I am aging gracefully in the world of famous books

The bedroom Mrs. Sidot prepared for Pei Xiang and Mycroft was a suite.

She probably didn't know whether the young couple was used to sleeping on the same bed, or they were keen to imitate the living habits of the English nobles and insisted that the couple live in separate rooms and beds.So, the hostess from Spain cleverly left the choice to the guests themselves.

Pei Xiang looked around and found that the suite consisted of two bedrooms and a small room for washing and changing. All kinds of items were fully prepared and looked very comfortable and tidy.

"Mike, how do we live?"

Mycroft hesitated for a moment, and didn't immediately say the best solution in his mind.

Pei Xiang shook his head, and pushed open the bedroom door on the left: "This one is bigger, we live in this one. The window of the other one faces the garden. The scenery during the day should be good. I put the painting equipment there."

Mycroft loosened his collar.

Of course he knew this was the best solution.The two of them played the role of a newlywed and loving couple. It was the time when they were glued to each other. In addition, the wife had just recognized her relatives, so her emotions would definitely fluctuate and she needed companionship and comfort.

If they live in two rooms in a proper manner at this time, and there is no trace of the other person next to each other's pillows, it will not make sense.Even if the maid who cleans the room won't be suspicious, when someone asks about these details, the maid will definitely tell the truth.

"I'm assuming," Mycroft cleared his throat, his voice a little hoarse, "Doris, you have noticed some of my thoughts, but you are not disgusted, and you are also willing to take a step forward, that's why you proposed this .”

Pei Xiang suddenly thought of teasing, she looked at the man with slightly dark eyes with a smile, and asked deliberately:

"Mike, you are so smart, you can definitely judge that it is the best choice for us to live together. Since I have agreed to this task of investigating Sir Sidot, I must do my best. So, this is an extraordinary time. Choose, Mike, I trust your gentlemanly conduct."

Mycroft tried to keep himself calm, but the speed of his speech unconsciously exposed his inner ups and downs.

"Doris, if you don't have further ideas, we'd better not live in the same room. As for other people's skeptical guesses... I think we have many ways to confuse the view and create false appearances, it's just a little troublesome .”

"So, my dear Mycroft, even if you are tempted, even if you have such a good reason, as long as I don't accept your feelings, are you going to reject my proposal?"

Mycroft silently watched the smiling young girl, acquiescing to this statement.

Pei Xiang took two steps forward and leaned closer to the tall man with an upright face:

"Mr. Holmes, you know, I understand you, you are not such a passive and well-behaved person. Can you swear, your current performance is not retreating, not pretending to be reserved, but a real gentleman. "

"I can't, dear Doris," the man's gray eyes fluctuated slightly, and his tone was very frank, "But what I say always counts, if it's just to complete the task, I refuse to share the bed with you .”

"unless?"

"Unless you promise to reconsider our relationship and be more intimate with me."

"Well, that is to say, if I can't promise you, I can't sleep next to you? This sounds a bit strange..."

Mycroft looked solemn and steady, with a sincere and solemn attitude:

"Doris, in terms of feelings, whether it is mentally or physically, my views are more serious and conservative. Once... I will not let you go, you have to think carefully."

Pei Xiang nodded thoughtfully, her eyes wandering, as if she was really thinking about Mycroft's conditions. After a while, she smiled regretfully:

"In this case, Mycroft, may I ask you to rest in the room on the right? I prefer the wallpaper pattern on the left."

The answer was met with a sigh of frustration.

"Doris, as far as I can see, the wallpaper patterns in the two bedrooms are the same."

"so?"

"So, I think your initial proposal is very good. At present, we will stay in Brighton for a long time, and the main energy should be on investigating Leon Sidot. There is really no need to discuss some details. It will waste more time on the one hand. Moreover, a hundred secrets will eventually be lost, and it is quite troublesome to create false appearances every morning."

Pei Xiang couldn't help laughing, tilted his head and looked at the man who had contradicted himself:

"Mycroft, I have to respect your serious and conservative views. I can't ruin your reputation just because I'm greedy for a momentary convenience."

