The inn keeper
“It’s about time you had something to eat.”
We went to the inn. Whatever the meal was that the innkeeper tried to get Holmes to eat on our first visit, he brought both of us this dish.
“Sit with us Max,” Holmes invited.
“How can I help you sirs?”
“On our first day here, you remarked about me living up to my reputation. How do you know me?” Holmes removed the cover from his dish but ate nothing. He moved it around on his plate with a fork.
“Embarrassed really to say Mr. Holmes. But I guess when you look at it there is nothing to be embarrassed about since The Lady helped me and many others in this community with our problem. I received not much of an education. My family was very poor, my uncle left me this inn and it was all I could do to keep it running. My wife has more of an education than I so all the book work was her doing. The Lady taught me, Mrs. Brookstead, the blacksmith, and Mrs. Dover how to read. I could read simple words but nothing elaborate. We learned our words sir from your stories Dr. Watson.”
“Who cooked this delicious meal?” I asked.
“Again sirs, I did simple things. She was fond of saying, ‘if you can read, you can cook.’ So I took the words she taught me and began to try new things; as did my wife. Things took shape from there. I cooked this meal from words she had written on a piece of paper.”
“What about Mrs. Brookstead?” Holmes asked finally.
“She started us out with your stories but over time she let us choose our own stories. Mrs. Brookstead chose the Bible. She could read better than me from the start. Though she admitted, understanding the wording of the Bible was beyond her.”
“Thus comes into play the story of Judas,” I added.
“Have there been any strangers in town?” Holmes asked still stirring his food. Finally, the lady I assumed was Max’s wife brought Holmes a new dish. From this he did take a few mouthfuls.
“Two that I am aware of; one stayed here. The other was just passing through, or so that is what he said.” Holmes looked up from his plate. “The gentleman that stayed here, it was three weeks back or so. Dark man not a black man just dark; never met anyone like him before. His words were forced and his tone thick. I wager he was a foreigner. The other fellow, I speak not with but come of think of it Mrs. Brookstead did.”
“The Lady, your teacher,” I asked. “Did you ever get to know her name?”
“No sir, care not to know.”
“Thank you landlord; you have been too kind.” Holmes nodded.
“One more thing; when you gentleman get ready to leave just bring the key back to me. I will take good care of her things.”
Holmes nodded.
A constable ran into the inn. “Mr. Holmes, come quickly.” We followed the young man to the police station. Inside we found Inspector Hopkins and the police surgeon with pale faces and weak stomachs.
“Sorry to alarm you Mr. Holmes,” said the good inspector. “You had to see this before you leave.” The corpse of Mrs. Brookstead lay on a slab in the middle of the room. The police surgeon pulled back the sheet exposing us to a horrid sight. Every inch of her body that could be covered with dress was written the two phrases from the bedroom wall; Please forgive me and I am sorry. “I am fairly sure it is her own hand.”
Holmes grunted. I believe this meant he agreed with the inspector. At this moment I was sorry that I consumed food earlier.
On our way back to the charming little cottage neither of us spoke a word. Later that evening I found Holmes sitting on the bluff overlooking the channel. “Watson, what if I am wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let us deduce for a moment that Mrs. Brookstead betrayed no secret. That this, is the reason for her immense guilt. Max told us that The Lady used your narratives of our adventures to teach them how to read. They were full aware by what means I earn a living. I believe she was unaware of the full gravity of the situation until she delivered the package to Bakers Street to discover that I was a real person.”
“By knocking on the door, it would fortify that knowledge.” I added.
“It was not until Mrs. Hudson called my name that she realized whom I was, panicked and ran away.”
“Poor woman,” I sighed.
“If we add Max’s comment into the equation that two strangers visited town. One a dark person and the second speaking to Mrs. Brookstead, her interaction with the stranger could have been innocent on her part but damaging all the same.”
“So you suspect that in answering a few simple questions out of ignorance, she set the dog upon the right trail?”
“Yes.”
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