Chapter 3
Dr Roylott and Stoke Moran
'What do you think of this case, Watson?' asked Sherlock Holmes.
'It seems to be very mysterious,' I said. 'Gypsies, whistles in the night, and the sound of metal... Perhaps Dr Roylott doesn't want his stepdaughters to marry because he doesn't want to give them the money.'
'Perhaps you're right, Watson, and that's why I want to go to Stoke Moran today. But what's this!' cried Holmes as the door suddenly opened and a big man appeared. He was tall and had an angry face.
'Who is Holmes?' asked the man angrily.
'That is my name, sir,' said Holmes, 'and who are you?'
'I am Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran.'
'Please sit down,' said Holmes calmly.
'No, I will not. My stepdaughter was here. What did she tell you?'
'It's a bit cold for April...' said Holmes.
'What did she tell you?' screamed the old man angrily.
'...But I hear that the flowers are growing,' continued Holmes, calmly.
'Ha! I know you. You think you're a great detective – but you only make trouble!'
Holmes smiled and then laughed. 'Thank you for your visit. When you go out, please close the door because it's getting cold in this room.'
'I know Miss Stoner was here. Leave me alone. I'm a dangerous man. Stay away from me!' he said, and he left the room quickly.
'Friendly man,' said Holmes laughing. 'I only hope he won't hurt Miss Stoner. And now, Watson, I'm going to the Records Office to get some help with this case.'
Holmes came back at two o'clock. He was holding a piece of paper full of notes and numbers.
'I saw the will of Dr Roylott's wife and studied it carefully. If the sisters marry, they receive most of the doctor's money! He certainly has a good reason to want to stop them marrying! And now, Watson, we must leave for Stoke Moran immediately. Bring your gun and your toothbrush.'
We caught the train for Leatherhead and then took a carriage to Stoke Moran. Miss Stoner was waiting for us.
'I'm very happy to see you,' she said warmly. 'Dr Roylott went to London and won't be back until late this evening.'
'We already met the doctor this morning,' said Holmes. 'He's a very angry man.' Miss Stoner's face became white.
'Goodness! He followed me to your house!'
'Yes, but we said nothing of your visit,' said Holmes.
'I'm afraid of him. What will he say when he returns home?'
'Tonight you must lock yourself in your room,' said Holmes. 'Now, please take me to see the bedrooms.'
Holmes looked at the outside of the old house and examined the windows carefully. Then he looked at the three bedrooms.
'Is this your room, Miss Stoner?'
'Yes, it is.'
'It looks fine. I don't think it needs any work.'
'No, but for some reason my stepfather said "From now on, you must sleep in your sister's room."'
'Ummm,' said Holmes. 'The door and window of your rooms are locked at night, aren't they?'
'Always!' said Helen Stoner.
We went into Julia's small bedroom and Holmes sat down in the corner of the room and looked all around.
'Who answers that bell?' he asked, pointing to a bell rope. The rope hung down near the bed.
'It goes to the servant's room.'
'It seems newer than the other things here.'
'Yes, it was put there two years ago.'
'Did your sister want it?'
'No, because there isn't usually a servant in the house.'
'Then she didn't need a bell,' said Holmes and pulled the bell rope.
'Why, this isn't a real bell!' he exclaimed. 'It doesn't ring. It's fixed to the wall just above the ventilator.'
'I never saw that before!' said Miss Stoner.
'This is very strange,' said Holmes.
'The bell rope and the ventilator were put in at about the same time,' said Miss Stoner.
We went to the doctor's room. There was a round table, a chair, and a big metal chest against the wall. Holmes looked at everything carefully.
'What's in here?' he asked, pointing to the chest.
'My stepfather's papers.'
'Is there a cat here?'
'No, why?'
'There's a small bowl of milk on top of the chest,' said Holmes, with a worried, angry face. 'Now, let's return to the garden.'