Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of Diamonds Read Online Free PDF Page B

terrible,’ she said. ‘That necklace has been in my family for two generations. It is made up of three strings of stones of various sizes and shapes, all of which are black – jet, onyx and jasper. I have worn it ever since my husband died, for that is its primary purpose, to denote mourning. It is irreplaceable.’ Her voice cracked a little, but with effort she managed to retain her composure.
    ‘Then between us, Lady Bingham, Inspector Rosier and I will endeavour to return it to you as quickly as possible,’ replied Holmes. ‘If I might ask you a few questions, my lady?’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘When did you first notice the necklace was missing?’
    ‘Last night. My husband died some seven months ago and I have worn it as a sign of my great sorrow ever since. I did not go out yesterday, so there was no need to wear it. However, when I retired last night I noticed that the box I kept it in had been moved.’
    ‘Moved?’ Holmes repeated.
    ‘I like things to be orderly, Mr Holmes,’ Lady Bingham explained. ‘A place for everything and everything in its place. So naturally I noticed at once that it had been moved, if only fractionally, and when I checked inside the box—’
    ‘—the necklace was gone?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘And that was the only piece of jewellery that was missing?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘No attempt was made to take anything else of value?’
    ‘No. Everything else was just as I had left it.’
    ‘Neither you nor any of your servants happened to see the thief or scare him off?’
    ‘Certainly not.’
    ‘May I ask what time you retired last night?’
    ‘Half past nine, exactly,’ Lady Bingham said. ‘I know because the grandfather clock in the main hall was striking the hour as I climbed the stairs.’
    ‘And the house was occupied during all that time?’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘You have questioned the staff, Rosier?’
    ‘Naturally,’ the inspector said. ‘The kitchen, where the back door is situated, is overlooked by the servants’ hall, which was occupied all evening by the wine steward, the butler, the housekeeper and the lady’s maid. No one could have entered or left by that way without being seen. Neither were there any callers.’
    ‘And nothing out of the ordinary occurred, that might have served as a distraction?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘And your staff, Lady Bingham – you trust them?’ 
    ‘Implicitly. They have been with me for years, Mr Holmes, and their loyalty is beyond question.’
    ‘Quite so.’ Holmes paused. ‘May I have your permission to examine your bedroom, my lady?’
    ‘If you must,’ she said reluctantly. ‘If it helps you to find my necklace.’
    ‘It may well do.’ Holmes smiled. ‘Will you lead the way, Inspector?’
    They bowed courteously and then Rosier took them up a wide flight of stairs to Lady Bingham’s bedroom, which was at the back of the house. It was a large, airy room that overlooked landscaped grounds, and everything was indeed in its place, as her ladyship had assured them. Holmes went first to the dressing-table, where he opened the lid of the engraved sterling-silver jewellery box and examined its contents. Lady Bingham’s jewellery was stored neatly in two tiers of blue velvet-lined compartments. Only one of them was empty. He brought the box to his face and appeared to sniff the contents. Accustomed to Holmes’s unorthodox and often seemingly eccentric methods as Watson was, even he had to frown.
    Holmes set the box back on the dressing-table, then went over to the first of the two windows. Each was of the sash type and secured by a two-piece brass fastener. First he inspected the fastener, then unlatched it, threw up the window, leaned out to the waist with his thin-fingered hands on the sill and surveyed the terrace and gardens far below. There was a folly, an orangery, neatly maintained trees and shrubs all the way down to the river at the bottom of the field. A fine mist obscured the tops of the trees. 
    Holmes studied the