A Study in Sable Read Online Free Page B

her breath. “I don’t think I have laughed so hard since the last time we were at the theater and saw that wonderful Gilbert and Sullivan production,” she finally said, in a voice still rich with mirth. “How do you ever keep a straight face around that raven? Sugar?”
    â€œTwo please,” Nan said, accepting cup and sugar lumps. “No milk, thank you. He usually is not that much of a cutup. I think he must have decided you were in need of a good laugh.” The tea set was the one thing in the room that really
was
of very high quality; Nan fancied it was probably one of the few things that remained from before Mary had lost her fortune. As a consequence, she resolved to be very careful with it.
    It felt distinctly unnerving to know as much as she did about Mary and John Watson, since technically she had never seen them before today.
    I wonder if this is how Holmes feels about his clients? I wonder if this is how his clients feel about
him?
    â€œWell, I was very anxious that our mutual friend find you acceptable,” Mary replied, handing Sarah her tea (one lump, and milk). “I know we could have gone right on without his approval, but it would have put a strain on our friendship.”
    Watson snorted. “Meaning he would be dropping his acidic little asides every chance he thought one would irritate me. And the worst of it all would be my knowing he was doing it with the best of intentions, which makes it ruddy difficult to get angry with him.
He
thinks he is being tolerant of my ‘table tilting’ and doesn’t wish to hear anything that might persuade him that magic is real. Though I’ll givehim this, he’s always happy to hear about the frauds we’ve exposed, and he never stints on praise when we’ve done so.”
    Nan looked from John to Mary and back again. “I’ll confess that I find myself in the peculiar position of
thinking
that I know a great deal about you, when in fact, I might not. It’s difficult to tell what in the fiction is based on fact,” she ventured.
    â€œMost of it,” Watson assured her. “If anything, Doyle and I have left out the greater part of what goes on around here. As for our friend downstairs, bless him, Holmes can charm birds out of a tree, but only when he needs to do so. The rest of the time—and particularly with his friends—he sees no need to trouble with common politeness at all.”
    â€œI actually sympathize with him, a bit,” Sarah put in, and grinned. “I’ve often wished I could get away with speaking my mind. Common politeness all too often covers thoughts that are anything but polite. There is a great deal of relief in being able to say out loud exactly what one is thinking.”
    Neville and Grey both laughed at that. Grey sounded just like Sarah when she laughed. Neville sounded like a pirate.
    â€œYoung woman, you terrify me,” said Watson, helping himself to seedcake. “Common politeness is all that stands between us and anarchy. I shall next expect to discover you have been making bombs in your lumber room.”
    â€œNo,” said Sarah with a twinkle. “In the linen closet.”
    â€¢Â â€¢Â â€¢
    â€œWhen
did
you start taking the cases that your friend calls ‘twaddle’?” Nan asked, when tea had been disposed of, the birds had eaten anything that was left, and the tray had been left on a stand on the landing for Mrs. Hudson to take away.
    â€œA few months after I joined him on that initial case,” John replied. “Sherlock sent a frantic young man off in disgust. I intercepted him before he got too far down the street and offered to help him myself.”
    Nan could not help but get some of the thoughts of their two new friends, so she knew that the young man in question had deceived a girl below his station and left her “spoiled.” And she had been something of a Fire Magician, and