Title:  Mouselet Plays Her Part
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 1,094 words
Summary: Mouselet is called upon to play an active role.

I am as I am sure you are aware, only a small mouse.  I have played my part in various tableaux which Mr Holmes has devised, and I have created several outfits for the Ferret to wear.  Not to mention sewing up split seams, replacing buttons, and so on, because the Ferret will insist on snacking.  But never before have I been asked to play an active part in a case.

***

“This is what will happen, Mouselet,” Mr Holmes said.  “You will travel to Grimes Warehouse in my coat pocket.  Once I’m admitted to Grimes’ office I will take you out of my pocket and you can slip into his desk drawers and retrieve the ring.  I shall keep Grimes occupied while you do that.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if the Ferret came with you?” I asked.  It’s the sort of job which the Ferret could do easily, and he is far braver than I am.

“No,” Mr Holmes replied.  “He has to go with Dr Watson.  Their organ grinder and monkey act have been booked elsewhere.”

Dr Watson groaned – he’s not keen on being an organ grinder.  He’s also not very good at it.  That would be a rude thing to say, but he knows it’s true and has said so himself.  Only a few hours earlier he had said, “Really, Holmes, you know no-one believes I’m a real organ grinder for more than half a minute.”  Mr Holmes had waved his hand in an empress fashion.

[Ocelot Note: Mouselet means imperious.  She recently learnt Queen Victoria is Empress of India and has got the words muddled.]

“You could always go as the monkey,” the Ferret said.  “A tiny monkey would be quite a novelty.”  He did a dance to demonstrate what it would look like if a small mouse was pretending to be a monkey.

Aemelia Vole, who was making certain necessary adjustments to the Ferret’s waistcoat, accidentally stuck her needle in him.

“Ouch!” the Ferret complained.  “What was that for?”

“Hold still,” Aemilia said.  “I need to get the braid in the right place.”

Mr Holmes just smiled at me, and said, “And I’m sure Inspector Hopkins would be very grateful for the help.”

Well, if that was the case, then of course I’d help.  My poor inspector had lately been looking very worried, and had hardly spent any time in 221B, so if I could do something to make matters better I would.  I should be as brave as my hero.

***

When we arrived at the Warehouse, Mr Holmes spoke very firmly to the man at the door, who led him through to Mr Grimes’ office.  When they started talking Mr Holmes made his way to the desk and lifted me out.  Nervously I crept into the first drawer and scurried around, but I could find nothing.  So I climbed out of that drawer and into the next.  (In case you are wondering the two drawers were side by side, not above each other.)

The second drawer was full of lots of little items.  There were rubbers, a tobacco patch, some matches, various torn up bits of paper (in fact it was a lot like Mr Holmes’ desk drawer, except the glue hadn’t been upset inside it).  And then I found the ring.  I wasn’t sure if it was the correct ring, but since it was the only one, I took hold of it, and climbed carefully onto the edge of the desk.

And then, to my horror, I discovered Mr Holmes had moved away from the desk.  Mr Grimes was shouting at him and waving his fist.  A lesser mouse would have scurried away, but I remained where I was, for I was sure Mr Holmes would rescue me if he had any chance to do so.  If I were to leave the desk he wouldn’t know where to look.

Suddenly Mr Grimes walked towards the door, and in doing so spotted me on top of the desk.  I swallowed hard, but clearly he didn’t think a mouse was that unusual, or much of a threat.  I maintained my position and he ignored me, opening his office door and shouting for one of his men instead.

[O/N: Discerning readers may wonder why Mouselet didn’t at least make some attempt to hide.  She was, in fact, sitting on the ring to prevent Grimes from seeing it.]

Mr Holmes took advantage of the distraction to pick me up and put me safely in his coat pocket.  He then left the office saying, “Very well, Grimes, I will leave, for now.”

By the time we got back to 221B Baker Street I was so tired I fell asleep in Mr Holmes’ Persian slipper.  Not, I hasten to add, the one he keeps his tobacco in, for that would be most unpleasant, but the other one, which for some reason was sitting on the mantelpiece.  I don’t know why it was there, but both Aemelia and I agree it does make a very good bed.

I woke up when I heard a knock on the door and Dr Watson call out, “Come in!”

I was very pleased to see it was my dear inspector who had entered.

Mr Holmes said, “Take a seat, my dear fellow, I have some good news for you.  But first let us have some tea.”

It is extremely provoking of Mr Holmes to delay making important announcements on the pretext of providing food and drink.  Especially so because he is not generally particularly interested in such matters at other times.

Dr Watson had already called downstairs to ask Mrs Hudson to bring up another cup with the tea tray, and it was not long before she arrived, carrying the tray which contained not only the teapot, but also a plate of fresh scones and jam.  I forgave Mr Holmes for the delay, for there were sure to be crumbs.

The sweetest of inspectors had already eaten one of the scones, and drunk almost a whole cup of tea, when he said, “So what is the good news you have for me, Mr Holmes?”

Mr Holmes took the ring, the one I had found, out of his pocket and showed it to my inspector, who said, “Oh, thank you!  However did you manage to retrieve it?”

“I had a little assistance from a friend.”

“Do please thank them from me, and tell them how grateful I am for their help.”

I sighed, and nestled back into the slipper.  The most wonderful man was grateful to me for helping him.