[Sherlock Holmes] The Rose and the Thorn

Claire's expression remained the same as before, but as the heavy footsteps approached, she still turned her face with a hint of expectation, and looked at the door connecting the living room with the stairs.

As night fell, the flickering lamps were blown left and right by the wind. When the light and shadow passed by the door, a tall shadow finally appeared in Claire's sight.

It was a richly dressed client, with a double-breasted double-breasted jacket trimmed with broad kraftskin cuffs and bodice, a blue cloak lined with rich red silk, and green gemstones adorning the bosom. accessories, and a pair of calf-high leather boots on her feet.It should be a noble guest, Claire retracted her gaze reflexively, maybe it was the slightly vulgar but really gorgeous clothes that made Claire feel a little pressure, so she quickly stepped aside and wanted to leave here.

"Have you received my note?" He asked Holmes as soon as he entered the room, but as for the gentleman, his eyes moved away from the guest and wandered to Claire who was about to leave the room:

"Please sit down." The detective said, but the next second, he turned his head sideways, "Claire, please pour us two cups of coffee."

Claire was stunned for a moment. When she turned her head and looked at Holmes in surprise, the gorgeously dressed guest also turned her head to look at her slowly:

"Are you married?" The guest asked a little strangely, "I heard that you..."

"..." Holmes didn't answer him, but Clare immediately retorted:

"No, sir, I am his landlord... At the same time, we had a... good relationship when we were young." While defending the detective's affectionate address, she saw Holmes' face in the distance There was a faint smile, and then he said:

"Well, no joking, let's get back to the point!" As soon as Holmes had finished, his client straightened up, ready to state his request.

Claire gently closed the door, she felt a little unhappy, he seemed to have successfully teased her again, what is it?Is it to resolve the unpleasant post-ill conversation with her just now?Or did he take this seemingly out-of-bounds joke as an ordinary part?

Claire didn't understand that when she walked down the stairs alone, the dim light in the corridor made her complicated thoughts fall from the sky like stacks of papers.Back to London, back to the safest place, back to the most dangerous place.She had to face Oswald's entanglement, she had to face Victor's disappearance, and she had to face the terrifying atmosphere in London all day long. Her mind was filled with the threat of the faceless man in the carriage. But it is full of confusion about the future.She faintly felt that all of this was related to her, she could guess the danger in the future, but she had to wait quietly for everything to come.Is now the right time to revolt?Will excessive stubbornness ruin Victor's plan?But is it different if he is already in jail? ...

Claire couldn't think about it anymore. After she walked down the last step of the stairs, White's bright eyes washed away the numerous clues:

"Madam, do you want coffee? I'm ready!" The cold air was dissipated by the unique warmth of the kitchen, White's face was burned red by the fire, and the slightly raised corners of his mouth made Claire feel a little strange.In the few days since he left, the child seemed to have grown up a bit. "Do you want me to send it up?" White didn't notice Claire's deep gaze, her eyes were full of concern.

Claire gave her a faint smile, she took the plate from White's hand, and replied:

"No, I'll just go." Claire lowered her head, only to realize that the set of cups that White brought out was the best in the house, and she couldn't help but praise White with relief, "You're really getting smarter!" You must know to open the door It was this little maid, and she immediately noticed the noble status of the guest.Compared with the naive girl who once "sold out" herself just to issue a card, she has really grown up to the point where even Claire admires her.

The girl pursed her lips and smiled, while Claire turned around and walked up again. Standing in front of the door, she reached out and knocked.The conversation in the house stopped abruptly, and she walked into the living room.

She walked up to them, put down the coffee pot and cups, leaned, turned, and left.In just 3 minutes, it was infinitely elongated because of the silence. Claire felt that the air was frozen, but Holmes just squinted at her. His chaotic expression made her even think that the great detective was on fire again.

But when she closed the door again, the conversation in the room started again.

Claire shrugged, she thought maybe this case is something that cannot be easily revealed.She calmly went downstairs to return the tray and returned to her room.

She lay prone on her desk, and the familiar smell of ink diffused.Claire has never stopped writing, and she will continue to work on writing in her hometown and on the train during the days she left, but she also finds that she can no longer return to the previous mentality, everything is mysterious and complicated, But Claire could only silently watch them continue.

