This is the first time that the Knolly Estate has allowed the great man's memoirs to be published. What follows is the twentieth chapter of 'The African Adventure'.

Mrs DeVries Part 4

“Knolly, isn’t it magnificent” called Bertie as pushed himself carefully up from the floor “This is just what we could do with at your Aunt’s place. Think how well it would sit amongst those beams and the suits of armour.”

The bird had know moved to a better perch within it’s cage where it fixed Bertie, who was now upright with a steely gaze.

I struggled to find something complementary to say and failed miserably.
“It’s certainly…… different but it must be a devil to keep fed” here I looked to Elspeth who was at that point opening a large metal box “I always rather fancied a parrot myself.”

Elpseth closed the box with a loud clang and the vulture hopped up and down in that very odd way that only vultures can. She now on her hand a heavy duty gauntlet and held something thay looked like the haunch of a zebra. With a practised move she opened the door on the cage and threw in the meat.

“He gets terribly spoilt by all the staff you know, and very little food ever gets wasted.” The bird caught the thrown meat in mid air and fell with it to the floor of the cage and began to eat it a quickly as it could.

“Do you ever let it out?” Asked Bertie. The vulture looked up at this it’s beak now scarlet with blood and gave Bertie another odd look at which he took a couple of steps back

“Sometimes, but we have clipped it’s flight feathers so it can only wander around the grounds, it makes a wonderful pet though don’t you.” She turned to Bertie “He seems to have taken a shine to you Bertie, perhaps you can take him out for a walk later?”

“Most people keep dogs and cats” I muttered under my breath but Bertie heard and gave me a hurt look.

“Now then let me show you up stairs” and off she went with us in tow. The staircase was yet another
decorative affair and seem to climb a long way beyond the first floor where our rooms were to be found.

“The first and second rooms on the right are yours, I just need to check something upstairs first then I’ll be back to check you have everything you need” and she was off up towards the next floor.

The first room we entered was much in keeping with the rest of the decor and seemed to have everything to hand as if guests were a common occurrence, but then I thought at the time that Elspeth would attract more than her fair share of suitors and also it would not always be possible for the officers of the Regiment to return to barracks no matter that it was in staggering distance.

“Look Knolly” said Bertie holding a book aloft that he’d spied on the bedside table “It’s Arthur’s ‘Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’, I haven’t read this one yet.”

I raised my eyebrows “Well I wonder which bits of us friend Arthur has used this time and what settings he’s used.”

“Oh Knolly, Mrs DeVries is right you really can be such a bore, come now you love it really , and Arthur loves to have us over to recount our latest adventures as much as you like telling them. Your just a bit annoyed that we can’t tell anyone the stories are based on us. Anyway I think he listens really well and paints a grand picture of me as Holmes and you as Watson.”

“What rubbish, it’s as plain as day that Holmes is me, he told me as much after “The Sign of the Four”
was published.”

“He never said that at all, your making it up, Watson’s nothing like me, he’s the comic interlude, a bumbler a ….." Bertie was getting redder and redder and was about to dig himself an even larger hole when the door opened and in came Mrs DeVries.

“I trust you find the room comfortable and everything has been packed away for you? Ah I see you have found my book, how I enjoy Mr Conan Doyles adventure stories, do you read them?”

“Knolly and I were just discussing the same and how we had not yet had the time to read this one.” Replied Bertie rather curtly.

She smiled “Then you must borrow it whilst you stay here and feel free to use the library, it’s on this floor just along the hall and across the balcony, dinner will be at 7:30 and served in the officer’s mess which I’m sure you’ll be able to find, just follow the noise”.

It was so pleasant to be able to bathe and then dress for dinner once again, rampaging across foreign parts and roughing it is all very well, but it is nice to push the boat out now and again. We found evening dress in both wardrobes neither of which fitted until Bertie pointed out that we must be in the wrong rooms and before I could point out a simpler plan of action he‘d began emptying his drawers back into his bags. I sat down on the bed and sighed to myself “It’s going to be a long night”.

Dinner time approached and as I stepped outside my room a thought struck me “where were Jameson and Rhodes sleeping?” I had heard nothing in the corridor whilst I lay on the bed contemplating our next move. Locking my room as a precaution and pocketing the key I decided to take this up with Bertie. I knocked on his door and heard a woman’s voice say “come in” followed by fits of laughter.

I turned the handle and averted my eyes I had been here before.

“S’all right Knolly, this is Gladys...., one of the maids.”


“Yes, yes I’m sure it is” I replied still covering my eyes.
“Will you be want fresh towels too then sir ?” Asked a voice that I assumed belonged to the maid.


“Eh, what !” I spluttered turning to look this time.

“She’s come to change the towels Knolly, and as you knocked I thought up a little jest and had her answer for me”. Bertie smiled and than buried his head in a pillow in convulsions of laughter “You should have seen yourself coming in” ,he managed to spit out as he came up for air.

The maid was also smiling and waiting my reply. I smiled back.

“No thank you Gladys, I’m more liberal with the water than my colleague and have not used all my linen in one go”.

She curtsied and went on her way closing the door behind her at which point I threw myself at Bertie grabbing his other pillow on the way and smite him a heafty blow to the head with it.

“You...you ...you....” I was at a loss what to call him this time and with feathers flying about I collapsed on the bed laughing.

We still had some time on our hands by my watch and once we’d mangaged to clam down and collect up as many feathers as possible I put my thoughts to Bertie regarding where Rhodes and Jameson were staying.

Bertie concurred that he had not heard anyone in the corridor apart from Gladys and also pointed out that no one had gone up to the next floor which meant there was another route.

“See” said Bertie with glee. “A deduction worthy of Holmes not Watson”.

“Fine” I replied “Get your jacket on, time to explore before dinner, and should anyone ask we’ll have the perfect alibi of being lost.”

Checking the corridor as Bertie locked his door we made our way to the landing and looked up the staircase. The coast seemed clear and we could hear nothing so up we went.

With dinner so close the floor above was deserted. It was surprisingly light with windows that over looked the grounds which were expansive. The doors to the rooms on this level all seemed to be locked and there was no obvious signs that they were being used by any of Mrs Devries other guests.

We ambled along the corridor to the staircase at the other end which Bertie kept pointing out to me in a “told you so” like manner.

At the last room I stopped and waited, Bertie was looking out and marvelling at the tennis courts.

“Knolly what do think about that game of tennis then humm?”

As I turned to reply I caught the door of the room with my elbow and it opened.

“Bertie, here quick, inside”

The room was dark with the only light coming from the doorway, which was soon blocked by Bertie.

“So Knolly” he whispered (though for the life of me I have no idea why) “Whose room is it ?”

“Bertie get out of the light, while I try and find the windows and draw the curtains”

With much fumbling around I found what I was looking for and opened them slightly lighting in some more light

“Oh Lor !!” Exclaimed Bertie from behind me.

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