Fic: Teamwork: Gen

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

My timing is off because this is a fill for last month.

Title: Teamwork
Rating: Gen
Length: 350
Summary: Bessie the housemaid is invited to tea at 221B.


Bessie entered the sitting room and froze.

“Hello, my dear,” said Mrs. Hudson. “Don’t be alarmed. The gentlemen have invited us to celebrate the conclusion of the case with them.” She held out a chair by the table. “Have a seat.”

“Please do me the honour of being my guest, Miss Clock,” said Mister Holmes. He had risen, as had all the other men at the table.

Bessie could not speak. She looked from Doctor Watson to Mister Holmes to the other Mister Holmes to the two Scotland Yard inspectors to Mrs. Hudson. Then she sank slowly onto the chair.

On the table was the most lavish tea Bessie had ever laid eyes on.

Once she got over her nerves, Bessie began to enjoy herself. Mister Holmes’s brother was very kind. He asked her questions about herself and seemed genuinely interested in Bessie’s replies.

The conversation was easy, and the silences were filled by Bessie watching the two inspectors across the table bicker like an old married couple and surreptitiously throw bits of bread at each other like schoolboys.

Everything was delicious, and Mrs. Hudson revealed that it was all purchased and delivered so that they wouldn’t have to do a thing.

Imagine that!

Finally, Mister Holmes tapped the side of his glass with his spoon, and the chatter ceased.

“I just wanted to show my appreciation for everyone’s contribution to the recent case. Scotland Yard brought me the case, my brother provided crucial intelligence, Watson was there when action was most necessary, and when the culprits, seeing that the crimes were going to be found out, decided to launch a preemptive attack on my person, Miss Clock’s well-polished set of stairs foiled them as swiftly as a skillet to their heads, which Mrs. Hudson provided for good measure. And what Scotland Yard brought to the doorstep, Scotland Yard also carried away from the doorstep. I did not solve the case. We solved the case. To us.”

He raised his glass, and Bessie, imitating the others did the same,

“To us!”

Bessie took a sip of her water and smiled.

Comments

[smallhobbit]

Lovely. I'm delighted Bessie was recognised too!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[scfrankles]

My timing is off because this is a fill for last month. Oh, well played ^____^

And what a wonderful example of teamwork ^___^ If I might pick out a few of my favourite lines:

The conversation was easy, and the silences were filled by Bessie watching the two inspectors across the table bicker like an old married couple and surreptitiously throw bits of bread at each other like schoolboys.

"...and when the culprits, seeing that the crimes were going to be found out, decided to launch a preemptive attack on my person, Miss Clock’s well-polished set of stairs foiled them as swiftly as a skillet to their heads, which Mrs. Hudson provided for good measure."

"And what Scotland Yard brought to the doorstep, Scotland Yard also carried away from the doorstep."

"I did not solve the case. We solved the case."

And I had no idea Clock was a surname - I've just been looking up its meaning ^__^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you! Watson's Woes took most of my writing time, so I did not do any fills for Hobbit's excellent prompt (and felt bad about it, naturally).

I did like the line about the inspectors.

I looked around where I was sitting and landed on the surname 'Clock' for Bessie as 'Drying Rack' definitely didn't sound appropriate.

[scfrankles]

Just going off at a slight tangent - in the north of England, we call a drying rack for clothes a "maiden" ^__^ So it might have been appropriate for Bessie after all ^__^

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Ha! That's a new one!

[debriswoman]

Neatly done…re both prompts:-)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you, thank you!!

[gardnerhill]

Bessie knows how to mind her own beeswax.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Ha, ha! Perfect comment is perfect!