Tiredness made her fall asleep on the table involuntarily, and when she woke up again, the detective was sitting on the chair beside her, which almost made her scared.

She sat on the chair and took a step back in horror, the chair legs and the wooden floor made a harsh "squeak" sound, like a knife cutting through the tranquility:

"First... sir, Mr. Holmes, how could you come into my room casually?"

"You didn't close the door," he replied.

"Then...then you too..." Claire hesitated.

"When my guest left, I locked the door for you so that he didn't see your appearance. Don't you know that it's rude and... dangerous for a woman to look like this?" As soon as he finished speaking, Claire bit her The lips didn't know how to answer, but the man continued, "I mean, that's why your brother has been worried about you."

"Maybe you are the danger." Claire took a deep breath, there was still a gap in the window, and the cold finally made her fully awake.After scrambling to finish these words, Claire finally straightened up again, returning to her usual cold expression. She looked at Holmes and asked, "Sir, what do you want?"

"Tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon, if you have nothing to do, come with me." He said seriously, "The main reason is that Watson has moved out now, I have to... I have to find someone..."

"Is it the commission from the guest just now?" Claire faced him face to face, and she looked at him with her chin in her hand.

"That's right." Holmes took a deep breath. "That's an interesting thing. I hope you will come with me."

"May I take a relaxed attitude?" Claire asked him, tilting her head.

"Maybe it's not bad, because the story about that guest has been exposed, and the tabloids in the streets and alleys will definitely save a week of headlines."

"Who is he?"

"King of Bohemia."

"..." This identity obviously stunned Claire for a second. She guessed that he had a noble status, but she never thought that he was such a powerful person.

"He has a photo with a famous female singer, and that's something that could threaten his upcoming wedding."

Claire shook her head, she turned her eyes to the shadow of the kerosene lamp, but her fingers involuntarily circled on the table:

"Old love?"

"Quite so," replied Holmes. "He must have the photograph back."

"Why not use his power?" Claire said with a hint of sarcasm.

"That's a smart woman."

These words made Claire stop what she was doing. When she turned her eyes to Holmes again, the man's gray pupils were shining with the candlelight.

"That's what he said." He replied, "Maybe I used to say how smart women can be, but recently I don't dare to underestimate women." Can't easily take your attention away.

So who made him change his mind?

Claire didn't think about it, she just nodded to him and agreed to the request.

The night slipped by easily, and when Claire woke up, Holmes had left the apartment.The feeling of sitting at a table and eating should be peaceful, but the newspaper that accompanied the meal was disgusting.

No, for Claire, it might just be panic.Her appetite was all but whetted by the gigantic headline, Another Murder in London, a woman with a sharp object inserted into her nose, she was a link in the murderer's chain, locked in yet another bloody case.

The threatening letter lingered in her mind, and Claire secretly understood that she had a slight connection with this horrible incident, but she still didn't know where the key link to untie the circle was, which made her feel distressed.

She stood above the bustling street, and the contents of the newspaper seller's yelling were exactly the same as the headlines of the newspaper in her hand.This horrible case has become a haze on the streets of London, which I want to get rid of but can't get rid of.

Maybe this is why Holmes dragged himself to work in the afternoon. Claire took a deep breath, and after spending the whole morning with a book, the door was reopened near three o'clock in the afternoon.The bell at the door jingled, and Claire put down the book. The appearance of Holmes at the door surprised her.

groom?

He took a breath, saw the surprised face of the woman under the window, and finally smiled:

"It's really interesting, you must not guess what happened to me today!"

"You are..."

"I acted as a witness for that woman—Irene Adler."

"Huh?" The answer was a bit unexpected, so much that Claire was worried about things just now, and now she was completely attracted by Holmes' words, "What do you mean? She's married too?"

"Yes, I was forced by her to be a witness just now."

"It's really ironic." Claire said silently, "That means she actually doesn't want to have anything to do with that king?"

"Who knows!" After Holmes finished speaking, he took off his hat and looked at Clare:

"Okay ma'am, let's hit the road when we're ready!"

The author has something to say: I finally coded [-]. I haven’t written a essay for so long. Next, I will take the time to update and try to finish the summer vacation.