Denis Smith - The Mammoth Book of the New Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes

‘Could you see who it was?’

Miss Ballantyne shook her head. ‘The lighting down there is very dim. I had the merest impression of a dark figure, that is all. I do not know what will happen next, Mr Holmes, but I fear that it may be something dreadful.’

‘Perhaps, also, you fear that you may be the next victim selected by this unseen malefactor?’

‘That is so. I have seen others fall foul of his tricks. Perhaps next time it will be me.’

‘What does anyone else think of it all?’ enquired Holmes after a moment. ‘What, for instance, is your husband’s opinion?’

Miss Ballantyne hesitated, and her hands began again their restless twining.

‘There is a difficulty there,’ she responded at last. ‘My husband is not greatly interested in theatrical matters generally, except in so far as they affect my own career, and until this week I had spoken little of these things to him. I had mentioned one or two of the incidents, but in a light-hearted way only. I have been afraid to unburden myself of my true feelings.’

‘Afraid? Why?’

‘I know his character only too well. I knew that if he understood my anxieties he would consider nothing but my safety and insist that I withdraw from the production at once. When I did at last speak freely to him on the subject, two nights ago, his response was precisely as I had expected. “Leave the production,” said he. “I will square it financially with Hardy.” But I told him I could not do it. Such a course would be disastrous. It would let down badly everyone who has worked so hard to get The Lavender Girl ready and to ensure that it is a success. He himself would lose a considerable amount of money if the play did not open, for he has provided a third of the finance for the production. But I know he would dismiss that as unimportant in comparison with my well-being.’

‘If so,’ interrupted Holmes, ‘he would be correct. You must not place yourself in danger merely on account of financial considerations, Miss Ballantyne. You no doubt consider you owe some loyalty to your theatrical colleagues, but this loyalty must be tempered by regard for your own safety. The difficulty, of course, lies in estimating the degree of danger which you and your colleagues face.’

‘My husband said much the same, Mr Holmes. I did eventually succeed in persuading him that I must continue with The Lavender Girl ; but he has proposed that in future he be present in the theatre as often as possible, whenever I am working there. I readily accepted this suggestion, as you will imagine. It will be heartening for me, to know that he is close at hand. And yet,’ Miss Ballantyne added after a moment’s pause, ‘so secretly and cunningly has the persecutor wrought his work, that I wonder whether the presence of even a regiment of soldiers could prevail against him.’

Holmes nodded. ‘How does Mr Hudson Hardy view the matter?’ said he.

‘He dismisses my fears as groundless,’ returned Miss Ballantyne, ‘and tries to laugh them away. “Why,” said he, yesterday evening, when we were discussing the matter, “I have never known a production yet in which there were not unexplained accidents, malicious pranks, heated quarrels, injuries and last-minute resignations! It is simply the way of the theatrical world, Isabel, as you must surely have observed over the years!”

‘I acknowledged that there was some truth in what he said, although he exaggerated a little. But I insisted that on this occasion there was something more malicious and sinister in the circumstances. He was still inclined to dismiss the matter, however, and I could not think how to convince him otherwise. Then I thought of you, Mr Holmes. I was in Oxford for a time last summer, appearing in As You Like It at the theatre there, and I recalled reading a report in the Oxford Mail of the part you had played in what sounded a very strange affair, at somewhere called Fox House, I believe.’

‘Foxwood Grange?’

‘Yes, that is the place.’

‘A most interesting case! I was not aware that the Oxford Mail had reported it.’

‘It was a very full report. It made it clear that you had been chiefly responsible for uncovering the truth and bringing the whole affair to a successful conclusion. As I remembered it, I wondered if you could perhaps achieve the same with our little problem, and suggested as much to Mr Hardy.’

‘What was his response?’

‘He said that he would bear the suggestion in mind, should anything further occur, but thought it unnecessary to consult you at present. I considered the matter further last night, however, and decided at length that I would ignore Mr Hardy’s opinion, and engage you upon my own account.’

‘I should be pleased to look into the matter for you,’ began Holmes, but he paused as there came an interruption. The door-bell had sounded as Miss Ballantyne had been speaking, and now the sitting-room door opened and our landlady put her head in, and apologised for the intrusion.

‘I did not know you were still engaged, Mr Holmes,’ said she. ‘There’s a gentleman called to see you. I can ask him to wait downstairs.’

‘What is the gentleman’s name?’ asked Holmes.

‘Mr Richard Hudson Hardy,’ said she.

Holmes glanced at his visitor, who had raised her eyebrows in surprise.

‘What is your wish?’ asked he. ‘Should I invite Mr Hudson Hardy to join our little discussion?’

‘By all means,’ returned Miss Ballantyne. ‘I am pleased he has had a change of heart.’

‘Kindly ask Mr Hudson Hardy to step up,’ said Holmes to the landlady, and a moment later we were joined by the well-known actor, manager and theatrical producer. He was a portly, middle-aged man, with a broad, clean-shaven face and close-cropped greying hair. He paused for a moment in surprise as his eyes lit upon Miss Ballantyne; then he reached forward to her, his hands outstretched.

‘My dear!’ cried he, smiling broadly. ‘So you find me out!’

‘I do not know what you mean,’ she returned, a frown of puzzlement upon her face; ‘but I am glad that you have altered your opinion as to the worth of consulting Mr Holmes.’

‘My meaning, Isabel, is that I was not, I regret to say, entirely honest with you,’ said Hardy, looking a little shamefaced, as he took the chair I offered him. ‘The fact is, my dear, that I thought your suggestion a good one. But I was apprehensive that if I appeared too eager to accept it I should confirm in you those very fears which I was most anxious to alleviate. I therefore said nothing, but resolved there and then that I would consult Mr Holmes at the very first opportunity. So here I am!’ he concluded, looking from one to the other of us with a beaming smile.

‘In that case,’ said Miss Ballantyne after a moment, rising to her feet. ‘As you are here, Mr Hardy, and as I have told Mr Holmes all I can recall at present in connection with the matter, I think that I shall take my leave of you. There are one or two things I wished to do before attending today’s rehearsal. I had thought that I should have to cancel them, but if I leave now, I might be able to fit them in.’

A moment later, with a brief nod to us, and a swish of her maroon and salmon skirts, the celebrated actress took her exit from our humble rooms.

‘Now,’ said Holmes to the newcomer, ‘Miss Ballantyne has described to us certain recent occurrences at your theatre which have caused her anxiety. I take it from what you say that you share her concern.’

‘Broadly speaking, that is correct,’ returned Hardy, ‘although I am still hopeful that it will blow over. Perhaps the mean-spirited individual who has delighted in playing malicious pranks on his fellow-actors has now satisfied his depraved urges. In which case, we may already have seen the last of it. One cannot know for certain, however, and I have sometimes wondered if there is not someone in the company who has a profound determination to wreck the production, and who will not stop until he has done so. In any case, whether there is yet more of this unpleasantness to come or not, I should certainly like to know who is behind it all and expel him from the company. I thus place the case in your hands, Mr Holmes.’