Facing Pei Xiang's mocking and smiling eyes, Mr. Holmes, who has always been strategizing, finally couldn't help grinding his teeth.

"Dorris dear, you know what I want to hear, so just admit it and reassure me?"

"But, Mycroft, from the moment I offered to share a bedroom, you and I have known things, and there is absolutely no need to do so. Besides, you have never told me your story seriously. Mind, how can you ask me to give a clear response?"

"I can tell you right now, Doris."

Pei Xiang raised his hand to stop Mycroft's words: "Let's wash up first, it's getting late."

After speaking, the girl turned and left, her movements were very chic and neat.

Mycroft was at a loss for words, for a long while, he could only smile helplessly, and deeply realized what it meant to dig a hole and jump by himself.

After the two of them took turns washing, Mycroft looked at the closed door of the room on the left, pondered for a moment, and felt that he should save himself.

So, he sat at the desk and thought hard about the romantic poems he had read, and turned those touching love words into gorgeous and smooth cursive characters, and carefully wrote them on exquisite paper.

He smeared and sketched, always feeling that the beautiful sentences in his mind could not explain his mood.

Some are too bland, some are too frivolous, and some are incomprehensible.As he wrote, he gave up those highly acclaimed classic chapters and began to write the truest emotions in his heart.

Time ticked by, and Mycroft filled three pages of the letter.

He put down his pen, pinched the bridge of his nose, and read through it all over again.

The black ink blots are all what he wants to say.

However, writing it out feels a bit redundant.The girl in his heart is elegant, intelligent, and transparent. He shouldn't bother her with these long-winded sentences...

——Moreover, too long text will distract the reader's attention, not as shocking and convincing as simple and concise sentences.

Pei Xiang turned over on the bed, listening to the voice outside the door.Even though there were two doors across, she felt that her ears were filled with the melodious notes of rustling writing. She covered half of her face with the quilt, hiding from the moonlight outside the window and showing a shallow smile.

After an unknown amount of time, familiar footsteps sounded outside the door, and after a small rustling sound, the footsteps went away again.

Pei Xiang waited quietly for a while, then got out of bed quietly, walked to the door in the dark and picked up the letter that had been revised many times.

She didn't light the lamp, nor opened the letter paper, but put the letter beside her pillow, and then fell into a sweet dreamland with anticipation.

In the early morning, Pei Xiang turned over and reached out to touch the head of the bed in a drowsy state. When she felt the touch of the paper, the memories of last night flooded her mind.

She snorted softly, and then slowly opened her eyes.After his sight gradually adjusted to the morning light, he quickly opened the letter from the opposite room.

There was only one sentence on the paper, Pei Xiang felt strange, obviously that person wrote it for so long last night.

She read intently:

—I would like to leave you my place by my side, from tonight until we lie side by side in the grave.

Pei Xiang: "..."

Pei Xiang completely lost sleepiness, she sighed and turned over, a bit unwilling to admit that this was a love letter she had received.

- Sherlock Holmes...

She rubbed herself on the bed, and at last she brought the letter up to her eyes and read it again, making sure it was Mycroft's handwriting.

Moreover, it is very solemn and serious handwriting.

Turning over the back of the letter paper, Pei Xiang found another line of very small text at the crease.

—England and you are treasures that I can never remain indifferent to.

When the door was gently opened, Mycroft, who had not slept soundly, woke up. When the mattress beside him was slightly pressed down, a smile appeared on the corner of the man's mouth.

"Mike?"

"Ok?"

"Have you thought about where we will be buried in the future? What kind of tombstone and coffin will we use?"

Mycroft: "...the Sherlock Holmes family grave. Use the most popular?"

"So you really thought about these things seriously."

"Did I mess something up?"

"No, you're really far-sighted enough."

Mycroft hummed lightly, closed his eyes and asked, "So, are you lying beside me now?"

"Not yet, I'm waiting for an invitation."

"Mrs. Holmes, do you like the wallpaper and the man in this room?"

"Yes, Mr. Holmes, I am already tempted."

So Mycroft wrapped his little girl in the quilt, and made an extra person beside his pillow.

"Sleep a little longer? Breakfast will be after ten o'clock."

"Okay, good morning."

