Fic: Curtains and a Tea Set
Jun. 5th, 2018 09:12 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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holmes_minorTitle: Curtains and a Tea Set
Form/Word Count: 500
Characters/Pairing: Mrs Hudson, Dr Watson
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Mrs Hudson would like some new curtains, or failing that a tea set.
Many people have wondered why Holmes and Watson were forced to spend some time in one of our university towns. It happened like this:
Mrs Hudson had decided it was time to invest in some new curtains. The ones in her sitting room were starting to look rather faded, and she felt she deserved something a little more colourful and cheery during the winter months. She had had a small windfall and therefore felt justified in going to a more upmarket draper’s to buy the material. It was still early enough in the year she would have time to make the curtains, plus their linings, before they needed to be hung. The old curtains could then be used for 221B, since curtains there rarely survived for a whole year.
She had chosen the curtain material and selected suitable linings; then requested the parcel be delivered. However, when she gave her name and address, the draper called his wife, and after they had had a whisper conversation, he told her he was unable to serve her after all.
Mrs Hudson was rather perturbed, and a little disappointed, as she had liked the colour of the curtains. However, nothing daunted she went into another shop a few doors down, which had a tea set displayed in the window, and to which she had taken a fancy. If she couldn’t have new curtains, then a new tea set would cheer her up.
Sadly there was a repeat of the events in the drapers. The shop assistant had called the manager, and they had both looked at her rather strangely, before telling her a ridiculous story to the effect that a deposit had already been paid for the tea set, and they were very sorry, but they couldn’t sell it to her, thank you very much madam, goodbye.
By now, Mrs Hudson was not only perturbed and disappointed, but also very suspicious. As soon as she reached Baker Street she marched straight up to 221B, and accosted Dr Watson, who was sitting quietly in his arm chair.
“I have just been to Fourmarks the Drapers,” she said.
“Oh?” said Dr Watson. She noted he looked slightly uncomfortable.
“And from there I went to Harris & Worle,” she added.
“Ah!” said Dr Watson.
“Ah indeed. Would it be possible that a certain gentlemen has adopted a bonnet, umbrella and long skirt and visited those premises, and somehow thought he was called Hudson and not Holmes?”
“Um,” muttered Dr Watson.
“And his companion, a medical man, did nothing to dissuade him?”
“Er,” mumbled Dr Watson.
“You, and your companion, however he may choose to attire himself, will vacate these rooms by ten o’clock tomorrow morning and will not reappear for the next five weeks. I have a reputation to repair and your presence will not assist me in this task.”
“Of course,” Dr Watson agreed.
“I shall expect my regular remuneration from both of you, including meals and laundry during that period.”
“Naturally,” Dr Watson replied.
Form/Word Count: 500
Characters/Pairing: Mrs Hudson, Dr Watson
Rating: G
Warning/Content: Mrs Hudson would like some new curtains, or failing that a tea set.
Many people have wondered why Holmes and Watson were forced to spend some time in one of our university towns. It happened like this:
Mrs Hudson had decided it was time to invest in some new curtains. The ones in her sitting room were starting to look rather faded, and she felt she deserved something a little more colourful and cheery during the winter months. She had had a small windfall and therefore felt justified in going to a more upmarket draper’s to buy the material. It was still early enough in the year she would have time to make the curtains, plus their linings, before they needed to be hung. The old curtains could then be used for 221B, since curtains there rarely survived for a whole year.
She had chosen the curtain material and selected suitable linings; then requested the parcel be delivered. However, when she gave her name and address, the draper called his wife, and after they had had a whisper conversation, he told her he was unable to serve her after all.
Mrs Hudson was rather perturbed, and a little disappointed, as she had liked the colour of the curtains. However, nothing daunted she went into another shop a few doors down, which had a tea set displayed in the window, and to which she had taken a fancy. If she couldn’t have new curtains, then a new tea set would cheer her up.
Sadly there was a repeat of the events in the drapers. The shop assistant had called the manager, and they had both looked at her rather strangely, before telling her a ridiculous story to the effect that a deposit had already been paid for the tea set, and they were very sorry, but they couldn’t sell it to her, thank you very much madam, goodbye.
By now, Mrs Hudson was not only perturbed and disappointed, but also very suspicious. As soon as she reached Baker Street she marched straight up to 221B, and accosted Dr Watson, who was sitting quietly in his arm chair.
“I have just been to Fourmarks the Drapers,” she said.
“Oh?” said Dr Watson. She noted he looked slightly uncomfortable.
“And from there I went to Harris & Worle,” she added.
“Ah!” said Dr Watson.
“Ah indeed. Would it be possible that a certain gentlemen has adopted a bonnet, umbrella and long skirt and visited those premises, and somehow thought he was called Hudson and not Holmes?”
“Um,” muttered Dr Watson.
“And his companion, a medical man, did nothing to dissuade him?”
“Er,” mumbled Dr Watson.
“You, and your companion, however he may choose to attire himself, will vacate these rooms by ten o’clock tomorrow morning and will not reappear for the next five weeks. I have a reputation to repair and your presence will not assist me in this task.”
“Of course,” Dr Watson agreed.
“I shall expect my regular remuneration from both of you, including meals and laundry during that period.”
“Naturally,” Dr Watson replied.
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Date: 2018-06-05 07:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-06 09:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-06 03:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-06 09:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-07 04:46 pm (UTC)Your fic did make me think though. I always visualise Mrs. Hudson as being small or at most average height. But we don't get a description in the books. What if she was actually very, very tall and decided on one occasion to get her own back and pass herself off as Holmes...?
no subject
Date: 2018-06-07 04:49 pm (UTC)I like the idea of Mrs Hudson passing herself off as Holmes.
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Date: 2018-06-29 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-06-30 12:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-18 04:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-07-18 07:58 am (UTC)