Chapter 23: Hughes’s Misunderstanding

Billy could roughly guess what had happened. Somehow, Hughes had crossed paths with two vicious criminals, been coerced to the riverbank, struck on the head with a blunt object, and thrown into the water while unconscious. Miraculously, he had survived, only to be fished out by Billy.

The most pressing matter now was getting Hughes to a clinic. Billy felt he had a rudimentary grasp of medicine, but he was no match for a professional. After all, in his previous life, he suspected he had been a forensic pathologist, not a doctor who treated patients; he only possessed theoretical knowledge.

Just as Billy intended to hoist Hughes onto his shoulders, Holmes gently pushed him aside and lifted the man with ease. "You have only just recovered from a serious illness, and you are so short that his legs would drag on the ground. Let me do it," Holmes remarked.

Billy: ???

Billy felt genuine indignation. Was he truly that short? He wasn't short at all; he still had room to grow. He would definitely reach 1.8 meters in the future!

An angry Billy glanced at his reflection in the river, recalling the height he had measured for himself: 1.7 meters. He fumed, blaming his lack of height on his former, grueling work at the docks and childhood malnutrition. Now that he was eating well, he would certainly hit 1.8 meters!

Watching Billy, who was huffing and puffing as he packed their gear and hurried to keep pace, Holmes could not suppress the smirk on his face. He was still just a child, after all.

Fortunately, the woods were not far from town, and they soon encountered a carriage that kindly took them to a clinic. The doctor examined Hughes, diagnosing a concussion and a fever caused by prolonged exposure to the cold water. He needed an injection and observation to see how he fared upon waking.

Billy breathed a sigh of relief. They had finally rescued the person their client was looking for. It would have been quite discouraging if the person they were tasked to find had turned up dead every time.

"Billy, go notify Miss Matte. This will certainly be good news for her," Holmes said.

Billy promptly agreed. The inn where Miss Matte stayed was nearby, easily reachable on foot. When Miss Matte learned that they had found Hughes, her joy was palpable; she showed little concern even upon hearing he was injured and unconscious. After all, he was alive, and his injuries were not life-threatening.

However, when Miss Matte saw Hughes’s wretched state, her eyes reddened. She had not expected him to be in such a dire condition. Clutching Hughes’s hand, she turned to Billy. "Mr. Fish, I am truly grateful to you and Mr. Holmes for finding Henry. I did not expect you to find him so quickly; the reputation of the famous detective is well-deserved. However, I would like to commission you and Mr. Holmes to investigate the true culprit who harmed Henry. I cannot let him suffer such an assault while the perpetrator remains at large!"

"But I know Mr. Holmes is also very interested in the case of Lady Catherine's murder. Mr. Holmes may investigate the matter of Henry after solving the murder case. Of course, all of this depends on Mr. Holmes’s wishes."

As she spoke, Miss Matte took a pound note from her bag and handed it to Billy. "This is the fee for finding Henry; the fee for finding the culprit will be separate."

Looking at Miss Matte, who watched him with trepidation, Billy sighed inwardly but accepted the pound. "I will speak to Mr. Holmes."

Indeed, Holmes was not at the clinic. Billy asked the nurse and learned that Holmes had left shortly after Billy did, though his destination was unknown. However, given Holmes’s inclinations, Billy could easily guess where he had gone. Nothing drove Holmes to such active pursuit other than an investigation.

The trail of the criminals who had thrown Hughes into the river had gone cold, so the only thing Holmes would be investigating now was the case of Lady Catherine. In particular, the lovers who had written to Catherine were all potential suspects. But since Catherine herself was an arsenic user, was it possible she had simply died of an overdose?

Just as Billy pondered whether to search for Holmes near Catherine’s residence or wait at the clinic, he spotted Holmes’s figure. Why had he returned so soon? Billy felt a flicker of doubt but quickly stepped forward. "Miss Matte would like to commission you to continue investigating the person who harmed Hughes, with additional payment."

As he spoke, Billy handed Holmes the pound note Miss Matte had given him. "This is the reward for finding Hughes."

Holmes pushed Billy’s hand back. "Keep that pound; consider it your wages for this excursion."

"Let us go check on Hughes. If he remains unconscious, we shall go and look into the situation at the police laboratory," Holmes said, striding into the clinic.

Just as they reached the door of the ward, Billy heard a weak exclamation from inside: "Matte, so you are a lady!"

Billy: ????

Billy was filled with questions, and catching the smirk on Holmes’s face, he felt that the detective had seen through the truth long ago.

"You thought I was a man? What gave you such a delusion?" Miss Matte, sitting by the bed, said with a mix of amusement and frustration.

Billy entered to see a mortified Hughes responding, "Usually, a woman's typing style is different from a man's, and not as firm..."

"There are always exceptions," Matte said, clearly displeased.

"And, and if I had known you were a lady, how could I have possibly invited you to travel to London alone with me? That is an entirely inappropriate request—oh heavens, what have I done?"