Bonnie Macbird - The Devil’s Due

‘I do not know,’ said the lady. ‘I am not familiar with their utensils.’

Holmes continued to examine the knife, then he tossed it on a side table.

‘I presume you want me to trace this assailant?’

‘What I would like, Mr Holmes, is protection for dear Judith. She is my prize pupil. This has upset her greatly, and this catastrophe will delay my placing her until her wound heals. Most of my girls can only aspire to be parlour-maids or maids of all work. But Judith will be my first to graduate to a position of governess.’

‘Impressive,’ I said, imagining this tale of rags to respectability.

‘I thought it was merely a scratch,’ said Holmes. ‘Her wound?’

‘Perhaps I have not described it correctly. It is a small cut. But it is bandaged against infection.’

‘Good,’ said I, thinking that few people took such things seriously enough. Holmes shifted in impatience.

The lady continued. ‘I would very much like you to come to the school and to lie in wait for this assailant, Mr Holmes. I feel certain he will try again.’

‘Dr Watson perhaps could assist. Is there an empty room nearby where he could wait?’

I was surprised at this but said nothing.

‘No, it must be in her room. And you, sir. Alone. There is not enough space for you both in the room with Judith.’

‘Why do you not remove the girl to a place of safety?’ Holmes asked. ‘Perhaps lodge her in your own home until this villain is apprehended?’

‘Oh, no! I – I could not do that. My staff would be – oh no! But the assailant would not likely return, then, would he? I ask you again, sir. Please come and wait in her room with her.’

I had a sudden thought of our escapade back in ’83, protecting the gentle Helen Stoner, a young woman who nearly met the same gruesome end as her sister Julia – death in her own bed by the improbable means of a trained snake, engineered by her evil stepfather. We had awaited this terrifying event by secreting ourselves, with difficulty, in the lady’s bedroom. However, the young person herself had not been present. What Lady Eleanor was proposing was quite unacceptable.

‘I am sorry, Lady Eleanor. I am otherwise occupied,’ said Holmes. ‘But I have in mind the perfect solution.’

‘But, sir—’

‘No,’ said Holmes, firmly.

Lady Eleanor was taken aback. As pleasant and reasonable as she seemed, she was also clearly not used to hearing the word ‘no’.

‘Here is my solution, madam. I will send over one of my deputies. A young woman who will fit right into your school, a minnow in a school of minnows.’

‘A deputy?’

‘I have employed her before, and more than once. Her name is Hephzibah O’Malley.’

‘That is an … unusual name,’ said the lady.

Holmes noted this and glanced at me. ‘Heffie, as she is known, is an East End orphan, half Jewish and half Irish, and you can well imagine she has felt the brunt of prejudice. She has learned to defend herself masterfully. She is an accomplished street-fighter. But that is the smallest of her skills. Heffie is intelligent, subtle, and observant – an easily underestimated young person.’

Lady Eleanor looked doubtful, but Holmes pressed on.

‘The assailant, judging from his lack of success and his willingness to be frightened off so readily, is not a professional. Heffie will be able to handle him, should he return.’

I wondered that I had not heard of her before.

‘How old is this Heffie?’ asked the lady.

‘Sixteen.’

‘You would send a child to defend my Judith?’

Holmes sighed. ‘Heffie is no ordinary young lady. Her late father was a boxer and wrestler and I have seen her hold her own against several men. Heffie will also fit in perfectly as one of your rescues. There could be no one better suited to watch over Judith. Your assailant, if he is connected with the school, will not even realize that Judith has acquired a bodyguard. Even Scotland Yard has made use of her services. Do you see? Heffie is precisely what you need.’

‘I need you , Mr Holmes.’

‘Madam, I am not free at present. And consider this. I would stand out in that environment like a giraffe in a pen of kittens.’

‘I beg you to refrain from referring to my girls as minnows or kittens,’ said the lady with dignity. I will admit that I, too, was taken slightly aback by Holmes’s colourful analogies. ‘But if it is not to be, it is not to be.’ She rose, her disappointment obvious.

She glanced once more around the room, revisiting the considerable clutter, including the grotesqueries on the chemistry table. She drew herself up, then ran a hand along the fireplace mantel. A finger came away dirty. She tapped some books, lying askew on a nearby bookcase.

‘Mr Holmes. You could benefit from more meticulous housekeeping. Order reflects competence! One of my girls would do wonders with this unhealthy room. She would clean thoroughly, organize all. Will you consider hiring one? I am always looking to place a girl. One of my best is available starting immediately. Anna would—’

‘Much as I enjoy appearing competent, no thank you, Lady Eleanor,’ said Holmes with a small smile. ‘Now if you will excuse us, please.’

‘It is hard to take no for an answer, Mr Holmes. You say Heffie can do the job I require and have insisted, past my reservations. Yet you will not take my advice. Why not consider Anna? She would tidy up this mess in a day.’

‘Thank you, madam,’ said Holmes more firmly, ‘but this room is exactly how I like it.’

‘But it is very kind of you to suggest,’ I offered.

She paused. ‘I will expect your … Heffie, then. When exactly?’

‘I will have her there by morning. In the meantime, place Judith temporarily in a new room with other girls. Please have an extra bed made ready in Judith’s room for tomorrow.’

She nodded and departed without another word.

‘What an extraordinary woman,’ I exclaimed.

‘In what way, Watson?’

‘So elegant, so self-contained. And quite lovely for her age.’

‘She is only a few years older than you. And she, or her girl, is lying, at least about a few things.’

‘What? Seriously, Holmes?

‘The knife is suspect. It is too dull to have made a small wound. And when Lady Eleanor withdrew the knife, I also spotted a receipt dated today from Verrey’s Restaurant.’

‘What does that matter?’

‘Odd to dine socially while on an errand such as this. Perhaps it is nothing. But you know me, Watson. I do not find most women all that trustworthy.’

‘Well, I disagree. I think Lady Eleanor was simply upset. Anyone would be.’

‘Let us drop the subject, Watson. We have more substantial work to do. It is now past five and already dark. I am going to fetch Heffie and set her on the job.’

‘I shall go with you,’ I said, curious about this girl whose description had frankly intrigued me.

‘I have another task for you, Watson. As the Goodwins have not sent over the list of Luminarians which they promised, I would like for you to go to Mayfair and retrieve it from them. That should, at least, prove entertaining. Meanwhile, I shall be back for supper by eight, and will see you then.’

‘Shall we dine at Simpson’s, Holmes? You could do with a fine roast beef and Yorkshire pudding!’

‘You persist, Watson! Yes, then. Eight o’clock? I look forward to it.’

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