Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Sword Princess (37 page)

“To the contrary.
 
That an Arabian princess galloped a horse through Sunbury Park to come to the aid of four young orphans and their ward has elevated
Miss de Beauvais’
to the sensational.”

“She must be very happy.
 
It is a relief.”
 
Mirabella sighed.
 
“It’s so strange that we were all attempting to save Princess Elena—and instead, she saved me.
 
If I hadn’t been here attempting to protect her, she wouldn’t have known me to come to my aid.”

“You did protect her, Miss Belle.
 
I expect the attack in the parlor would have succeeded had you not been there.
 
You distracted the assassins.”
 
Mirabella looked up to see him raise his eyebrows, but he was considering her words.
 
“And, in turn, Princess Elena distracted the counterfeiters.
 
Her attack may very well have given the children the courage to go on the offensive.”

“All along Princess Elena was completely capable of saving herself—and us.”
 
Mirabella added softly, “And now she will save Montenegro.”
 

“Yes, Miss Belle,” he murmured.
 
“But you helped Princess Elena discover her voice.”

“And she, mine,” she replied softly.
 
Suddenly forlorn, she looked up into Sherlock’s eyes.
 
“Whatever is going to happen to the orphanage?”
 

“Do not distress yourself, Miss Mirabella.
 
The trustees have hired someone to run the orphanage—a much more learned person than Miss Bickers.
 
And with a tender spot for the children.
 
As it should be.”

“Whom did they hire?” she asked eagerly.

“A Miss Bethany Allen.”

“
Bethany?
 
But she is not even twenty!”

“She came highly recommended.”

She raised her eyebrows at him.
 
“
Who
recommended her, Mr. Holmes?”

“Well, there was an inconsequential recommendation by the king of Montenegro—but I think the referral to turn the tide in her favor was that offered by the world’s first private detective.
 
That is an endorsement impossible to dismiss,” he stated in all seriousness.

“Truly?” she asked.

“And it appears our confidence was well founded,” he nodded.
 
“Miss Allen has already received approval from the Board of Trustees for a library.
 
She has a plan to solicit donations of books.”

“Bethany has such a winning personality, I have no doubt she will succeed.”

“Miss Allen has even convinced Miss de Beauvais to donate an hour of her time every week for instruction to the girls on manners and deportment.”

“Miss de Beauvais has a heart of gold, I am sure,” remarked Mirabella, glancing at Bethany hugging Susan.
 
“Hmm . . . I believe Bethany found her calling.
 
She really wasn’t cut out for the marriage mart.”

“Not precisely correct, Miss Belle.”

“Excuse me?
 
What do you mean, Mr. Holmes?”
 

He shrugged, seeming more interested in studying her in return than in recounting the narrative, an experience completely new to her.
 
The friendly and talkative stance he was taking with her made her pulse quicken and her head swim.
 
To have his attention and focus on her was a bit like being in the middle of an electrical storm.
 
“When a lawyer was hired to go through the orphanage’s papers—well, it appears that the solicitor took a particular fancy to Bethany.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

“A very handsome young man,” confided Sherlock.
 
“It appears that the attraction was mutual.”

“A man of law,” she repeated, suddenly covering her cheek with the palm of her hand.
 
“Do lawyers still wear the full white wigs in court?”

“Of course.
 
We British are not savages.”
 
He stared at her oddly.
 

“Many of us are not,” she whispered.
 
And yet, a touch of emotion might be just what the doctor ordered
.
   
She glanced briefly in Dr. John Watson’s direction, who had taken this lesson to heart, and was all the better for it, a new man since arriving at 221B Baker Street.
 
It was unfortunate that the lesson Sherlock had imparted to his friend he was unable to assume for himself.

“Shall we dance again—or would you prefer to mingle?”
 
Sherlock followed her eyes with his own, landing on their mutual friend.
 
For some reason, a sudden frown formed on his lips.

“Oh, I should very much love to dance.
 
I’m not much for sitting about gossiping.”
 

“Yes, there are far greater attractions on this occasion.” Sherlock smiled down at her, the light returning to his eyes, as he led her to the dance floor.

The music started and he paused where he stood.

“The dance is a mazurka, Miss Belle.
 
Are you up to it?” Sherlock asked, hesitating.
 
“There is no more difficult dance.”

She glanced sideways at Sherlock, purposely bestowing upon him her most alluring look.
 
“I assure you the King of Montenegro did not waste his money.
 
I know how to dance the mazurka.”

“I should have known, Miss Belle!”
 
Sherlock took her hand and they embarked upon the mazurka with its strong impetuous beat.
 
“The mazurka is, after all a dance of independence, graceful and bold.
 
Much like yourself, Miss Belle.”

“I came to London a country bumpkin,” Mirabella agreed.
 
“I am proud to be a country girl, but I am now, officially, a
New Woman
.”
 
Certainly she had read
Daisy Miller
by Henry James.

“And—the world’s first lady detective,” Sherlock added.
 
“You have earned the title, Miss Belle.
 
He continued effortlessly through the demanding dance, frequently embellishing upon the steps with the freedom from restraint which was characteristic of the dance—and of Sherlock Holmes.
 
His intensity of energy was somehow both contagious and invigorating when combined with music.

All eyes were on them as they were, without question, the most vivacious of the dancers.

He twirled her about.
 
At just the right moment he fell to his knees, shooting his arm straight up while Mirabella danced about him.

She smiled down at him and saw something new in the expression of Sherlock Holmes.
 

Pure joy
.
 
He was smiling back at her.

Standing up, they both waited for the next dance through an unspoken agreement, both attempting to catch their breath.

“You spoke of a
mutual attraction
between Bethany and her solicitor.
 
How do you define such a term, Mr. Holmes?
 
