Sherlock Holmes and The Other Woman Read Online Free Page B

matter.”
    â€œI know my children and I are in safe hands. You may be sure of my complete cooperation, Mr Holmes.”
    â€œExcellent,” I said. “I have only a few more questions. Do you have any valuables on the premises?”
    â€œSome jewellery but nothing of any great value. There are other people in the Square who are far wealthier than we.”
    â€œQuite. Tell me about your work. I know you translate documents. What is their nature?”
    â€œIt varies. Sometimes I translate letters for private individuals. The bulk of my work is for Brahms Antiquities. They deal in objets d’art , acquiring and selling. They also authenticate rare and valuable artefacts.”
    â€œYes, I am familiar with their reputation,” I said. “Mr Brahms is renowned in the field of antiquities. But I interrupted you. Pray continue.”
    â€œMost of the documents I receive are queries about pieces that would-be sellers hope the company will authenticate or sell. Now and then, I am required to translate a response to a client. These tend to be in Russian or Greek.”
    â€œWhy those languages in particular?”
    â€œBecause the company has standard documents to address queries in French, German, and Italian.”
    â€œA form reply, you mean?”
    â€œYes, exactly.”
    There was a sound of laughter from the back of the house. I could hear a young woman’s voice and a boy’s.
    â€œMy son Peter and Connie. She’s very good with the children but she does get a bit noisy sometimes.”
    Mrs Prentiss rose and went to the door. “Peter, have you finished your verbs?”
    There was a muffled response and silence resumed.
    â€œI can see why you work late at night,” Watson said, sympathetically. “It must be difficult to stay up late after a long day.”
    â€œIt is,” she replied. “But I enjoy it. I like being able to use my brain.”
    I suspected the additional income was welcome, too. Even with an inheritance, this house must be costly to run, a stretch for a railwayman.
    â€œYou were saying there are standard documents in French, German, and Italian. I assume there is none such for Russian or Greek?”
    â€œNo. The cost of typesetting would be considerable because of the different alphabets, you see, and these queries are infrequent, no more than two or three a year. It’s cheaper to have me translate them.”
    â€œAnd the documents are always related to art works?”
    â€œThe great bulk of them, yes. Now and then if the correspondent is acquainted with Mr Brahms or has conducted business with him before there may be the odd personal comment. ‘I hope you’re feeling better’ sort of thing.”
    â€œI see. Now, when you work on your translations, which room do you use?”
    â€œThis one, the study. I keep all my papers in here and it is one place I can be sure the children will never come.”
    â€œBecause?”
    â€œBecause I always keep the room locked.”
    â€œAnd the window too?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd you use the gaslight when you are working?”
    â€œI prefer the table lamp. It is less expensive and I only need to throw light on the papers I am working on. I find it focuses my attention, too. There is plenty of ambient light from the streetlamp outside.”
    I rose and went to the window and examined it. The lock was a standard bolt. The heavy velvet drapes were purely decorative.
    â€œYou have a charming view of the park,” I said. “And you have no sense of being overlooked, though you have houses all around you.”
    â€œNo, indeed,” she agreed, “particularly not during the summer when the trees are full of foliage. It’s really only at this time of year that I even notice the buildings on the other side of the park.”
    â€œQuite. Now, when you are working, do you ever leave this room for any period of time?”
    â€œYes, but