The Furt The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Titanic Tragedy

He was breathing rapidly and a frosty cloud formed between us each time he exhaled.

‘Not at all.’

‘I was in a hurry. I wanted to get below to show this prize off to some friends.’

He proudly displayed his clear, shining trophy, which glimmered in the electric lights like a giant diamond.

‘Tell me,’ I said, pointing forward. ‘What is all the excitement about?’

‘Why, the sporting match of the year! When we passed the iceberg, big chunks fell down on to the well deck. Some steerage passengers are down there throwing them around, having a fine old time. Looks like great fun. I got one of them to toss this up to me. I suppose those of us in first class will have to be satisfied with being spectators, what?’

As he disappeared around the corner, Miss Storm-Fleming spoke softly, ‘Do you suppose we ought to tell them? They do not know, and there are only a couple of hours... So many could die tonight...’

‘Perhaps we should leave that to the experts,’ I said. ‘I am sure the captain has a plan that will prevent panic and save as many as possible. And there is a lot of shipping in this area. In this age of wireless communication, we will be surrounded with help in no time.’

She nodded, but did not seem to be entirely convinced. We walked forward to join Holmes and Miss Norton at the rail.

Below, the scene was just as our new acquaintance had described it. Men, children and even a few young women were kicking chunks of ice between imaginary goals. There was no precise means of keeping score but that did not dampen their enthusiasm.

The cheers of both athletes and spectators blended with the roar of the funnels, which were still belching up steam from the boilers below. In the distance we could hear the sound of the ship’s band, as it played lively ragtime tunes.

Then, from above, I heard a ‘pop’. Within moments, a bright burst of light spread across the sky. Rockets were being fired from the bridge deck. There was a cheer from the excited crowd. But I noticed that a few passengers standing nearby were suddenly subdued by this display. Frequent travellers, especially, knew the meaning of distress rockets.

Some of the crew were now trying to break up the crowd on A Deck and get the passengers to assemble inside.

‘Will everyone please move back to the first-class lounge,’ shouted a steward. ‘We will begin lowering the lifeboats shortly. The captain has ordered women and children first. I repeat, women and children first.’

There were no outward signs of alarm from the passengers. In fact, a few ignored the warning completely and stayed by the rail.

My companions and I, setting an example, immediately responded to the steward’s orders.

As we moved back through the long corridors, one young woman said to her husband, ‘Well, I am not going out in one of those little boats. I would freeze out there. This ship is as steady as can be.’

Her husband agreed, but was less certain. ‘Yes, it does not make much sense,’ he said. ‘It must be some regulations they have to follow. You know White Star, everything by the book.’

As we neared the lounge, Holmes moved to the right and opened a door. He motioned for the three of us to enter. We found ourselves in the reading and writing room, which was unoccupied. After we were all inside, Holmes closed the door, shutting out much of the noise and commotion. The curtains had been drawn across the large bay window, giving us privacy from the passengers who were walking outside along the promenade deck.

The room must have been recently used, because yellow flames were blazing in the fireplace. We gathered closely in comfortable chairs and leaned forward towards the heat.

‘As you know, our situation is precarious,’ said Holmes. He paused, but no one said a word. ‘In addition to the question of our personal safety, we have the responsibility of completing our mission and delivering the plans to the American authorities.’

Holmes’s hands were pointing forwards, with fingertips touching, as he stared into the flames. I had often seen him in this pose at our Baker Street flat, mostly when he was deep in thought.

‘Miss Norton,’ he said, ‘you must board a lifeboat as quickly as possible. It is your responsibility to ensure that the plans arrive safely.’

For a moment, it appeared that our young friend was going to raise her voice in objection. But she stopped short when Holmes turned his head to look at her.

‘Yes, Mr Holmes, I will.’

‘And Miss Storm-Fleming, I consider it your duty to accompany Miss Norton. In view of all the efforts that have been made to steal the plans thus far, she might need your help.’

Miss Storm-Fleming left her chair and sat on the floor in front of me, next to the fire. She smiled at him, then turned to the fire and began to warm her hands. ‘My superiors gave me two assignments. One was to look after the submarine plans. The other was to make contact with you at the end of the voyage and take you to your American contact. If I let you drown, I will have failed in one of my missions. That would taint my record.’

‘Miss Storm-Fleming, you must get to a lifeboat,’ I said. ‘Holmes and I will proceed shortly, after a rescue ship arrives. This is not certain, but the odds are with us.’

‘Well, Watson,’ said Holmes. ‘If I thought it would do any good, I would tell you to try to get into a lifeboat too. They might allow men to board later on. But I know what the answer would be. So perhaps you would like to accompany me in a search for Moriarty. There are one or two matters of interest that I would like to discuss with him.’

‘Are you not forgetting that we have friends on board? Mr Futrelle and his wife, especially,’ said Miss Norton. ‘Should we not we find them and try to warn them?’

‘And young Tommy and his parents...’ added Miss Storm-Fleming.

‘Yes, of course, you are quite right. We must make an effort to find them while there is still time.’

‘It is a large ship,’ I said.

‘Yes, indeed it is,’ Holmes replied. ‘Perhaps we should split up. Miss Norton, please come with me. We’ll search A Deck.’

I looked at Miss Storm-Fleming and she nodded.

‘We will go up to the boat deck.’

‘Very well,’ said Holmes. ‘We will meet again at 1.15. Go to the boat deck below the forward funnel, on the starboard side, but if matters begin to look difficult, please go to a lifeboat.’

Holmes was the first to rise from his chair. Soon, the rest of us headed slowly towards the door.

We paused before leaving. Inside this room there was warmth, elegance and, dare I say it, friendship. But we all knew full well that the clock was ticking. Before the night was out, this luxury room on the world’s largest ocean liner would be filled with icy water and lying on the ocean floor.

Holmes extended his hand to me, and I grasped it firmly.

Then he opened the door.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

THE EARLY HOURS OF MONDAY 15 APRIL 1912

The Titanic had developed a perceptible tilt. Both Miss Storm- Fleming and I noticed it immediately as we stepped out on to the boat deck. Much to our surprise, there was no panic. People seemed to realize that the ship was in trouble but they had no idea of their immediate peril. In fact, one member of the crew, who was assisting with the loading of a lifeboat, told me that the Titanic could not possibly sink in less than eight hours — plenty of time for rescue ships to arrive. Speaking as a veteran, it was his opinion that the ship would not sink at all.

‘I may stay on board while the ship is towed back to Belfast,’ he boasted. ‘I will book myself a first-class cabin and have a grand old time.’

The Titanic had sixteen lifeboats under davits, as well as four Englehardt collapsible boats, which were stored elsewhere on the boat deck. Thus far, six of the craft had been launched, none