Have you run any experiments on the phenomena?”

“No.”
 
His smile faded somewhat as he looked away.
 
It was unusual that he should back away from anyone, and most certainly her.

“What about . . .
a Miss Irene Adler
?
 
Did you run any experiments
with her?”
Mirabella persisted.
 
She had no idea why she was so curious—or why she longed to hear the answer.
 
A month ago she would have paid hard-earned money
not
to hear the answer.

“No . . .Yes . . . Certainly not!
 
Well, such things are highly overrated.
 
And most unscientific.”

Heaven help me,
I want to kick him in the shins!
 
Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’m at a party dancing, Sherlock is being perfectly polite, and I still think he is the most incorrigible, aggravating man alive!
 
She bit her lip in an effort to be quiet.

“Is something wrong, Miss Belle?” he asked, glancing sideways at her.

“Yes.
 
I suppose sometimes I would like an honest answer from you, Sherlock.
 
From the heart.
”

“Don’t expect miracles, Miss Belle.”
 
He took her by the waist and pulled her close, looking down into her eyes, even though the music had not started again.

“This is Christmas, Sherlock.
 
‘Tis the season of miracles.”

“Right you are, Miss Belle.”
 
And he took her in his arms and spun her around once for good measure.
 
“
Right you are.”

A Case Solved to the Satisfaction of All

Thank you for reading this novel!
 
An honest review is much appreciated on Amazon.
 
The number of reviews for a book determines its visibility on Amazon, enabling the author to continue writing for a living.

Also by
Suzette Hollingsworth

published by Bookstrand:

THE PARADOX:
 
The Soldier and the Mystic

THE SERENADE:
 
The Prince and the Siren

THE CONSPIRACY:
 
The Cartoonist and the Contessa

SHERLOCK HOLMES & The Dance of the Tiger

To be released in 2016
:

Sherlock Holmes & The Chocolate Menace

Acknowledgements

Naturally, first and foremost, I must acknowledge Arthur Conan Doyle, who created the captivating characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, who are so real in our minds that many consider them as historical figures rather than as fictional characters.
 
To Doyle’s vision of Holmes and Watson I have attempted to remain true.

I sincerely thank the community of authors who offer workshops, have judged in contests, and who have a presence on writer’s loops especially the
Beaumonde
chapter of RWA for their incredible insight and research assistance.
 
No one becomes an author overnight, and the assistance and inspiration these talented authors/marvelous people provide is invaluable and critical.
 
In particular,
Delilah Marvelle
(too nice for words!),
Delle Jacobs
(also delightful!),
Emma Wildes
,
Charlotte Carter
,
Jo Beverly
,
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
,
Amanda Quick
,
Leslie Carroll
, Nancy Mayer,
Allison Lane
,
Vicky Dreiling
, and many others who have helped me over the years (knowingly or unknowingly!), giving generously of their time and encouragement.

I have had the assistance of some incredible editors as well, all of whom inspired and encouraged me, and who thankfully told me the truth.
 
Editors extraordinaire all:
 
Tina Winograd, Callie Burdette, Caroline Tolley, and Karinya Funsett-Topping of The Editorial Department.

And to those persons who have believed in me when I had a great deal to learn (and even now when I still do!):
 
my husband
Clint Hollingsworth
, my BFF Charlsie Sterry DDS, dearest and truest friends and mentors Susan Bartroff (also a great editor!) Donna Weiss, Harvey Gover, and Gloria Stookey; my mom Mary Denison; and readers and friends Rena K, Anamaree O, and Rex G.

And, of course, to all true friends everywhere who keep our dreams alive when they falter in our hearts.
 
Thank you, Michelle Berry, for the angel that you gave me to watch over me and for the angel that you are.

Dreams are more real than reality itself, they're closer to the self.

--GAO XINGJIAN,
Dialogue and Rebuttal

Author’s Notes

There actually was a Princess
Jelena Petrovi
ć
-Njegoš of Montenegro who actually did marry Crown Prince
Victor Emmanuel III.
 
They were never intended for each other and it was a case of love at first sight.
 
Many of the events described in the novel actually did happen:
 
Princess Jelena was a reputed beauty who incited a duel after a ball in St. Petersburg, she did have a shy Madonna-like countenance, she was a master of the hunt raised in tribal conditions, and she did accept Catholicism in a boat in the waters between Italy and Montenegro against her mother’s wishes.
 
The only thing in the book which she didn’t do was race through London with a rifle, but indications are that she would have had the need arisen.

In actuality, Princess Jelena of Montenegro, Queen of Italy, was born Jan. 8, 1873 (d. Nov 28, 1952), married Prince Victor Emmanuel of Italy Oct. 24, 1896 (at twenty-three years of age), so I am taking a few years liberty:
 
Elena would only have been nine years of age in 1882.
 
I am writing several novels with historical figures, and I thought it most important to be true to Arthur Conan Doyle’s representation of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson’s ages while insuring that all figures were actually alive during the dates in question.
 
In addition, King Nikola, although he ruled Montenegro from 1860 when his Uncle Danilo was assassinated, was referred to as Prince Nikola during the time of this novel.

January 6, 1854:
 
Sherlock Holmes’ birthday.

Mycroft 7 years older

John H. Watson's birthday on July 7, 1852
     

1.5 years older than Holmes

Mirabella’s birthday:
 
Nov. 7, 1863
 

 
“Amadeo I
(Italian
Amedeo
, sometimes anglicized as
Amadeus
) (30 May 1845 – 18 January 1890) was the only
King of Spain
from the
House of Savoy
. He was the second son of
King Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy
and was known for most of his life as the
Duke of Aosta
, but reigned briefly as King of Spain from 1870 to 1873.