The Flying Scotsman (10 page)

Across from Smith, but leaving a place for Holmes, sat Darwin Bromley. Bromley was almost as large as Smith, but less well-muscled.

After years with Mycroft Homes, I knew not to equate his weight with sloth, and did not mistake this man for idle: Bromley was an investor and rumored to be one of the richest men in London. He also owned and managed one of the largest investment houses in the city. The North Eastern had taken a long time to become profitable, and Bromley had been responsible for keeping the line solvent during the trying times before the changes in the Railroad Commission. Normally reserved to the point of being reclusive, Bromley was a different man when speaking about “his” trains. Some of the newspapers derisively, or enviously, accused him and his investment house of “collecting trains” in the way others had begun collecting the models of the great locomotives, for the North Eastern was not the only railroad in which he had invested, although it was now the largest.

Finally there sat Major D. Angus Potter. Almost seventy, he had been on the board the longest of any man there. Despite Smith’s middle name, Potter was also the only native-born Scot on the Board. A former major in the Royal Scots Regiment, the longest-serving regiment in Britain, he was considered to be a steadying influence on the often volatile North Eastern board, although some considered him hopelessly old-fashioned.

“You’ve all received my brief, I think, and have had a short time to familiarize yourself with it,” Mycroft Holmes began, his voice no longer his usual rumble, but a strong orator’s delivery; I sensed the excellent instruction of Edmund Sutton.

“Mister Holmes, you have a most ... ingenious plan to protect Prince Oscar, and we know we will benefit from the arrangements with Sweden-and-Norway, so we are at least willing to hear you out, if only out of consideration to the Prince who has offered us such generous terms to aid in the expansion of the railways in his kingdom,” said Wordswell, in his position of leadership; his words were supported by grave nods from the other Directors. “Tell us what you would like us to do?”

I made a point of readying my pen, although it was my intention to record the reactions of the Directors rather than anything my employer might say.

Mycroft Holmes unfolded a long sheet of paper and indicated the plan drawn upon it. From the precision of the execution of draughting, I supposed Tyers must have done it, for his early training included such disciplines. I wondered if Tyers was aware that Tennant would be examining his work, and if he had known, if the knowledge had influenced him in any way: knowing Philip Tyers, I supposed he would have done the same precise work, whether it was for a lowly sapper or the Queen herself. “As you can see,” Holmes told the Directors, “this plan shows a different array of cars than you usually have on the
Flying Scotsman.
You will see this uses a dining car and one of your half-lounge, half-baggage cars along with a first-class carriage with sleeping accommodations, but not a private carriage, which would call attention to itself. The train is completed with a second first-class carriage bound for Glasgow, and two second-class carriages with bunks in the rear. The first-class carriage and second-class carriage are before the dining car, then the dining car, then the lounge-and-baggage car—”

“Which we will have to lease from another railroad,” complained Tennant, his seniority making the rest stare at him.

“You have done so in the past, upon two occasions,” said Mycroft Holmes, challenging the man for all his tone of voice was polite. “There would be a first- and second-class carriage in the rear to simplify the change for Glasgow. Glasgow baggage would go in the second-class carriage, as provided by your—”

“Yes, yes, we know these things,” said Smith. “Why should we? Profits have been small enough and we have many years to make up for.”

“The North Eastern has never hesitated to act in British interests,” said Holmes, with heroic mendacity. “You have also made substantial alterations in the cars and their order on four previous occasions in the last year.”

“That was to improve speed,” grumbled Smith.

“But it has been done,” said Holmes, seizing on the salient point. “You have done so and no one will remark that you do so again, which is crucial to our plan.” He coughed. “Your passenger list for tomorrow is not full; you are booked at two-thirds’ capacity. With Prince Oscar and his minimal escort, and I assure you, the escort will be inconspicuous so as not to trouble your other passengers, you will have reached a comfortable level of profit.”

I noticed two of the silent Directors glance at each other, sly as lizards, and exchange a nod so small as to be almost imperceptible.

