Fic: The Dolls' House: G

[smallhobbit]

Title: The Dolls' House
Form/Word Count: 444
Characters/Pairing: Dr John Watson, Mr Sherlock Holmes, Mouselet
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Mouselet combines business with pleasure

 

Holmes was convinced the jewellery the earl claimed was stolen was still hidden in his house.  Accordingly, when we went to call upon the man, we took with us both Mouselet and the Ferret, since they could examine areas which we would not easily be able to access.

As the butler let us into the house, we saw a magnificent dolls’ house in the entrance hall.  Holmes strode over to take a look and slipped Mouselet out of his coat pocket.  She scurried inside the house, and we followed the butler into the library.

To Holmes’ great frustration we could find nothing, and the earl was not inclined to assist him with his enquiries.  Eventually, we stood up, ready to leave, at which point Holmes spotted a book in the library and asked if he could take a look.  The earl rather reluctantly agreed.  I, meanwhile, slipped out to collect Mouselet from the dolls’ house.

I peered in one of the windows, to see her standing in front of one of the dolls’ mirrors, trying on various dolls’ hats.

“Have you found anything?” I whispered.

“Oh yes,” Mouselet squeaked.  “There’s a bracelet around the cot, a silver chain around the dining table, some earrings are hanging as light fittings and a cameo brooch is hung up as a portrait.”

At that moment, the countess came down the stairs.

“I see you’re admiring the dolls’ house,” she said.  “Would you like to look inside?”

“That would be lovely,” I replied.

I moved to one end of the table the dolls’ house was standing on, and Mouselet slipped into my pocket.

The countess opened the dolls’ house, and I commented on how pretty the decoration around the dolls’ cot was.

“My bracelet!” she exclaimed.  “However did it get there?”

Holmes and the earl came out of the library and walked across to see what was happening.  I helpfully pointed out the dining table, before whispering “lights in the drawing room” for Holmes to spot.  The countess herself noticed the brooch.

“How very odd,” the earl remarked.  He glared at Holmes, and then said, “Well, in which case, Mr Holmes, I have no further use for your assistance.”

The butler showed us out, and Holmes then bent down, ostensibly to adjust a boot lace, in reality to collect the Ferret, who was waiting for us.

I took Mouselet out of my pocket.  She was still wearing a straw hat, delicately adorned with tiny blue flowers.

“You should have left that behind,” I said.

“Oops,” she replied.  “I didn’t want to be caught in the house, so I left quickly and must have forgotten to take it off.”