"Good morning, have a good dream."

At about nine o'clock, the Holmes couple got up and washed up. After they were fully dressed, it was exactly ten minutes before ten o'clock, so they left the bedroom and walked towards the breakfast room.

The breakfast at Sidot's family is very rich, and the menu is arranged according to the banquet specifications of ten to twelve people.

There's steak, oysters, prawns, bacon, salmon, poached eggs and lamb meatballs, as well as a selection of minestrone, roast pies and mince pies.Of course, there are quite a few people eating breakfast, and they can completely consume the food prepared in the kitchen.

With Sherlock Holmes lounging over Russian caviar and chicken pie and distractedly observing the sweet Greens, the vibe between the two impostors is all the more toothache after a night's absence.

He couldn't help guessing secretly that the male and female liars who boldly pretended to be others should be real couples, and the possibility of differences and conflicts between them is very small, so the means of sowing discord should be ineffective.

——Since the relationship is good, let one worry about the other. When people are upset, they will always show some flaws.

After breakfast, Albert Sidot led Pei Xiang and others to visit Sir Leon's collection and works as agreed last night.

"It is said to be a collection room, but because the collections are all paintings, it is arranged in the form of a gallery. Look, Lucy, from here, you can visit from the left, bypassing the terrace and sculpture area over there, and then Turn back, and you can admire the collection on the right.”

A group of people followed Albert, while listening to his introduction, while looking at Leon Sidot's collection.

There are satisfactory works created by himself, as well as excellent works collected during his travels in the European continent. In short, they are indeed very good works of art.If there were no complicated plots behind it, Pei Xiang would rather spend a few days in this room quietly.

They were watching slowly, and the door of the collection room was pushed open again.Among the group of people who came in, Sir Leon Sydot was surrounded in the middle. Besides the boxer bodyguard, there were several men with strange faces beside him.

"That is?"

"Ah, by the way, you don't know the gentlemen around my father. They are all art collectors and plan to buy some collections from my father. Since my father returned to England, they have tried their best to contact my father and his lawyer. , We came to Brighton on the third day, and these people came with us, and some paint dealers and advertisers, they would come to visit every few days."

Sherlock Holmes observed for a while, and said:

"These people are not buying collections for themselves or their families. They are intermediaries, working for some big customers in Europe, collecting valuable artworks everywhere, and then selling them to earn the difference."

Albert smiled in surprise: "Mr. Holmes, your eyesight is really sharp. They are indeed doing things for others. Hahaha, I didn't know about this before. If it wasn't for the last time I met two of them in my father's study Bit, I heard some conversations, and I always thought they were real art lovers."

Mason raised his eyebrows proudly: "I have always said that my friend is a very smart person. It is said that in their college, he and a young gentleman named Claus are very famous, and there has never been anything that can embarrass the two of them. "

"Of course I believe in your ability to make friends, Mason." Albert said sincerely.

"But you don't believe my warning, brother." Mason shook his head, turned his head and glanced at Pei Xiang provocatively, "Mrs. Green, I heard from my uncle that you have outstanding artistic talent and appreciation, why don't you help me Analyze and analyze these works. You see, these works of art are signed by some unknown painters, but Uncle Leon said that these works are very valuable for collection. Can you give me some advice and tell me the advantages and disadvantages of these works .”

Before Mason Sidot spoke to Pei Xiang, she had been showing a state of being very absorbed in the art world. At this time, she did not answer immediately, but stood in front of a landscape painting and lingered.It wasn't until Mason called her a few more times that she frowned and looked at him.

"What? Sorry, I didn't notice you were talking to me, please repeat."

Mason took a deep breath and said what he had said before.

Pei Xiang glanced at the other party strangely: "You have also studied painting for several years, and even went to college, how come you don't even have the basic ability to appreciate works? Besides, my perception is my own. Let me tell you, it is also for you. There is not much benefit, after all, people's experiences are different. Of course, if you must listen to others' explanations, you can ask Mr. Green. Although he is a lawyer, he also has a certain appreciation."

Mycroft immediately showed a polite smile, and slightly nodded towards Mason:

"I'm not talented, I have some superficial views, I hope I won't make you laugh."

