The Mysterious Deaths at the Painted Lady Inn

 

Player Accounts

 

Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson & Solicitor Mr Theo Russell

Mr Russell unlocked the front door with his spare key. “I have in this bag the Tapestry Casket. It has been valued as being worth around seventy pounds and so is a significant portion of the shared family estate. To force it open would in all probability reduce its value by ten pounds. So an important part of your task is to find the key which must still be on the premises. So this is the Tap Room. To the left is the dining room where the bodies of Mrs and Miss Brownlea were found. To the right is the kitchen. Mr Brownlea’s body lay half in there and half in here with his sister-in-law seated against the far window.”

We viewed the scene. “I do not see any footprints or indeed any dust for them to show in!” I commented. “It is after all eleven years since the event took place!”

Mr Russell shook his head, “We have had cleaning women in here recently. With the place going up for sale we would have been neglecting our duty if we did not.”

“Watson, take a note of all the items in the rooms please.” So I duly took out my notebook. Holmes did not usually ask me to do this, so he must be expecting this case to be more than usually involved. I wrote: Coal fired cooking range, sink, table, three chairs and a trapdoor to the cellar. Apparently Miss Geraldine Inville died sitting in the chair between the window and the range. Mr Benjamin Brownlea lay face down half in the taproom and half in the kitchen. On the table were five oil lamps, a bottle of methylated spirits, a box of Lucifers, a bottle of ink, a pen, and a box of sand.

Sherlock took one of the lamps and lit it. “We may well need this to search in dark places!”

“Yes, there are no lights in the cellars for instance. There is a gas works along the street so it will be easy for the new owners to modernise adequately.” said Mr Russell.

The dresser held some basic crockery, cutlery, cooking pots, two bottles of Paraffin, and two books. These were Mrs Beeton’s Book of household management and an accounts ledger. They each had a mauve ribbon to mark the place. Mrs Beeton’s marked a recipe for Celeriac with white sauce. The other book had household accounts up to Thursday 24th September 1881 marked in ink. Beside the opening to the taproom was a row of keys labelled, Courtyard, Stable, East Salon and West Salon which Mr Russell collected. Sherlock and he descended into the cellar and called out “Drinking glasses, crockery, a hip bath, three warming pans and five galvanised water jugs!”

 I commented “Warming pans! This must be a very old Inn for we have been using stoneware hot water bottles since before I was born!”

    We then went back into the Tap room which had a counter and shelves around the walls instead of tables. There were stairs upwards and the door into the courtyard, but we went into the Dining Room first. This was where Mrs Brownlea and her daughter Charity died seated at one of the two tables. In a sideboard were two wine decanters, wine glasses, two cruets sets, a box of Lucifers and an accounts ledger. A pencil marked the place, which was for four crates of brown ale and two of porter received on the 19th September 1881. The account was written in pencil with the earlier entries inked over. On the mantelpiece were two empty flower pots and two brass candle sticks. The door to the wine cellar was locked and Mr Russell told us that Mr Swithin Easy had the only known key. So we went out into the courtyard. This had an ancient well and a heap of coal beside the door. On the other side were the obviously long disused stables. A ladder led up to a tack room and an ostler’s room with five beds. They had only straw mattresses on them and the sole wardrobe was empty. In the tack room were a ladder, some sacks of mouldy oats fit only to be thrown out and a cupboard. In it were a harness repair kit, two whips and a coil of rope. Seeing a trapdoor in the ceiling, Holmes used the ladder to inspect the attic above. He disturbed a flock of squeaking bats but reported that there was only some rubbish up there.

 We descended and went into the West Salon. Mr Russell told us that this was where the cavalier lady had been shot. There was table and chairs and a sideboard. In the sideboard were only one decanter, a wine cooler, wine glasses and a candle snuffer. “The casket key is not likely to be in any of these but we must be thorough.” muttered Holmes.

The East Salon was almost identical even to the contents of the sideboard. Returning to the tap room we ascended to the hall at the top of the stairs. This had two stools, a table with a candlestick on it and a blanket chest. The latter just had blankets in it! There was a trapdoor in the ceiling but no easy means of access. Holmes stared up at it. “We will check that later, we had best see the bedrooms first. They are where I expect the casket key to be secreted.”

There were two small bedrooms beside the hall each having just a single bed and an empty wardrobe. The next, a corner chamber had a four poster double, a single bed and an empty wardrobe. “This was Mr Rupert Inville’s chamber and he himself emptied of his personal contents the other day.” reported Mr Russell. “This next one was the guest room, rarely used.” It had just a bed and an empty wardrobe in it.

