Voodoo Holmes Stories

Baker.“
    „ Yes. Now I remember. I remembered her name pronounced differently, though. Beeka. It sounded ancient.“
    „ And what happened next in your dream?“
    „ Death said: I believe you. Two people saying that they love each other ought to be believed. It is what earns them their birthright as living beings. I have no more claim on you than I do on Mr. Holmes, the lover. And then we left. I followed you up a flight of stairs which seemed interminably long. We walked up into the streets of London, close to the hospital. I can't say exactly where. If I knew I would try to find it. It could be one of the openings of Hades right here in the city.“
    „ Is that what he was saying? Holmes, the lover? And that he no longer had a claim on us?“
    „ It was. It sounded like there was a hidden meaning, however“
    „ Oh, there was, Lady Bracknell, I am quite sure of it.“
    „ Well, he never entirely loses his right to blow out our candle, does he? But I am sure that for the time being, he has set his eyes somewhere else. So what is your interpretation of what happened?“
    „ Well, I think that I was meant to recall you from your death bed in the name of justice. The signs and signals were transmitted to me by a loving person. But who was signalling - that is what we ignore. It could have been Beeka, true. Or Death himself. I know that he abhors the unnaturalness of murder. In any case, it is a good thing he has rejected you. Now, you have risen from your death bed and can return to Kerrington Hall, Lady Bracknell and lead a happy life, cutting roses in your garden and going to Bath for concerts. I wonder how Harold is going to feel about this development, but I am sure he will adapt to the shift in circumstances.“
    „ He is a good boy, you know“, she said, stirring the sugar in her cup of tea.
    „ He is?“
    „ In his heart, he is. You can't blame him for hating his mother. He's been at it so long, it would have been unforgivable if he had never in his life managed to do anything about it.“
    „ Well, I hope he will atone for his sins.“
    „ Knowing that I am still alive is bad enough for the boy. All the remorse he may have had will turn out as a waste of time. I am sure he will hate me even more now than he ever has.“
    „ Yes, he is to be lamented. And you are to be complimented on your character, Lady Bracknell.“
    I saw her off waving, while the train chugged off into the morning mist. It was mid morning when I entered Bridget's quarters and found her in her bed sleeping with her thumb in her mouth. I undressed and cuddled up to her. Her body was warm and welcoming, and then she stirred and there was the tension of her waking up. She turned, put her hand on my cheek and said, while kissing me: „Good morning, angel. It is so sweet of you to come. But are you even real?“