Paul Gilbert - The Chronicles of Sherlock Holmes

‘By all means,’ I agreed, though secretly hankering for some lunch before our departure. Perhaps sensing this, Holmes persuaded our landlord to supply us with a large slab of cheese and some bread before we left and he was certainly amused by the avidity with which I consumed it. We stopped off at the tiny post office to make arrangements for any messages or wires that they might receive addressed to us, to be delivered immediately for our attention at the Queen’s Arms. From there we took directions to The Willows.

Lestrade’s information proved to be accurate, for our walk along the narrow, muddy dirt track was certainly less than half a mile, although the fact that it was, evidently, seldom used made us glad of our heavy walking boots. Within a short while a high, ivy-clad wall came into view; indeed, its height precluded any view of the low-built villa beyond it from the track outside. The track was brought to an abrupt end by a pair of formidable iron gates, which were topped by a set of spikes.

‘Judging by the state of this track and the less than welcoming entrance to his estate, I would say that the good Baron is not one who greets his visitors warmly.’ I commented.

‘Oh, Watson!’ Holmes hissed impatiently. ‘You see all that I see, but simply do not observe. We have arrived with barely enough time to avert Maupertuis’s imminent departure. If we had been but a little later we should have lost our only trail to the most dangerous criminal in Europe!’

I shook my bewildered head. ‘I am sorry, I do not understand how you have reached this conclusion.’

‘Tut, see here …’ Holmes now crouched down on his haunches. ‘There are surely three distinct lines of wheel tracks etched into the mud, here, here and here.’ As Holmes pointed to them I could just make out their outline, but could not distinguish one set from another; however I continued to watch and listen attentively. ‘As you can see, from the direction in which the mud piles have been pushed up, two sets are moving in the direction of the gates and one is moving away. From the distance between each wheel I can gauge that one vehicle is a cart whilst the other is undoubtedly a medium-sized trap, each pulled by a well-shod horse. However, the most significant piece of information, that I can deduce from these tracks, comes from their depth. The only vehicle to have made a return journey, so far, is the cart which was clearly unladen prior to its arrival. See here, though, how much deeper the tracks are sunk upon the cart’s departure!’

‘Of course!’ I exclaimed upon sudden realization. ‘Maupertuis is preparing to vacate the villa!’

‘Exactly, although the precise timing of his departure is, as yet, unclear to me. The trap has undoubtedly been arranged for himself, perhaps one other, and a few pieces of personal luggage. Considering the hour, I think it most unlikely that his departure is scheduled for before the morning, although this we should be able to confirm upon making enquiries at the village livery. As we are here, however …’ Holmes suddenly strode towards a section of the wall that was partly obscured by an overhanging willow tree. He removed his hacking jacket, which he threw towards me to hold, and began climbing up the ivy that was well rooted into the wall. He lost his footing once or twice, but otherwise made good progress.

‘Have a care Holmes!’ I called anxiously, whilst casting my gaze about lest we were being observed by unfriendly eyes. Upon reaching the top of the wall. Holmes rested his elbows while he observed the villa for a moment or two. Then he simply dropped straight down, landing softly and silently in the undergrowth at my feet.

Appearing well pleased with himself, Holmes cheerfully brushed himself down before reclaiming his jacket from my grasp.

‘A brisk walk in the Hertfordshire countryside and a short, though illuminating, climb has certainly done wonders for my appetite. There is now no need for me to question our fellow guests this evening, so I suggest we simply enjoy their company and some pie and ale. Though, beforehand, we must send an urgent wire to Lestrade to ensure that he is on the first available train on the morrow.’ With that Holmes turned on his heel and began walking briskly back towards the village.

I made up sufficient ground to engage him in conversation. ‘Evidently you saw something from your vantage point at the top of the wall that has altered your view of the situation. Would you not care to share it with me?’

Holmes let up, from his breakneck progress, to turn towards me. ‘Watson, I have not just seen something, I have seen everything! I have not only confirmed the presence of the trap that I deduced from the tracks in the mud, but I was witness to its being loaded by none other than my old friend Parker the garrotter.’

‘Good heavens, Holmes!’ I cried. ‘Should we not go back and make an immediate arrest? After all, the man is surely a proven murderer who might yet make good an escape if we were to await Lestrade’s arrival from London. Besides which, if we were to question him now might he not lead us to Maupertuis and hence to Moriarty himself!?’ I speculated.

‘Calm yourself, Watson,’ Holmes quietly reassured me. ‘Parker was not alone. He was being directed in his efforts at loading the trap, by a tall figure almost lost in the shadows of the front doorway. I could just make out a large Germanic moustache and a luxurious house-robe, which indicates to me that the man has no intention of vacating the property until the morning. Besides, the contents of the cart have, in all probability, been deposited at the railway station and there will be no further train until the morning. I am sure that this man is the Baron Maupertuis, of ill-repute.’

By now we had resumed a more sedate progress towards the village. Before long, as we rounded a bend in the track, the villa was once more lost to our vision.

‘Do you not find it most odd to discover these two so diverse rogues, embosomed together in the middle of the Hertfordshire countryside?’ I asked.

‘On the contrary, I find it most natural when you consider that they have both been employed by Moriarty in bringing down his vengeance upon me. Maupertuis first lured me into the web by involving me in the affairs of the Beasants, whilst Parker’s supposed murder of my brother was the next stage towards my entrapment. We are here now to set in motion Moriarty’s, as yet unknown, end game. But wait!’ Holmes suddenly raised a forefinger to urge me to immediate silence. We stopped in our tracks and I strained my ears to detect whatever sound had first alerted Holmes. Sure enough, the slow, soft thuds of a horse’s hoofs, making their way towards us on the track, soon became audible to me.

‘Evidently, Maupertuis has decided that the remainder of his belongings should also precede him to the station.’ Holmes whispered softly to me. ‘Quickly, Watson! Get behind those bushes and ensure that your revolver is primed, then take your lead from me.’

Without question or hesitation I threw myself down behind a thick growth of brambles and saw Holmes do likewise behind a similar thicket on the opposite side of the track. I pulled out my revolver and ensured that each chamber of the barrel was loaded and primed for immediate discharge. Then I turned to face towards the direction of the approaching horse and trap.

Sure enough, within a moment or two, a small, fully laden trap pulled by a single horse came into view from around the bend. Its driver was a surly-looking scoundrel clad in a bright-chequered jacket and a battered bowler hat. The moustache that he sported was both dishevelled and lopsided and his curve-stemmed pipe was unlit. He sat there, oblivious to our presence, nonchalantly flicking the horse’s back with the reins from time to time. This, then, was the lethally talented Parker, one of Moriarty’s staunchest allies.