“This was where Mr and Mrs Brownlea slept.” another room with a four poster bed and an empty wardrobe. Sherlock gave this one a thorough examination.

“And this is the daughter Charity’s room.” In its wardrobe were some wooden toys and some school exercise books.

 “I doubt the key would be in this one, more likely in Miss Geraldine’s I think.” muttered Sherlock. “Yes this is the one in which the tapestry casket was discovered.” agreed Mr Russell. In it were three single beds, an armchair, an empty wardrobe and a dressing table. “I have heard that these dressing tables often have secret compartments in them Holmes.” I said. Well we tapped and prodded and measured that dressing table and the wardrobe and the armchair but all to no avail. “You are sure that key was not on one of the bodies Mr Russell?”

 “Absolutely sure Mr Holmes! It really has to be in the house somewhere! There is the trapdoor up there in the ceiling?”

 “I do not expect it to be up there but we will collect the ladder from the tack room in due course. First we will see the chambers on the south side of the Inn, which again are unlikely to have it. Or any clues as to the sequence of the deaths.”

So we trooped back to the hall to see the five upstairs chambers on that side of the house. The first, a small room with a bed and a wardrobe was piled with sheets and pillow cases. The next, a corner room had a four-poster, a single and an empty wardrobe. The following two had each a four-poster and wardrobe. The last, another corner room had three single beds and one wardrobe and a trapdoor in the ceiling. I was sent to collect the ladder whilst Holmes sat on a bed and ran matters over in his head.

 “You can go up this time Watson!” So up I duly climbed knowing full well that Holmes thought there was no chance of the key being there. As indeed it was not, there was nothing but dust! Didcot and Spalding’s cleaning ladies had never been sent up there! I was likewise given climbing duties in the hall. There again was a flock of bats but the interior revealed only some pieces of broken furniture and another thick layer of dust. We then went back to Miss Geraldine’s room. I expected Holmes to search this one as being more promising but he said that I was getting expert at the task and so up I went again. More dust and a few very dilapidated dolls. “Perhaps it will be found hanging in the wine cellar that we have been unable to enter as yet?” I suggested.

Mr Russell shook his head despondently, “No we did not see it there when we searched the place back in 1881. That is not to say that it is not in some secret place of concealment there or somewhere else!” 

Sherlock said “The casket was in Miss Geraldine’s room so she will have been the one to have its key. It seems that Mr Brownlea had control of the Wine Cellar so she would not have put it there. She did most of the cooking so it seems likely the key will be secreted in some place in the kitchen!” So we trooped back down there to give it another more comprehensive search. And sure enough Holmes had his Eureka moment. The vital key was on the end of the mauve ribbon bookmark, tucked down the spine of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management! Eagerly Mr Russell opened the Tapestry Casket. Inside were a small family bible, a garnet necklace and two documents. These were the wills of Miss Geraldine and Mrs Millicent.

I, Geraldine Inville being of sound mind and body do hereby make my last will and testament. To my sister Mrs Millicent Brownlea I leave my ivory rolling pin, my garnet necklace and My Mrs Beeton’s book of Household Hints. I bequeath the bulk of my estate which comprises my third share of the Painted Lady Inn, my third share of the Willow Walk properties and my other personal possessions to my niece Charity Brownlea. Failing her, I leave it to my nearest surviving unattached female relative. (Currently  half cousin Hephzibah Rawlings.)

Signed this day 4th May 1877 Geraldine Inville                                                        

In front of Witnesses    Rachel Finkelstein (Mrs)

                                          Ephraim Tallman

 

I, Mrs Millicent Brownlea nee Inville being of sound mind and body do hereby make my last will and testament. To my sister Miss Geraldine Inville I leave my green silk gown with the old lace trimmings. I bequeath all the rest of my estate to my daughter Charity Brownlea.

  Signed this day 4th May 1877 Millicent Brownlea nee Inville

In front of Witnesses    Rachel Finkelstein (Mrs)

                                                      Ephraim Tallman

 

“Finkelstein! Rueben Finkelstein is a Jewish Notary who has been undercutting our fair emoluments for customers. Likely that Rachel is a relative of his. The wills look to be well enough drawn although since Mrs Brownlea was married at the time, her property was her husbands to dispose of. The law was changed the next year.”

  “Yes but it looks as though this Hephzibah Rawlings may inherit Miss Geraldine’s share of the estate if she is still alive.”

