are released

from this nonsensible

confinement.

Miss Miller?

I'll do it.

It is nearly ready

You know the

disappearance of

Doran's daughter

ought to be a

simple matter.

It should solve itself

without further

assistance.

But what about

Lord Robert?

What has he done to

warrant 3 avenging angels,

witches?

Witches?

Well a woman obscured.

Perhaps time is shaped.

We cannot dream

the future.

Oh maybe the future is

all around us, I'm ready.

Coming.

It's a pity there's

so little in this.

Just a few figures

and initials.

No doubt you'll find more.

Oh look.

It's like a delicate

membranes of a butterfly.

Oh the poor woman

is destitute.

Destitute.

Ah their's rage

on this page.

Look how she's

torn the paper.

Oh what have we here?

A thread.

A seamstress?

Lace maker?

Web maker?

Ah she reads.

Bronte, Jane Austen

and Sophocles.

Coming.

The woman with the

veil, she's back.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes?

Yes I am he.

We've met before.

I am Agnes Northcote.

Miss Northcote.

What have you

to say to me?

Before I can

tell you that

I must know

your connection

with Lord St. Simon.

None.

Watson?

We are investigating his

wife's disappearance.

Oh you must not find her.

Such an edict requires

justification.

No woman with a fortune

is safe from

him believe me.

Believe me.

Really?

Well I'm afraid

I am burdened

with a rational

turn of mind,

I need proofs.

Miss Northcote

I need proofs.

I have no proof

only my conviction

and experiences

not just my own.

Conviction well

that's a luxury

that I have

almost forgotten.

You clearly have much to

tell us Miss Northcote

please, please sit down.

I have about my sister.

Shall I tell you

what happened to her?

That is why I came.

Helena was more alive

than anyone I've ever met.

She had her fortune

she was in charge of her

fate, as few women are,

until she met Lord

Robert St. Simon.

He destroyed her.

He took her fortune,

he married her

and he destroyed her.

How?

He had her committed

to a mad house.

It required only the

signature of 2 doctors

and the deed was done.

When was this?

It could not

happen today,

we have the Lunacy Act.

Oh could it not?

Well that's as maybe

but the act came too

late for my sister

and when the Lunacy

Act became enforced

he still had

her put away.

People can't

just be put away.

They can if you're

uncle is a Duke.

If you're handsome

and plausible

under the terms of

your precious act

I demanded that conditions

of her confinement

were inspected

and so they were.

A small but learned

committee went to

Glovin eventually.

Helen.

Knowing what they

wanted to find

and of course

they found it.

Charmed by the

compassionate Lord Robert

who had kept his wife

a profoundly

depressed person.

Once beautiful now

sadly destructed

in conditions

that can only be

wondered at for

their cleanliness,

they're orderliness,

their quality of

nursing and so on.

Only one thing was amiss,

it was not my sister.

Helena was not mad.

It was not her.

He'd hired someone.

Flora Miller.

Robert!

It was not my sister.

It was not her.

And where is she now?

I went to Glovin myself.

I had to find the truth.

My reward was this.

Miss Northcote?

Did you discover

the truth?

No.

I did not know how to.

I was blind with

anger and grief.

I have no recollection

of even how I got there.

I only know that I

found myself one day

walking through the gates

of that accursed place.

I was left in

part of the wood

where the

animals are kept

so it might

look as though

I had been attacked

by one of them

after ignoring

notices not to.

I was found by

some cottagers.

And kept alive.

I would thank

you to find out

whether my sister

was alive or not.

I only live a half-life

for not knowing.

Nothing seems to break

the gray cycle I live in.

Nothing I do.

Nothing.

I walk the

streets at night,

Iooking for danger.

Sometimes I think

I'm asking the world

to hurt me so

I can feel alive.

Good God what else

may I've dreamt?

The laundry?

Miss Northcote will you

satisfy me upon one point?

If I can.

You're meanderings,

nocturnal meanderings,

do they ever take you

past the Park Club?

Lord St. Simon

was shot at

on the night

before his wedding

that was you?

Couldn't bear to see

another life destroyed.

Lord Robert's wife,

first wife, was murdered.

Murdered?

She also had a fortune.

She was robbed and killed

shortly after their

honeymoon in France.

By who?

A man called

Thomas Floutier.

Was he convicted?

Yes but he escaped

and where is he now?

Where do you think he is?

Any idea?

Glovin.

No I don't know...

I don't know.

I have no proof.

Just the strength

of your convictions.

Yes.

Miss Northcote

I'm afraid the

sound of your shot

never reached the ears

of our noble bachelor.

The thrice married

Lord St. Simon.

I cannot expect

you to understand

how much I envy you.

A delight it must be

to face an opponent

of some worth.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Hudson?

Is he really

going to help?

Oh yes.

He already is.

Bella was in the church.

Weren't we my sweetness,

I smuggled Bella in.

She was as good as gold.

Did anything occur?

Oh nothing occurred

out of the ordinary.

I'll assure you.

Please try to remember.

Oh yes, sweet

little Hettie

dropped her

bouquet you know.

And had it picked

up for her.

Dropped her bouquet.

He was quite

an attractive,

the one who picked

it up I mean.

One of the

Doran's I suppose.

He looked American

at any rate.

Thank you.

Duarte.

You don't I suppose

have another heiress

up your sleeve?

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