Title: Copperplate
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 606 words
Author notes: Told in epistolary form.
Summary: Watson's typist has questions. Mrs. Hudson attempts to get in contact with the good doctor.

Dear Dr. Watson:

My sincerest hopes that the case is progressing satisfactorily and that you and Mr. Holmes are both well.

I have been telephoned by a Miss Eddington. She was hoping to make contact with you directly but I explained you are camping in the Scottish Highlands and that you only return to Thurso sporadically in order to collect your mail from the post office.

However, I promised that I would write and pass on her question. She tells me she has been employed by you to type up your latest manuscript and is having a few minor problems interpreting your handwriting.

So at your leisure, could you please confirm that Mr. Holmes’s client in the story is indeed called Lankey-Bottom?

Yours respectfully,

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dear Dr. Watson:

Once again, I hope everything is well with you.

There has been a second telephone call from Miss Eddington: it appears she has not had much luck moving beyond the first few paragraphs. I wonder if you could perhaps telephone the young lady yourself, when you next reach the post office. She has such a lot of questions to put to you.

Yours cordially,

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dear Dr. Watson:

Miss Eddington telephoned again. She sounded somewhat tense.

If you could communicate with her, I would be most grateful.

Yours hopefully,

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dear Dr. Watson:

Miss Eddington telephoned me yet again. I think she may have been weeping.

Yours,

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dr. Watson:

Miss Eddington called round to Baker Street in some distress. It seems your publisher is quite keen to get his hands on your latest pearl and is demanding she turn in her typed copy as soon as possible.

As it appears you have still not contacted her, I offered my assistance in interpreting your work. Something about Hammersmith perhaps? And being concerned about the client’s movements?

After several hours we managed to put together the gist of the piece and Miss Eddington returned home to work on it further.

I do not wish to be impolite but I have to say it did not seem the most thrilling of Mr. Holmes’s cases.

Yours,

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dr. Watson:

Your publisher insisted the story had to be submitted today. I counselled Miss Eddington to hand the wretched thing over, put it behind her and try and move on with her life.

So your story has gone to the printers.

E. Hudson (Mrs.)





Dear Mrs. Hudson:

Thank you for your communications. I was somewhat taken aback to find so many of them waiting for me when I arrived at the post office this morning.

And I was a little surprised, and perhaps somewhat hurt, that Miss Eddington should find my handwriting so impenetrable. In fact, I decided to show the manuscript of my story to Mr. Holmes to gather his opinion on the standard of my penmanship.

My insightful companion then pointed out, if I had the manuscript, what did Miss Eddington have?

Retracing the events of the day on which I departed to Scotland, I believe I had just arrived back at Baker Street after visiting a patient when Mr. Holmes informed we were going to the Highlands and that I should pack immediately.

I then, or so I thought, handed my latest manuscript to Billy to take to Miss Eddington and placed my medical notes in my pocket. However, I fear I may possibly have been mistaken in this regard. I think you have just sent to the printers ‘The Case of Mr. Langley-Bartram's Haemorrhoids’.

Am getting the next train back.

Yours (in some anxiety),

J. H. Watson, M.D.