‘YOU COULDN’T have realised this sooner!’ he shot over his shoulder.
‘You didn’t notice it, either!’ I fired back.
He hesitated, as much acknowledgement as I was going to get, then leaned into the hallway. ‘I’m going to go see how bad it is. You should probably get out the front and have someone go for the fire brigade.’
‘Going to go see!’
‘Well,’ he said reasonably. ‘If it isn’t too big, yet, we might be able to put it out, ourselves. I’ll let you know...’
A thump interrupted him, at once sharp and round, as of a giant hand striking a leather chair, and in its wake, a growl and a crackle, louder than the fire in the grate. A finger of scarlet light brushed Sherlock’s cheek.
‘I would say it’s already too big.’ My throat and eyes began to burn. I stood, picking up my stick, and began