“Of course, because of what we ask for, we will pay compensation, and owe you the gratitude of the country, as well,” Mycroft Holmes went on. “In exchange, we expect our mission to be held in the strictest confidence. I have contrived an explanation for your change that should pass muster with all but the most persistent.”

“Is that the farrago in your brief?” demanded the sharp-faced Tennant.

“In essence, it is,” said Holmes without a trace of umbrage at Tennant’s imputation. “You know that you have the power to make these decisions, and you can put those decisions into effect in hours. This is just such a case.”

Bromley scowled down at the drawing. “In the past we have made changes due to exigencies—severe weather, trouble up the line—”

“And threats,” said Mycroft Holmes. “You changed the train’s schedule and order when you received a threat claiming that the train would be destroyed by explosives planted somewhere along the tracks.” He held up his memorandum on the matter. “You took two army carriages with the reinforced frames, and you made the run with half a dozen army sappers in the first carriage.” He smiled a bit. “The degree of change in this plan is nowhere near that, is it?”

“No,” said Smith grudgingly. “It’s not.”

“So you will order the train to proceed in the conformation I have specified?” Holmes glanced at me, then put his full attention on the Directors once again. “If you agree, I have a great deal to do this afternoon to prepare to depart tomorrow morning at seven, if you follow my recommendation.”

“You?” Potter gasped, his blue eyes seeming to push from his head. “Surely you do not mean to travel to Scotland?” he asked in a thick Edinburgh accent.

“I? That would be the height of folly. To have me escort His Highness would be the same as pinning him in a train’s headlight; I am too crucially placed in the government to provide Prince Oscar the obscurity he requires now.
Someone
must accompany the Prince, and whoever those two persons are, they must be made ready for the journey and given what protection we can supply to protect His Highness, who will, of course, travel incognito. Those escorting him will put his protection uppermost in their purpose.”

“Of course,” said Tennant sneering in my employer’s direction.

“Have you even found the escort for the Prince? Do you intend to tell us who is to undertake this work?” asked Smith taking his sarcastic tone from his fellow-Director.

“Oh, yes. There are some minor, last-minute arrangements to be made, but as soon as I have your assurance that you will support this plan and execute it, I will make such accommodations as are necessary for the protection of the Prince while he travels to Scotland. That will be
my
responsibility, as providing the appropriate train will be
yours.”
He was able to give them all a confident smile, and I wondered as I watched him if he would appear so confident if the Directors discovered that he—Mycroft Holmes—and I would be the escort taking Prince Oscar north. I doubted the Directors would be as sanguine as they were if they were privy to this intelligence; I also suspected that my employer would not present himself in this manner had he intended to inform them of his intentions.

“Mister Holmes?” Bromley asked as if suddenly aware of a new danger, “What do you think will be the greatest danger to the Prince while on the
Flying Scotsman?
The journey from London to Edinburgh should take eight hours, and much can happen in that time. We must hope that such an unmasking does not occur, but should it happen, how do you intend it to be dealt with? And how would such a disaster reflect on the North Eastern?”

Mycroft Holmes almost smiled; he must have anticipated the question. “If any of the Prince’s enemies, or Britain’s, should discover him on the train, we will have to do everything in our power to remove him from danger, which would mean evacuating him from the train in some manner. There are actually several possible places to accomplish this without raising further suspicion, and I am prepared to take advantage of any or all of them. Each station is, of course, an opportunity for our opponents as well as for us. Stations will be watched, and we must suppose stops for coal, sand, and water will be under surveillance as well.”

Pointing at the pertinent parts of Tyer’s drawing of the train, Mycroft continued, “With the configuration I’ve requested, we can leave the train at any point without being seen by the other passengers, here and ... here. It is very unlikely the assassin will actually venture to strike on the
Scotsman
itself. He would be at a great disadvantage, outnumbered and unable to retreat easily from any failure. The trained assassin prefers to have three means of escape; you can be most certain we are facing an accomplished assassin. Our concern must be discovery and an ambush awaiting us at Edinburgh Station.”

