Pressing Engagements

“I know well that I have it in me to make my name famous.”

—Dr. John H. Watson, “A Study in Scarlet.”

Early Tuesday morning, I traversed Baker Street for a copy of the Daily Telegraph and found splashed across every front page: “Sherlock Holmes ALIVE!”

Miss Rachel and Mrs. Hudson were arranging breakfast in the sitting room when I ran up the stairs. “It’s here—every paper! Surely Holmes must know. They’re hawking his name in the street.” Quiet descended as a rather unusual meal began with the rustle of newspaper.

“Every story is just like the Broomes’ report,” Miss Rachel said, “Now I see why Isabella was so keen to interview me. She put my statement right at the front!”

“Miss Rachel, it is a fine interview, but what is this about Holmes’ marriage to your mother?” I said.

She chuckled. “The elaborate fib we told aboard ship to go along with our aliases, Doctor Watson.” She laughed. “We did have fun with it. Mrs. Broome reported it as true! Aren’t reporters supposed to check their facts like detectives do?”

Nonetheless the Broomes’ advantageous journalism rose above them all and Judy Magazine was filled with interviews, shipboard and city. They referenced our meeting in A Study in Scarlet, shamelessly going for book sales. The story of Holmes’ return took centre stage plus a detailed account of his heroisms aboard the Lucania.

“I was flattered when Mrs. Broome visited me,” said Mrs. Hudson. But she wanted to hold the interview in your sitting room, Doctor. I wouldn’t allow it. Such cheek! She was informed she would have to make an appointment and return when you’re at home. But she never did, probably why she referred to me as a ‘faithful watchdog!’”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hudson. I’ll just drop these on the settee,” I said.

Holmes back from the British Museum hung his coat and hat on the landing then stepped into our breakfast circle.

“Papa, you weren’t waylaid by people wanting to welcome you back?”

I held up the Broomes’ magazine and indicated the contents of the settee. “All of London has been roused.”

He took it from me, scanned it and dropped it with the others, and joined us at breakfast.

“Mrs. Hudson has just related to us Mrs. Beeton’s foiled attempt to invade our flat.”

“Thank you all for your kind words. Mrs. Hudson, our humble abode is a fortress in your capable hands.” He cut and consumed a morsel. “Well, Watson I shall need your help with the commonplace cases that will soon flood our rooms.”

“I look forward to it, Holmes.”

When Rachel left for school, Holmes helped her into her coat. “Thank you for bringing me into this case, sir!” She rushed down the stairs as was the usual practice at Baker Street.

We heard the voices, as she pushed her way through the crowd which had gathered at our door.

“Is Sherlock Holmes in?”

“No! And you should go home!”

I refilled my coffee. “How did we ever live without her, Holmes?”

“Not as well, Watson, not as well.”

After breakfast, Mrs. Hudson called us down to the ground floor. She was sitting on a settee in the hallway chuckling and speaking aloud to no one.

“Mrs. Hudson?” I said.

She laughed and Holmes joined her. “Doctor, this is our new telephone. Mrs. Turner says it requires a comfortable seat.”

“How does it work?”

“Mr. Holmes, Doctor, the Ericsson No. 375 Telephone has a handset.” She picked it up and demonstrated. “It is simple and elegant and is all-in-one. The receiver is placed next to your ear and you speak into this trumpet-like end. Our telephone number is ‘Westminster 2212.’ To call someone requires an operator to complete it. Pick up the handset, and turn the crank to produce the ring signal at the other end of the line. Give the telephone number of the person you want to reach to the operator (her name is Philomena). To reach a person beyond the city, you tell the operator the name of the city, town or country, plus a number. A telephone call is usually pre-ordered, which takes some waiting.”

“Hardly an instantaneous mechanism, Mrs. Hudson, you are an expeditious innovator. Is there a list of telephone numbers? Where are the operators located?”

“The book sits in this drawer, underneath the telephone table. I don’t know about the operators, Mr. Holmes, I will call and ask.”

“No need, Mrs. Hudson.”

“This is phenomenal, how did you manage it?”

“Why, Doctor, when they heard who it was for, they sent a man over forthwith!”

Holmes familiarized himself with the phone’s usage. I later found him curled up and chatting away with the operator as to an old friend. He had found another source of gossip and I believe impressed upon Miss Philomena the urgency of calls received or sent via No. 2212.

Later at the fire, I said, “The telephone requires our consideration, Holmes. Most calls will be to make appointments. But the emergency call, what of that?”

“Watson, whether it walks in the door, arrives by wire or post, or rings us up via telephone, we treat an emergency the way we always do—as a most welcome guest.”