 “But not if she obtained more of it by foul means Holmes?” I said. “It does sound as though she poisoned the other three with the berries! That may be why Mr Brownlea shot her?”

 “Possibly Watson. I think we need to talk to some of the witnesses that attended the Coroner’s Inquest. The members of the police, Mrs Cavatina Holt and I suppose the Dairyman also.”

 “The Dairyman Elias Jones is still around.” said Mr Russell. “He is now the owner of the Buttercup Wholesale Dairy along opposite the Gas Works. They put a police station on the other side of the road from here about six years ago. They may help you with your other witnesses. Hark, that sounds like another carriage arriving!”

 “It will be the omnipresent Occult Verification people no doubt. Come Watson it is time for us to go!” Mr Russell restored the keys to their hooks on the wall and we went out.

There was a whole army of the OVS, just descended from their substantial carriage. Naturally Russell and I doffed our hats to the ladies but they got only a gruff ‘good day’ from Sherlock who marched away across the road.

 “Perhaps I must attend these prospective clients whilst you go about your business?” said Mr Russell. So I nodded agreement and hurried after Holmes, managing to dodge some pungent fresh horse dung on the road. In the distance I heard the noise of a train passing by. In the Police Station Holmes was questioning a Sergeant Singleton about the witnesses. The now promoted to Sergeant Emmerson, would be coming on duty there at six o’clock. Detective Sergeant Yates was currently serving as an Inspector in the Singapore Police. Sergeant Humbrol was discharged for drunkenness seven years ago and is thought to have moved to Whitechapel. Police Surgeon Makepeace Whittaker died accidently, only two months ago. Having bad toothache he used chloroform to try to get to sleep and overdid it. The barmaid Mrs Cavertina Holt moved away to her husband Dilbert’s home in Poplar. However when her mother Mrs Tidworth died they moved back here to Number 7 just along the road.

   So thanking the sergeant we proceeded along the pavement. A small overfriendly dog came prancing up to us but Sherlock growled at it and it slunk away. Mrs Holt answered the door with a young girl hanging on her skirt. When Holmes told her our business she invited us in for a cup of tea. Her husband was away at his work in the Gas Works. She remembered seeing the dead Miss Geraldine sitting staring and Mr Brownlea lying on the floor, first through the window and then again when the constable broke into the Inn. “Was there much blood?” asked Sherlock which I thought was a little callous of him.

 Mrs Holt thought for a moment, “Not much. I only saw a little on Miss Geraldine’s stomacher, none from Mr Brownlea. They reckons he shot her for there was always trouble between those two!”

I asked if she had seen the other two bodies but she had not. So Sherlock told her she had been a great help and we left.

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Emerging we heard the pleasant sound of an organ grinder who stood across the way with his monkey. At the junction of Balaklava and Fort Roads we met a woman wearing a boater hat who accosted us. “Gentlemen halt please! Please sign my pledge for total abstinence? Slay the demon drink! It robs women of their husbands, their sons and their means of living!”

 I replied “My good lady I afraid I am rather partial to a glass of wine with my dinner. Whilst I admit that amongst the lower classes drunkenness is far too prevalent, for me to sign your pledge would be an act of dishonesty.”

 She responded “Your idea that you can pass on the other side needs correcting. I am sure that if you attended one of our meetings you could be converted. We meet at seven o’clock in the Temperance Hall there just down the road every Thursday.” And she gave me a pamphlet. So Sherlock, who as usual was in a tearing hurry, said. “Let us pass good woman for we have men’s work to do!” and he strode onwards. The lady declined to follow as I feared she might, as we met a smell of beer from the Public House opposite. There was a paper boy selling the Bayswater Chronicle outside it. “Should we purchase the local paper Holmes?” I asked but he hurried on.

 “No! I cannot think how it could aid us on our mission!”

There were few people about, two women on their separate business’s and a milk cart. This was probably because the sky was getting darker and the heavens soon opened!  Before we reached the Buttercup Dairy office which was out destination, we were soaked through!

   Elias Jones our quarry was inside with two of his employees. He asked how he could help us so Sherlock said “We are making enquiries about those unnatural deaths at the Painted Lady and we understand that you knew the people concerned?”

 “That was a long time ago! That place has been empty ever since.”

 “You gave evidence at the Inquest I believe.”

 “That I did, for I was last to see the daughter Charity the morning that they must have died. She came as she did every morning for a quart of milk. She often came and sometimes helped the maid milk the cows at the weekend. She played a lot on the estate.”

 “Did she have any particular friends amongst the milkmaids?”

