William Seil - The Furt The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Titanic Tragedy

‘Very well, thank you.’

‘There is not much wind,’ said Smith.

‘No, it is very calm. A few waves would make any icebergs easier to spot... Of course, there would be a certain amount of reflected light from the icebergs.’

The captain nodded and stroked his beard.

‘Forgive me, Captain, but all this talk is making me a little concerned,’ I said.

‘I have been through iceberg warnings all my career and I have never hit one. Besides, we have some very reliable lookouts up in the nest who would warn us in plenty of time. And, as you know, they say this ship is iceberg-proof. Do you not trust our engineers?’

We all laughed and this helped to put my mind at ease.

‘Well, Doctor, I am going to retire. Please stay on the bridge for a while and keep Mr Lightoller company, if you wish. He likes a good mystery story as well as the next man.’

‘Thank you, Captain. I may take advantage of your offer.’

‘And Mr Lightoller...’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘If it becomes at all doubtful, let me know at once. I shall be just inside.’

Chapter Twenty-Six

THE NIGHT OF SUNDAY 14 APRIL 1912

By 11.15 pm, social activities on board the Titanic had nearly ended for the night. This city of 2,200 people was going to sleep. The public rooms were quiet, and most of the passengers and off-duty crew had retired to their cabins. The smoking room was still open but only a handful of passengers remained. At a side table, a marathon poker game continued. Other passengers were enjoying brandy and cigars at their tables, or standing by the fireplace. As I entered, I waved to Major Butt, Harry Widener and Mr Carter, who were seated near the bar and having a spirited conversation.

In this relaxed atmosphere, I found myself marvelling at the beauty and elegance of this ship. Even out here, on the cold Atlantic, I could come to this fine room and feel a sense of warmth. I studied the rich mahogany panelling, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The painted windows, which lighted the room during the day, contained images of landscapes and ancient ships. I reflected on how man had come so far, and could create comfort amid such forbidding surroundings.

Holmes and Miss Norton had not yet arrived, so I removed my overcoat and walked over to the large, open fireplace. The painting above was a powerful image of a ship entering Plymouth Harbour. On the hearth below, the flames were beginning to die. I had hoped for a roaring fire to remove the chill from my bones. Instead, I stopped an elderly steward and asked him to bring me a brandy.

As I held my hands to the weak flames, I listened to two men as they discussed our likely arrival time in New York. One estimated that we would arrive on time, and the other thought we might get in a few hours early. The steward, to whom I had just spoken, was still taking orders and overheard the conversation.

‘I think we will do better than that,’ said the steward.

‘Why do you say that?’ asked one of the men, who spoke in a French accent.

‘Because we are making faster speed than we were yesterday.’

‘And what do you know about it?’ the other man asked.

‘I heard it from the engine room.’

The man with the accent smiled and looked at his companion. ‘That does not mean anything.’

The steward, not to be dismissed so lightly, offered to prove his point.

‘Gentlemen, come and see for yourself. It is hard to tell here but you might notice that tonight the ship’s vibration is much greater than it has ever been. And if you will accompany me to the passageway just outside, you will see that the change is quite evident.’

The two men chuckled, shrugged and told the steward to lead the way.

After warming myself by the fire, I found a secluded table where Holmes, Miss Norton and I could discuss the day’s events without being disturbed. It was not long before they walked in side by side. Neither appeared to be in the best of spirits.

‘Watson,’ said Holmes, draping his overcoat on an empty table and flopping down in a chair, ‘I hope that one day when this story can be told, you do not mention these long stretches of failure. My enquiries today were less than successful.’

‘And I would prefer that you kept my name out of it entirely,’ said Miss Norton. ‘This is not one of my better moments.’

Unlike me, Holmes and Miss Norton had changed and were wearing more comfortable attire — that is, assuming they had taken the time to dine.

‘I just ordered a brandy,’ I said. ‘But it appears that I should have ordered three. Please remember, we might have been more successful if we had not been interrupted by a political incident.’

I saw the steward and waved him over to our table.

‘Yes, sir, I will bring your brandy right away. And may I bring anything for the rest of you?’

The commodore and Miss Norton also asked for brandy.

‘With or without ice, sir?’

‘Without ice, by all means,’ said Holmes. ‘I am still shivering from being out on deck.’

Miss Norton nodded.

‘Very good,’ said the steward, before heading off in the direction of the bar.

‘Where have you two been all evening?’ I asked. ‘I have not seen hide nor hair of either of you.’

‘Miss Norton has been kind enough to keep an eye on our chief suspects, and came back with a very satisfactory report, I might add,’ said Holmes.

‘Did you not see me in the restaurant? I was there,’ Miss Norton smiled. ‘I assumed you must have been distracted.’

I ignored her remark and asked a question that had been gnawing at me since dinner.

‘Did you see the baron approach Moriarty on deck?’

‘I did.’

‘And where was the baroness at the time?’

‘I am uncertain. She was with the baron just before he ran off to catch up with Moriarty. Then she bustled off in the direction of the stairway. I decided it would be better to keep an eye on the two men.’

‘Following the baroness might have been more interesting,’ I replied. ‘Did you hear that Moriarty’s cabin was broken into this afternoon — at least that is what he said.’

‘I did,’ said Holmes. Miss Norton looked surprised. ‘I did not have an opportunity to tell you as we walked in, but I would say that Frau Von Stern is at least our chief suspect in this burglary, and perhaps your break-in as well, Watson.’

‘If she was looking for the plans, that means the Von Sterns do not have them,’ I said.

‘That would appear to be the most likely hypothesis, but still...’

Holmes was interrupted by the arrival of the steward carrying three glasses of brandy on a tray.

‘There you are, gentlemen, Miss. That should take the chill out of you.’

‘Let me give you something for your trouble... ‘ I reached into my jacket pocket for some change. Instead, I removed a few items of miniature furniture.

Holmes handed a few coins to the steward, who smiled and walked away.

‘What have you there, Watson? Are you planning new furniture for your flat?’

I laughed, and emptied the full contents of my pocket on to the table.

‘Tommy’s toys. I had forgotten all about them. I put them in my dinner jacket pocket in hope of returning them this evening.’

‘Tommy?’ said Holmes.

‘A small boy I befriended. Miss Norton has met him. He left these toys when he ran off to church. Incidentally, he is a great fan of yours. And listen to this – he asked to become a Baker Street Irregular. Can you imagine that? He could not believe that all the Irregulars were grown up now.’

‘Well, if I were not in the guise of Commodore Winter, I would introduce myself... But on to the matters at hand.’ Holmes examined the toy sofas, tables, cabinets and fireplace casually as he spoke. ‘As I mentioned earlier, my efforts were less than successful today. There is a sad lack of evidence on the disappearance of Mr Strickley. I tried questioning the crew and others who might have been witnesses, but that too produced dismal results. Tomorrow we must reassemble and...’