Harry: Chapter Nine
To Know Him
by Liederlady
Within a half hour, Harry and I were on our way to
Southampton Water ... little more than five miles from Netley. For the first
ten minutes or so, our drive progressed in silence ... companionable enough,
but there was a definite undercurrent of tension. I felt Harry's eyes on me
several times as he drove.
“Ah, John, you cannot deny this respite is just what
you needed. You appeared positively exhausted back at that dreadful place,”
Harry said as he expertly handled the reins.
“Frankly, I was anticipating adventures enough once I
arrived in India, Harry,” I said acerbically.
He suddenly drew up and reined the horse over to the
left, pulling the carriage slightly off the road. Then he looked over at me
with furrowed brows and his lips drawn into a frown.
“Harry? What’s wrong?”
“It sounds as though you are a reluctant companion,”
he said sharply.
I sighed loudly.
“No, Harry, it is simply ...” His lips pursed
expectantly. “’Strewth, you are the
most exasperating person I have ever known!”
Now the lips parted in surprise. Doubtless, Harry had
been expecting something other than the truth from me. He blinked a moment then
a downcast expression altered his youthful features.
“If that is your opinion, it is a wonder you agreed to
come along,” he said, rather grumpily.
“I came along because I wish to spend time with you ...
because I do not wish to disappoint your plans. I came along because ... because
I wish to know you, Harry,” I said honestly.
Harry’s eyes fluttered a moment then dropped to regard
the reins tightly held in his lap. A ghostly smile played at the corners of his
lips and a slight sigh escaped him. His tongue emerged to nervously moisten his
lips before he spoke.
“Then it is well past the time for us to truly be
introduced, John,” he said, his grey eyes flashing as they darted up to meet
mine. His right hand released the reins and he extended it toward me.
“My name is Sherlock Holmes. I am exceptionally
pleased to meet you, my dear fellow,” he said. I detected a slight tremor in
the rich voice and Harr-- I mean, Sherlock’s eyes were unnaturally bright.
I clasped his hand, inordinately pleased. He had
finally decided to trust me with his name.
“The pleasure is entirely mine, Mister Holmes,” I
said, smiling.
His eyes fluttered again and he flashed one of those
brilliant smiles at me.
“I suppose it was rather unfair of me to ambush you
back there,” he admitted. His eyes dropped to his hands again.
“Is it a staple of your personality, Mr. Holmes, this
tendency to spin outlandish tales?” I teased.
The grey eyes demurely glanced up at me.
“It was imperative that I see you again, Doctor. The
Army would not have permitted you to leave. What alternative was there?” he
said.
Then I shook my head at him.
“We could have met and talked, my boy. There is no
need for you to be so generous with your funds or your time,” I said.
He started next to me.
“Neither was there need for your generosity, my dear
Doctor. Yet without it, I may not have survived,” Sherlock said quietly.
My lips parted in surprise.
“You are overstating, sir. Your injuries were not life
threatening,” I assured him, shaking my head at his dramatic turn.
“The peril did not stem from physical injury sir,” he
said, glancing down at the reins again.
I swallowed my immediate response. Then I reached out
and lightly touched his arm. His gaze darted toward my hand and slowly rose to
meet my eyes.
I hesitated a moment, then said, “Shall we begin our
holiday then, my boy?”
He flashed his brilliant smile at me then flicked the reins and we were off.
Notes
Strewth: an oath ...“God’s truth!”