 “That would have been Edith I think sir. I remember her mentioning her years ago.” said a milkmaid who was present.

 “Probably, but I am afraid she got married and left us four years ago sir.” sighed Mr Jones. “She was a punctual worker!” and he gave the milkmaid a hard look.

 “Were there any theories locally as to what had happened?”

 “Plenty!” said an old dairy man. “There was always wars between Mr Brownlea and Miss Geraldine and they both had sharp tongues. I reckon the business would have done better with pleasanter people in the place. Mrs Brownlea was nice but she had much to bear and I reckon Charity got out playing so much, to get away from the quarrels. That brother Mr Rupert certainly did, for he went off to sea!”

 “How unpleasant was Mr Brownlea, I mean did he make enemies who would want him dead?”

 “I do not know about any wanting to go that far, but he was nasty to customers he did not like. It might have been that Miss Geraldine would have been glad to have got rid of him, as that was one theory that went around. It did sound as though he shot her from the Inquest.  He may have thought that she did it. Another idea of course was that one of the lunatics from the Longfield Asylum did for all of them with poison. Longfield House was made into a lunatic asylum when old Lady Horatia died.”

 “Yes well thank you for your assistance sir, it has been most helpful!” said Holmes.

 “Where now Holmes? I am soaked to the skin and it is nearly lunch time!”

 “They have pork pies and pickled eels at the Queens Head sir!” advised the Dairyman. But then magic to my ears Holmes said, “Thank you, but I think my colleague needs some dry clothes first!”

Outside it was still raining of course. “I thought that there was little that we could do here until Sergeant Emmerson comes on duty at six o’clock. We shall take our cab back to Baker Street.”

 So we plodded back to the Inn. We passed a police constable on the way and shooed away another dog but within half an hour we were back changing our clothes. Mrs Hudson had not been expecting us back for lunch, so we went the cafeteria at the Wallace Collection. They do very tolerable lunches there. Returning to Baker Street Holmes dispatched one of his urchins with a message for Mr Russell. “I am asking him to check with his Jewish Notary friend to make sure Mr Brownlea has not also left a will with him. He would have to contact him concerning the two women’s will anyway.”

   We returned to Balaklava Road at quarter past six giving the Sergeant time to take over the station and send his constables out.

 “Sergeant Emmerson I believe that you were one of the first on the scene when the bodies were found in the Painted Lady?”

 “That is true sir. Who are you?”

 “My name is Sherlock Holmes and I am commissioned to investigate those deaths.”

 “Oh. So you are the detective in all the newspapers? Well what do you want to know?”

  “Can you remember what you found?” The Sergeant shut his eyes and screwed up his face. “The young lady who spotted the first two bodies met me in the street and hearing her tale I collected Sergeant Humbrol from the old Station. On advice from the young woman, Tina her name was, we broke in through the stable door into the property. The courtyard door into the tap room was not bolted but it stank something horrible when we opened it. We went to the kitchen and there was the two bodies like Tina said. She was in a bit of a state because she had worked there and knew them, so we let her go home.”

 “So can you describe the positions of the two bodies for me?”

 “Mr Brownlea was laying half in and half out of the kitchen, front down with the pistol by his hand.”

 “Was there any blood around him?”

 “No sir.”

  “How was he dressed, how many shots had been fire from the pistol?”

 “He was dressed casually because the Inn was not to open that day. One shot had been fired from the pistol because it was an old single shot percussion type. Its partner was still under the counter loaded.  Miss Inville was sitting leaning back against the wall with her eyes staring. She had been shot in the chest.”

  “Was there much blood?”

 “No sir very little.”

 “What colour were her feet?”

 “She was wearing shoes so I could not say.”

 “So what was your view of what had happened?”

 “Me sir? I am a beat policeman, surmising events is the work for detectives. But I think that she mighta been dead before he shot her. If the bullet passed through her heart like the Police surgeon said there oughta been lots of blood. Then of course we went and found the other two bodies as we knew there should have been more than two in the property.”

 “And how were they situated please?”

 “They was both seated at the table leaning forward and the mother had her arms around the daughter Charity. Both had their eyes open like Miss Inville had!”

 “Thank you sergeant I think you have helped me solve the case.”

As we left I asked him if what he had said was true. “Yes I believe from what we have heard that the verdict for all deaths should be by misadventure. The woman was dead when Brownlea shot her which is not murder. They all died of poisoning caused by the berries which they did not realise were toxic. That is what I shall report to the Coroner.”

 “So what about the wills?”

