Sherlock Holmes and The Sword of Osman by Tim Symonds Page A

coincidence? The odds against would be enormous.’
    He turned to stare back at Yildiz.
    â€˜Clever idea, death, isn’t it, Watson?’ he mused. ‘I wonder who came up with it?’
    Back aboard the battleship Holmes and I separated to dress for dinner. As we parted he said, ‘We must pay a visit to a cemetery.’
    â€˜A cemetery?’ I queried, perplexed. ‘Any cemetery?’
    â€˜The cemetery where the Chief Armourer is to be buried. We need to investigate the circumstances of his death. Our dragoman will have to tell us where and when the funeral is to take place.’
    ***
    At dinner my comrade was particularly preoccupied, almost aloof, despite the cheery conversation around the table. The meal came to an end. We lit our pipes. The suggestion was made to play a few agreeable hands of Bull.
    â€˜Surgeon Lieutenant Learson,’ the Commodore observed from the head of the immense mahogany table, ‘one advantage of putting into port here is fresh fruit from the Fethiye market.’
    His hands were grasping a large bowl piled high with cherries, apricots, pomegranates, lemons, unripe plums, grapes and figs. He gave the bowl a push towards me. It started on its journey down the polished surface, turning slowly, a carousel of purple, yellow, blue, green and red pennants. I saw Holmes’s head jerk forward. He was staring as though hypnotised by the bowl sliding towards us. He flung his napkin on the table and sprang to his feet.
    In a voice of thunder my comrade exclaimed, ‘Watson, we have been the stupidest fellows in Europe!’
    The Commodore and his sea-captains gaped as Holmes strode towards the Wardroom door beckoning me to accompany him. He turned back to address the bewildered company.
    â€˜Gentlemen, the Surgeon Lieutenant and I thank you for an excellent repast. We must take our leave. Commodore, would you give orders for an inconspicuous boat to ferry us ashore in the morning?’
    Holmes withdrew a page from his pocket and scribbled on it.
    â€˜We would appreciate it if you can arrange for this coded signal to be sent at once to our dragoman.’
    Outside, Holmes gripped my arm.
    â€˜My dear fellow...’ I began, embarrassed at our abrupt exit.
    I was cut short.
    â€˜Watson, the jewellery attached to Saliha Naciye’s hair in the garden...’
    â€˜Just for that you tore us away from excellent company?’ I chided. ‘Couldn’t this have waited while we played a few hands of...’
    He propelled me swiftly across the deck to one of the immense guns, now silent and sinister in the light of the stars, the barrel pointing to the horizon.
    â€˜My friend,’ came the savage reply, ‘do you suppose I would drag you away from your gambling if it was not of the utmost importance? I repeat, the jewels, what flowers did they depict? It’s imperative you remember precisely!’
    I cast my mind back to the still figure standing outside the window.
    I replied, ‘To the best of my recollection there were variegated buds, roses, jasmines, and jonquils. And ferns.’
    â€˜Excellent, Watson,’ Holmes exclaimed. ‘And the jewels themselves?’
    â€˜If we start at the buds, they were made from saltwater pearls, then the rubies...’
    â€˜The colours, Watson, the colours! I believe you have the better of me in colour recall.’
    â€˜The pearls...blue, champagne and green. And purple.’
    â€˜As you say,’ Holmes breathed. ‘And the rubies? Again, the colour?’
    â€˜Raspberry. And pink. And Pigeon’s-blood red. I would guess from Macedonia.’
    â€˜You come into your own, Watson!
    â€˜Next... jonquils...’
    â€˜Yellow, if I’m not mistaken?’ Holmes broke in.
    â€˜And something orange. I remember thinking it was the colour of a rare topaz. Finally, ferns. From peridots.’
    Shelmerdine had told us the Sultan’s peridots were sourced from meteorites