Free The Midwinter Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes: Three Adventures & The Grand Gift of Sherlock by Craig Janacek Page A

his feet. “I can assure you Mr. Vaughan that the two days I have spent in the Bow Street cells are nothing compared to the lifetime of guilt that I have felt at her death. There is no excuse for my initial actions, or those of my family. I like to believe that if she had turned to us in her hour of despair that we would have welcomed her back with open arms. But she never gave us the chance, so I will never know the truth. And that haunts me to this day.”
    Vaughan also rose to his feet and held out his hand to the doctor. “Then I am sorry for what I have done to you, sir. I am most glad that Mr. Holmes was here to clear your name.”
    “Indeed,” said Holmes, addressing Dr. Lowe. “At this time of year, it should be clear that the most important things in life are your family and your friends. No mere words from almost two millennium ago should stand in the way of that. Go be with your wife.”
    When the door closed behind the doctor, Holmes turned back to our host. “And what will you do now, Mr. Vaughan?”
    He appeared to contemplate this question for a minute. When he looked up, his eyes were dull. “I honestly did not think that I would make it through that dose of arsenic. That is why I settled some money on Mrs. Sumner in advance. My thoughts have been consumed with darkness for so many years, I do not see a way forward now that Molyneux and Arden have gotten their just rewards.”
    Holmes laid a hand upon his shoulder. “Nothing can bring Miriam back, Mr. Vaughan. But you have been given a new lease upon life. And I understand that you are still a wealthy man. Perhaps, now that Marylebone Chapel has been cleared of its foul influences, you could continue Miriam’s work?”
    A light of understanding appeared in Lowe’s eyes. “The Crippled Children’s Fund?”
    “Indeed. Today is Christmas Eve, Mr. Vaughan. I think such a day is an appropriate time to bring some joy into the world, do you not?”
    “Yes, Mr. Holmes, yes!” he said, smiling broadly. He reached out and pumped Holmes’ hand enthusiastically. “You are a genius!”
    I may have imagined it, but I thought I detected a small flush of color rise to Holmes’ pale cheeks upon hearing these words of praise. He may have affected the external armor of a purely rational machine, I but knew that was only part of the truth.
    Mutually, we silently decided to walk back to Baker Street. The lantern-lit streets were filled with throngs of merry-makers. Last-minute gifts were being purchased, holiday geese were being distributed by burly poultry-men, and the smell of roasted chestnuts filled the air.
    After we had been walking for about ten minutes, I turned to my friend. “Did we commute a felony today, Holmes?”
    “Perhaps we did, Watson. By and large, the laws of England are magnificently fair, but even they cannot cover all extenuating circumstances. If I had told Lestrade the full account, Vaughan would be lucky to spend the rest of his life rotting in gaol. Recall, however, Watson, that we were hired by Mrs. Lowe to free her husband, which we did. I do not recollect Lestrade ever asking me to solve his case for him. I presented one possible solution, and to any discerning detective it had far too many defects to be plausible. I can hardly be blamed if Lestrade blindly accepted it. Furthermore, I think the new Mr. Vaughan can do more good out in the world,” he concluded magnanimously.
    “So you expected him to recover from his illness?”
    “It was a desperate gamble, Watson, but he was a dying man. He saw a way to rid himself of all those that he felt wronged by, and thus if he did not survive, at least he would have the satisfaction of knowing that he had taken his perhaps justifiable revenge.” [218]
    “A terrible business, Holmes.”
    “Indeed, Watson. But to some extent a happy ending for all deserving of such.”
    “So when you said that you eliminated the impossible, you meant that you eliminated the possibility that his recovery