 “Assuming Mr Brownlea did not leave a will with Rueben Finkelstein or anyone else his, including his wife’s share should go to Rupert Inville as the nearest surviving relative. Assuming that Charity Brownlea died before Geraldine Inville, which I am sure was the case, Hephzibah Rawlings will get her share assuming that she is still alive!”

   And so it turned out. There were no other wills, no crime had been committed to bar anyone from receiving their bequest and Hephzibah Rawlings was alive and kicking. Of course the lawyers made the usual meal of it, taking several weeks to process but in the end everyone was happy. The OVS obtained their new home and Rupert Inville got his money and went back to Hong Kong.

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OVS Accounts by Doamne Leica Badamaru Friday 5th November 1892

We mustered Mr Ronald Helping, Doktor Sigismund Nichtwissen, Professor Able Learning, Mrs Marjorie Butterworth, Miss Wilhelmina Wandsworth, Domnisoara Ludmilla, Manko and myself. We all squeezed into a large carriage and proceeded to the Painted Lady Inn in Bermondsey. As Mr Swithin Easy led us along to the front door Mr Holmes Doctor Watson and another man came out. The Doctor and the other man doffed their hats but Holmes just grunted and ran across the road. The other man introduced himself as Mr Theobald Russell of Didcot and Spalding, who were marketing the property. Dr Watson hurried away after Mr Holmes who had gone into the nearby Police Station.  “It is rather noisy here!” complained Wuw as we heard the noise of a railway train in the distance.

 “In fact for this part of London there is little noise madam.” said Mr Russell who had decided to attach himself to us. “I am sure that you would soon hardly notice that of the distant trains.”

 “I do not think much of the neighbours!” muttered Wuw glaring at the row of yellow brick terraced houses on the other side of the road.

Marjorie shook her head, “Nonsense! Perfectly respectable servant class people can live in such abodes. If we hire any from there it could be most convenient to have them so close. I am afraid some of our people in Clonakilty would regard those as being palaces!”

With Mr Easy and Mr Russell leading the way we trooped into the Inn. The first room with its counter will have been the tap room. Indicating the hanging oil lamp Mr Russell said “Lighting is by those or candles at present. There is a Gas works not far away so it should be relatively cheap to have it piped in. As you can see this is the kitchen. There is piped water to the sink. The range is coal fired and there are six hundredweights of coal outside in the yard. Again a gas one could easily be installed. The trap door has a ladder down to what was the food cellar. It is empty now apart from some crockery, glassware and a hip bath.” He took and lit one of several lamps standing on the table. “Does anyone wish to look in the cellar?” The conscientious Doktor Nichtwissen went down and Wuw peered down from the hatch. I noticed a copy of Mrs Beeton’s book of household management on the sideboard. At Cheltenham Ladies College it had been recommended that we ensure our Housekeepers had a copy of this in later life. Apart from its good advice it had a vast section of cooking recipes.

We then went back through the tap room to the dining room. It had two tables and a fire place and looked comfortable enough and was not too far from the kitchen. “Is this where the four people were murdered?” asked Marjorie and Wuw looked decidedly uneasy. 

 “The inquest never decided whether the deaths were murder, accident or even suicide Madam. Two of the bodies were found in this room and the other two in the kitchen.” answered Mr Russell. “This is the wine cellar.” And he unlocked a door leading down some steps into a sizeable cellar with empty bottle racks in it. The gentlemen immediately began to argue about what wines they should purchase to stock it up. Mr Russell re-locked it and we followed him back through the tap into the courtyard. As he had said there was a heap of coal beside the door. Both ends were barred by double gates large enough to admit carriages at need. There was an old well and straight across was a long disused stable. In it a ladder led upwards which the gentlemen went up. Up there was a tack room and a bed chamber for the stable hands. “Yes I think we may well have a carriage and a groom or two here.” said Marjorie.

“There is another wooden stable outside which belongs to the property although like this, it has not been used for very many years.” Mr Russell informed us.

To the left of the stable was the East Salon furnished with a table and a sideboard. “The West Salon is almost identical, they were used for small functions.”