Mason's complexion is very bad. Of course he can appreciate works of art by himself. What he said just now was just to test the true level of this Lucy Green.

Because in his opinion, it is impossible for a liar who pretends to be someone else to have outstanding artistic talent.If she had the ability, why would she do these crimes.

Sherlock Holmes has actually been watching the relationship between the Greens and his wife. At this time, he is more certain that if he wants to find the loopholes in their deception, he must separate the two and break them one by one.

He pondered for a while, and then his eyes fell on Mr. Green with a warm smile. Although Mrs. Green was more forceful and self-willed, Sherlock knew in his heart that this young lawyer was the more difficult one.

Of course, Sherlock Holmes did not rely solely on his feelings to make this inference. He never disdained to rely on intuition alone, and every time he made an inference, he had to go through careful analysis.

At this time, Leon Sidot led a group of people over. After introducing each other, the two sides politely separated to appreciate the works they were interested in.

While pretending to be appreciative, Pei Xiang silently recited the names and identities of those people just now.

Of course she knew that these merchants traveling between the British islands and the European continent were actually good media for conveying news.If there is such a scandalous register, these people are a breakthrough direction for investigations.

——However, would such an obvious method really be Leon Sidot's choice?Or is it that his frequent contact with these mainland businessmen is actually just for interested people to see?

— as long as something happens to him, the other side gets the record book.After the other party got the record book, they had to publish the content in the book that was not conducive to England, and at the same time, they had to provide corresponding evidence to convince the world.This is considered revenge for Sidot.

——There are many possible changes in this process. With Sidote's cautious and cunning character, will he really put the hope of revenge in a place beyond his control?Even, will he really let himself go to the point where he will die?

Pei Xiang pondered deeply:

Leon Sidot believed that what he had mastered were the private scandals of some big men, so he could bargain with the official forces.

However, he must not ignore some facts, that is, he has to beware of some people who become angry and refuse to accept threats, and even want to kill him in private. Does he have nothing to do in this regard?

He returns to his homeland in good clothes, pursues fame and wealth, and wants to enjoy his old age in glory, which drives him to take risks. However, this "risk" must have a limit, and he can escape at any time.

Thinking of this, Pei Xiang agreed with Mycroft's previous speculation, thinking that Leon Sidot's statement that the so-called scandal record book was hidden somewhere in the European continent was actually a deception.

He wants to seek wealth and wealth, and he has a lot of ruthlessness in his heart, but looking at how much he cherishes his life with his bodyguards anytime, anywhere, he knows that this ruthlessness must be discounted.

He certainly wanted to minimize the risk.

——How to minimize it?Maybe... when someone wants revenge on him, he can survive by begging for mercy and apologizing.

——How to beg for mercy and apologize?Naturally, he honestly returned the relevant scandalous evidence in his possession, and then sent a few pieces of information to make up for it.

——If he has this plan, then the so-called statement of recording the scandal in a book is not in line with the original intention of maximizing benefits.Those related things must be scattered, irregular, and accessible to him at any time.

Pei Xiang lowered his eyes and thought deeply. If the deduction continues according to this line of thought, whether the record book exists is also a question.After all, if you want to keep secrets better, it is better to keep them in your own brain. Once written, there is a risk of leakage.

However, if only relying on memory, few people will be sure that they will not make mistakes, right?Over time, forgetting and confusion are memory's worst enemies.

"What are you thinking?" Mycroft walked to Pei Xiang's side and admired the works on the wall with her.

"I remember I said before that Sir Sidot has excellent image memory ability, which makes him like a fish in water in the field of art."

Mycroft understood, he smiled slightly, and said softly:

"Yes, a very remarkable talent. It is said that before Sir Sidot fell ill, he worked in the studio for many days without sleep and food, and painted many works, but he was not very satisfied. When he finally finished the most satisfactory After one piece of work, before it could be shown to the world, the studio was destroyed by a fire. Sir Sidot had exhausted his mind and heart for his work, and this bad news made him fall ill."

Pei Xiang understood: "Thus, Sir Sidot, who needed a long time to recuperate, returned to England."