Fic: A Landlady's Opinion

[smallhobbit]

Title: A Landlady's Opinion
Form/Word Count: 271
Characters/Pairing: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mrs Hudson
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Mrs Hudson's views will help with a case

“Mrs Hudson,” Holmes yelled five minutes after we had returned to Baker Street, “why has no-one washed the hall floor yet?  It’s still muddy.”

Mrs Hudson gave Holmes a look which would have made Medusa look the other way.  “Because, Mr Holmes, you said Inspector Lestrade would be along shortly and I was to send him straight up.  It seemed a waste of time to wash the floor only for another pair of muddy boots to walk across it.  However, if it is a problem to you, I can lend you a mop.”

“No, thank you, Mrs Hudson, that won’t be necessary.  Would this be common practice amongst landladies and similar?”

“Any with a modicum of sense.”

“But what if, say, there had been blood on the floor.  Would you have cleaned it then?”

Mrs Hudson glared at him again, and he hastened to assure her this wasn’t the case.  Slightly mollified she said, “Yes, no-one wants to see blood on the floor.  It gives entirely the wrong impression.”

“Thank you.”

Holmes returned to his chair, and I presume Mrs Hudson departed back to her lair.

About five minutes later I spotted Lestrade walking down the pavement and told Holmes he would be with us shortly.  Much to our surprise he failed to join us and instead I saw him hurrying away again.

Once more Holmes stuck his head out and shouted for Mrs Hudson.  “What happened to Lestrade?”

“I gave him your message about washing the floor and he left to follow it up.”

“But why didn’t he come up here?”

“What, and add more dirty footprints on the stairs?”