 “We could be using one for a library and the other for our meeting room?” suggested Doktor Nichtwissen. “The West salon is where the Cavalier Lady was shot so that might do for the meeting room with this for the library?” said Professor Learning.  This was agreed, so we returned to the tap room to mount the only stairs to the upper floor. At the top was a hall with a blanket chest and a table. Heading to the west side were two small bedrooms which we decided would do for a butler and a cook. The Large corner bedroom contained both a four-poster bed and a singleton. “This will do for me!” declared Marjorie, “Do not worry Wuw you shall have your own room. I shall replace this bed with a dressing table.” In fact we apportioned the next single bed room to Wuw whilst I was given the more sizeable four-postered one next door. I would bring my own dressing table to put in it with my book case. Ludmilla would have the next smaller one and the large one at the end would be allocated to any maidservants that we hired. Wuw said that we would need at least two plus the cook. The Butler would need to be a retired soldier or some such, able to defend the building when we were absent.

    We then went along to what would be the gentlemen’s wing. This overlooked the pleasant scenery of the Longfield Park and I was regretful that we had been so eager to pick our original choices. Then there was considerable argument with Ronald wanting the first large room which had a four-poster and a single bed in it. He thought that Doktor Nichtwissen could have the far room which was equipped with three single beds. Sigismund however, like everyone else wanted a four poster bed. So eventually he was to share the first room with Manko, Ronald would have the second whilst, when he eventually came, Professor learning would have the third. The last room would be reserved for either guests or any man servants we might hire. Beside the first room was a small bedroom which was being used as a Linen store. We ladies resolved that all the curtains, linen and bed clothes would be replaced. And possibly some of the carpets as well! It was now lunch time and Mr Russell said that he could take us to the famous Tabard Inn on the Old Kent Road. So there we went, resolved to return and try some ghost calling when it was dark. During lunch we argued over the pros and cons of accepting the place. We decided that providing that we got an early entry we would accept it. We would install gas and improve the furnishings but after all we now had so much money that if things did not stay satisfactory, we could easily buy a country mansion as well!

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We retained the carriage and after lunch had a sightseeing tour around Southwark. This is a rather poverty stricken area with many slums in the lanes running off the main roads. When we had been depressed enough we returned to the Tabard for an early dinner. Afterwards around seven we returned to the Painted Lady. After some argument we decided to have me try to call up the Cavalier Lady. Since she had died in the West Salon we were to try there. It was already dark but we pulled the curtains and doused all the lights. We left Swithin Easy, Wuw, Ludmilla, and Manko in the dining room where we lit a fire. I decreed that it was best if I tried the spell alone so the other four would listen outside the door. The floor was well brushed and when the others had left I rattled the spirit purifying tambourine. Then I sat clearing my head of extraneous thoughts. After having lost them I was not sure that my magic powers were fully regained. A train rattled by in the distance so I reset my mind again. Then I chanted ‘A chema Lady Lysle Longfield!’ There was a long pause and then she appeared wearing a green gown and pointing a sword at me. I said “Good evening madam.” which obviously shocked her.

“You can fee me and perchance hear me? Prithee can you put me unto my final rest magikal beings? I have been in the half liffe I know not how long. I fense that there are tymes when I am in an ftate of oblivion yet then I am recalled to this place to remember my terrible crime! Fometimes the people fee me and recoil in horror yet at others they heed me not. Know you that I meant not to flay the troopers with the Daphne berries. I methought me only to give them pain in their bellies. They had been greatly offensive to me and to my people. One was the sweetheart of Mabel Tipster so it was in truth fair that she denounce me.”

   I answered “That would have been an honest mistake and one that has been made again I think. To put you to rest I am not sure but it may be that a silver bullet could do it. I am Leica Badamaru ,a lady from the Ottoman Empire with some occult powers. Are you willing for me to try?”

 “Verily so.” So I drew out my derringer and fired at her. Nothing happened and she just looked reproachfully at me. So taking more careful aim I fired the second barrel and she vanished. I opened the door and the others crowded in. Both the Professor and the Doktor were sure that I had sent the lady to her rest, so I can put it down as a magical success. I went to the dining room to rest and get warm in front of the fire. Performing magic does tire one. Manko joined the others in setting out the sextagram and candles in the courtyard preparatory to trying for the duelling musicians. Marjorie rattled the tambourine for them. Alas despite several attempts no ghosts could be recalled.

“Perhaps they have been already been sent to their rest.” suggested Doktor Nichtwissen. “Or perhaps their appearance was faked?” said Ronald Helping who was always sceptical about the happenings.

 “Yes.” agreed Professor Learning, “There was only a single account of their being seen whilst of the Lady at least four!”

 So with it getting late we went to our homes well satisfied and forming plans for what we would do when we could move into our new residence.       

 

Introduction

 

Sherlock's Briefing

 

OVS Briefing

 

George Manton's Briefing

 

Character Accounts

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