“Why do you believe this is the case, Mister Holmes?” asked Wordswell, his keen, fussy features showing his full attention.

“Experience, and a comprehension of the rail route.” With nothing more than a cursory glance my employer reached behind him and drew out a copy of the Ordnance Survey. Turning to a page in the middle, he placed the book in front of the Directors. “As
you are aware, a typical train has to slow to almost a walking pace to safely pass the ‘S’ curve at Portabello before reaching Edinburgh Station. If there is the slightest indication that anyone awaits us in the station, we will be able to depart at this point without undue hazard. There will be special men from Scotland Yard in every station along the route and a substantial number available on call. If anything untoward is noted we will leave the train, an advantage not readily offered to those traveling by ship, and thus avoid any unpleasantry. All we need is an appropriate warning. You have your profit, the government’s gratitude, and the gratitude of the future king of Sweden-and-Norway.”

“You have that wonderfully pat,” said Smith.

“I have, have I not?” My employer then granted the five Directors his most sincere smile. They were all comrades and patriots, it said, and they would profit from their patriotism as well.

“So there must be some way to feign trouble on the line, and some way to signal the need for it.” He looked around at the Directors. “I suppose I must tell your managers my plans in this regard and will do so at the earliest opportunity.”

“Do you doubt our willingness to help, Mister Holmes,” said Tennant, “when we have granted you this extraordinary meeting?”

“No, I do not doubt it, nor do I doubt your patriotism; but, gentlemen, I submit to you that we are facing a subtle and ruthless opponent whose agents might be much nearer to you than you suppose.” Mycroft Holmes leaned forward, his height making him more imposing than a shorter man would have been, or a slighter one. “Do not deceive yourselves. If word of this gets out at all we stand to lose everything Her Majesty’s government has worked so hard to achieve in its relations with Scandinavia.”

“The enemy you describe is subtle: the so-called Brotherhood is unknown to us,” said Smith. His chin jutted out in stubborn disbelief.

“If they made their presence known, they would not have the power they possess. Secrecy is their most potent weapon. Their very obscurity gives them potency they would lack if they were subjected to scrutiny. Those who have tried to bring their activities to light have paid high prices for their altruism.” He paused a moment. “Only those willing to work in the same shadows they inhabit have the least chance of any success in putting an end to the nefarious ambitions of the Brotherhood.”

Bromley gave a ponderous sigh. “I’ve been a banker and invested on the Continent for years and never heard of this conspiracy. Don’t you think you may be making too much of this Brotherhood, and the threat to the Prince? Having him travel incognito in such a harum-scarum fashion—well, it is demeaning, don’t you know? Fellow like that deserves better, some proper recognition of his place in the world.” His hand was large and his fingers thick, with white hairs sprouting from the backs of them like miniature, exotic ferns; he slammed his palm down on the table. “Why should we believe that such elaborate—we must call them shenanigans—are required? Disguises, doubles, misdirections.”

“Because the footman was killed yesterday morning, and a constable before dawn today, both assigned to the Prince of Sweden-and-Norway,” said Mycroft Holmes in a blunt kind of laconic style that held the Directors’ attention because it was not as aggressive a response as the challenge he had been issued. He modified his delivery and diminished the edge in his voice. “Two men have died within twenty-four hours, their common link is Prince Oscar, and we know the Prince has had his life threatened before. It would be unpardonably remiss of England to neglect his safety after the calamitous events of the past days.” He looked from one Director to the next. “I may be overcautious, but suppose the Prince should be killed following one of his established itineraries? What then? When you know that this deception of ours might have saved him? What will this do to railroading in Sweden-and-Norway, and how can you accept the harm this will do Britain?” He was silent then, not prodding them by word or gesture. “I will await your answer in the Reading Room,” he said, and signaled me to withdraw with him through the vestibule door.

I knew the Reading Room was the last place we would be allowed to speak, so I hesitated there. “What do you think, sir?” I asked, keeping my voice low as much for respect to the club members as any fear of eavesdroppers from the other side of the door.