�Well, I have done my duty bringing you here;� Samuelson said, �responsibility calls me somewhere else. I�ll leave you here to make your inquiries as you wish.�
He left us. Immediately Holmes settled himself to work looking for traces around the house. When he finished, his expression clearly told me that he had not found any.
�How can someone find something in this weather?� was his excuse, �Well, it does not matter. Come let us see what we can find in Sir Rodger�s abode.�
When we entered we heard the voice of a young woman: �Oh, Mr. Holmes, I am so glad you have come!� As we turned towards her, we found ourselves in front of a great beauty: it was Lady Beatrice. After she gave Holmes a warm hug (which he was compelled to accept, much to his dislike), I noticed that she had been crying, but she did not seem sad at all.
�Mr. Holmes,� she said in great emotion, �my fianc� barely survived. For a few moments we feared the worst, but fortunately Dr. Unstead, our household�s medical attendant, who was having lunch with us, was able to attend him without delay.
�But,� she began sobbing, �I fear for my poor Arthur, I regret I have not called you in before. Can it be really true that someone has a murderous intent on him? Please help us!�
�Do not worry madam, Dr. Watson, here present, and I will do everything within our reach to clear the things up. By the way, I perceive that you play the piano.�
This took her by surprise. �Well I do play the piano, although not much, but how could you--�
�It is my business to know things, madam. Long and slender fingers, could only belong to typists or pianists. I decided myself for the latter.�
She gave us genuine smile and she returned from were she came. Holmes told me later that he had made the observation to calm her.
We proceeded to the dining room were the incident had occurred. It was decorated entirely in green and in the center was a large mahogany dining table. Apparently, in the confusion no one had cared to remove the dishes from it. There we were greeted by Lestrade; we had not seen him since Sir Henry Baskerville�s problem last autumn.
�Mr. Holmes,� said the ferretlike inspector, �I think we will not need your help this time after all. I have already secured the culprit.�
�Oh you have?� Holmes said skeptically.
�It is not hard to find the malefactor for every crime, when a trained inspector like me is in charge.�
�Well, whom have you incriminated this time Lestrade?�
�It was the cook.� he said with an air of triumph �The inquiries I made pointed at him in every aspect. As I see it, he was the only human being who had contact with the food and he could not deny it. What�s more, I found out that he had a grudge with the baronet.�
�What kind of grudge?�
�Well, you have to know that the baronet is a queer fellow. Several times he had complained about the food being prepared here and from time to time he has brought his own food and drink. This attitude annoyed the cook and once or twice they discussed the problem rather hotly.�
�And then, I suppose the cook decided to kill Sir Arthur.�
�Exactly.� remarked Lestrade.
�Did Sir Arthur brought his food today?�
�No, this gave the cook his opportunity�
�And where is the baronet now?�
�He was taken back to his home by his own doctor. It is just a half a mile away from here.�
�Well, thank you, Lestrade for this instructive conversation, but please restrain yourself until tomorrow before taking any legal action. Come Watson let us return to Baker Street. I do not believe there is more to learn here.