Free Sherlock Holmes in 2012: LORD OF DARKNESS RISING by Mohammad Bahareth

little girl, leading her father by the hand and entering the room with him. “Is that them?” she asked, lifting her head to her dad. Her summery and colourful dress accented the natural tan of her skin, while her long, dark curls encircled the intelligent and curious face of a child visibly more mature than her years.
    “Yes, Darling, that’s Mr. and Mrs. Holmes.” Watson looked at the couple and smiled. “Mrs. Holmes, Mr. Holmes, let me introduce you to Sarah Watson, my daughter,” he said with undisguised pride.
    Sherlock stood up and took the little one’s extended hand. “How do you do, Miss Sarah; a pleasure, I’m sure.”
    Sarah gave him a little curtsy, saying, “Thank you, Mr. Holmes,” and then turned to Irene. “Delighted to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Holmes,” she added, with a tinge of admiration in her voice.
    “It is I who is delighted to meet you, young lady.” Irene patted the sofa cushion beside her. “Won’t you sit down?”
    “Thank you, ma’am,” Sarah replied while plopping herself down beside Irene.
    “Dr. John Watson,” the young man said to Irene, bowing slightly.
    “A real pleasure, I’m sure. Do take a seat, please,” Irene said, indicating a chair beside that of Sherlock. The latter regained his seat quietly.
    “I must apologize for this somewhat impromptu visit, Mr. Holmes,” Watson began, “but I couldn’t control my impatience – I mean I have so many things to tell you both”—he shot a glance in Irene’s direction—“that I could not refrain from invading your privacy so soon after our meeting at the university.”
    “No need to apologize, Doctor; I had related our extraordinary encounter as soon as I came back yesterday afternoon. But do tell us, what is so urgent… ?”
    “Oh nothing of such urgency, no, Mr. Holmes, it’s just that I was eager to ask you quite a few questions, mainly about your strange – shall we call it – appearance in this century. Since you did not mention being the descendant of Sherlock Holmes when we met, I tossed and turned all night, at a loss to find an explanation as to your presence here, in New Zealand and in 2010.”
    “Dad said that you must have both come in a time-machine,” Sarah piped-up unexpectedly, looking up at Irene. “Did you really?” Her innocent gaze instantly melted Irene’s heart.
    “And did you believe your father when he told you that?” Irene asked.
    Sarah nodded vigorously. “Yup…”
    “Sarah!” Watson said sternly. “I have told you many times that you must say “yes” and not “yup” when you answer a grown-up’s question.”
    “Okay, Daddy. But I did believe you, you know?” Sarah returned her attention to Irene. “He’s the greatest dad on Earth, you know? If he says that you came over from the last century in a time-machine, then that’s what happened!”
    “ Out of the mouth of babes ,” Sherlock said almost inaudibly. “And yes, my dear Sarah, we did come in a time machine… .”
    “Oh, Wow! Can I see it? Where is it? Did you come all the way from London in England with it? Did it take you long to get here? Weren’t you sad to leave your century and all your friends… ?”
    Watson waved a hand in between him and his daughter. “Hold on, Little One, not so fast. You need to give people time to answer all of these questions.” His eyes travelled from Irene to Sherlock. “I must apologize for my daughter’s forwardness, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. Even though most of these questions would have been my own to ask, I would not have taken such a direct approach. Please forgive us.”
    Sherlock smiled. “Didn’t I mention yesterday that you resemble your great-grandfather in that regard – apologizing when there isn’t any need for it?”
    Watson nodded. “Yes, you did, Mr. Holmes, but in this case, I still think that I must be a little more circumspect with my queries, wouldn’t you agree?”
    “I don’t think there is any need for circumspection in