Apologetically, the Lomases recommended the Ship hotel to me, as being ideal accommodation for Holmes and myself. Their small household was much disturbed, at present, and they were, therefore, unable to reciprocate our hospitality of the previous night. I waved this apology aside and suggested that we should all meet again after supper, by which time I was certain that Holmes would have rejoined us. They promptly agreed to this arrangement and I was left to trudge off towards the bottom of Leigh Hill where, I understood, our tavern might be found, still in possession of Holmes’s abandoned bag.
Our rooms were spartan and charmless, although they afforded a view of the estuary and a pungent odour from its mud flats. After a brief conversation with our equally charmless landlord, whereby I discovered our mealtimes and the tavern’s reputation for having harboured smugglers in the old days, I struck out for Hadleigh Castle, the ruins of which our train had taken us past just prior to pulling into the station.
My walk was somewhat arduous as the ruins were at the summit of a steep hill. When I eventually reached them I was disappointed to discover that a single crumbling wall was all that remained of this small Norman castle. I only stayed long enough to enjoy a pipe before returning to the tavern in time for an early supper and, I had hoped, some news from my friend.
Upon my arrival I was disappointed to learn from the landlord that he had not yet seen or heard from Holmes and that the preparation of our supper was somewhat behind schedule. Therefore I took myself into the deserted saloon and ordered a pint of ale from the aged bartender. This individual was delighted to learn that I was a doctor and then proceeded to describe to me his various complaints and ailments whilst I patiently sipped at my beer. I was at the point of despair when I was alerted to the familiar smell of strong shag tobacco and at last observed a column of thick smoke rising from behind the back of a high-winged leather chair.
‘I was wondering how long it would take you to become aware of my presence!’ Holmes laughed as I tentatively stole round the side of his chair. He waved me towards a chair opposite his own and another glass of beer awaiting me on the table before it.
‘I see you could not wait for me to join you before beginning your libations,’ Holmes observed as I placed my existing drink on the table next to the new one. ‘However, our supper is still some way off so you should have time to enjoy them both.’
‘Beer, supper, by all means, however, you must inform me at once of the reasons for and the results of your strange disappearance at the station this morning!’ I insisted.
‘I must apologize for that, dear fellow, but I suddenly realized, as we got off the train, that your solitary arrival would draw far less attention than the two of us together. Therefore I decided to continue my journey to the end of the line, which terminates at Shoeburyness. This destination was well suited to my purposes providing, as it does, the last view of the Thames before it flows out into the North Sea. As I stood on that promontory I realized at once that an interested observer would be in a most advantageous position to either confirm, or rebut Lomas’s assertions.
‘I therefore set about looking for this individual if, indeed, he even existed. To my disappointment and surprise, my enquiries at the local inn did little to enlighten me. However, walking along the promenade I came upon two grizzled old sailors whiling away an idle afternoon together. I fell into conversation with them, and, Watson, to my great satisfaction they both remembered having seen the Alicia navigating her final departure from the estuary, on the morning in question—’ At that moment our excitable young client, Miss Lomas, came bustling into the room.
‘Oh, Mr Holmes!’ she said breathlessly and with much relief in her voice. ‘My brother and I were so taken aback by your abrupt departure this morning that I did not, in all honesty, expect to see you sitting here this evening!’
‘Calm yourself, Miss Lomas.’ Holmes laughed gently. ‘I apologize for any undue agitation that I may have caused you, but as my friend Watson here will attest, I have never been able to resist a touch of the dramatic. However, console yourself with the fact that my enquiries at Shoeburyness have provided our investigation with a most positive starting point. There is now a glimmer of light penetrating the gloom that has surrounded you.’
The young lady was so overwhelmed with joyous emotion that she ran towards Holmes, and would undoubtedly have embraced him were it not for his raised arms warding her off.
‘I knew from the outset that you would save our father!’ she exclaimed.
The look of consternation upon Holmes’s face slowly disappeared as he gently pushed Miss Lomas away from him. ‘My dear young lady, your assumptions and demonstrations of joy are, alas, somewhat premature at this early stage. I can only confirm that I will now proceed, confident in the belief that your father’s story is the absolute truth. To convince the authorities of this, sufficiently to effect his release will be quite another matter.’
Miss Lomas managed to calm herself while I showed her to a chair at our table.
‘Please explain, Mr Holmes, how you reached your conclusion regarding the truth of my father’s version of events,’ Miss Lomas asked.
‘Your arrival was well-timed, for I was about to set this before Watson, so you have now saved me the tiresome task of repeating myself.’
‘Will your brother not be joining us?’ I asked, with some surprise at his absence.
‘Unfortunately his work for Mr Garside as clerk and rent-collector sometimes extends into the evening, but he sends his apologies and I will inform him of any outcome.’
‘Now I understand. I was concerned that perhaps he was still harbouring some misgivings about taking us into your confidence. I take it that his employer is the same Nathaniel Garside who owned the Alicia?’ I asked.
‘The very same,’ Miss Lomas replied. ‘He has many tenants in the local vicinity and Edward helps him administer his estate, but please, Mr Holmes, you were about to explain the results of your visit to Shoeburyness.’
‘Of course, of course, but first please indulge me by answering a question or two of my own.’ At this point Holmes leant back thoughtfully in his chair whilst drawing deeply on his pipe. ‘Miss Lomas, to your knowledge were any members of Johnson’s crew tenants of Mr Garside?’
‘I should be very surprised if that were not so. Mr Garside owns a line of small cottages close by the creek and most of their occupants are seamen and their families. However, I am sure that my brother would be able to confirm this.’
At this, Holmes suddenly sat upright once more, clearly agitated by Miss Lomas’s suggestion. Then, having sensed Miss Lomas’s consternation at this unexpected reaction, he forced a smile and said: ‘I would much appreciate it if you could confirm this through another source. At this stage, I do not think it is in your father’s best interests for Mr Garside to have any inkling as to my line of enquiry.’
‘I am sure that my brother would not mention it to Mr Garside were you to request him not to,’ Miss Lomas responded defensively.
‘Nevertheless!’ Holmes insisted.
‘Of course, Mr Holmes, if you feel it is absolutely necessary.’
Holmes then leant back once more and relit his pipe.
‘Now to my encounter in Shoeburyness this afternoon, with two aged, but sharp-eyed seamen,’ he began, clearly much relieved at Miss Lomas’s acquiescence. ‘I will not divulge the names of the two gentlemen in question, at their request, but suffice it to say their evidence will prove to be of the greatest importance. They are old acquaintances of your father and are most anxious to aid in his release. No doubt the authorities are unaware of their existence and, consequently, of the information that they can bring to bear. Therefore they will keep a low profile, but they have assured me of their full co-operation once the moment comes.