As we were walking together through the busy and bustling station to the platform Sherlock excused himself to allow Winfred and I time alone. “I will say my goodbye now Miss Jeffery and I wish you well on whatever new book you have set your mind to write.” “Mary I will see you later for dinner.” Tipping his hat to Winfred, Sherlock made his way back to the street entrance.
“Will I see you again?’ Winfred asked as we got to our destination and waited for the conductor to announce “all aboard.” I smiled and answered “I’m going to stay in London and spend some time with Sherlock. I haven’t seen him in over three years and there is much to talk about.
I am sure he has plans to return to Doncaster soon and when he does I will come back to Gravesend. Besides, there is the re dedication of St. Peter and St. Paul church to attend. With that Winifred boarded her train with a final wave from the train’s window began her journey home. That left me with only one final goodbye to attend too.
My final time with Sherlock was as much about what was said as what wasn’t. We talked about the things that had happened to Winifred. With the promise that if I documented the affair I was not to romanticize it as he claimed John had done.
Sherlock commended me on my new found skills as a detective and my ability to adapt to difficult situations. Even though he never expressed the words I felt that at least for a short time I had stepped into John’s shoes and that Sherlock was grateful that I had.
“And what is next for you Mary?” Sherlock asked as we were having dinner later that evening at the hotel. I answered I would stay on for a little while longer, see to the house, then return to Gravesend to keep Winfred company and encourage her to start writing again
“And what is next for you Sherlock?” I asked in return. He replied “I think a much needed vacation to the South of France in particular Avignon in the Provence Alps Cote d’Azur region. I have heard of the restaurant called l’Orangerie located there. It is a small eatery located at the Place Jerusalem, just a few minutes walk from the Place de l’Horloge.”
Sherlock let out an unexpected sigh with his final comment concerning our conversation “I think my bees will survive the lack of my companionship while I take in the French sun and cuisine.”
Early the next morning I accompanied Sherlock from the hotel to the station to see him off on the train that would take him to Dover then across the channel to France. There was little conversation between us during the ride. As we then walked through the busy and hectic Paddington train station concourse I tried to think of things to talk about to delay his departure.
Then I remembered “Sherlock. I happened to glance at a newspaper this morning and saw that Miss Taggart had been arrested. Apparently she made the mistake of pick pocketing an off duty police constable and now she is awaiting trial.” “I had a feeling Mary” Sherlock sagely returned “that with such persons as her, justice may be cheated for a time but eventually served.”
Finally arriving where he would shortly board his train I suddenly thought about Christmas. “Sherlock” I started while recalling the last Christmas we had all spent together “I was thinking of inviting a few friends to spend the festive season at my home.
The house has seen too many quiet Christmases’ it would be nice to hear the sound of festive conversation and laughter again and I would like it if one of those voices was yours”
Sherlock gave me a smile I had only seen one time before, took my hands gently in his and said “yes.” Before we knew it the Dover train had pulled into the station and was in front of us when we both heard the conductor telling all the passengers to board. With all that had been said and shared the only thing left was to exchange simple “goodbyes.”
I sadly watched Sherlock board the carriage, and then he unexpectedly stopped before entering turned and looked kindly at me. As he smiled one more time at me the conductor said to him “the train is leaving the station you had better take your seat sir” before following the instruction Sherlock raising his right hand in a salute said directly to me in a warm and enthusiastic voice “Well done Watson! Without any hesitation I replied back “Well done Holmes!”
The End
Notes
As Mary Watson stated at the beginning of this record “Please note...to any long time devoted follower familiar with what has been referred to or known as the “Sherlock Holmes Canon” the following narrative may seem some what unfamiliar (as in being written by a woman) you will no doubt miss seeing and reading such familiar terms my husband used through out his writing such as “Holmes” and “my friend” in the text of my account when specifically referring to Sherlock.”
