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That i in front of iven the hour (The clock besideto killa blazer, and his shoes were shined up like mirrors Below his slicked-back hair, his eyes rinkled with smile lines He held out a hand to shake

"Jamie Watson," he said "Do you know, you look just like your father did when I er forwith my niece?"

I scrambled to my feet "We’re not--I’m not--it’s very nice to , and I rounded on her "Come on, really? Soive hiive you a shovel so you can keep on digging me this hole?"

"Please," she shot back "I’d rather watch You’re doing such a nice job of it, after all"

So Our usual banter sounded meaner, pettier than usual I stopped, not sure what to say

Leander savedthe door open "Stop bickering, or I won’t make you breakfast"

The kitchen was cavernous, all lass The housekeeper was already hard at work, rolling out a blanket of dough on the counter I don’t knohy it surprisedtheir own ht’s formal dinner was any indication

"Hello, Sarah," Leander said, pressing a kiss to her cheek "How late were you up last night, cleaning up after that soiree? I’ll take over We’ll send breakfast to your roonized too well, a criht out of the Charlotte Holhed, and blushed, and finally gave up her apron to his waiting hands before she left

At the counter, Holmes propped her head on her fists "You’re much more efficient at that than I a a saucepan fro copper rack Holmes’s eyes followed his hands "You do know that it works best if you s?"

"I’ bruises on your wrists"

"I do," he said, as if she’d commented on the weather "Jamie? Bacon? Biscuits?"

"God, yes Is there a kettle here somewhere? I need tea"

He pointed with his spatula, and the two of us got down toa breakfast fit for an ar him apart

"Go on then," Leander said finally "Let’s hear if the deductions you’reare correct"

Holmes didn’t waste any tiht’s done up in a different pattern than the left--and your blazer wrinkled at the elbows And I know you’re aware of that; you’re as aware as I a to send a e to someone or you are actually too worn out and tired to care that you’re pressed to sos have been very hard for you lately Your hair was just cut by soive arde than your usual, and Miloyou recently Berlin, then If you were to take the poers Oh, stop glaring, both of you I happen to know that Uncle Leander has been going to the same barber in Eastbourne since his teens" I a limp, you’ve developed so soh that neither of the motion with his spatula "Charlotte" He was the only one in her fairl, I won’t tell you a single thing unless you agree to eat"

"Fine" A smile crept across her face "Hateful ht a tray up to the housekeeper’s room, we settled in around the counter, and I snuck another look at Holht; he did look tired, the kind of tired I remembered from late last fall, where I felt like I wasn’t allowed the vulnerability of sleep That, coupled with the trace of worry behind his showman’s smile, and I wondered just where he’d been before Sussex

"Gerht out of overn thatout work by a German painter fro ti the trust of soerous people, and you need to kno to talk to skittish art students ripping off Rerinned "It’s quite fun, honestly Like playing Whac-a-Mole, only with guns and a wig"

Hol the bruise beneath "Yes Fun"

"Eat your bacon, or I won’t explain" He pushed her plate toward her "Like I said, I’ve not been involved with the enteel crowd these past few months And honestly I didn’t really want to take this case to begin with As interesting as it is, it involves so s are happiest on my ottoman I like a pretty little puzzle as much as the next man, but thiswell, and then I had lunch with your father, Jamie, and he persuadedtogether in Edinburgh He has a fa hiether frole" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">