When I started to write this story I felt as if the canon or formula for writing another Sherlock Holmes story had been exhausted. And rather than write a story that would not even vaguely resemble anything that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may have written, I decided to follow a different path.
Having brought Mary Watson out of the shadows so to speak in my last story and making her a real person and part of the story I started to wonder if she had learned enough from John to take over his role with Sherlock...to my surprise as the story went along Mary Watson rose to the challenge...so much so that in the end she receives rare praise and a formal acknowledgment from Sherlock.
To make a simple switch from him to her by having John just retire would not be unbelievable and would challenge the whole purpose of the story. It was John’s service as a medical doctor during the Afghan war...and either suffering some old war wound or illness he contracted allowed me to write the hospital scene where he hands his dying request to Mary to continue chronicling.
I took a lot of criticism for “killing off” John Watson. Surprisingly enough from people who have read Sherlock Holmes stories as well from people who only know about the great detective and his chronicler by reputation. However I think I redeemed myself and made peace with both groups in how I ended this story.
On the matter of “killing off” where after a long fight to the death Sherlock finally dispatches Thomas “the badger” with a fatal blow to the throat...to avoid just trailing off I finish that part of the chapter with only the badger’s death. I am sure as any good citizen Sherlock would bring this matter to the attention of the police. Although as to how he would explain the death with out implicating himself would be interesting.
I should give you a word of caution before going down a strange and unfamiliar path (as I have chosen writing an original Sherlock Holmes story). When writing the first two, they came more or less preassembled, as pastiche stories (as they are known). Where the writer takes parts from different Sherlock Holmes stories combines them, and then writes a narrative to bind them all together. The third because it is an original took a lot more thought and effort and much longer to write compared to the first two
Outside of Sherlock Holmes, his brother Mycroft, John and Mary Watson all of the characters in the story are either original or are based on real people, friends and family.
The story is loosely founded on the conspiracy surrounding the sinking of the Lusitania (thus bringing the United States into the First World War and the people who may have been involved in it (thus the Survivors List) as well as the political unrest that was taking place in Ireland at the time.
One final note, as for this writer there will be one last mystery where Sherlock Holmes and Mary Watson collaborate together on a case. After that Mr. Holmes will slip into detective history and the widow of a dear friend will take up the detective reins.
Fred
Dedications
My many thanks to all the following people for making this book possible.
To:
Dianne... my editor, whose great work made my last book and this one a best seller
Audrey... for suggesting the location of the story, Gravesend
Ashley... for inspiring the character of Ashl
ey Laurinda Taggart
Thomas...for inspiring the character of Thomas Malone Prescott
Andy... for inspiring the character of Andrew Foster Perry
Lynne ... for inspiring the character of Madam Liliya Cosmina Jarkovácz
A special thanks to Agatha Christie for inspiring the character of Winifred Elizabeth Margaret Jeffrey
To the staff of Williams Fresh Café locations here in Brantford.
Thanks for making available a great place to write...along with providing delicious food and excellent coffee.
Research references for Sherlock Holmes and The Mystery Writer
Agatha Christie - The Woman and Her Mysteries - Gillian Gill
The Life and Crimes of Agatha Christie - A Biographical Companion to the works of Agatha Christie - Charles Osborne
Agatha Christie - An Autobiography - William Collins and Sons - London
The Greatest Lies in History - Spin double speak; buck passing and official cover ups that shaped the world. - Part 2 - Pointing the way to Pearl Harbour - Alexander Canduci
Save Undershaw
The author and publisher support the campaign to save and restore Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s former home. Undershaw is where he brought Sherlock Holmes back to life, and should be preserved for future generations of Holmes fans.
Save Undershaw www.saveundershaw.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/saveundershaw
You can read more about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Undershaw in Alistair Duncan’s book (share of royalties to the Undershaw Preservation Trust) - An Entirely New Country and in the amazing compilation Sherlock’s Home - The Empty House (all royalties to the Trust).
Also Available
Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery Writer Page 13